Game 158: Two to clinch

by 604 Comments

Update: Cano in today's lineup, x-rays on hand apparently fine
Orioles claim Steve Pearce off waivers
(Abelimages/Getty)

The Yankees can clinch a playoff berth today. It would take a win over the Blue Jays and an Angels’ loss to the Rangers to guarantee one of the two wildcard spots, and it can all happen in the matter of a few hours. I know we’re all hoping the Yankees will win the AL East crown, but the division title and a wildcard spot are not mutually exclusive for New York. The Yankees have to clinch one before the other, and with a little help they can get step one out of the way today. Here’s the starting nine…

DH Derek Jeter
LF Ichiro Suzuki
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
1B Nick Swisher
CF Curtis Granderson
LF Andruw Jones
SS Eduardo Nunez
C  Chris Stewart

LHP Andy Pettitte

This afternoon’s game is scheduled to start at 1:07pm ET and can be seen on YES. Enjoy.

Update: Cano in today's lineup, x-rays on hand apparently fine
Orioles claim Steve Pearce off waivers
  • DERP

    How exactly would the celebration work if they clinch today? If they win, would they sit around for a few hours to see if the Angels lose?

    • jjyank

      I would imagine. Can’t exactly celebrate anything before you clinch anything.

      • CP

        They may not celebrate today even of they clinch. That was the case in 2009 I believe.

        • jjyank

          Very true.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      I don’t think the Yankees celebrate a Wild Card Birth. I know they didn’t in 09, I think it was Jeter or A-Rod who said something along the lines of “we’ll celebrate when we have the division wrapped up.”

      • nsalem

        I never knew wild cards bred.

        • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

          Berth* Whatever man.

          • nsalem

            That was nasty of me, it just maid me laff though. Apologies

            • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

              I understand, I chortled as well when I first read it.

        • jjyank

          Of course they do. It’s a very niche sort of following.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Here’s hoping to seeing the Babe on the right side of this site by the time I go to bed tonight.

    • CUYanks

      The Iron Horse, at the very least.

      • nsalem

        I think there’s a better chance of the cows coming home before another Sux win. Cows are not due home till March 2013.

        • CUYanks

          We play them our last 3, so that works for me.

  • Chilango

    DuBront v Johnson tonight, so maybe the Sux will pull this one out. Johnson is probably not as good as his record and ERA (1.62) suggest, since his BABIP is .229 and xFIP 3.46. Shoild be a good matchup in any case. Makes me kinda sick to root for the Blo-Sox though.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Kinda don’t want to clinch the playoffs today, since that would mean Texas won (assuming, of course, the Yankees win).

    Hope for a miracle at Camden Yards tonight.

    —

    Joltin’ Joe on the sidebar. Awesome!

  • Mike N

    We should pound the shit out of Romero.

  • robert heenan

    ricky don’t lose that nimber?

  • Joe F

    Got to leave for assistant coaching again. Wish the game was on at 7:00.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Has Joe not learned yet that lefties murder Romero this season? Why is Jones in there? Hell…why is Jones on this team.

    • The Real Greg

      That is a very good question.

      • CUYanks

        I understand not putting Ibanez in there, because sometimes batters’ platoon disadvantages can outweigh that of the pitcher, and Ibanez really can’t hit lefties. Still, Jones is terrible.

      • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        …wait. Greg is approving the bashing of Joe?! I’m calling Shenanigans!!

        • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

          There is never a wrong or bad time to call shenanigans.

    • Chilango

      lefties hit .307/.398 against him. Joe should update his binder.

    • jjyank

      I think that may be my biggest gripe about Girardi, honestly. He doesn’t take into account a pitcher’s arsenal or yearly/career trends when setting a platoon line up, it’s pretty much just straight lefty/righty.

    • Mick taylor

      Why is andruw jones on this team why is he playing instead of Dickerson we had Romero on the ropes and jones failed todeliver I have never seen a Yankee player worse than jones

  • Cy Pettitte

    need to crush them this inning like the O’s did to the Sox yesterday so they just roll over.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Break it open right here.

  • Mike N

    Good job!

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Not the worst possible outcome. Still technically a RISPFAIL though.

    • CUYanks

      Doesn’t count as an official at bat, so neutral.

    • The Real Greg

      Since sac flies don’t count as at bats it shouldn’t count as RISPfail.

      They got the minimum they needed. Now they look for bonus.

    • jjyank

      Meh. A run scores, that’s all I really care about with RISP. Could have been better obviously, but I’m okay with it.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Could’ve been worse.

  • jjyank

    Why does Robbie’s helmet have number 27? I was confused for a second.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      Maybe he just grabbed the wrong helmet?

      • jjyank

        I guess. I looked up and they were showing a front shot of the hitter, and I saw Robbie’s face with #27 right above, and was like WTF?

  • Chilango

    Crooked number let’s go.

  • Mike N

    RISPHIT! But no RBI.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Swish hit it too hard and too square.

    Hah.

  • The Real Greg

    Grandy hit that one hard too.

  • Mike N

    Good job, Grandy!

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Grandy put a nice charge in that.

    I really hope I’m wrong about Andruw because 2 runs would be the bare minimum of acceptance for me this inning.

    • The Real Greg

      Given the circumstances 2 runs is okay.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Saw that coming at least once when I saw the line up posted.

    • The Real Greg

      So did I.

  • Nice Scheister of Doom

    So the hits with RISP net no runs and the non hits equal runs. This has been a bizarre run for the bombers regarding run scoring this year.

  • Need Pitching & Hitting

    There is absolutely no logical reason for Andruw Jones to be in the lineup today.

    • The Real Greg

      There isn’t.

    • jjyank

      He must have brought awesome presents today.

  • Kosmo

    Granderson and Jones hitting back to back.

  • jjyank

    A big hit would have been nice, but I’ll take it. As long as Andy continues rolling, it’s all good.

  • Chilango

    Jones is worthless. And Girardi seriously needs to look harder at splits. Fuck em both..

  • Anthony

    Wish we could have done more with that. At least we scored 2 though.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Hopefully Pettitte is even better the second time around against the Jays.

    As I said, the strand rate won’t maintain forever. A sharper Andy would mean fewer baserunners, of course, which would help his effectiveness immeasurably.

  • jjyank

    I think Andy’s windup will go down as my favorite of all time. Between the stare, and the smoothness of it all, I just love watching his motion.

    Really, I just get all giddy seeing him on the mound.

    • Betty Lizard

      I love Andy’s windup. But it’s the delivery many of us fantasize about . . . .

  • Mike N

    Sheeit!

  • Cy Pettitte

    getting killed by Rajai fucking Davis.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Fucking Rajai Davis.

    The more this continues, the more my busted narrative will no longer be busted.

  • Chilango

    What is it with this guy?

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Davis is never going to be a power hitter.-John Sterling about 30 seconds before that home run.

  • Mike N

    That catch he made earlier in the season against the Yanks was one of the most amazing I’ve ever seen.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Romero has a 12 pitch inning, Nunez is going to hit the ball hard and line out, but early in the count, Stewart’s gonna have a decent at bat but eventually Remember he’s Chris Stewart and pop out, then Jeter’s going to ground out to second first pitch.

    • CUYanks

      Worth a try.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      I love being wrong :D

      • Mike

        Stuart popped out though, so you were half right

  • Cy Pettitte

    Headfirst slide into first, helmet off. yep, that’s Nunie.

  • Mike N

    Why the fuck did Nunez slide????? He could have made it second if he had not stupidly slid.

    • jjyank

      I am generally against the dive into first, but it’s not like he knew the throw would be bad.

      • Mike N

        The chance of an errant is just one of the many reasons not to slide into first base. This reason exists without having to know whether any given throw to first is gonna be errant.

        • jjyank

          I’m not really disagreeing with you. Like I said, I am generally against the concept of diving.

        • toad

          I thought it was generally accepted that sliding is slower than just running. The reason to slide is to dodge a tag, not beat a throw.

    • CUYanks

      He would have been out, but I guess he could have physically made it to second.

      • Mike N

        It looked to me like he would have made it, but I could be wrong.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    They’re talking about getting Nunie’s fielding together…I have an idea, ground ball practice. Every time he he doesn’t hit the first baseman in the chest, a round of suicides.

    • CUYanks

      I wonder, how much of good/bad fielding is just talent, and how much can be learned?

      • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        With Nunez, a lot of it is arm accuracy, that’s one of the fielding abilities that can be learned.

        • CUYanks

          Jeter made 56 (!) errors in first full season of professional baseball. He has learned to at least make the routine plays.

          • radnom

            Yeah but he was solid by the time he was Nunez’s age. I don’t think its a guarantee that he is going to get better at this point. Hopefully he does.

      • jjyank

        A lot of it is just instincts. Can’t really teach that. With enough repetition, some may get better, but for a lot of people, it just is what it is.

      • Chilango

        Maybe some of it is psychological. Like in 1983 when Steve Sax just started airmailing throws to first base. He made 30 errors that season. Although in Nuñez’ case, his fielding always sucked.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Nunez is such a “yeah, but” guy.

    Such a useful player, but can’t field routine ground balls. Annoying.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    “Good job by Stewart, he really tried!!” John Sterling, protecting his favorite players like a soccer mom since 1930 BC.

    • jjyank

      Holy shit Sterling is old.

    • Mike N

      He did not say “he really tried”, did he? Ugh.

  • Joey Spagna

    They ain’t goin no where. f’em . They don’t deserve it partner. They are gonna get killed by Boston. Boston is a good town to get bombed in. Not like that dump the Bronx. You’ll get stabbed shot and mugged in the bronx. It’s the biggest dump I was ever at and I travelled all over the country. It’s just a nasty disgusting public toilet. hey Yankee Stadium is shaped like a toilet seat, so it fits. Heheheheheheheheheheheheheeh.

    • Davy the greek

      Hay Joe, blow me.

      • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

        Stop talking to yourself.

        • CUYanks

          Hilarious.

        • Austin Aunelowitzky

          I wonder what else he is doing with himself.

  • Joey Spagna

    They ain’t goin no where. f’em . They don’t deserve it partner. They are gonna get killed by Boston. Boston is a good town to get bombed in. Not like that dump the Bronx. You’ll get stabbed shot and mugged in the bronx. It’s the biggest dump I was ever at and I travelled all over the country. It’s just a nasty disgusting public toilet. hey Yankee Stadium is shaped like a toilet seat, so it fits. Heheheheheheheheheheheheheeh.

    • jjyank

      This is literally the worst attempt at a failed troll post I have ever seen.

      Bravo, that was a pretty high bar.

  • CUYanks

    Man, it feels like Andy has been stranding a ton of runners this year.

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

      /comments from every year

      • CUYanks

        Haha yeah it does always feel like he has a knack for that in big spots. (Though this year his LOB% is around 80%)

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Blow this open. We had a similar opportunity last night early in the ballgame and only got 1. Put this away and put the pressure on the Os.

  • jjyank

    Break. It. Open.

  • Mike Stanley

    Hey, so Mike Silva is going full-on code words/racist meltdown on Twitter right now.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    That was such a waste, Curtis.

    • CUYanks

      Especially with Andruw on deck.

  • anon

    Grandy = worthless

    • CUYanks

      Andruw Jones = worth even less

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    I mentioned the trickle down effect in a Teixera injury thread and someone said Teixera has nothing to do with Andruw playing in LF. It has everything to do with Andruw playing in LF because Swisher has to play 1st and Ichiro has to play RF. We need Teixera back for the playoffs so we don’t have to play Andruw at all.

  • Effthisnoise

    Ladies and gentleman, cy young romero

  • Chilango

    Following Kranderson w/Jones is criminal.

  • Need Pitching & Hitting

    Hmmm…who’d have thought that a ridiculously dumb managerial decision would have negative consequences?

    Fuck you Joe Girardi.

  • Cy Pettitte

    why is Jones in the line up.

    • ArchStanton

      Because he hit a home run the other night, most likely.

      Was there any doubt they weren’t going to score there?

  • Austin Aunelowitzky

    Did I just see Jones smile?

    • Effthisnoise

      Why shouldn’t he? The guy has been stealing money from the yanks all year. Batting 190 and still gets to play and fail.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Of course Andruw struck out there.

  • Cy Pettitte

    fucking unreal. this is the kind of game they’ll lose now.

  • Steve S

    Inning ends just as Kay is about to blast Girardi for sticking with Jones….

  • Steve S

    Inning ends just as Kay is about to blast Girardi for sticking with Jones….

  • Karl Krawfid

    Fucking horrible.

    Do these guys want to win the division?

  • Steve S

    Inning ends just as Kay is about to blast Girardi for sticking with Jones….

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    When Teixera returns Girardi better pull his head out of his ass and put Nunez at DH vs LHP and Andruw off the playoff roster. At least Nunez makes good contact and brings speed.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Wonderful.

    It’s been too long since a bases loaded/0 out situation yielded no runs.

  • Travelbug83

    Andruw Jones strikes out. Man, I am surprised.

  • CUYanks

    I propose Taken 3, where Liam Neeson allows Andruw Jones to be Taken.

  • Moskva

    Bases loaded – no outs = no runs. That never happens with this time!

    Now, I don’t have the math done, but I bet statistically if we just suicide sqeueezed in this position every single time w/ risp and less than two outs, we’d probably have more runs.

  • Matt

    This is flat out disgraceful.

    Jones gets a 3-2 fastball right down the middle and completely misses it. Granderson can’t even get the ball past shortstop to get a run home.

    What is wrong with these guys? They NEVER cut down on their swings and try to get these runs home. How can Jones be fooled by fastballs in the dirt unless he’s cheating on it trying to hit a grand slam?

    These are the situations in which you simply cannot let a pitcher get off the hook. The pitching has been fine almost every day. The offense is what results in the bullpen getting worn down so many nights.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      The offense has been better than the pitching.

      • Matt

        Of the 111 earned runs that the Yankees pitching staff has allowed in September, 32 of them have been allowed by Justin Thomas, David Aardsma, Cory Wade, Freddy Garcia, and Ivan Nova.

        So basically, spare parts and guys who are #5/fill in starters.

        The rest of the pitching staff (Starters #1-4, regular relievers) has pitched to a combined ERA of 3.00 in September.

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          Those other guys have pitched. Those innings do count. And those failures did frequently result in the good part of the bullpen being overworked in games they shouldn’t have needed to pitch. And their failures have resulted in Girardi not having trust in anyone but the core relievers, resulting in them warming up/being used in games in which they should be fully resting.

          I’m not absolving the offense completely, but a lot of the overwork of the bullpen has been a result of poor middle relief (frequently coupled with poor bullpen management).

          • Matt

            Yes, those guys do pitch, but they usually come in to pitch in games that are out of hand one way or the other.

            Cory Wade has allowed a bunch of those runs in garbage time. The same with Justin Thomas. Those runs count on the ledger, but they are runs that would probably not have scored if they weren’t using expanded rosters and had gone to someone else in those spots.

            It is misleading to look at totals for September if you don’t understand what portion of them is contributed by players who are call ups, as opposed to the regular 25 man roster.

            Also, if it is just 1 starter who is getting completely bombed, then on every other night your pitching is giving you a chance to win. There are many ways to get to a number, and you’re going to win more games if 4 of your 5 starters are pitching well as opposed to 2 pitching well and 3 pitching just alright.

            • Need Pitching & Hitting

              You are completely missing the point.
              You were complaining about the bullpen being overworked.

              “The offense is what results in the bullpen getting worn down so many nights.”

              The games where pitchers like Wade and Thomas turn garbage time into close games is a big part of that.
              The games that Nova starts horribly also contribute to the bullpen being overworked. The games where the starters pitch to a good ERA but don’t last deep into the games also contribute to that.

              Also, it appears your numbers are off considerably anyways, the 1-4 starters and regular relievers (Soriano, Drob, Joba, Logan, Rapada, Phelps, Eppley) have a 3.77 ERA in September (still solid, but not 3.00).

  • Mike N

    You would think Ibanez would have been a better bet than Jones against Romero.

  • http://fendersonandhampton.com Cuso

    In case there was any question, Andruw has proven that there will be no bounce-back with rest tron him a la Ibanez. Andruw should not make the post-season roster (assuming we make it…yadda yadda).

    • http://fendersonandhampton.com Cuso

      Tron?

      Tron Legacy? Where did tron come from?

  • mt

    I know that Hecheverria botched the double play ball creating the bases loaded situation but tha tinning was ridiculous – Grandy and Jones back to back also is not great.

    For some reason Yanks have been unable to thrash Romero in his last four starts against him, including this one.

  • Effthisnoise

    Bases loaded no outs, pop up, strikeout, great play. Pretty much sums up the yanks all season

    • CUYanks

      Still, 1 game away from the best record in the AL with 5 to go.

      • Effthisnoise

        No doubt, question is how far can you go in the play offs against teams tat don’t suck like the jays

  • Austin Aunelowitzky

    “I think the Yankees have a winner in back up catcher Stewart”
    -Jays Announcers

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Despite that bases loaded debacle we still have Andy.

  • Effthisnoise

    Lawrie classic rood rage reactions

  • Effthisnoise

    Lawrie classic roid rage reactions

  • Cy Pettitte

    Is that Pedro Ciriaco in a Jays jersey or what

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    PLEASE stop giving up hits to Rajai fricken’ Davis.

    He’s now .328 against the Yankees this year. The numbers do back me up.

    • CUYanks

      Hey, he kept him in the yard this time!

  • Matt

    Maybe it’s time for Girardi to actually try using his binder:

    LHB vs. Romero:

    2012- .307/.398/.431
    Career- .287/.369/.420

    RHB vs. Romero:

    2012- .265/.369/.345
    Career- .239/.325/.313

    Yet he always tries to load up on RHB against him just because he is a LHP…

    • CUYanks

      Ibanez has some pretty bad platoon splits against lefties though this year. There are 2 sides to every platoon situation.

      • Cy Pettitte

        I’d just put Dickerson in the OF today.

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          I agree. If nothing else, they get defense.
          And there’s still a good chance he’d outperform Andruw at the plate vs. Romero.

          • CUYanks

            This I agree with. Anything to keep Andruw out of the lineup.

          • ArchStanton

            Yeah, anyone but Jones at this point. Guy is cooked.

      • mt

        I wish reporters had the guts to ask him regarding the (few) pitchers like Romero with reverse platoon splis – the question would have to be pointed or Girardi would just evade.

    • Effthisnoise

      Agreed, I’d rather have Ibanez in the linup against a leftie rather than watch Jones smile as he strikes out against a limping guy with a 5.75 era after he’s blown that over powering 92 mph fastball past him

      • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

        Ibanez has 0 HR vs. LHP this year. He’s completely helpless.

        • Effthisnoise

          I know, that’s how much I hate Andrew, even that would be better to watch

    • Mike N

      Srsly.

    • http://fendersonandhampton.com Cuso

      He knew Romero was going to get hurt and be out before the 4th.

      Genius move.

      • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

        /lessons from Wednesday

        //sorry Mike

  • Mike N

    Pettitte looking good!

  • Austin Aunelowitzky

    Andy…#2 starter in playoffs?

    • Effthisnoise

      I would Kuroda looks gassed and Andy has the experience and is fresh

    • Cy Pettitte

      If it’s on the road yes. Kuroda should be lined up to pitch at YSIII.

    • Chilango

      That’s about right. Especially if Kuroda does not have a good final outing,

  • Cy Pettitte

    Romero struck out Andruw Jones with one healthy knee

  • Joe M

    What happened to Romero?

    I’m watching the Gameday so I couldn’t tell.

    • Cy Pettitte

      took him out due to “left knee discomfort”

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Hopefully the RH pitcher means that Andruw has taken his last swing and a miss as a New York Yankee.

    • Austin Aunelowitzky

      That turn back the clock game Andruw had just before the ASB was really a swan song. I really hope he isn’t on playoff roster.

  • JMK

    Did he just walk Chris Stewart? Jeez.

  • JMK

    Also, stop bunting. Just stop.

  • Chilango

    Jeter has 200 hits and a .320 avg so he’s up there bunting. WTF

  • Mike N

    Is it just me, or do these Blue Jays fans sound more surly than a usual stadium?

  • Cy Pettitte

    the Orioles claimed Sam Pearce off waivers.

    • Pat D

      I wonder if any other player has had two separate stints with two organizations in one year.

    • CUYanks

      I hope Brian Cashman gave him a nice “parting gift” and he will “perform” in some crucial spots for the Orioles at the end of the season.

  • CUYanks

    Andy must have accrued a lot of good karma over his year off.

  • jjyank

    Can I have some insurance runs please?

    • Pat D

      No, you can’t even has cheeseburger.

      • jjyank

        Fuck. I’m really hungry.

        • Pat D

          I told you so.

  • Brian S.

    That injury prevented Andy from winning the Cy Young :(

    • CountryClub

      That would have been awesome, haha.

  • Mick taylor

    Andruw Jones will cost the yanks the division the yanks should be up at least 3-1

  • Rek4gehrig

    Jones still in the game?

  • Effthisnoise

    Escobar, that was so gay

  • CountryClub

    It’s funny how he just got 3 outs on like 10 pitches and he was pissed because he didn’t like how they hit the ball. Pettitte’s the best.

    • jjyank

      Totally. One of the many reasons that he will always be my second favorite pitcher ever.

      And before anyone asks, Mariano is my #1.

  • Cy Pettitte

    they gave the pitcher the error to help Yunel’s trade value

  • Athenian

    The upside to all the failure to score is that the Yankees will not face any team as talented as the Blue Jays or the Twins in the playoffs. That should increase the likelihood of scoring more runs.

    Still shocked Granderson didn’t get a hit with bases loaded and then Jones struck out. Romero must be dealing.

  • Cy Pettitte

    they better be PHing for Andruw.

  • Anthony

    2 on, no out. Please don’t waste it. Give Andy and the bullpen some breathing room.

  • Athenian

    If they don’t give Grandy 20 mill plus, it will be a shame.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      Just full of anti-Yankee snark today.
      Understandable, considering they are such an awful team.

      • Athenian

        He he… They are just embarrassing right now. Any win I the post season is a gift, not an expectation.

  • Need Pitching & Hitting

    fucking awful

  • Cy Pettitte

    oh look, another inning with no runs. how surprising.

  • Effthisnoise

    Just sad

  • CountryClub

    Just hit a fly ball.

  • JMK

    I almost feel like this team does this to fuck with us.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Waste some more opportunities in this game.

    Holy fucking shit, Yankees.

  • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

    At least Andruw only made one out at a time.

  • Rich in NJ

    Give Dickerson more PT. Yeah, Ibanez has a few games here and there where he hits, but that makes him a good PH, and just that.

  • UncleArgyle

    Mother of god these guys blow

  • UncleArgyle

    Mother of god these guys blow

  • UncleArgyle

    Mother of god these guys blow

  • mt

    RISPFAIL – what a shock.

    Blue jays trying to hand us this game with some defensive lapses but we do not take advantage.

  • CUYanks

    Still leading. Lock it down, Andy.

  • CountryClub

    Man, IF they end up losing, this will be one ugly loss.

  • Brian S.

    Play Chris Dickerson for fucks sakes.

  • Anthony

    If we lose this game… I swear

  • CUYanks

    Obligatory Jeff Mathis double. Somewhere, Alfredo Aceves is smiling.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Hit the ball to CF enough times, and one will drop in.

    Fail enough with RISP, and the tying run will be in scoring position.

  • Brian S.

    Come on Andy it’s the bottom of their lineup…

    • JMK

      Didn’t you hear? The bottom of their lineup features Yankee Killer and perennial MVP candidate Jeff Mathis. It’s not like any run of the mill 7-8-9 of a AAAA lineup.

  • Matt

    2 for 11 with RISP, 8 LOB, and we are only in the 5th inning.

    Another game that you feel like should be a blowout, yet is only a 1 run lead.

    Puts a heck of a lot of pressure on the pitching staff when they do this.

  • Chilango

    Nice play by Granderson. Now Andy will be clutch.

  • The Troll

    6 hits and 2 walks off Romero in 3 innings and ONLY 2 runs? WTF? Does this team have no shame? Good thing I forgot about the game because it looks like I thankfully missed more typical putrid baseball on behalf of the Yankees offense.

  • The Troll Monger

    Pretty sure the Yanks aren’t sure they want to win this game. Source: My TV

  • CUYanks

    Rajai Herman Ruth is looming on deck.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    gahhh I hate people. Always coming in to buy stuff like this is a store and it’s my job to help them. And a few of them even had the nerve to ask me the score of the Yankee game. Cause they heard it playing from the back. I was so close to saying “I know about as much as you do because I’ve been spending the the last twenty minutes helping you decide between these two products that are basically the same.”

    • jjyank

      People suck.

    • Austin Aunelowitzky

      push the bubblers

      • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        Some kid w/ an ID that clearly states he was born in 1995 just spent the last half hour debating on buying a bubbler. I wanted to fucking kill him when he pulled out his license.

  • Cy Pettitte

    oh great, Rajai Davis.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Rajai Davis.

    Oh boy.

  • Mike N

    Get out Davis!

    • The Troll

      Get out, Davis! They’re coming to kill you!

  • Mike N

    Fuck!

  • Cy Pettitte

    un fucking real. they’re not winning this game.

  • Marcy

    Andy’s having a rough day – I hope this builds his leg strength and just gets to work on his stuff but the Yanks need to put some runs up and last night when they made such a big deal about Gtanderson showing bunt – maybe they should have checked what he did in Detroit — he can bunt.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    And then a fucking infield hit.

    Fucking figures.

  • Matt

    Clearly a foul ball. Unbelievable.

    • Mike N

      Yep.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Are you kidding me?! Fucking Rajai fucking Davis is 3-3?! UGH He’s like Pedro Ciriaco, only worse because Rajai has proven that he can’t hit in the majors for YEARS.

  • Joe

    This has the making of worst list of the year.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Both idiots pointed fair when it was foul. Hopefully MLB gets replacement umps next year.

  • Matt

    3 at bats with runners at 3rd base, less than 2 outs, and they didn’t score a single run.

    They have nobody to blame but themselves if they don’t win this game.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      I put some blame on Girardi for Jones being in the positions he’s been this game (bases loaded 2 out and this most recent one.) Dude shouldn’t even be on the roster. If you wanna load up the line up w/ RHH even though Romero has one of the biggest reverse platoon splits have an outfield of Swish, Grandy, Ichiro, and put McGehee at first. Jones has proven he is less that worthless since about June.

  • TomH

    Pettitte was lucky to come out of the 4th without a run. Two of those Jays’ outs were on really-stung balls.

    • CUYanks

      Yes. 5 ip, 2 er is just fine so far for the contact he’s been allowing.

  • CUYanks

    Still think the Yankees will have some more chances with this being a bullpen game. Way to hold them, Andy!

  • Cy Pettitte

    score some fucking runs now. this is ridiculous.

  • Chilango

    All that’s missing from this familiar turn of events is Greg saying ok ok they’re not going to the playoffs get used to it.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Now get some fucking runs.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Nunie needs to find a way on base and manufacture a run by himself. Ain’t no one gonna drive him in. If he does get on Girardi won’t even try to steal, he’ll bunt twice in a row even though he insists we’re not the Bronx Bunters.

  • mt

    Yanks need to start taking more chances (running) if they get men on base and stop waiting for someone to come through with the big hit – force the action, a little.

  • stuart a

    train wreck. clutch hitting is abysmal. that was a foul ball.. arod bad decision.

    can arod get the ball out of the infield on offense???
    He is in a terrible slump, like a light hitting 2B..

    this would be a horrible loss, 1 of many…………

    • The Troll

      I agree. If anything, this has undoubtedly been the Year of the Horrible Loss.

  • Rich in NJ

    Nunez keeps smoking the ball.

    • Joe M

      Was he robbed of a homer? It looked like it on gameday

      • Rich in NJ

        No, maybe a 2B, or a 3B if it bounced around.

  • The Troll

    Oh yeah, also . . . . As I’ve mentioned countless times before, scoring two runs in the first inning is the ultimate death knell for the Yankees. After scoring two, as my memory permits, they quickly activate hibernation mode and STFU for the rest of the game.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    wait…there’s a righty in an Chavez/Raul are still on the bench. I’m just about done defending Girardi.

    • CUYanks

      Raul hit earlier.

    • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

      Ibanez pinch hit in the 5th.

      He promptly hit into an inning-ending DP.

      • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        okay, I was away for a while. Less angry.

    • Eddard reboot v.1.0

      Raul PH for Andruw and instead of striking out like Andruw would have done he hit into a DP.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    And now they go 1-2-3.

    This has been a classic tear-your-hair-out performance today from a team full of them in 2012.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    If we do lose this game this will be the day that swings the momentum in the Os favor. They now have Steve Pearce and they may soon have a tie atop the division if this offense can’t get one clutch hit.

  • Effthisnoise

    Another no namer shutting down the yanks

  • Rich in NJ

    I wish Girardi would be as willing to offend Jones and Ibanez for the “good of the team” as he is Nunez.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      Veteran’s presents dude. Veteran’s presents.

  • Chilango

    Andy will turn it over to the pen and it’s all downhill from there. You can see this coming a mile away.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    I like how Joe doesn’t risk anything with Nunez in the field but Andruw is still allowed to start in LF.

  • Cy Pettitte

    this is just beyond hilarious. I can’t believe this fucking game.

  • Karl Krawfid

    Yankees don’t deserve the division.

    • CUYanks

      A team whose starting rotation has guys like Steve Johnson and (formerly) Randy Wolf does?

  • Chilango

    Nice going Robbie. Oh fuck

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Where are the fucking fundamentals?

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Why was Nunez taken out…I’m confused, nobody said anything about him getting hurt. Then again John and Suzyn could’ve been talking about anything but baseball when it happened.

    • Mike N

      The YES announcers assumed it was to put Jeter at SS to bolster the defense in a close game.

      • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        …yet our outfield isn’t currently Dickerson, Granderson, and Suzuki.

    • Chilango

      Can’t have him playing short in a tight game in the late innings can we?

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Way to be lazy, Robbie. Nice effort.

  • Mike N

    Andy grabbed his hamstring.

  • Cy Pettitte

    they could be fighting to go 4-3 tomorrow on a 7 game road trip against the Twins and the Jays. what the fuck is wrong with this team.

  • Austin Aunelowitzky

    That’s a break.

  • Chilango

    Escobar que maricon eres wey!

  • CountryClub

    A muscle strain would be brutal

  • mt

    Can we get a D P from Mathis?

  • Mike N

    Holy shit! What a play!

  • Rich in NJ

    Very nice catch, CG.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Excellent play from Curtis.

    Keep this one tied.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Game saving catch there by Grandy. Great catch.

  • Karl Krawfid

    What a joke. Andy should be in line for the win.

  • Chilango

    What a play by Granderson.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Wow..I just turned on the Toronto broadcast because the WFAN broadcast kept dropping out. Quality of announcing from one AB SN590>>>>>>>WFAN.

    • The Troll

      I think it’s officially safe to say that 80% of your posts concern the broadcast. Day in and day out, the same old, tired routine. Can we PLEASE get some new material?

      • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        I’d put the number closer to 50 or 60, and I’ll have new material when they do. I can only work with what I’m given.

  • Matt

    Pettitte was stretching his legs. That doesn’t mean he is hurt. Let’s not jump to conclusions without any definitive information.

    He was nearing the end of his pitch count and his legs could have been a bit tired. Maybe he simply didn’t bust it because he saw that there was no chance to get the guy at first base. Guys like to stretch to keep their legs loose, you don’t always know the reason for it.

    • Mike N

      It looked to me like he pulled up with a twinge, not because he gave up on the play, and that he immediately grabbed at his leg in a continuous motion with pulling up. But yeah, we don’t know.

  • Cy Pettitte

    what. a. fucking. joke.

  • Mike N

    Motherfucker. Phew.

  • Rich in NJ

    Swish limited the damage.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Adeiny FUCKING Hechavarria! Come on Joba!!! Fuck man!

  • JMK

    Naturally, our bullpen holds. Or wait…?

  • Karl Krawfid

    Can’t wait to see this risp fail in the postseason.

    • jay

      I don’t. I’m a fan of the Yankees.

    • Widget

      it will look like all other years outside of 2009. We’ve seen that movie plenty of times.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    And there goes the tie altogether.

    This team deserves this after the shitfest of the first six innings.

  • mt

    Blue Jays making defensive errors and base running errors yet we still will lose if no Yankee can get a big hit.

  • Matt

    It’s amazing how some of the worst players in the entire Major Leagues can get clutch hits against our pitching staff, while our so called “all star lineup” chokes inning after inning when all they need to do is hit a fly ball.

    Without hitting a multiple-run home run, this team simply cannot score in bunches. It’s stunning.

    • Matt

      Case in point, Curtis Granderson.

      How do you have the power to hit 40 home runs, yet only have 18 doubles the entire season?

      • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

        40 home runs, sub .800 OPS!

        Imagine that.

      • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

        A few days ago I made an “analysis” on that, and while final stats might look enticing in the way of “ooow neaat! he had 40 HR and 100 RBI and 100 Runs!”, the reality is a bunch of his numbers come from his homeruns and a good bunch out of it in his solo at bats.

        In the end having KKKKurtis Granderson playing is no better than having a 0.280 AVG / 0.370 OBP / 20 SB guy in it that can reaaally field and not give up so many runs by not allowing the man from first base advance all the way to 3rd in a single to center, and manufacturing runs.

        A third of Granderson’s at bats end up without him being able to advance the runner (strikeouts), and has not had more hits than K’s in a season since 2009 (Detroit: 157 to 141 K’s).

        Kkkkurtis has been on base 213 times via hit, walk, HBP or error.

        Out of those 213 times, 62 have been extrabases (40 homeruns, 18 doubles and 4 triples), that means he has been on first base 151 times, out of those 151 times he has advanced by himself to 2nd base via a steal 9 times, so, 142 times he has been standing at first base.

        Out of those 142 times, 55 have been with no outs in the scoreboard: 27 hits, 25 walks, 2 HBP, 1 by error.

        He has stolen 3 bases… 3 ffffff***ing stolen bases. He is not creating scoring chances whatsoever.

        With 1 out he has been a bit better, just because he has been on first less times.

  • mt

    Blue Jays making defensive errors and base running errors yet we still will lose if no Yankee can get a big hit.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    We have no middle relief. The starters either go 7 or it’s game over. We should have 5-6 runs by now making it moot but this offense couldn’t get a clutch hit to save its life.

  • CountryClub

    The pen is just a mess

  • Athenian

    Yanks will lose this game. They really don’t deserve a post season birth. Aside from one month they have barely been better than the Pirates.

    • The Troll

      Haha, “birth”.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      Huh?
      April: .591
      June: .741
      August: .536
      Sept.: .615

      Pirates: .484

      • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

        Bleh, “just” two months:

        NYY / Pirates

        May
        0.500 / 0.536

        July
        0.500 / 0.654

  • Cy Pettitte

    leadoff man on for the 6th time in 7 innings. how will they strand him this time.

  • whozat

    Giving up well-struck balls to Jeff Mathis and Hechevarria is inecusable

    • jay

      How dare MLB players who aren’t All Stars hit the ball hard!

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Oh look, the lead off man is on.

    Wonder how they’ll waste him this time.

    • whozat

      incredibad.

  • pistol pete

    Does Joba ever get a big fuckin out, never.

  • CountryClub

    Come on, get it right back!

  • robert heenan

    I really, really, really, really don’t understand why Joe didn’t play McGehee at first and Swisher in the outfield. Jones is worthless. As he demonstrated. I don’t think Jones made any defensive plays when he as in. McGehee could have played the outfield just as well. What a disgrace. Why is it a rule that MLB managers have to be stubbornly, blatantly, adamantly, infuriatingly stupid? And now after playing that offensive/defensive disgrace Jones for half the game Joe decides to kill the DH so he can put Jeter at shortstop in the name of defense. So much ridiculousness there.

    And now we’re down one. That’s the game. Great.

    • Athenian

      Joe is the greatest manager in Yankee history. Don’t question him or his binder. Match ups exceed talent in Joe’s book, doesn’t care if you are way past prime…

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    Hill pitched 3 innings, threw 40 pitches…that tells me a lot about what our offense DIDN’T do…

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    3-4-5 hitters up, 2-0 count on Alex. There’s no excuse to fail again here. No excuse.

    • WhittakerWalt

      He found a way.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      The fail is 1/3rd complete.

      • Athenian

        That was funny!

  • Matt

    I don’t understand why Girardi keeps a guy like Ichiro anchored to first on a count like 2-0, 2-1, etc. How about trying to make something happen instead of being paralyzed by a fear of criticism by the media?

    If you think that A-Rod has so much power that he needs to have a chance to swing the bat, then he will be up in a spot to tie the game either way. If you sit around and do nothing, this team will probably bang into a DP and waste the chance sooner or later.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Strike my ass.

  • mt

    Don’t understand why Ichiro isn’t running there. It helps to disrupt pitcher.

  • JMK

    Bad call, it was low.

  • mt

    Don’t understand why Ichiro isn’t running there. It helps to disrupt pitcher.

  • CountryClub

    Same pitch he called a ball on Joba.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    He’s been calling that low and away pitch all day. Alex should have noticed that and protected the plate.

    • Matt

      That wasn’t even close to a strike. How can you expect him to protect a pitch 2-3 inches BELOW the knees?

  • Chilango

    Way to work the pitcher ARod. What a joke.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    I know “the troll” just complained about me complaining about the broadcast, but this is more of a “good job” for SN590. Instead of interrupting the actual game w/ the scoreboard and going to commercial at every chance they did the scoreboard during the pitching change. That is an excellent idea.

    • Mike N

      How dare you not listen to Ma and Pa Baseball????

      • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

        It kept dropping..like for 10 seconds at a time multiple times an inning. It was unbelievably frustrating.

        • Mike N

          NO EXCUSES!

  • Chilango

    Run Ichiro run!

  • Need Pitching & Hitting

    Just fucking pathetic.

  • Cy Pettitte

    this game just keeps getting better.

  • Karl Krawfid

    …

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Unreal.

  • Anthony

    This game is unbelievably frustrating.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    This team sometimes. I love them, and I think they’re a very good team…but sometimes I just have to laugh. Que Sa ra, Sa ra.

  • Rich in NJ

    Well, Cano seems to be back.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Followed by a base hit. Of course.

    /FALLACY

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    LOL! Great job, Girardi. Way to run into an out with our best hitter at the plate.

  • James Hellwig

    Really Ichiro? I would say this game is a joke, but I’m not laughing.

  • WhittakerWalt

    FUCKING SHIT

  • Cy Pettitte

    sometimes you just have to tip you’re cap to the greats like Romero and Hill.

    • Cy Pettitte

      your*

  • Widget

    Nice of them to have one of the worst games of the season against a terrible toronto team during the final week of the season. Granderson needs to go back to the bench where he belongs.

  • Effthisnoise

    This is the series I was actually afraid of costing the yanks first place. C’mon boys wake the fuck up

  • mt

    I know Ichiro got thrown out there so maybe he should have tried to steal when righty LIncoln was on mound against ARod as opposed to lefty with the good move.

  • mt

    I know Ichiro got thrown out there so maybe he should have tried to steal when righty LIncoln was on mound against ARod as opposed to lefty with the good move.

  • WhittakerWalt

    Sterling is still doing the fallacy shit, an inning later.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      Idk if you’re using an actual radio or Gameday Radio. If it’s Gameday I highly suggest moving to the Toronto broadcast. It’s so much better. My favorite part: they let you hear the player’s walk up music. I now like Brett Lawrie a little more because I know his walk up music is Notorious BIG.

      • WhittakerWalt

        Ha, I love that.
        Yeah I’m switching over. Can’t take it anymore. The only thing worse than losing is losing and listening to these morons.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    At least they’re solving their RISP issue by no longer getting into scoring position.

  • The Troll

    And you can expect the Red Sox to just roll over again. They know exactly what they’re doing . . . Barring the Yankees from the division of course! Can anyone here seriously presume that the Yankees are going to sweep Boston?

    • robert heenan

      I never expect this team to sweep anybody — they have a hard enough time winning two games in a row, let alone three.

  • toad

    Tough to score when you’re up against Spahn, Gibson, Koufax, and Seaver, one after the other.

  • eric k

    Generally over this Yankee team. They won’t win the WS so just enjoy baseball for what it is at this point.

    • Squints

      Agreed not one of those vintage Yankee teams. Time and again they cant even get 2 sac fly with bases loaded no out to plate 2 runs. Even if they get to the post season the WS is very doubtful the way they play.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Now Jobber’s striking guys out.

    Couldn’t manage that with a shitty hitter like Hechevarria when it mattered more, though.

  • WhittakerWalt

    Rajai Davis is the difference in this game.
    Unreal.

    • http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

      The Yankees offense is the difference in the game.

      • toad

        Yes. Pathetic showing.

      • WhittakerWalt

        I was being sort of facetious. But seeing a loser like Rajai Davis get 7 hits in two games is maddening.

  • robert heenan

    If the Yankees do not score in the top of the 8th, this game is over.

    We know Joe loves to surrender 1-run games in the 8th with his pitching choices. I fully expect to see Eppley/Rapada/Logan/Lowe before Robertson. Because Robertson should pitch when the Yankees are 7 runs up but not when they’re 1 run behind.

  • Mike N

    Good inning for Joba.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    See, he’s been calling that low and away strike all day. Called it there, called it to Alex and to Brett Lawrie. Alex should have been prepared.

  • Anthony

    Nice showing by Joba at least.

  • Cy Pettitte

    why couldn’t he get one of those Ks last inning. sigh.

  • Tom Q

    I’d make the case that Girardi is miscasting Job as a fireman — i.e., bringing him in with guys on base. Joba has been excellent of late in throwing scoreless innings when he starts them, but when he’s brought in with men on, he frequently seems to give up the one hit that plates them.

  • WhittakerWalt

    Just go away, Curtis.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    The day wouldn’t be complete without a Kurtis K.

  • robert heenan

    Curtis terrible.

    WHY IS IBANEZ HITTING A LEFTY, JOE?

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      huh?

  • Athenian

    The next time Granderson hits the ball will be his first in almost 3months. Oh the Grandyman can oh the Grandyman can!

  • mt

    One thing you can always say about Ibanez is that he runs hard (unlike some others we know.)

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    May that be the lucky bounce the Yankees needed.

  • Anthony

    Chances the yankees don’t take advantage of this error either? C’mon now.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    I know Ichiro got picked off last inning, but I still want to see Gardner running here. I’d prefer he slide feet first though.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      Damn. All well I still think it was a good decision for him to run.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Our best offense today has been Blue Jay errors. Gardner comes in to PR and stay at 1st because we wouldn’t want to use what little speed we have.

  • ArchStanton

    Why is Chavez coming in to face a lefty?

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      Cause according to game day Delabar’s a righty?

      • ArchStanton

        OK, someone else said he was a lefty when he was facing Raul- my bad!

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      Cause he was throwing with his right arm?

  • Effthisnoise

    Take advantage

  • WhittakerWalt

    The fix is in.

  • Need Pitching & Hitting

    Safe.

    Fucking umpires suck donkey balls.

  • Chilango

    Safe by a fucking mile

  • AaronGuielWithASmile

    Wow, what a brutal call.

  • Rich in NJ

    Bring on the robots, dammit.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    How shitty a jump did Brett get?

    Are you kidding me? Even with the shitty throw, Gardner was way slow getting to the bag.

  • Anthony

    Embarrassing….

  • Athenian

    Can’t even steal a base. Williamsport here come the Yankees!

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      He did steal the base.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Safe by a mile. Replacement umps next year.

  • Matt

    Definitely safe. It wasn’t even close.

    So not only did the Blue Jays score a run on a foul ball, but the potential tying run was taken off the bases on a missed call.

    Umpires are probably going to decide the AL East this year. It is one of the most disgraceful things I have ever seen. The call on Teixeira in Baltimore may single handedly be the difference in this race.

  • Karl Krawfid

    Game should have been over in the third fucking inning.

    So sick of this team.

  • WhittakerWalt

    The umpiring down the stretch has been so horrible, it could actually cost the Yankees a playoff spot. Am I being over dramatic?

    • Effthisnoise

      No but I believe selig wants to keep this particular race between the yanks and o’s close cause its the only interesting race in the MLB. Espn did a poll last week on what people were most interested in over the weekend and MLB playoff race came in last. Even the nfl at te time if replacement refs and crappy play beat out MLB like 40 percent to 8

    • Tom Q

      Playoff spot, no. But the division, clearly, on that one game in Baltimore alone. (To be clear: Yankee offensive failures are the general culprit for their record being weak relative to what it could have been. But when, because of that, games are as close as so many have been recently, key bad calls feel like a dagger through the heart)

    • Karl Krawfid

      Not to mention the Jays have been trying to give this game away.

  • Effthisnoise

    Phantom strikes, foul balls that score runs and now this. Yanks can’t beat the jays and the umps

  • eric k

    The 9th will be

    Martin ground out

    Jeter ground out

    Ichiro fly out

    • The Troll

      I’ll counter with a Martin BB, Jeter GIDP, and an Ichiro Lineout.

  • Cy Pettitte

    This team should be allowed back in the United States, what a disgrace.

    • Cy Pettitte

      shouldn’t be*

  • ArchStanton

    Yeah, as bad as the umps are, they should have 6-7 runs on the board so it shouldn’t even be a factor.

  • stuart a

    worse fucking loss of the season worse then previosu disgraces. rapada double play f up, tex safe at first, and the recent bafoon logan implosion.

    arod play at 3rd was fould both blind mice got it wrong and gardner was safe at 2nd. go along with endless unclutch f ups..

    F-ck.

  • CUYanks
  • Athenian

    Always like Cashman but if this is not an example that he and Girardi have rendered themselves in effective I don’t know what is. I think they should double down and not make one roster change in the offseason. Give Swish his mega contract, sign Cano for 10 years and consider extending Granderson. Clearly the model is still effective.

  • jay

    How great is that outfield defensively. wow.

  • Tom

    So I understand up 5 runs in the 8th = bring on Robertson.

    Down 1 run in the 8th = Eppley?

    So now the setup man can’t be used when trailing?

    • ArchStanton

      Was just wondering about that myself.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      Every game that goes by in the past month makes me more and more convinced Girardi needs to be fired. He has been absolutely awful.

      • stuart a

        aboslutely pinch hitting for andruw joens and telling ibanez to hit into a dp is girardi’s fault. also the bases loaded inning when girardi told grandy to hit a pop to short to start the inning is also Girardi’s fault….

        this lineup sucks…..the same story wit hRISP the whole season…..

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          Andruw Jones starting this game is Girardi’s fault. Romero is horrible against lefties, Jones is horrible against Romero. Using Robertson in a 5 run game but not a one run game is Girardi’s fault.

          But throw him a parade……from your peanut gallery……….. how many rbi’s does Girardi have…….

          • Tom

            What hand does Romero throw the ball with?

            That is the extent of the binder on platooning. Girardi has consistently shown the handedness of the pitcher and batter is more important than actual performance.

            It cost them the game in Minnesota with the Span AB (Hughes/Logan) and who knows how many games it has cost them as he goes caveman with lefty pitcher – righty lineup, righty pitcher – lefty lineup

    • Chilango

      Right. Joe is so by the binder he blows easy decisions.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      NEVER!

  • CUYanks

    Even if they lose this game, a win tomorrow would guarantee no worse than a tie going into the final 3 games, where the O’s face the red-hot Rays and the Yankees face the Red Sox.

  • Chilango

    The blown calls do not excuse the RISPFAIL. This loss is on the offense plain and simple. When you can’t beat the Twins and the Jays you suck.

    • The Troll

      * When you’re shut out by the Jays and cannot take two in a row against them

    • WhittakerWalt

      The RISPFAIL has been dreadful, for sure.
      But the umpiring is so bad now that it just isn’t funny, and it’s affecting playoff positioning.

  • stuart a

    umps sucks and the yanks still should have 8 runs… granderson is the worse hitter with 98 rbi’s i have seen in quite a while…

    arod simply sucks….any peanut gallery members want to dispute that?

    cano sucks also, 84 rbi’s..

    the ibanez pinch hit dp really was a nice move today..

    shocking eppley for each out gives up a hit, what a shocker. been doing that for at least 2 months if anyone cares to look at he #’s… eppley sucks….

    this team is a fuckin joke…..softball team no homers today, you got the rest of that story……..

  • Cy Pettitte

    why not just start the inning with Robertson then Joe.

  • Mick taylor

    This game and may be the division was lost when girArdi wrote out the lineup card and had Andrew jones in the lineup this useless piece of shit could not even get one run in again. Had he done so the whole complexion of the game changes.

    • ArchStanton

      Agree with this. I don’t care what side of the plate he bats on, the guy is toast.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Meanwhile, Boone continues his latest craze with putting lefties on base.

  • Karl Krawfid

    Keep burning out the Pen Joe.

  • Matt

    Another game in which Girardi is using Logan as a 1 batter matchup lefty.

    He still doesn’t get it. Logan has the highest BAA for LHB of the trio of Logan, Robertson, and Rapada. He is gassed and has been very shaky lately.

    Here we go again. Girardi burning through his entire pen to get through 1 inning because he is afraid to use Robertson while trailing in a game. Of course, the idiocy is now that he will go to him anyway for 2 outs in the inning.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Wouldn’t want to start the inning with Robertson. Just bring him in when the damage is halfway done already. Great managing.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Barring a comeback, this is a 3-3 roadtrip against two of the worst teams in the AL.

    That is how you lose divisions. Not being the shit of the league when it matters most.

    • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

      *beating

  • Squints

    This team cant comeback after 8 innings its game over

  • Chilango

    Fuck you Girardi. NOW you bring in DRob? Tired of your OOGY bullshit. What is Eppley doing in any close game? ARGHHH

  • Mike N

    HUGE DP!

    • JMK

      That’s what Girardi said.

  • Karl Krawfid

    Jays have been GIVING this damn game away.

    GIVING it away. Yanks don’t want it.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Save your asses, Yankees.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    The Yankees will put the tying run in scoring position this inning.

    • Anthony

      It wouldn’t be a loss without the tease.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    We just have to hope Doubront can shut down the Os again. Nice DP but this offense will go down 1-2-3 in the 9th.

  • The Troll

    This will probably be taken for heresy, but I’d almost want to pinch hit (Dickerson) for Jeter. Jeter has seemed a tad cold of late, and, knowing him, he’d likely ground out on the second pitch. I know, obviously, that this won’t happen, but still, it’s what I would’ve done differently.

  • Tom

    Classic Girardi trying to “steal” outs from lesser relievers in a close game. I could almost understand this in the middle of the season, but not at this point. Plus Logan has been nearly fully Proctor-ized at this point.

    I don’t know if the pressure is getting to Girardi but his decisions seem to be getting worse.

    He got lucky – what shitty bullpen management in the 8th (again)

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    I don’t think that’s been a strike all game.

  • jay

    apparently you gotta bring a longer bat to hit when he’s behind the plate. not even close.

  • Matt

    He has not expanded the plate that much in this game.

    Another disgraceful screw job.

  • Mike N

    C’mon, Jeter. Jack one!

  • The Troll

    That pitch was pretty outside according to GameDay.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Russell Martin looked at the same damn pitch three times in that AB.

  • Chilango

    Painting the corner. we’re fucked

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    He’s been calling that all day. SWING THE BAT IDIOTS!

    • jay

      It takes thousands of at-bats over many years to learn the strike zone. It should not have to be re-learned on a random day in Toronto.

  • Chilango

    Another 6 run win turned into a 1 run loss.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    This offense has been fucking pathetic all day, and especially in the last four innings.

  • The Troll

    I cannot believe that they actually lost this game. How . . . how do they expect to do anything at all in the playoffs (should they even fu*king make them)?!

    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

      Don’t worry, it might be a thing to remember:

      Biggest lead in the AL East lost (10 games), losing an extra game with the O’s to see who is the wild card, and losing a one-game playoff to the A’s.

      At least MLB has reduced the pain we as NYY fans will have to go through come playoff time every season, instead of playing at least 3 games we might as well just experience a quick 1 game elimination.

  • Matt

    As bad as the Yankees have been at the plate, the bottom line is that they have been completely screwed by umpires once again.

    The deciding run in this game was scored on a ball that was clearly foul but ruled fair.

    Between this game, the one against Oakland last Sunday, and the Teixeira call up in Baltimore, the umpires have cost the Yankees anywhere between 2-4 games in the standings. They may have been on the verge of clinching the division already if not for these terrible calls.

    • JMK

      You’re right in that they’ve been battered by bad calls but ultimately, “the bottom line” is they’ve missed tons of opportunities.

    • Chilango

      It evens out over the course of the season. They had three early opportunities to blow the game open and choked. That’s why they lost.

    • Tom

      Of course ARod could have just let it go further foul, as opposed to trying to make a hero play.

      With 2 out and a fast runner, he should have a better baseball sense and just let it go.

      • Tom Q

        And then, of course, it it nudges back fair, ARod is a dunce for not picking it up and trying to make the play.

        The game’s awfully easy from your living room.

    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

      The umpires might have cost the Yanks 2-4 games, but the manager has cost the team at least 10 times that. So, yeah, blame is on the umpires.

      How the hell a team can score a run if after four times with the leadoff runner they just scored once? You might think that JoeG might have tought “mhhh every time we have a leadoff runner we strand him, we might as well play small ball and see what happens”.

      What was the first “small ball” play? A steal with a leftie pitching who happens to have a good move to first… ugh.

  • Athenian

    Here is hoping that the Yanks fail the rest of the way. They don’t deserve anything.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      You’re a good fan.

      • The Troll

        No. He’s realistic, unfortunately.

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          Hoping they fail is realistic?
          Why would one hope their team fails?
          That’s just idiotic.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      Second best record in the league.
      Definitely don’t deserve to make the playoffs.

      • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

        Second best record in the league, and 39 Wins, 34 Loses in the second half, the worst record of any playoff bound team.

        As the OP said, they don’t deserve to play in the postseason just because they beat the hell out of the NL in June. They should dominate and they look weak most of the times.

        Just sit and “enjoy” watching how the O’s destroy weak teams as any playoff bound team is supposed to do.

        Come monday night, the BoSox will have their revenge by beating the Yankees to deny them a chance to win the division.

        Then again, it will not be the first time they end up having a horrible 10 game stretch to finish the season, right now they’re 3-3 with 4 to go:

        Last 10 games of the season
        2011: 5-5
        2010: 3-7
        2009: 7-3

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          Second best record in the league. Definitely deserve to make the playoffs. And it wasn’t all because of the NL. They have a better September record than Detroit, Oakland, Texas, Cin, Was, and STL. Saying they don’t deserve to make the playoffs is ridiculous. Maybe they don’t deserve to win the division though.

    • Mike N

      If you are a Yankee fan, that is a disgraceful attitude.

      • Athenian

        If you want to claim glory for mediocrity, go right ahead. ThAt is the American way.

        But realistically speaking, expressing anything short of disappointment in this team, is foolish and blind.

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          Hoping your team fails is just stupid.
          Glory for mediocrity? Mediocrity by what standard? They’re not as good as the 98 or 27 Yankees? They are in first place. They are a good team. Not great. Not mediocre. I think you might be happier rooting for the Cubs.

        • Mike N

          There is nothing wrong with disappointment, but you said you are “hoping that the Yanks fail the rest of the way”. Petulantly hoping your own team fails is disgraceful.

  • Mike N

    C’mon, A-ROD!!!!!!

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    Ichiro still making things happen.

    Bring his ass home.

  • Cy Pettitte

    fitting that ARod will probably end this terrible loss.

  • The Troll

    Mike Axisa . . . I seriously think that you NEED to look into this phenomenon. I’ve been quoting it all season. When they Yankees score TWO runs in the first inning, they almost inevitably lose the game. The offense will go anemic as soon as the second frame runs up.

  • eric k

    21-25 in one run games. There is the season in a nutshell.

    • Karl Krawfid

      This team isn’t clutch. Been saying it all along.

      The only team in the Majors to not win a game when trailing after 8.

      That is all you need to know.

      • ArchStanton

        Not true anymore, they just beat Oakland last Saturday trailing after 14.

        • Matt

          Yes, it is still true. The statistic is for trailing at the END of the 8th inning. They were tied at the end of the 8th inning in that game.

    • eric k

      To put that in perspective in 2009 they were 22-16

  • Mike N

    Well, that game fucking sucked.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    And the anti-climatic finish.

    And so goes sole possession of first place.

    Motherfuckers.

  • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

    And the anti-climatic finish.

    And so goes sole possession of first place.

    Motherfuckers.

  • Need Pitching & Hitting

    That was quite the embarrassing offensive performance.

  • Karl Krawfid

    LOL fucking A-Rod.

  • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

    way to work the count Alex…go Red Sox (vomit)

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Alex has the power of a 15 year old girl. Embarrassing loss.

  • WhittakerWalt

    Great job not scoring after the first inning, guys.

  • Athenian

    Well done Yanks. You should all feel better collecting those paychecks because that is all you are good for. Such an embarrassment.. A new low in Yankee Pride!

  • Cy Pettitte

    back to the point where I hope they just miss the playoffs and clean house. what a fucking joke this team is. 3-3 against the Twins and the Jays in the most important games of the year. just a woeful performance.

    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

      Try again, Cashman has already said he is happy on how the season developed and in how it was played.

      Levine, Cashman and JoeG already laid the blame on “injuries”, so don’t hope for anything.

      They will retain JoeG, the batting and pitching coaches.

      Will re-sign Rusell Martin, how could they not after they decided they didn’t need Montero because they had Martin and already knew Romine was hurt and the rest was not MLB ready. Plus Martin will be cheap.

      Will re-sign Kkkkurtis Granderson, because “heeey maaan, he has 40 HR, 100 RBI and 100 Runs, it doesn’t matter if he doesn’t hit with men on base”.

      Will re-sign Swisher.

      Will allow Soriano to walk (otherwise they won’t have money to pay Kkkkurtis and Swisher).

      Next season we’ll see the same infield+outfield:

      Martin
      Teix (until he goes to the DL for 30-40% of the season)
      Canó
      ARod (until he goes to the DL for 30% of the season)
      Jeter
      Granderson
      Swisher
      Gardner (until he goes to the DL)

      Ichiro won’t be back, they “never” resign their mid season acquisitions if their contract runs out.

      They’ll scout the MLB to check on old, over the hill, no bat, no speed, no fielding skills, players to play at third base, another one to play OF, and another one for a DH/bench role.

  • pistol pete

    Same story all yr, 3 on nobody out can’t score, 2 on nobody out can’t score, should have scored 4 or 5 in the first inning but did not and so we get beat by a real bad bad team who threw a real bad bad starting pitcher. Our hitting sucks, really sucks.

  • Eddard reboot v.1.0

    Our division hopes now rest on Felix Doubront shutting down the Os for the 2nd time in a row. Unlike this offense, the Os don’t get shut down too often. We’re in trouble.

  • WhittakerWalt

    stuart a gets his wish. Because you KNOW he wasn’t hoping for an ARod homer there.

    • stuart a

      i was hoping a arod hit a jack but he simply sucks.. the guy is a singles hitter with no speed…

      i would love to eat my words on arod….schmuck..

  • Anthony

    No, Michael Kay, this game was not a “tough” ball game. The Yankees beat themselves. Terrible defense by the Jays, multiple situations with RISP and no outs, and we lose to a team 20 games back. Obviously it’d be pretty hard to sweep the Jays, but was 3/4 too much to ask for? I don’t think so.
    I also have no confidence in the Sox beating the Jays tonight. But we all know they will come back alive in 2 days to give us a hard time.

    • https://twitter.com/KramerIndustry Kramerica Industries

      It was a “tough” game BECAUSE the Yankees beat themselves. They should’ve blown the Jays out of the fucken water, and then when push came to shove, they couldn’t even get baserunners in the last few innings.

      And when they did, they got caught stealing.

      All-around shitfest. They really had to earn that loss, and, my God, they did.

      • Anthony

        Eh, I usually think of a “tough game” as playing well but eventually losing to a “gritty” team. The Jays certainly were not gritty today. Either way you look at it though, the offense gets 95% of the blame. I don’t understand why Girardi continues to use Jones.

  • stuart a

    shocker down after 8 and the FAIL…

    give arod a raise he hit the ball to mid center field.. he is a singles hitter with no speed…

    a epic fail today….this team cannot hit with RISP, period the end….joke…..

    1 game playoff as the wildcard that will be good…..this team is going no where in the playoffs.. eppley sucks, logan sucks, rapada sucks,.. pitch phelps in big leverage spots they got soriano and a pretty good robertson that is it…

    jeff mathis is better then chris stewart that is all you need to know.

    the umpiring today was hideous.. .the 2nd run for the jays was a foul ball and gardner was safe….

    • WhittakerWalt

      NO ONE WANTS TO GIVE AROD A RAISE. No one EVER said that.

  • Mike N

    They really should have pounded the fucking hell out of Romero.

  • CUYanks

    Does anyone have a link to the Brooks Baseball umpire strike zone for today?

  • Matt

    3 games flat out stolen from the Yankees by some of the worst umpiring you will ever see. That could be the difference in this division race. It is stunning to think that they have had such a direct impact on such crucial games, and not just once, or twice but THREE times in this month alone.

    It is tough to fault them if they don’t win the division. How much better can they play when the guy is safe on a play that would tie the game up, but ruled out?

    • Athenian

      Yes the umpiring was at the forefront of failing to score with bases loaded and no outs, runners at first and second with no out, and frankly any runner in scoring position.

      • Matt

        This is one bad game. They are 16-11 in the month of September, and deserve at a bare minimum to be 17-10 if you consider that Oakland game. Both this game and the Teixeira game would have gone longer if not for the calls, so let’s say they split those two games.

        That’s a 2 game swing in the standings, or 3 if the split comes with them beating Baltimore.

        That difference ends the division race. Think about that for a second.

        • toad

          Responsibility is not zero-sum. OK, maybe the umpires were bad today. Maybe they were helpful in other games. Who knows. I’ll bet that if you read game threads on other team blogs when they lost to the Yankees you’ll find plenty of umpiring complaints.

          The team beat itself badly. This was an embarrassing game. Toronto got three runs and NY couldn’t score four against an assortment of bad pitchers. And it’s not even as if those pitchers were particularly brilliant today. The Yankees got lots of opportunities. Nine hits. Four walks. One reach on error. And two runs.

          There’s your story.

    • Matt

      They are now 16-11 in the month of September, and have played well enough to be 19-8 if not for the umpires. As bad as they played today, it would still be tied if not for that blown call, and maybe they find a way to pull it out eventually.

    • http://needanewnamegivesuggestions.tumblr.com/ Raul Ibanez AKA Tom Marvolo Riddle

      I agree the umpiring has been flat out abysmal all season. Especially when it comes to some blown calls against the Yankees, however at the same time if the offense just does their job once from the 2nd to 5th inning we’re laughing about the blown calls later in the game.

      • Matt

        That argument only applies to today’s game.

        What were they supposed to do against Oakland last weekend when the strike zone was so one-sided and they were having good at bats? What could they do in Baltimore when the game should have been tied on that play, with Baltimore basically already through their best relief pitchers?

        Baltimore has not had to deal with anywhere near the kind of umpiring that the Yankees have faced. The Yankees have played well enough to win the division. They would have almost the same record as Baltimore this month if they are given a chance to win those games.

        • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

          “That argument only applies to today’s game.”

          Erm… nope, Yankees have been bad with men on base all year long, I don’t know what team have you been watching, if they don’t hit homeruns they can’t win. That’s why once they are limited in the HR department they can’t win tight games (21-26 in one run games).

          The Yankees have had, before today, 600 RBI with men on base, 235 of them have come via the HR, almost 40%. If the opposing pitchers induce more grounders than flies, the NYY see their scoring chances neutralized in 40%.

          and top it all, with RISP the Yanks score 30% of their runs with homeruns.

  • Marty Funkhowser

    Its kind of time to end this Girardi thing. I mean, playing Andruw Jones today? Pulling your DH for defense in the 6th, pen shot to hell, he NEVER runs on the first pitch and these guys get thrown out like clockwork.

    Tony Pena 2013

    • Neil

      I think Joe just decided to rest Nunez. Did not think his legs would hold up for a full game on the turf!

      • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

        What is he? 50 years old?

        I wonder how those Toronto players can play so many games in the turf, they all must be Gehrig-like.

  • JMK

    I think we should just cut Jones and be done with it. He’s not even useless, he’s completely detrimental.

  • Chilango

    A frustrating loss made worse bvecause it ‘s the Jays and it comes after we thought the choking was over with. Whatever happens, it’s housecleaning time in the off season. It’s all been said before. But ARod is really turning into a joke though so it definitely bears repeating that he just plain isn’t worth the outrageous green he’s banking. And we got him for another what 25 years? Oh boy.

  • stuart a

    arod has a 429 slugging % that is decent if you are a 7th thru 9th hitter on a middle of the raod team…

    AROD FRIGGIN STINKS….

    the constants are; grandy strikes out a ton, yanks play small at the big moments, RISP fail at a very high rate, yanks do not come back down after 8, epley allows a baserunner for every out he gets, when they do not hit a homer they lose……

    • WhittakerWalt

      Go watch your Red Sox.

    • Need Pitching & Hitting

      .429 SLG is above average for every lineup spot except 3-5.
      .347 OBP is above average for every lineup spot.
      He should be moved up next year, not down.

      • Chilango

        So where do you want him? batting 2d? The last 3 years he’s .270/.350 give or take, which may be above avg but not worth the cost to the franchise. IMHO.

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          He’s definitely not worth his contract. Not even close. But he’s clearly not a middle of the order hitter anymore. He would probably make a pretty good #2 hitter though (unless they seriously upgrade their offense in the offseason, which I don’t think will happen).

          • Chilango

            I could see him batting 2d but he can’t run anymore. Age, result of PEDs? He’s probably going to be injured a lot from this point on, so in any case he wouldn’t last long in the 2 hole anyway. Face it, we’re stuck with him. Yuk.

            • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

              With his numbers he is still better at getting on base than anybody not named Jeter, in that 2nd spot because Swish just plain sucked, same for Kkkkurtis, and Suzuki has not played there or has not played enough.

              Ludicrous thing is… he leads the NYY in stolen bases with 13 (well, tied with Ichiro there, but ARod is 13 out of 14 and Suzuki 13 out of 18).

              Has 18 HR in 118 games, which if he was capable of playing a full season would translate in a 25 or even 30 HR season, BUT, that’s a big IF.

      • stuart a

        arod cannot move on the bases so hitting him 1st or 2nd is laughable.

        arod sucks.. the guy makes $25 mill….if he played the whole season we are looking at 85 rbi’s max, hitting 3rd or 4th. that SUCKS…

        Ask cano hpw bad that is…..

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          he doesn’t make $25 mill…….he shouldn’t hit 3rd or 4th…….which is why I said he should be moved up…..he does still get on base at an above average rate……their aren’t enough better hitters on the team to bat him 7-9……..

        • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

          “.if he played the whole season we are looking at 85 rbi’s max, hitting 3rd or 4th. that SUCKS”

          That would put him as the 3rd “best” producer this year, just below the K-Man himself who has 97 and Swisher who has 92.

  • robert heenan

    Like I said the other day

    the Yankees will lose definitely one, quite likely two games this series, because their offense will disappear, as it always does in series that take place in parks that are not Yankee Stadium, parks that are pitcher friendly, and/or parks that have turf

    Like I said in the 7th inning

    if the Yankees do not score in the top of the 8th, Joe will use Eppley/Rapada/Logan instead of Robertson, which is a RIDICULOUS choice given that he chose to use Robertson when up 7 yesterday, but he will doit because he is Joe

    sure enough he did, and it would have screwed him, were it not for a very fortunate double play. it’s like he enjoys making things more difficult for Robertson by putting in Ep/Ra/Lo to get a couple runners on base before bringing Robertson in to fix things

    looking at this lineup this morning was depressing, it was obvious that 6-9 would be a disaster and fail to convert whatever runners 1-5 put on base, especially with Jones in there

    but Chris Stewart, too — really, Joe? It’s the most important week of the season, don’t you think Martin can suck it up and catch one day game after a night game? Even that idiot Michael Kay called you out on this, and your “Well Jeter needs half a day off, but then I’m going to take Nunez out for defensive reasons and lose the DH” bullshit.

    I guess Joe’s determined and predictable boneheadedness is not as frustrating as this team’s determined and predictable offensive failure, but…so much frustration.

  • Karl Krawfid

    Yanks had a 10 game lead

    • WhittakerWalt

      I remember that. I also remember a lot of apologists at the time who thought the RISPFAIL was “no big deal” because they had a 10 game lead that would never be relinquished.
      It’s a big deal now.

      • TomH

        Yes, those were the people who imperiously told us that statistical probabilities were such that the RISPfail would turn around into RISPsucceed. It never really did, not in any significant way.

        They were also the people who spoke ex cathedra about the meaninglessness of losses: “Don’t you know that this loss doesn’t count?”

        If I were Joe Girardi, I would be opening the computer tonight and revising my resume. It might come in handy if the Yanks fail tomorrow or if Boston decides to rise from the dead next week.

        • Need Pitching & Hitting

          They did turn the RISPfail around for about a 50 game stretch, but now have returned to futility.

          • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

            It was never a 50 game stretch, it was less than a month, and certainly not after June.

            Then again, I don’t take hitting homeruns with RISP as a “RISPwin”, a team doesn’t have to rely on homeruns to score, never. Homeruns are the cherries over the cake, not the cake itself. The Yankees RISP hitting this year is not enough to even consider it a cake, a pie, maybe… I am hungry.

  • eric k

    Yankees should sign David Ortiz in the off season. At least he doesn’t shrink in big spots.

    • WhittakerWalt

      I think the idea is to get younger, and not have steroid users on the team.

      • JMK

        Make sure to tell Andy and A-Rod that.

        • WhittakerWalt

          I’d like to believe they don’t do that anymore. I doubt the same can be said for Papi.

    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

      Thank you, but no.

      Ortíz in his career at Fenway:
      0.314 AVG / 0.412 OBP

      Away from Fenway:
      0.265 AVG / 0.358 OBP

      Career in new Yankee Stadium:
      0.257 AVG / 0.370 OBP

      And that’s with him on steroids since he has been playing for the Bosox or even before, we don’t know because he just said he would “explain” his positive, but never did so and the media never questioned him (they’ll probable receive the order from Boston’s PR department to question him this offseason if they want him to not play again in Boston or if he signs elsewhere).

  • HalfHorseRod

    After the Orioles pound the Sox tonight it will be all square again.

    Why do I get the feeling the Sox are going to play out of their minds against the Yankees next week too.

    Wildcard time.

  • stuart a

    get younger for sure. enough of the vets bull.

    ibanez is 40, andruw jones is 37, ichiro is 38, chavez is 36….

    ichiro has played suprisingly very good for the yanks…if he wants to come back real cheap for 1 year I may do it believe it or not…

    • TomH

      “These guys are so old they’re eligible for meals on wheels.”
      -Mickey Rivers commenting on the age of Texas Rangers teammates Bill Stein and Larry Bittner

  • mt

    There will be panic if we lose tomorrow and O’s sweep Red Sox in next 2 – I think Yanks have relied on never being out of first. What happens if Yanks lose ability to control their destiny and go into 3 game series with Sox having to gain a game on O’s just to tie for division?

    Who knows whether Tampa will come to play all 3 days against O’s next week – Tampa may be out of playoff picture by close of play tomorrow or more likely by Monday.

    Today’s game of RISPFAIL in a tight one run game on road – the story of Yankee second half.

    Yankees have done lose one, win one the last 7 games – Yanks keep saying they have been “in playoffs” since September 1 since lead is so small – well, if that is true the last seven games have just turned into the Detroit series last year – blowout wins (including 8-2 at Minny and 11-4 yesterday) mixed in with three tight one run RISPFAIL losses and then the loss where we just get paralyzed against certain pitchers (Morrow playing the role Max Scherzer did last year).

  • stuart a

    mt is right. and to think the Yanks are going to change there mode of operation in the playoffs and all of the sudden hit with RISP and do all the little things are dreaming..

    this team is what it is. a beer league softball team. the guys swing from there knee’s pull the ball all the time and k a ton along with double plays pulled to the 1b by there lefty power guys……….

    they are not a great team not even close. the only benefit of the playoffs is the pen will be shortened and guys like eppley should not see the field in close games……..

  • JohnnyC

    Vegas had the Yankees as a 93 win team going into the season. Looks like they knew what they were talking about. Kurkjian said the pitching was inadequate. He looks to be right. Fans thought the RISPFail would normalize…it looks like more than a statistical effect now. Girardi’s favorite phrase: “It is what it is.” Yes, it certainly is.

  • Chilango

    Did Girardi do his “just didn’t get it done today, hey that’s baseball” routine? Did any of the sycophants ask him why Jones was batting considering Romero’s splits? Or even why Jones was batting at all, given his .199 avg? Or why Chris “automatic” Stewart was in the lineup? Or why Jeter was up there bunting? Or why Cody fucking Eppley is still in a Yankee uniform? etc.

    • JohnnyC

      Girardi continues to be oblivious to Romero’s career-long reverse platoon split. He said Jones hit a home run against a lefty recently. No one pushed the issue. They don’t want to see Girardi lose it and go apeshit emotional. Like you know the stress is getting to him.

      • mt

        I know Joe Girardi does those managers shows on YES (I don’t get YES). If he answers viewer questions, then maybe he could get asked that way. Not a lot of faith in reporters.

        The problem is that I believe most pitchers do have a normal platoon split – it is only certain pitchers like Romero who have reverese split (didn’t John Danks used to have one so that was why Maddon of Rays used lefties against him?). Areporter would have to come in with very specific splits data (both current and career) on Romero or Danks and challenge him, probably before the game during the early session as opposed to after the game. I am not sure that is happening.

        • JohnnyC

          Maddon’s thinking on Danks & Romero was not the split stats as much as recognition of the fact that both Danks and Romero rely heavily on their changeup to righties. They don’t have offspeed stuff that is effective against lefties. By batting lefties against them you take away their best pitch. You don’t need a binder to see that. It’s baseball 101.

  • Jose M. Vazquez

    Tough loss to swallow. We can’t blame the umpires. The blame resides with the hitters who could not hit when needed. In spite of all of this, we are still at least tied for first place. This team just likes playing with fire.

  • mt

    I want Yanks to win division but, if not, we must at least make playoffs – even if it is the crappy wild card playoff game. I do not want Red Sox to claim they knocked us out of playoffs – knocking us out of division will be bad enough (and if we go into Monday one game down, we can sweep Red Sox yet still lose division.)

    I just want to see who comes through when a playoff game is on the line – whether it is one game playoff or ALDS and then hear Cashman say – we have no problems with our offense.

    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

      Anything short of a sweep by the NYY against the Sox will be mocked because even one game means the NYY could end up losing the division, or playing a one game playoff with the O’s to decide who wins the division.

  • C12

    The Gardner call was wrong and the strike zone terrible, but the arid fair/foul grounder was the correct call.

    The ball was hit on the ground infair territory. Therefore, it is a fair ball until it hits in foul territory. It does not matter where arod was when he grabbed the ball. The ball last hit the ground in fair territory. So it is arod’s fault there. This is why when thre is a roller down the line that goes foul you see guys touch it just in case it goes fair again.

    This is a standard baseball rule – ball hits fair between home and third remains fair unless it goes into foul territory and then is touched by a fielder. Can’t believe Kay, Leiter and all the baseball “experts” on here missed it.

    • stuart a

      you are correct.. then arod should have let it go foul. he gets a partial pass because you need to make such a quick decision.

      problem is the hitting when it counts.. bottom line RISP fail a problem thru 158 games is not going away…..THAT IS THE PROBLEM. Pitching has been fine this season actually better then expected except for the Nova significant regression.

      RISP FAIL OVER AND OVER AND OVER AND OVER. Day in and day out…FAIL

      • Need Pitching & Hitting

        you both have the rule wrong

        Until the ball passes the base, fair/foul is determined by where the ball is first touched or comes to rest. If Arod first touched the ball in foul territory, it’s a foul ball.

        • C12

          No- only if the ball never hits in fair territory. The ball hit first in fair territory. Arod’s touched it before it hit the ground again. It is fair. If it hit foul before he touched it, it is foul. But the ball hit fair and was touched before hitting foul ground. It does not matter where the fielder is or where the ball is in the air. It must hit in foul ground and then be touched.

          • Need Pitching & Hitting

            That is completely incorrect.

            A FAIR BALL is a batted ball that settles on fair ground between home and first
            base, or between home and third base, or that is on or over fair territory when bounding to
            the outfield past first or third base, or that touches first, second or third base, or that first
            falls on fair territory on or beyond first base or third base, or that, while on or over fair
            territory touches the person of an umpire or player            , or that, while over fair territory, passes
            out of the playing field in flight.

            It wasn’t touched while on or over fair territory. (If ARod indeed touched in foul territory)

            • C12

              No you are wrong, and you are mis-reading the rule. Touched on or over fair territory is on a ball that did not hit the ground. This ball already did and it hit fair. When arod touched the ball it was fair because it hit fair between home and third and was touched before hitting foul territory. The part of the rule that applies here is the first part, between home and third. The part you highlighted applies to balls hit beyond third.

              • Need Pitching & Hitting

                The first part clearly states if the ball settles between home and third. This ball did not settle anywhere. It was fielded.
                For further clarification, I’ll add the comment to the rule from the rule book.
                If a fly ball lands in the infield between home and first base,or home and third base, and then bounces to foul territory without touching a player or umpire and before passing first or third base, it is a foul ball; or if the ball settles on foul territory or is touched bya player on foul territory, it is a foul ball. If a fly ball lands on or beyond first or third base and then
                bounces to foul territory, it is a fair hit

                • C12

                  You are missing an important point- the ball never “settled” in foul territory. Watch the play if the replay it tonight. It bounces once in fair territory and then is grabbed in the air by Alex. The ball can only be called fair. On a play such as this, it would only be foul if it hits foul and then Alex touches it. Forget about where Alex is standing or the plane of the ball. It hits fair, is touched before hitting foul. It’s a fair ball.

                  Good call by ump, mental error by Alex.

                  • Need Pitching & Hitting

                    It never settled anywhere. The ball was fielded.
                    Settled means rolled to a stop.

                    The comment clearly states if the ball lands in fair territory and then either bounces foul before crossing the bag (didn’t happen), or if it settles (stops) in foul territory (didn’t happen), or if it touches someone in foul territory before getting to the base (did happen), it is foul

                    For it to be fair, it would have to settle (stop) in fair territory (it didn’t), touch one of the bases (it didn’t), be on or over fair territory when passing the base (it didn’t pass the base), land in fair territory beyond the base didn’t happen, be touched in fair territory by a player or umpire (arguably didn’t happen), or leave the field of play in fair territory (HR, didn’t happen).

                    Nothing in the rule backs up your interpretation.

                    • Need Pitching & Hitting

                      Until the ball passes the base in fair territory, the ball first touching a player or umpire while in foul territory is exactly the same as the ball touching the ground in foul territory.

                    • C12

                      You’re right on many things, but this play is missing the final element. It has to hit in foul territory once it has hit in fair territory. The ball is chopped fair and goes in the air. As of that point, it is fair until it settles foul or is touched by a player when foul. So if the second hop hit foul and Alex touched it, it is foul. But it did not. Alex grabbed it in the air and at that point it is fair. It must hit foul on the ground before he touches it.

                      I enjoy having a give and take on plays such as this and in getting to the facts. But to say that nothing in the rules backs up my interpretation is wrong. It just doesn’t back up you interpretation, which I believe is at fault because you are ignoring the fact that in splay under these circumstances, the ball must hit I foul territory and then be touched to be called foul.

                    • Need Pitching & Hitting

                      “It has to hit in foul territory once it has hit in fair territory.”

                      It doesn’t have to hit the ground in foul territory. It merely has to hit the ground or a person in foul territory. There is nothing in the rules that says otherwise. The rule is fairly clear, that for a ball that does not reach the base to be considered fair, it must either settle (roll to a stop) in fair territory, or be touched in fair territory. Neither happened (if the ball was indeed foul when ARod touched it). There is nothing in the rule that says the ball must bounce foul before being touched foul.

                    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

                      You’re correct sir, if the ball never passes the base and hits fair ground, goes into the air and it is catched in foul territory, it is foul, because the ball was over foul territory.

                      If the ball pases a base (lets say 1st or 3rd) after hitting fair ground in the infield and the ball goes over the base or in fair territory and lands in foul territory or is fielded in foul territory, is a fair ball, because it passed over the base while fair.

                      It is one of the most common missinterpreted rules in baseball. That and the “retouch the base” when a fly ball is hit and the runner already touched the next base while trying to advance before the fly was catched (if he is standing in the next base he has to get off the base, touch it and get back to the prior base, if he passed the next base, he has to go back and retouch the base to be able to go back to 1st, otherwise he can be forced by either touching him, the next base that was not retouched, or touching first base).

            • Chilango

              Like my Little League coach said: if it “touches you” in fair territory it’s fair.

              • C12

                Need pitching- I do have to move on, but you are not correct. On a play like this it does have to hit foul and be touched. When you refer to first hitting a fielder that is when for example a line drive hits the pitcher and carems into foul territory that is fair. When the ball hits the ground in front of the plate fair, it is fair between home and third until it touches foul territory. It hit the ground so “first hitting a fielder” is out the window That is a fundamental rule of baseball and you saying it is not doesn’t make it so.

                I believe you are saying that the ball is foul because either Alex was in foul territory and/the ball was in foul territory. Position of fielder does not matter. As far as the ball, between home and first and third it is where the ball last hit before being touched by a fielder. Beyond first and third, it is where it went over the bag (ground ball) or where it lands on either side of the foul line (fly ball).

                • Need Pitching & Hitting

                  ” On a play like this it does have to hit foul and be touched”

                  That is not anywhere in the rules.

                  “As far as the ball, between home and first and third it is where the ball last hit before being touched by a fielder”

                  That’s directly contrary to what the rule says.

                  The only ways a ball can be fair without passing first/third base are if the ball rolls to a stop (settles) in fair territory, or if the ball is touched first while the ball is in fair territory. That’s not an interpretation of the rule. That’s the rule.

                  • C12

                    Guess all those players throughout history yelling “don’t touch it til it’s foul” have all been wrong, and all the umpires who called this play exactly like today have been wrong throughout the years, and you are just right I guess.

                    • Need Pitching & Hitting

                      ““don’t touch it til it’s foul” still applies. It can be foul in the air or on the ground. Either way they can’t touch it until it’s foul.They would normally wait for it to bounce foul to make the call easier for the umpire to not screw up.

                      As for today’s game the umpires appeared to rule that ARod touched the ball while it was still in fair territory (which watching the replay, I’m not convinced they were wrong, it looked like the ball was pretty much directly over the line). This would in now way contradict the rule I’m citing. It was a judgement call as to whether the ball in the air was in fair or foul territory.

                • C12

                  No Mikhel it is not correct.. Ball hits fairin front of the plate and is touched by a fielder in the air in foul territory is a fair ball. That’s the whole point of the announcers always saying ” let it roll it,s going to go foul”.. Then they quickly touch it. Why do this if you could just grab it in the air after the first bounce. After the initial fair bounce it has to hit foul and then be touched, on the infield on
                  Y. Past the bases is a different situation.

                  • Need Pitching & Hitting

                    Mikhel is correct. They say let it roll because the ball has to be in foul territory before it’s touched to be foul. It doesn’t matter if it’s in the air or on the ground.

                    “After the initial fair bounce it has to hit foul and then be touched”

                    This is nowhere in the rules.

                    • C12

                      It is in the rules, unless you misinterpret terms like “settled” and “first hitting” just to suit you point of view.

                    • Need Pitching & Hitting

                      What?
                      What do you think “settled” means? Bounced?
                      Settled means come to rest.

                      I’ll try one more time, and then I’m done.
                      This is the MLB fair ball rule. One of these situations must exist for the ball to be fair.

                      A FAIR BALL is a batted ball that settles on fair ground between home and first
                      base, or between home and third base,

                      The ball didn’t settle anywhere. It was fielded. So far, not a fair ball.

                      or that is on or over fair territory when bounding to the outfield past first or third base, or that touches first, second or third base, or that first falls on fair territory on or beyond first base or third base,

                      The ball didn’t get to the OF or touch any base, so none of this applies. So far, still not a fair ball.

                      or that, while on or over fair
                      territory touches the person of an umpire or player,

                      This part actually applies. If ARod touched the ball while the ball was on or over fair territory, then it would be a fair ball. If he touched it when it was not on or over fair territory, then it’s foul.

                      or that, while over fair territory, passes
                      out of the playing field in flight.

                      Didn’t pass out of the playing field in flight. Doesn’t apply here.

                      Using what’s in the MLB fair ball rule, they only possibility of it being a fair ball would be if ARod touched the ball when it was on or over fair territory. The umpires judged that the ball was still over fair territory when he touched it.

                    • C12

                      “settled” or “come to rest” is also interpreted to mean settled in a glove. The ball was settled when arod fielded it, and as I already said, it is immaterial where arod was when this happened. Check arod’s comments after the game. He said he should have waited for it to bounce foul.

                      If we were in a bar we could talk about this all night. But you keep making the same point and I keep countering it with the same point, and I still think you are wrong, so agree to disagree I guess. I need to move away from baseball right now anyway after this horrible game today.

                      Let’s hope for better results tomorrow and enough runs so that umps and rule interpretations won’t matter.

                    • Need Pitching & Hitting

                      ““settled” or “come to rest” is also interpreted to mean settled in a glove.”

                      The rule doesn’t say that, but even if you interpreted it that way, the rule says it has to be settled in fair territory to be fair. If it “settled” into ARod’s glove in foul territory, it would be foul.

  • Evan3457

    To answer a question posed in the game thread, the Yanks are 11-8 when scoring exactly 2 in the 1st inning. At one point they were 8-3, but have gone 3-5 since. But they won Friday’s game after scoring 2 in the 1st.

    When the Yanks score two or more in the 1st, they’re 18-14.

    • Chilango

      Cool stat. could be incorporated sabermetrically into the formula for “choke”, which Yankee fans are now all too familiar with,

    • Tom

      So 11-8 when scoring exactly 2; 18-14 when scoring 2 or more.

      That makes them 7-6 when scoring 3 or more in the first? If true that is horrendous.

    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

      How many runs have they scored after a 2 run 1st inning?

  • Chilango

    Will the Sox fold for the O’s as payback for what we did to them with the Rays last year?

    • http://twitter.com/mikhel2 Mikhel

      They don’t need to roll, the O’s are doing what they’re supposed to do by beating an already defeated team.

      The Yankees on the other hand, defeat themselves by not hitting with men on base, by not advancing the runners, and once again, Toronto scored the winning run vs the Yankees after they bunted the ball. The last game they won vs the Yanks they also scored helped in part by a bunt. Minnesotta I think also beat them that way.

      • WhittakerWalt

        So you’re requesting MORE bunting?
        Oh…Kay.

  • dalelama

    Arod again chokes in a big game. The stench of his play down the stretch has been overpowering.

    • WhittakerWalt

      I don’t know if you’ve noticed this, but almost the entire team is choking down the stretch. Not just your archenemy A-Rod.

      • dalelama

        Actually Swisher, Cano, Martin, and Suzuki haven’t underperformed as much as Achoke lately. Neither of them are making Arod’s money either.

        • WhittakerWalt

          What do you care how much he makes?

          • dalelama

            Because resources aren’t unlimited and wasting $20 something on an admitted cheat and chronic choke artist prevents acquisition of other talent.

            • dalelama

              $20M something

            • WhittakerWalt

              He’s not going anywhere. That money’s already spent. Either get used to that fact or watch another team for the next 5 years, because he’s around for the long haul.

  • Ed

    Team needs to get younger and rebuild. Unfortunately they are tied to long term contracts that do not allow much change and they are not willing to sacrifice a year or two to allow young players to develop.

  • Mick taylor

    Girardi cost this team maybe the division by playing andruw jones the past two months bring in Terry francona and ou pineal la as bench coach next year.

  • Mick taylor

    I meant Lou pinella as francona’s bench coach. Oh, I forgot cashman has 3 million from his 16 game winner a.j Burnett to spend on andruw jones next year.

    • WhittakerWalt

      You have GOT to be joking about the A.J. thing, if you’re blaming Cashman for that one.