Game 162: HIROKtober
By
Feels like Spring Training just ended. (J. Meric/Getty)
Things are very simple today. If the Yankees win, they will clinch not only the AL East title, but also the best record in the league. They can also clinch the division with an Orioles loss, but I’d rather not count on the already eliminated Rays for help. So after six months and 161 regular season games, all the Yankees need to do is win one more game. Controlling your own destiny is neat. Here’s the starting nine…
SS Derek Jeter
LF Ichiro Suzuki
3B Alex Rodriguez
2B Robinson Cano
RF Nick Swisher
1B Mark Teixeira
CF Curtis Granderson
DH Raul Ibanez
C Russell Martin
RHP Hiroki Kuroda
The weather in New York isn’t all that great, but doesn’t seem like anything that should delay or (worse) postpone the game. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05pm ET and can be seen on YES locally and ESPN nationally. Enjoy.
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Hope that there’s nowhere near the drama of last night’s game, or today’s Texas/Oakland game.
This game scares me for two reasons.
1. Kuroda has not pitched well in September
2. The reverse lock is glaring at me.
Man, the Rangers look helpless. How bad is it going to be if they get knocked out before the LDS despite looking like the best team in the league for half of the season?
Umm, not bad for me.
I think it’s funny. The A’s traded their best players and still won the division.
Git ‘er done, boys!!!
At the game!!!
You can wrap a bow on this one now.
Rocky Road Redemption, to answer your question you asked last night, overcoming a 13 game deficit to win the division (which the A’s are about to do) has happened 2 other times in MLB history. The Yankees overcame a 14 game lead in 1978 and the Boston Braves overcame a 15 game lead in 1914.
That Braves team was 4-18 on May 20th. They then preceded to go
90-41 to win the division and then swept the World Series
Also the 1951 NY Giants and the 1995 Seattle Mariners, who overcame a 13 game deficit from as late as August 1.
Idk why but Granderson is funny on the armitron. Excuse my typing I’m using mobile.
Idk why but Granderson is funny on the jumbotron.
No one’s here.
Yo, I saw your post last night, but well after the fact. Let me know how I can get a hold of your email and I’ll shoot you mine.
What happens if the Yanks lose and O’s win? How do they resolve tied records?
Game tomorrow at Camden for the division.
We go to Baltimore for game 163 tomorrow night.
They play a one-off
The A’s fans antics are pretty obnoxious.
Yanks fans are so classy.
Finally Girardi has put up a lineup that makes sense. He showing some signs of brain activity. I thought he was already given the DNR.
Considering he hasn’t played to win all season with some of his best guys out for weeks or months at a time.
SMH
Dice-BB.
We should just win the division and watch Joe Saunders get killed by this Texas lineup.
I wonder if the Yankees are going to complain that Maddon is sitting Desmond Jennings.
Girardi can’t complain. He admitted he tanked it a few years ago.
Really? When was that, and what did he do to tank? Don’t remember that.
A’s win the west
Brutal error by Hamilton today.
unreal, un-fuckin-real
I can’t seriously cant believe the Rangers are going to play the WC. Kudos to the As for winning the West (which they’re about to do)
Hiroki said “Sank you fans.” Hahaha
Your AL West division champs, the Oakland As. It’s amazing.
Back on 6/30, the A’s had a 1.1% chance of winning the West.
After 10/03, it is 100%.
This is the first day the Athletics have spent in first place.
A’s are the first team ever in the divisional era to erase a 5 game lead with 9 to play.
Alright, no hijinks tonight Yankees.
Nice, easy W. Suffocate those motherfuckers.
blow out win please so we can sit back and watch Darvish vs. Saunders on Friday.
That sounds like Godzilla vs. Bambi
Look at the Rangers numbers against Saunders:
Soto 4-6, 2B, HR
Kinsler 10-24, 2 2Bs, 4 HRs
Hamilton 4-10, 3B, HR
Andrus 2-5
Young 10-28, 2 2Bs, 3B, HR
Cruz 6-20, 2B, 2 HRs
Beltre 7-25, 3 2Bs
Murphy 0-4
Well, I’ll change my comment to;
That sounds like Godzilla vs. a Buffalo
…since Murph will be an easy out and Cruz/Hamilton will blunder a ball in the OF.
Rangers lost C.J. Wilson to free agency,Colby Lewis and Nefali Feliz to TJS and the farm system that was supposed to have a ton of pitchers because Nolan Ryan works magic didn’t have any.
They had to trade for Ryan Dempster who has no business being in the AL. That and their offense went to sleep. That’s how you blow a 13 game lead.
Did you say blow? ’cause Ron Washington wants to know.
I seriously cant believe the Rangers are going to play the WC. Kudos to the As for winning the West (which they’re about to do).
This feels like a huge trap game.
How? People realize how huge this game is, I don’t think anybody in that dugout/on that field wants to play tomorrow.
It’s a good thing those April – July games don’t count, or else the Yanks might be in a tight situation tonight.
RAB Logic FTW
I would like to know at one point did the majority of our posters ever say or believe this.
Seriously, people say this all the time and I don’t ever remember anybody saying anything like that.
Sorry “what point”, not “one point”
It’s one of Axisa’s main theories. Look through the game threads.
No, you said it. Go ahead. Prove it.
You’re unclear on how debates with guys like RI$P FTW work. They say something, and it’s up to you to prove them wrong, not up to them to prove that they’re right.
Dude, were you simply not here during that stretch? Even more so, the games during the miserable July and August? The homers on this site could not have reiterated that point a fraction more.
I’ve never seen it. What I HAVE seen are people saying that losses with a ten game lead earlier in the season aren’t as important as losses later in the sense with fewer games separating you. Which is true. NEVER have I ever seen the majority of the “homers” say that April-July doesn’t count.
It was common practice, treating games of that time with little importance or value. People would say, “it’s May, whatever, who cares if they lose X out of Y, so long as they bring it in the postseason.” I’ve always gone under the practice of seeing every game as important. Every game should be entered with the intent of winning. Not all games can be won, of course, but the intent should never change.
No, what was said was that people were saying that losses from April-July didn’t matter. They weren’t, probability wise, as important, and many people pointed that out, especially after the ten game lead, but never did I ever see anybody say losses didn’t matter.
I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I actually agree with the troll. The difference is, Troll, it’s always easier to brush off a loss in May because there are so many more games to make it up. I’m not saying that their intent shouldn’t be to win, but that if they happen to not win a game on May 2nd it’s much easier to say “Oh well, it’s only May, there’s plenty of time to make that up.”
Who ever said that they didn’t matter? No big deal, yes, but didn’t matter?
Oh, I’m not agreeing about that, just on the bit about the intent everyday should be to win.
Well yeah, of course that much is true. there was a thing going around at the time that we shouldn’t be resting veterans yet or something. The thing is, I remember everybody here being very critical of the idea (I don’t remember ever actually saying anything either way, actually).
Which game did they enter without the intent of winning?
Nobody says that.
This guy. In my comment above . . . he’s one of the homers.
lulz
If you can find one post where I said this without being sarcastic or joking I promise you that I will never, ever argue with you again.
Dude, just ignore him.
Dice’s last game for Boston. Maybe in the Major Leagues.
Dice’s last game
for Boston. Maybein the Major Leaguesthere I fixed that for you.
They better pound Matsuzaka. I want the orioles to look at the scoreboard and realize they have no chance. Screw Peter Angelos and Buck Showalter.
He blew the no-hitter.
There go those classy Yanks fan again!
They were shouting “boo-urns!”
no command of the FB so far.. that’s been the problem for at least the last 5 starts
lol
he’s going almost exclusively with that 84-86mph pitch, the splitter probably. Forgive me for being concerned that our #2 pitcher can’t throw strikes with his FB.
Not that is matters much at this point, but tonight especially that blown call on Tex against the O’s really annoys me right now. We should be division champs and being able to rest some guys.
It’s fine. They don’t have to play again till sunday if they win. 3 days should be enough time to relax for the regulars.
A cheap blooper. What else is new?
Apparently the Yankees are only beaten by bad luck, bloopers, and of course, Satan. Sucks to a Yankee, and fan for that matter.
You know I was half kidding about the Satan thing, right?
Are you seriously saying that you were only “half” kidding? Really?
Can you prove otherwise?
You can’t possibly be this stupid.
HAIL SATAN!!! oh..wait..I mean BOO SATAN!!
You seem to live up to your name.
He can’t locate his FB yet again. Stop blaming everything on bad luck.
He’s thrown like 15 pitches. Chill out.
on top of over 500 in his previous 5 or 6 starts that he has sucked as well. Today, that’s a concern. Come the playoffs it will be a lot worse.
That’s not the start that I wanted to see
Oh for the love of all that doesn’t suck. Pathetic.
He blew the shut-out.
That was a heck of a throw.
“I need a raise” Kenny must have been reading RAB…
Are we really going to cry about him giving up one run?
“And that one, he’s got a gun.”
What’s with the big band and swing on the ESPN feed? I mean, I don’t mind it…but where’d that come from?
Rays up 1-0 in the first
Tampa up 1 already!!
I believe we were owed that one by Mr. Longoria.
Kind of like game one of the post season tonight since…wait for it…you move on if you win and play again if you lose. It’s already tournament style.
great inning guys
Man, what an ugly first inning
I knew it would go like this. Nothing easy
A six-pitch inning. Seriously?
Well, that’s an underwhelming start.
6 pitches? Really?
They’re trying not to peak too early…
six pitches…this guy should be getting his clocked cleaned.
Offense obviously isn’t even trying, just planning on letting Raul bail them out in the 9th.
I like the approach. Dice-K is a strike throwing machine, better swing early and often.
Go Tampa! Cause apparently we’re going to make Dice-K look like the second coming of Cy Young today.
This has reverse lock written all over it.
I hope you’re right Greg. I’m not a huge believer in jinxes but Sterling spent the entire pregame thing going on and on about how Dice-K can turn it on at anytime.
I hope I’m wrong.
Dice-K’s last 4 starts: 0-4, 13.50 ERA, .400 BAA
Hopefully the real Dice-K will emerge.
He’ll keep us shut down for two more innings and then they’ll start hitting the cover off the ball the second time through the order. That’s my prediction.
Yanks played the first inning like THEY were the ones who has a tee-time in the morning.
That bottom of the first can only be described by one word: pathetic. They better show up for the rest of this game.
Ladies and gentleman, Negative Greg has returned.
I can’t help what I feel or sense.
Your views of the team fluctuate wildly every few weeks.
Because I expect less of them.
Or more of them. Depending on the week.
Dont blame Kuroda for that. That 2-0 was a strike
Looking at Tampa’s lineup and they have their 5th hitter being the weak 2Bman batting just North of the Mendoza line, followed by Pena at…wait for it….batting .198.
This is why they are hitting the small white ball tomorrow in Tampa.
They had a poor offensive inning against a bad pitcher…let’s all overreact!
TO THE LEDGES!!!!!!! seriously though, I’m leading the way.
Fire Girardi!
Pretty much.
Damn. Glad I was away for the 6 pitch bottom first against the immortal Dice-BB.
He must have saved his “Gyro ball” for his last game as a Red Sox in honor Bobby Valentine.
Well, get some runs here.
Hi, peeps! Let’s win this motherfucker!
Here we go.
There’s a Dice-K walk.
Good situation here! Now capitalize!
they have the pen up already? wow. why even start Dice-K
no double play, please
If Boston were playing the O’s right now instead of the Yankees, I really really doubt that they would have someone up in the pen already.
Right by him.
Well, at least it wasn’t a double or triple play.
GRANDYMAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GRANDY!!!!
Grandyman!!!!
YAHOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GRANDY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE THE YANKEES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The GRANDY MAN!
Fuck yeah!
Well done, Curtis.
Career high in HRs for the Grandyman!
Really sucks that Granderson strikes out so much. How could he contribute like that???
He hits too many homers.
Ooo. The Snark attack . . . ouch. Hey Mike, maybe you can answer this for me, or at least provide some input. This season has switched on my mental Mark Teixera light bulb and I’ve realized that I don’t particularly like the fellow. Nothing personal, it’s just that I expected the world out of him when they signed him nearly 4 years ago. Based upon what he’s done since coming off the DL (which is clearly the smallest of sample sizes, but is nevertheless quite horrible and still somewhat indicative of his overall play of late) would you, Manager/GM Mike Axisa, put Teixera on your postseason roster? I also ask because my memory of his performance in mid-late October is quite excruciating. I think he adds nearly nothing but a glove (in the PS at least) and the Yankees got along just fine with Swisher at first. Perhaps I should also note that I am indeed an Eric Chavez fan. All said, I don’t think Teixera adds much of anything on the road to 28 . . . That’s my opinion. I’m sure he’d be fine off the bench, but I’m just not comfortable with the thought of him starting, and subsequently sucking, through each and every AB ’til the end of the season.
Oh yes, definitely on the postseason roster. He’ll play awesome defense and work the occasional walk, at the very least. Casey McGehee can’t do that.
Yeah. I suppose I’d definitely put him on the bench, but I’d just have the hardest time putting him in the starting lineup. I might even go as far and insert him as the late-inning defensive replacement.
too many HRs
Fuck yeah!
DOOOOMED!!
Oh…wait…
At least it wasn’t a double play.
Yay, less go!
Hopefully Granderson can play spoiler for miggy.
I was hoping Hamilton would hit one one in garbage time today to tie him.
I kind of want to see Cabrera do it.
Would’ve needed 2
KURTIS K’S TO MUCH, SOO UNCLUTCH…NEEDS MOR SINGLES!!
Man this MLB.TV delay is bad haha. I’m late to the party, but GRANDY!!!
MLB.tv must be on a ten-second delay. You guys were talking about it before I saw it.
It’s always on a delay. More like 2-3 minutes though, at least for me.
HR #42 in honor of Mo.
So, in the final two and a half weeks we have two Yankees classics, correct? The A’s ridiculous comeback and yesterday’s game?
Coltrane picked the right time of year to come to life
.256/.340/.535/.875 since September 1.
woo!
Need 3 more HRs from Grandy to lower Miggy’s value
at least guys like Ibanez and Martin are getting hot, that compensates somewhat for Teix’s suck.
Give him a bit of time to get his timing down. The guy would be doing rehab games still if it were earlier in the season.
I agree.
fuck, missed all the fun..
Zach Stewart > Dice K.
Andrew Brackman> Dice-K lol.
And Buchholtz, apparently.
Is it me or is that a beard on Russell Martin’s face?
Cone breaking out the WAR
No, he’s breaking out the “Wour”
TBS should hire Cone to do the playoff games. He is just the best.
If only. Easily the best broadcaster I have heard. At least as the color guy, Cone needs someone else to do play by play for him.
Singleton can do that!
Absolutely. Best booth IMO is SIngleton, Cone and Leiter/O’Neil. I would love that every game.
Coney talking WAR. Gotta love it.
apparently he’s gotten through to Kay with it, cause Kay’s referenced it a few times today.
Singleton’s response to defensive value in WAR was incredible.
Right now Kuroda has to be our number 3. He’s not pitching well.
Yeah, I hate it when our starter only allows one run through three
He’s been working around it by getting big outs. But he is falling behind hitters.
I stopped caring about how they hit or pitch. Just win. Style points don’t count for anything.
Anyone watching the Bal-TB game? It looks like Hellickson is man handling the Os.
No O’s baserunners through 3.
Bah. I want the Rays to win, but Hellickson is the only pitcher my fantasy opponent has going tonight, and the matchup numbers are REALLY tight. And it’s the championship game. My lead on the ERA category is really thin.
Cone – my favorite announcer by FAR. WAR references on TV, again? An statistically-educated announcer?
I don’t deserve this!
Cone – my favorite announcer by FAR. WAR references on TV, again? A statistically-educated announcer?
I don’t deserve this!
Cone – my favorite announcer by FAR. WAR references on TV, again? A statistically-educated announcer?
I don’t deserve this!
I just need a 5 run lead by the time the debate starts.
Not to delve into politics, but apparently the latest polling has Robbie Cano winning Conn., NY and New Jersey in the presidential election.
He’s got my vote.
Adam Jones just made a ridiculous catch to save a run. Still 1-0 in Tampa
Crap. Adam Jones just saved a run from scoring with a great catch.
Hell, YEAH!!!!!!!!!!! Jacked that motherfucker!!!!!!!
is Cano even human?
Nope, android.
only 2 rbis….throw a parade….
DAMN ROBBIE!!
Pounding Dice-K just as they should be.
So far, so good.
ROBBIE!!!!!!
Robbie!!!!
On fire. throw him a parade…….
Cano in the 4 spot . . . who woulda thunk?!
Because everybody knows you can’t hit a homer from the 5 spot!
Apparently you weren’t around last night. Cheers!
I love you Robbie.
I think the announcers in the playoffs should be like how it was in the World Series a long time ago – the home team’s Play announcer with a color commentator from the road team. They would be able to provide much more insight to the team than those other announcers.
Oops. Was supposed to be a reply to this: http://riveraveblues.com/2012/.....nt-4902461
That would be pretty cool, I’d be down with that.
I guess Bobby V. gave up, leash is off Dice-K.
and just as I type that he takes Dice-K out
Have Ya Noticed How Great The Lighting Is When Espn Broadcast A Game ? I Just Noticed How Lighter It Is Then The Yes Networks Broadcast.
Is there a reason that the first letter of every single world of your post is capitalized?
word*
Well, that’s embarrassing.
They might be very important worlds.
One last time, pounding Dice-K.
Somebody explain to me which scenario would allow the yanks to play their first playoff game at home
Hosting the wild card game.
Lose tonight, Os win, Yanks then lose tie breaker, would play the one game wild card at home.
Lose tonight, Os win, Yanks then lose tie breaker game, would play the one game wild card at home.
Lose tonight, Os win, Yanks then lose tie breaker game, would play the one game wild card at home.
I think if they lose tonight, Os win, Yanks then lose tie breaker game, would play the one game wild card at home.
I heard it from Dan in Athens.
Well played. Tech fail for me.
so if win tonight, first home game is wednesday?
2 ours for os, 1 and 3rd, 3-2 count in 4th
Who do you guys want to see win MVP?
I’m in the Trout camp
Agree.
Trout as well.
Trout. The Triple Crown is cool and all, but it’s a random selection of stats made up by a reporter. Miggy is probably the better pure hitter, but Trout does just about everything else better.
That’s my feeling, Miggs is hands down the best hitter in baseball but Trout is both an elite offensive player and elite defensive player in addition to being a constant threat while on the basepaths.
I don’t even care about WAR all that much either, and if you consider that since the Flying Fish has been in the Bigs, no team has won more games than them.
Cabrera. Technically Trout deserves it but I think the Triple Crown is such a significant achievement that awarding somebody the MVP based on them winning it is a pretty legitimate vote.
How is the Triple Crown a significant achievement? Simply because of its rarity? RBIs are hardly significant and batting average is somewhat significant so…
If you have all three of them you have had one Hell of a year. That’s why it’s so rare. Batting average and RBIs are overrated but they’re certainly not valueless.
Trout is only slightly worse of a hitter than Cabrera and does everything else (defense, baserunning, etc.) much better.
I’m for The Big Mig. I like the extra 60 PA’s he gave his team through playing the whole season. Cabrera put up at least equivalent offensive rate stats in 23 more games, and though people are frothing to dismiss counting stats like RBI, Miggy was there in more games for his team and he delivered in those games to drive in 56 more runs than Trout. That’s, like, almost 6 wins right there. But ok, Trout scored 20 more runs than Miggy, so even if you do rough math and net those out against Cabrera’s RBI’s you’re still looking at 36 more runs produced for Miggy over Trout.
There’s no wrong answer, imo. Both these guys deserve it. I just like the Best Hitter in Baseball who raked for his team all year and won the Triple Crown over the Young Up-And-Comer who has alrdy arrived with a monstrous bang.
ground out, still 1-0
Longo!
We were owed that one too.
Another homer for Longo. 2-0 Rays
Tillman might want to start pitching around Longo.
Nah, keep serving up cookies. If these scores keep up does Texas go to Baltimore or vis-versa?
O’s go to TX.
Texas is 5-2 vs. Baltimore so Texas.
No. Orioles need to win to get the WC home game. Otherwise they go to Arlington.
I love that Tex never brings his offense into the field.
Longoria saves his best for Game 162.
I got up to go pee. How’d the DP happen? Line out to first and step on the bag?
nope, grounder right to the bag, so tex stepped then threw to 2nd.
Grounder to first. Tex stepped on base and threw to second.
Thanks, guys!
Hiroki settling down very nicely. Awesome.
Time to do a shot.
lmao anyone see Mclouth just now? that should be a gif.
Ryan Roberts with a catwalk HR! 3-0 Rays!
Now Ryan Roberts has homered. 3-0 TB
If we win tonight, does CC start game 1 of the ALDS?
Of course.
Yep.
Yes.
No. It should be Phil Hughes.
/sarcasm (before I’m taken seriously)
not Big Game Phelps?
that’s Big Game Dave Phelps.
oops. My bad.
that’s Big Game
DaveDavid Phelps show some respect.Nova on long rest would be dominant.
So, assuming the Yankees win, here’s a game:
Overanalysis time!
An Orioles win means the play-in game is in Baltimore.
An Orioles loss means the play-in game is in Texas.
What do we want more?
They’re both hitters parks, but both teams play much better at home, and as much as I HATE playing Baltimore, Texas is the better team so I’d rather the game be in Baltimore.
I agree. I would rather play Baltimore than Texas.
I don’t think it really matters, assuming it’s Darvish vs. Saunders I think that the Rangers win either way. That works out well for us because,I believe, for game 1 of the ALDS the only pitcher Texas will have on regular rest is Martin Perez so they’ll probably have to throw someone on short rest and Dempster, Holland and Harrison certainly aren’t unbeatable.
Dunno, but it sure would suck to get your first playoff appearance in forever and. Never get a home game.
Whatever means playing Baltimore ultimately, so I want the game in Baltimore.
Whatever means playing Baltimore ultimately, so I want the game in Baltimore.
I want Baltimore OUT, just out of spite, so I want it in Texas. Fuck the Orioles.
I thought Kay was about to say is Matzsuzaka contemplating Hari Kari
Espn talking football bunch of yankee haters
It wouldn’t be a game without a few good GIDPs.
Well done sir.
Arod 2013 fulltime DH arod has become Giambi
A-Rod’s problem isn’t defense.
Lol, Mike. Look at his name. Why even bother?
Shhhhhh… The narrative!
I won’t miss this Ciriaco shit.
This is the guy made a deal with Satan. Only applies against the Yankees.
I was half kidding about the Satan thing because all of the breaks were going the O’s way up til that point. I didn’t seriously think Buck actually made contact.
Wouldn’t be a yankee-red sox game without a Ciriaco infield single
My thoughts on the playoff picture: I don’t really care. Once you’re in the playoffs the sample size is so short that a lot of your predictions won’t work out anyway. Ultimately we’ll win if we play well and lose if we don’t. It’s as simple as that.
But I do like having the best league record. Oakland, for one, is clearly better at home, so I want the home field advantage.
Oh, I want HF advantage. I just don’t particularly care what team we get.
Agreed. There’s often a lot of talk about the best matchups, but those don’t work out all too often. Just get in, and it’s a clean slate.
That was a strike
Don LaGreca(sp?) had a great point on the Kay show this afternoon. If Texas loses the Wild Card play-in game, of if the Yankees had for that matter, does it even feel like they made the playoffs? I mean it’s one game…it’s not a series, it’s one extra game?
I totally agree with this notion.
I think it’s slightly different for a team like the Orioles for example who haven’t even sniffed the postseason for almost 20 years. But for a team like Texas, who has been to the World Series for two consecutive years, or the Yankees who have made the playoffs every year but one since 1995, it really doesn’t seem like too much.
To me it’s the equivalent of the 65th team that makes the NCAA tourney (or now 65-68)
You can dress it up as part of the tournament, but noone will remember it like that
Of course. I figured this was understood.
Lavarnway not good at baseball. Iglesias also not good at baseball. Pedro C just good againist the Yankees.
I really hope Ciriaco or Pedroia makes the last out.
Hirok!!!!!!
Hey guys, what’s going on?? Any important games going on tonight or anything?
According to ESPN some good football news they’ve talked about every 20 minutes being repeated.
Dan Johnson and Evan Longoria each have 2 HRs in their game 162s
So does Robinson Cano.
So if win tonight and take the division, when is our first home game?
Saturday or Sunday, I forget if it’s NLDS or ALDS first.
1 v. WC series start Sunday (both leagues)
2 v. 3 series start Saturday
So if Yankees win, Sunday.
Sunday for both. Saturday is the 2 seed vs the 3 seed for both.
i thought for some stupid reason, the wild card team gets the first two home games
Oh, sorry, no you’re right I completely skimmed over the word “home” my bad. So if the series starts on Sunday it would be one week from tonight if there’s a travel day after games 1 and 2.
yes. All division series have a 2-3 format this year starting @ the lower seed.
What they were saying about Valentine and his coaches was very disturbing and sad.
What did they say?
Valentine said in an interview today that his coaches have been “undermining” him, and supposedly they have refused to even talk to him for much of the season.
I don’t think anyone in the organization likes him.
Wow. I thought maybe they’d give him a second season, but if things like that are happening…there is no way that they can bring him back.
From what I have read, there is absolutely zero chance of him coming back.
Completely off topic but what do folks think of the movie Argo that’s coming out?
Looks like a potentially good flick but I’m still having a hard time with Affleck as a government agent after “the bomb is in play! the bomb is in play!”
Ichiroll! David Cone is playing games?!?
The fact that we don’t get to see Beckett grimacing from the bench as his team drowns in last place makes this whole experience a bit less fun.
an ARod XBH, finally
A rod, no power….
ROBBIE EN FUEGO!!!!!!!!
christ save some for the postseason Robbie
YEAH!!!!!!!!!! ROBBIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Cano AGAIN!
this guy… WOW
OMG ROBBIE!!
Love ya Robbie
Robbie en fuago
Who didn’t see that coming?
Cano again!!
And fuck yeah Robbie
Careful with the posing Robbie.
Don’t want to chance getting beaned.
You’re going on the assumption that any Red Sox pitcher not named John Lester could find the broad side of a barn right now
Is Padilla eligible? :O
Funny, as soon as I hit send on my last comment, I had a night terror vision of Padilla coming in and head hunting…
Fuck it, what does Bobby have to lose?
Poor stuart…
Robbie is a beast!
http://www.demotivationalposte.....846014.png
Thanks, Robbie. I think I can now watch the debate. Yanks up by 6, O’s down by 3? Seems safe enough for me.
dude come on. This is more important, you know they’re just going to skirt questions, give their talking points and that’s it.
Yeah and Obama has a smooth approach so he will look better than BlunderMitt.
I’d rather see the town hall debate.
I’d rather see to elderly Jewish men debating their sandwich choices at a local deli… At least you’ll get some semblance of truth and genuine intention from them.
PASTRAMI ON RYE WITH MUSTARD!
I can’t even argue against that.
ietc
Oh I know. But I was a Poli Sci major, Plouffy
As much as domestic politics pissed me off, I still love this shit. Besides, I have a facebook chat with a couple of friends going in which he can laugh at Romney. That should be just as (if not more so) entertaining than the game thread. I’m check back during commercials though, just so I don’t miss the last out.
You don’t want to see the champagne?
There’s this wonderful thing on my remote called the “last” button. I can switch back and forth, but just focus on the debate.
Better yet, picture-in-picture. Keep the Yanks in the little window.
Stuart just crapped his diaper.
ROBBIE!!!! I’m so pumped about everything that’s happened today, I don’t know if I’m gonna sleep tonight. Miggy basically assured the Crown, looks like we clinch best record, Texas loosing to the A’s. So awesome, all of it.
Perfect. 6 run lead so I feel comfortable switching over to the debate coverage.
I really hope I didn’t jinx it.
The debate?
The 6-run lead and the Rays lead
All the sudden Robbie’s RBI total has reached respectability. 93 RBI.
stuart will be pleased
He’s finally surpassed Ike Davis!
how about we….throw a parade!!!
Me likey this game.
I think Jeter will hit #245.
That would be perfect.
Woo hoo, I got a 6 run lead before the debate.
so whats the optimal lineup for game 1 of the ALDS?
anyone think tex/arod do their 3-4 thing again?
If it’s a RHP the exact line up we have tonight, if it’s a LHP put Nunez in as the DH and maybe knock Grandy down another line up spot.
Tampa pulled hellboy out so its up to the pen now
Don’t know if anyone has mentioned this yet… But I want ZERO part of Oakland right now. Talk about getting hot at the right time, man…
“Talk about getting hot at the right time, man…”
I know right? The Yankees are totally kicking ass right now and at the perfect time heading into the postseason.
This too. Hard to argue against “hot hand” in October.
oakland or the rangers? i rather play the rangers for cause for some reason I feel they’ve really lost their confidence and are on the down swing.
Texas has completely fallen off a cliff this month. Give me the Rangers please.
they should fire Bobby V on the spot. after he takes the ball from his scrub pitcher, cherrington intercepts him and takes the ball out of bobby’s hand. that would be a yankees classic for me.
So basically the score right now is Red Sox 1 Cano 4
Longo with another HR, wow.
Logo just went Longo. 4-0 Maddon
Damn. Longo with another homer.
Longo with his 3rd HR 4-0 Rays
So what was this about the Rays giving up when they were eliminated from the playoffs again? Francesa was making a pretty huge deal of this.
I never understood that argument.
As hot as the Rays were I wanted no part of them winning in Chicago (which also would have helped push Detroit down the stretch) and having even a chance at the playoffs.
For some reason folks thought they would stop pitching apparently? The O’s have 3 hits in these last 2 games combined
Swish doing his best goofball dive impression. I love that dude, in the straightest way possible
No homo
2% homo
whole homo
low homo
homo free
soy homo
Almond homo?
Yes. You are my new favorite.
I do despise that little munchkin.
Gritty double there
Swisher was out of position big surprise
Kuroda has been so efficient today.
Ha, they just showed a shot of the ESPN booth… Tito has just the most smug little shit-eating grin on right now… He might be enjoying this a hair more than us.
That smirk will be gone when he finds out what the Indians have.
Ha. Good for him.
lmao!
That would be something if Kuroda finished this game.
I hope after this win tonight the stadium blasts Frank like they did in the dynasty years. Make the redsox listen to it at full volume.
They play Sinatra after every game win or lose.
Loud like they did in 2001
Dude, they play it loud every time, and over and over and over without stopping. The purpose is to be annoying and get the fans to leave the Stadium.
And any real Yankee fan would know that.
If i am not a yankee fan test me
Yeah, but there’s nothing like hearing Frank after a victory.
+1
Wow, which one of you geniuses concvinced me to go to the debate? These two assholes ain’t sayin shit.
That’s why I’m recording it, most likely they’re going to say a whole bunch of nothing, so after I leave work in a few minutes I’ll go home, watch the rest of this, watch South Park(also recording), then Daily Show and Colbert, then the debate if i’m still awake enough.
I’m not gonna watch any of it. I’m just gonna read blogs tomorrow that make fun of it.
The SNL debate sketches are usually always pretty funny.
Obama has literally said the same thing 3 times, and Mitt has actually just proved he’s trying to fleece the middle class by ‘lowering the tax rate for american middle class while simultaneously reducing deductions so the Govenrment does not lose revenue…’
Ummmm, I’m no math major, but less income plus less deductions is still a net zero, right?
Yep. You pretty much summed it up so far, and nothing has really surprised me.
Pure jackassery… Exactly why I am never voting again.
Its actually insulting to someone with an advanced education and a career to be told by people who I know that never graduated high school how voting for anyone but *insert non-Obama candidate here* will ruin our country…
“It’s time someone had the courage to stand up and say: ‘I’m against those things that everybody hates.’”
You expected something substantive?
Thank god that the Rays aren’t the Wild Card team. They’re so much better than their record.
Big man…
Joba needs to bean pedroia tonight.
If Casey McGehee makes the playoff roster, would we see any of him at 2nd base with Cano getting a rest at DH and Nunez’s horrid d?
Don’t think McGehee does middle infield.
…you’re joking right?
no
Cano DHing in the playoffs?
Jeter’s second highest season for hits. At 38.
I agree with Tito… I think Ichiro might be looking to launch one here.
Or ground out to short.
ICHIBANNNNNNN
They should just walk Cano here… Barry Bonds style.
The Babe was IBBed with the bases loaded 20 times in his career.
Wow, I can’t believe I never knew that (I love old baseball history and made a point of researching Ruth). I mean, I knew about Bonds but never Ruth.
Intentional walks weren’t officially tracked until 1955. You could make up any number you wanted for that and assert it as true.
Srsly? That’s amazing.
Good stat – I knew he had a few, but 20 is ridiculous (but then again most of his stats are ridiculous)
C’mon, Robbie. Jack another one.
RAB commercial!
Really? I hadn’t seen one all year.
I hadn’t either.
Oh yeah, there was a nice long one on yesterday (I didn’t see today’s). It’s a good commercial.
don’t even know what to say anymore, Robbie is just unstoppable.
That will do.
WOO!!!!!!!!!! Awesome!!!!!!!!!!
all these rbis…..it’s almost like he’s better than ike davis……..
needs more condescension…………and more ellipses…………and of course more parades……
…..give him a raise……..
9-1 this game is nova proofed
Ok, it wasn’t a blast, but a dribbler and SIX RBIs will get us there. And yes Cano and Kuroda are in fact beating the Red Sox 6-1.
I will miss those useless swisher at bats next year.
Will you enjoy his replacement having even more useless AB’s?
I liked you better when you were stuart a or hummingbird
See if you can guess who i am now
Sensei? Is that you?
/nomaas’d
Do you know which position player on the Yankees has the second most fWAR? Nick Swisher
Seriously? Wow.
He can not hit in big spots he is the most unclutch player we have. Sign ichiro bring back dickerson for Rf next season.
Espn crew in mourning
So…9-1…Joe G is using Soriano in the 9th, right? Need to get him some work…
Bring in joba first to grunt fart and bean the rat first.
Remember that 6 pitch first inning?
DOOOOOOOMMMEED!!
I wasn’t sure who deserved the AL MVP, but Sterling and Waldman have convinced me it should be Trout.
The fact that they say “it HAS to be Miguel Cabrera” made my decision easy.
If you think this is bad day for the O’s, think how bad it must be for stuart a…….
I’m pretty sure he won’t be around today.
You know, if longoria was healthy this year, the Rays would have a 5 game lead in the division right now…
- one of the asshole ESPN announcers (JUST NOW!!!!!)
Sutcliffe.
Asshole… He obviously didn’t do the quick math to realize that Longo is not hitting 3 homers every night… And they would be winning 1-0 with no Longo…
One hit for the Os thru 8 innings. This place would be wild if that happened to the Yanks in game 162.
I know I’ve been mentioning this a lot lately, but I can’t say it enough. The incredibly high quality of Portal 2 is incredible. I’ve never seen a game crafted with so much meticulous attention to detail.
The developers went above and beyond with the co-op, which in some ways is better than the actual game. That game is EASILY my favorite game ever. Okay, maybe not EASILY-the original Portal is right there.
This does, however, come with the caveat that I don’t really like first-person shooters, and while I like them more than first person shooters I’m not a huge fan of games that feature heavy fighting in general.
I have a feeling though that even if I was the Portal franchise would rank incredibly high on my list of favorite games anyway. It’s just that good.
Cave Johnson is among the greatest video game characters of all time. And he’s not even actually in the game.
Good stuff.
Yeah, there’s the debate there-who do you like the most, GLaDOS, Wheatley, or Cave Johnson?
Gun to my head I’ll have to say GLaDOS. She’s just too funny (and in some ways was even funnier in the original game). But I love Wheatley. I had mixed emotions about his fate at the end of the game. On one hand I was really happy that he apologized, but on the other hand he’s stuck in Spaaaaace!
The climax is just pure insanity, the best finale of any game I’ve ever played.
This obviously dates me, but the last video game I ever played was Tank Battle on Atari.
Wow. I own an Atari TV game pack and I don’t even know that game.
Ciriaco.
Fucking Ciriaco.
Last inning for Kuroda?
I think he’ll start the eighth, but on a short leash and get pulled if a man gets on.
the Rays game should be over before top 8, I would pull Kuroda.
Ciriaco. lol.
can the O’s finish up losing so Joe can pull everyone already
They just said ‘goodbye’ to BJ Upton in Tampa. I guess theres no guesswork as to what TB is gonna do this offseason huh…
I think the question is do they deal Price and/or Shields this offseason.
ESPN was talking about them possibly listening to offers on Price, but I think Shields might be dealt first.
With the arms coming out of that system, I might say fuck it and try to trade both for some real firepower so Longoria isn’t the only guy with a stick on that team… Neither will retire with the team, so strike while the iron is hot.
Nice!
Thank you hirok
We should sign this guy for the next three years
Who thinks we should sign melky next year to a one year deal. Better than andrew jones
Too many Melkyz!!!!
If the price is right they should definitely go for it.
Uh oh… hardy in scoring position… It’s happening! Doomed!!!!!
Dan Johnson and Longo with 3 HRs. Haha.
Hardy on third no outs in tampa top of the 9th
Curtis!
But…you can’t win by hitting homers!
grandy needs 1 more bomb to tie Miggy
Grandy coming up on miggy! garbage timeee
Which would have been awesome. Needs one more to tie.
Hell let Aardsma pitch the 8th
And swisher pitch the 9th
WOO! HOO!
Too many homers!
In the end, what a great season. It’s really a very good job by Joe managing around these injuries.
THIS
Os score but 2 out
ok start pulling all the starters.
Nice to see the Rays not rolling over! Not that we need the help
WE WANT RODNEY!!!
Helicoptor swing FTW!
Gardner swung at the first pitch! And got a hit!
(I’m all for him taking a thousand pitches. I was just surprised he swung.)
Rodney in now with two outs man on 1st
I am feeling really good about the Yanks chances in the playoffs right now.
I almost hope the Orioles come back. It’ll make our win even more awesome since we know we had to get it.
YEAH!!!!!!!!!!!!! ICHIBAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Oh Ichiro just makes it look too easy
Boom
Yankees win the East
It’s over. The O’s lost. And Ichiro!
And, the Yankees are now officially AL East Champs!!
It’s over in Tampa…
How many f’s in laffer?
That scoreboard…Yankees win, DADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA YANKEES WIN
I have such a huge grin right now.
awesome scene at YSIII
Ok that ovation just gave me goosebumps.
ARod is probably thinking, “Hey, I’ve heard cheering during an AB before.”
AL East Champions!!!!!!!!!!!
Hes pulling Cano?
Want to see Ibanez and Ichiro in the clubhouse, doused…
In semen…. Oh wait.
NOW, lets watch the debate…JK
Fun fact: My parents have the exact same anniversary as Obamas.
Let Cano hit and then pull him.
Cervelli to 2B!!!
McGehee actually had reps there….
MCGEHEE FOR 2B!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Not since 2009.
Cervelli played 2 innings at 2B just last year.
Bobby V is getting his laps in tonight huh…. Prob knows its gonna be a long long time before he gets to walk back up to a mound again, so what the hell.
Bobby V just leave now no one will care lol
He should put on the mustache, just for old time’s sake.
Need 5 more runs to pass Texas for the league lead in runs scored.
Kind of surprised Granderson didn’t bat there with a chance to tie for the HR lead.
fuck em
fuck em
i just got in and all i have to say is that I FUCKING LOVE THE YANKEES! 2012 AL EAST CHAMPS! BEST RECORD IN THE LEAGUE! WORLD SERIES OR BUST!
and as i say that, mlbtv shits out on me. great.
CMon JOe, stop having pinch hitters, i want to get to 20 runs!
CMon JOe, stop having pinch hitters, i want to get to 20 runs!
Why did Joe take out Grandy?
HE WAS 1 AWAY!
And with the Boston bullpen he probably had a decent shot at hitting in the 8th again
If he tied Miggy, Miggy still gets the TC.
This seems like the ideal time to get fist pump at 2nd base (he’s played 3rd before)
And McGehee still can’t get in! Too funny.
He’s played 2nd before also.
Thank – Wasn’t sure…
I remember Posada playing a Gold Glove 2nd base, but I only remembered Cervelli playing 3rd for some reason
put Cervelli at 2nd
Will Rapada get to pitch. If he doesn’t, I can’t see him making the postseason roster because he’s either injured or Joe has lost all faith in him.
Cervelli is in the game catching.
Can they please stop sucking off Pedroia his season is over and he helped destroy the team talk about that
What’s Jorge up to these day? Let him play 2nd.
Here comes Rapada.
14-2 with one basically meaningless inning left in the season. By all means, drag it out with some mixing and matching.
I love it. We’re gonna force Bobby V and the Red Sox to stay here in this miserable season as long as we can.
Rapada sighting!
IS Joe seriously taking out the pitcher for a favorable matchup? In a 14-2 game?
gotta get Rapada some work
He might just want to get some of his guys work since they don’t play until Sunday, especially Rapada.
He’ll get criticized for it but Rapada needs the work.
True. But it’s still a bit annoying. And poetic.
I;m surprised not more people are loving this. This is torture for Bobby V and the Red Sox. Plus Rapada needs the work.
The whole season has been torture for them. I don’t give a shit about them sitting there. I just want the celebration to start.
Maybe he can mix-and-match another three outs!
Actually, Bobby V might be so pissed at Boston that maybe he purposely put that lame lineup in game one to screw the Boston.
Nice play by Podsednik
Have to appreciate the effort by Podsenik there. (also nice to see the Yankee fans applaud it)
If that was Pedroia, the ESPN booth may have climaxed.
Who did Casey McGehee kill?
I assume this means there is 0 chance he is on the postseason roster.
What was the injury delay that Gameday showed?
Podsednik ran into the RF wall chasing down Cervelli’s drive.
Between facebook, the debates, and this game I can’t even keep track of anything anymore. HIROK complete game!!!!
WOO!HOO!!!!!!!
AL EAST CHAMPS! that sounds great!
Can we get some love for Freddy Garcia? He had his bad spots – beginning of the season and the end of his run as starter. But he has been very solid as a reliever, and there was a period where he and Kuroda basically carried the rotation. Even when he wasn’t great as a starter, he was reliable — not a complete-game shutout, but not a Hughes/Nova meltdown either.
+1
He had some frustratingly rollercoaster starts but more times than not he would get at least 5 innings, 3 or less ER. It was never pretty and there would be men on base all game, but he would get through it.
def. every member of the team has done something to warrant my appreciation this year (save for maybe jones), and freddy is pretty high on that list. i pulled for him last year, and i was glad to see him on the team this year. he struggled, sure, but i feel he rewarded the FOs confidence in him, no matter which spot he pitched in.
Even Jones had the huge series in Fenway, if nothing else.
which is why i had the qualifier “maybe”… jones was tough to bear for most of the season, but i wouldn’t dream of taking away that series in fenway.
Way to go Yanks!!!
Great regular season.
Derek, you really *didn’t* have to win the game, but we understand your answer…
In order to get home-field throughout, they did need to win.
i am so happy for everyone on the team, but moreso for the older guys. ichiro, hiroki, even raul. another chance for immortality. yankees keep playing like this and i don’t see anyone stopping them. let’s go #28!
So pumped!!!
Watching Grandy being interviewed on MLBN. By his answer, I don’t think he really knew he could have tied Cabrera for the HR title.
Number 1 seed in the American League!