Game 80: Just Win

June 29, 2013 by Mike Axisa 253 Comments

Friday night’s loss was just another frustrating loss in a season full of them, as the offense EXPLODED for three early runs only to see the lead squandered late. The kind of game the Yankees can’t afford to lose, basically. Either they start winning some games consistently or they’re going to continue sinking like a stone in the standings. It’s that simple. They’re close to exhausting their margin for error. Here’s the lineup the Yankees are throwing at left-hander Zach Britton:

CF Brett Gardner
SS Jayson Nix
2B Robinson Cano
DH Vernon Wells
RF Ichiro Suzuki
LF Zoilo Almonte
3B David Adams
1B Lyle Overbay
C Austin Romine

And on the mound after some confusion yesterday is right-hander David Phelps.

It’s hot and humid in Baltimore, and apparently there is some rain in the forecast tonight. The kind of stuff that could cause a delay but not enough for a postponement. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15pm ET and can be seen on FOX. Definitely can’t remember the last time the Orioles were on FOX. Try to enjoy the game.

LK

I like the symbolism of Vernon Wells’ name being the only one that doesn’t have a link.
- LK
  
  Damn you, Axisa.
- forensic
  
  lol, I saw that too before it was fixed. I was also going to comment but it was fixed by the time I got to the comment page.
forensic

Can we just copy and paste all of the lineup complaints from the first half of yesterday’s game thread here to save time?
- LK
  
  What else is there to talk about?
forensic

Oh, and everyone can rest easy. I didn’t have the guts to start Phelps for my fantasy team today, so he’ll go out and throw a CGSO.
Pseudoyanks

Damn FOX blackout. I’m stuck with Mariners Cubs in Chicagoland…
Rolling Doughnut

Vernon Wells is DHing. That about says it all.
OldYanksFan

Man, that is some UGLY lineup. Jest plain ugly.
trr

I’m in a real bad mood tonight. Maybe a win will cheer me up.
If not, I’m stayin’ off the game thread
Eddard

It seems like whenever Joe needs a win he hands the ball to Phelps. He beat King Felix, he beat Tampa, he has the best K/9 and the second best ERA on the staff. Don’t be surprised if they win these next two games behind their two aces.
- hogsmog
  
  Too much, maybe.
- LK
  
  This comment was hilarious when it was posted and is so much more so now.
Winter

I wonder what the Yankees’ record is in games with “Just Win” titled game thread. I looked back and they lost the last one, but I feel like I remember at least one win earlier in the year.
- Winter
  
  Update: There were three consecutive “Just Win” wins against the Indians at the start of June.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  Not sure, but I did “Just Win” once earlier this year and they won. Did “Just Win Again” the next day and they won again. Did “Just Win Yet Again” the next day and they lost.
  - vicki
    
    june 3-5. there was also a Just Win on june 14.
- Get Phelps Up
  
  3-1, plus another win in a “Need a win” gamethread.
  - forensic
    
    With how quickly you come up with stuff about old threads you’d almost think you have them all bookmarked. :-)
    - Get Phelps Up
      
      Hah, well it wasn’t really all that hard to do a control-F in every page in the game thread archives.
  - Get Phelps Up
    
    5-1 last year.
    - Get Phelps Up
      
      2-1 in 2011.
hogsmog

Oh jeez look at Britton’s BR page.
- Winter
  
  What about it?
Bob Michaels

Not very confident with this group.
forensic

As soon as I got in the car to come to work “Enter Sandman” started. That’s gotta be a good sign for tonight, even though they’re on the road.
forensic

Suzyn sure is entertained by a bullpen guy wearing a satchel (or backpack for those of us born since 1950…) to carry stuff out to the bullpen.
Wheels

lol, Joe Buck’s beard
TomH

I thoroughly understand all this black magic stuff (“Just Win,” etc.) and have practiced it in my own way for decades.

However, tonight I’m not watching the game, for a-magical, purely secular reasons: I can’t stand the prospect of hearing those Foxers patronizing the Yankees-in-decline. I remember that tone of voice all too well from the mid-to-late 1960s, as years of accumulated frustration came pouring out of sports writers, broadcasters, people on the street, kids in school, et al.
- vicki
  
  wisdom comes alone through suffering. that’s aeschylus. as i’m sure you know, lear. (didn’t think i’d catch it?)
  - TomH
    
    Aeschylus was a wise man.
    
    Unfortunately, you’ve lost me with “didn’t think i’d catch it?”
    - vicki
      
      you quoted lear earlier.
      - TomH
        
        Ahhh, yes: “That way madness lies.”
        
        Down 4 – 0 in the 1st. Hell, I may just go and read Lear.
WhittakerWalt

Heh heh, “Vernon Wells – DH”
forensic

According to Sterling, Cano needs “someone like Alex Rodriguez at their peak efficacy batting behind him” to really help him.

Terrific insight there John, I’m sure most batters wouldn’t be helped at all by having one of the best hitters ever behind them.
- WhittakerWalt
  
  FIRE Kevin Long
  HIRE John Sterling
TomH

This is a silly complaint. Sterling’s job is to provide information to people of all sorts of different levels of sophistication about the game–not to mention repetitions of it as the audiences change during the night’s broadcast. OF COURSE he’s going to say this sort of thing. I wish I had 10 bucks for every broadcaster, tv or radio, I’ve heard make similar elementary comments since Ike was President.
- forensic
  
  I wish I had 10 bucks for every broadcaster, tv or radio, I’ve heard make similar elementary comments since Ike was President.
  
  If you did have that, would you build a wall around your yard that those damn kids keep going on? ;-)
  - Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
    
    ietc
  - TomH
    
    They’re free to come in any time.
    - forensic
      
      And never leave?
      - TomH
        
        They’re all polite kids and don’t presume on our good natures.
Winter

Ichiro: Bringing the Baltimore back to Baltimore.
- Winter
  
  *Baltimore chop
Alkaline

Let’s go ZOILA!
forensic

Come on Zoilo! Zoink them!
- vicki
  
  zoiled himself.
SDB

Well, that moment of hope was nice while it lasted.
BFDeal

~ sigh ~
dkidd

i just zoiled my pants
:(
Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

sweet catch
Wheels

Nice play Adams!
Mickey Scheister

Lets go Yankees!!! BGDP CGSHO 2nite! #4life
- Mickey Scheister
  
  I’ll go sit in the corner now.
Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

Can’t hit. Can’t field.
Bad combination.
Dan

“When you see a stat like that you want to make him swing at balls.”

Stewart proceeds to set up middle of the plate at the knees.
- Dan
  
  *Romine
forensic

This isn’t the best way to start the game, Phelps.
SDB

That’s all, folks.
teddy

game over
Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

Well, at least there’s plenty of time left in the night to find something better to do.
forensic

Wow… That escalated quickly…

Is this the shortest game ever? 4 total outs and it’s over.

/maybehalfkidding
- Dan
  
  No, it’s fair. When the other team takes a 2 run league I usually assume it will end in a loss for the Yankees. So this might as well be a blow out.
teddy

next at bat, drill chris davis
- your mom
  
  Uh, no.
- WhittakerWalt
  
  Yeah, what an asshole he is going out there and doing his job! Drill him!
  Maybe if our guys also did their jobs we’d all be in better moods.
Dan

I need to take a week off from watching this team. It’s getting to be unhealthy to sit through entire games.
Frank

Game over. Time to look for a movie.
number 21

Wow.
Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)

I may just join the legion of people who just think, like 08′, this Just Isn’t Their Year.
- Mickey Scheister
  
  Sad for Mo, as it was for the old stadium to go out without a playoff berth.
- Lukaszek
  
  Except that in ’08, they had three players batting .300, two players with 30+ homeruns, and only two regulars with sub-100 OPS+
  - Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)
    
    And it wasn’t their year. I’m not sure how that changes that?
    - Lukaszek
      
      It wasn’t their year, but at least the offense wasn’t a complete pushover. IMO, watching a bad offense is a lot more painful than watching bad pitching
forensic

Woohoo! 2 outs!
CashmanNinja

I’m normally an optimist, but this team has absolutely NO offense. And what offense we do have is normally the result of a ton of luck (aka – a blown call, a lucky bounce, etc). We just can’t afford to give up runs in bunches and that’s exactly what is happening.

I’m at the point of saying screw it and calling someone up to try to provide SOMETHING. And that includes having someone jump a level. We’re not out of it, but if we continue on this current path then we’ll be out very, very quickly. I’m tired of the front office sitting on their thumbs (this includes the offseason).
David N

And..ballgame.

Well, at least I didn’t have to spend too long watching the game, and can try and enjoy the rest of my night.
your mom

This game was over before it even started. Tomorrow’s game is over already too.
- Dan
  
  Basically any game against a team over .500 is over before it begins at the point.
Steve D Fl

Stick a fork in em
Dan

Does anyone have any idea if the Yankees have had one game this year where everyone in the lineup got a hit? Or even reached base?
If not, this may be the year that one or both of those never happens.
- forensic
  
  I’m not even going to look it up right now, but I guarantee it’s happened a bunch of times, especially maybe in those games against Cleveland or Toronto.
  - forensic
    
    Here’s one where everyone reached base and only one didn’t have a hit:
    
    http://www.baseball-reference.com/boxes/CLE/CLE201305132.shtml
    
    I looked at their top 11 scoring games, which are the only ones they reached 7, and this is the only one that qualifies, so maybe that’s it (though they certainly could have hits and just not score them, we know how that goes).
Mickey Scheister

LOL! So how many times have the Yankees scored 5 five or more run and held their opponent scoreless for 8.2 innings this year? Once, twice maybe? At least we weren’t teased by 5 or 6 hitless then get Molly-whopped. Now I can go catch a movie as opposed to watching a AAA lineup with Ichiro, Gardner and Cano sprinkled in for fun. This team has sucked something awful in June. Silver-lining: at least the month is almost over.
CG

Holy fucking shit, can they do anything right?

Orioles pitching, load bases, yanks score 0 runs
Yanks pitching, let up infinite hits in a row to score 4+ runs
David N

Just out of curiosity, how many times have the Yankees scored more than four runs this year? It seems like it should be in the single digits.
- Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
  
  25
  - David N
    
    Wow, it really does not feel like that many.
    
    Just because I was feeling masochistic, I went and looked up how many times the Astros have scored more than 4. They’ve done it 27 times.
    
    The Astros.
    
    I need a drink.
    - forensic
      
      Only the Mariners (with 21) and Royals (with 23) have done it fewer times in the AL. The White Sox have also done it 25 times.
    - LK
      
      That shouldn’t surprise you. The Astros have a better offense than the Yankees (86 wRC+ vs. 83). The only teams worse than the Yankees are the Nationals, the White Sox, and the Marlins.
CG

I mean, I don’t watch every game… but I literally have not seen them win in weeks. Partially bad luck of which games I choose to watch, and partially them sucking tremendous amounts of arse.

Runners on 2nd and 3rd now… guess it’ll be 6-0 in 30 secs.
Winter

Chris Dickerson… sigh
- Dan
  
  Didn’t Cashman/Girardi think he was not worth keeping on the team? That’s weird.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  Shocking that he is out-OPSing and out-defending every NYY outfielder other than Gardner. So unexpected!
  - Desperate in Seattle
    
    Glad we spent big bucks on Ichiro and Wells instead of keeping C-Dick for basically league minimum :)
ArchStanton

And people questioned keeping Nova on the roster as a long man.

Sigh.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
  
  That’s what Warren is for. Backup long man isn’t exactly a big priority.
number 21

I don’t think Phelps has it today…
- Mickey Scheister
  
  Ya think? I blame Lettuce.
  #denyandmakecounteracquisitions
Kramerica Industries

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?

SERIOUSLY? I log in, and it’s already 4-0 in the first inning? What a fucking nightmare.
- TomH
  
  This is a very bad team, sinking its way into last place. What can’t be cured must be endured.
  - Kramerica Industries
    
    Seriously. If this team wants to contend, they can’t wait for the reinforcements to come back anymore. They’re all a ways away from returning, and setbacks can always happen, especially with this team.
    
    The scrap heap guys are all performing like scrap heap guys. The end result is this team disintegrating. It’s been quite some time since the Yankees had a stretch of 12-19 play.
    - forensic
      
      I really think this is just the way it’s going to be the rest of the way. Listening to Cashman after Tex was done, he was saying that he can’t make moves with the specter of their players coming back. 1B is now the only place that may not be the case, but even that isn’t going to be much since they seem to be in love with Overbay’s .280-ish OBP.
      - Kramerica Industries
        
        Overbay’s entire Yankee successes can be summed up with those two HRs he got that one week that helped beat the Orioles and Rays. The dude has been basically a zero aside from that.
        
        If this is the way things are going to be, then this team will be lucky to limp home to a .500 record. Which is fine if this team wants to re-tool and try and build a foundation for the future. Of course, there-in lies the problem and the crux of Mike’s epic rant a few weeks back – who the hell knows what the direction of this team is. Their words say one thing, and their actions say another. And, frankly, that sucks.
        
        forensic
        
        Yup, and that’s also my worry. They constantly talk about building for the future, but they’ve been unable to build much worthwhile so far and I think won’t believe they’ll keep the current guys until I see them on the field in pinstripes.
        
        If they want to blow it up for a year or two and seriously commit to youth, then go for it. But this half-assed half-and-half, wishy-washy attitude and direction will only hurt the organization for a longer period of time.
        
        I’m about done with their constant older-than-dirt one-year additions that may hold them back from learning about young, cost-controlled options in the minors. There’s just no allure or connection to the vast majority of the roster right now. At least if you’re going to suck, do it with something that fans may be able to connect to for some period of time.
Lily

in Israel and don’t know y i bother waiting till 2a. m to watch a frustrating team…. actually i do know y, its because i’m a devoted fan and think that just maybe they’ll turn this around
- ropeadope
  
  Plenty of game left. Have a BLT – maybe they’ll get back into it.
  
  /whichpartofstatementismoreridiculous
WhittakerWalt

Thanks for absolutely nothing, BGDP.
Zoso

Just Lose

Now that they can do.
Wheels

sigh. whimper
Rolling Doughnut

Gruesome.
Matt

If this team doesn’t trade for another hitter or two and soon it won’t matter if they get their guys back after the All Star Break, because they will be too far out at that point to have any hope of making the playoffs in this division.

Does anyone seriously believe this team won’t be 8 or 9 games out by the ASB as currently constructed?
- Rolling Doughnut
  
  What guys are they getting back? Granderson? Jeter? ARoid? The season is a bust. I just hope this doesn’t turn into a replay of the mid 60’s–mid 70’s
  - Matt
    
    Those 3 are huge additions. You’d be an idiot to think otherwise. Enough so that if they all came back tomorrow, this team would probably be in great shape and start playing much better.
    
    The problem though is that they won’t come back soon enough to save this team from falling out of the playoff race.
    - Rolling Doughnut
      
      Additions. Yes. Huge additions, no. I hope I’m wrong but I don’t see Jeter repeating last year’s streak, Granderson will hit 15 HRs and srike out 120 or so times. ARod….oh well, who knows? Maybe he’ll get some life out of his PED induced crumbling body. But I’m not laying any money on it.
- Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
  
  Of the division?
  Probably.
  Of a wild card spot?
  Extremely unlikely.
  
  Winning the division probably isn’t a realistic goal at this point.
  Making the playoffs still might be (not with just the current healthy roster, obviously).
  - Matt
    
    They could easily be 5 or 6, if not more behind Baltimore at the same time. Especially if they get swept this weekend as seems likely to be the case.
    
    They cannot afford to wait until even remotely close to the deadline. If they don’t trade for a player within the next few days, I find it hard to see them making the playoffs period even if they get their guys back within a week or two of the ASB.
    - Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
      
      They definitely can’t wait until the deadline for help.
      They might be able to survive through the all-star break. Maybe.
      The longer they wait, the bigger the acquisitions need to be.
      - Matt
        
        I disagree. If they wait until the break, they won’t need as big of a move because they will have all of their players back and won’t have a spot for someone. The problem is that if they are 7 or 8 games out of a playoff spot, no addition will be big enough to save them.
        
        You want to talk about not making panic moves, but this is really the time to start panicing. The entire season hinges on these next few weeks. You need to stay close enough to get the guys back and be there.
        
        Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
        
        “If they wait until the break, they won’t need as big of a move because they will have all of their players back”
        
        Not Tex. Still need an upgrade at 1B, or at least a platoon partner. They still could use a legit starting OF even with Granderson back.
        Jeter and ARod are huge question marks as to what they can provide if/when they come back.
        Even if all of Grandy, Jeter, ARod, and Cervelli are back close to the AS break, they can still certainly upgrade 1B, RF, C, and DH. How far out they are at the time will determine how many of those spots they HAVE TO upgrade and by how much.
JohnnyC

David Phelps has shown us he can learn from Phil Hughes’ mistakes…and repeat them exactly.
Dan

If I was playing a drinking game where I took a shot of anything everytime the Yankees blew an opportunity, made a stupid roster move, or just in general looked in any way like a junior college team, my liver would be toast by mid July.
- forensic
  
  You think you’d last till mid-July?
  - Dan
    
    Only because of the time off with the ASG break.
WhittakerWalt

This team’s lack of offense is truly frightening to behold.
your mom

Can’t wait to trade our top prospects for veterans who won’t even help us make the playoffs.
- Mikhel
  
  With the NYY current front office those “prospects” won’t be playing in the majors with the Yankees until they are 26-27 years old… When was the last time they promoted their best hitting prospect and kept him in the major league roster all season long? Heck… Canó wasn’t their best prospect when he was called up (Eric Duncan was their best prospect).
TomH

The Yankees may yet be a seller, before the trade deadline. It would be unusual, of course, but they look decidedly inferior now to every team in the division. Even their pitching, which took them so far, is beginning to fray.
Oy

Just wondering, if the ownership decides to blow up this team, can we get a B prospect for CC? Maybe we can get Coletti to give up A.J Ellis….
your mom

Just love how FOX is talking about Arod, as is this game wasn’t depressing enough.
- your mom
  
  *if
mick the quick

God Joe Buck is loving this ARod talk.
Kramerica Industries

Oh, not that Mike or anyone really cares, but the Orioles were on a Fox game earlier this season against the Rays.

If you want to desperately grasp for hope, the Orioles also jumped out to a 4-0 first inning lead in that game, and then the Rays chipped away and then destroyed Johnson in the 9th; Rays won 10-6.

But to think the Yankees have something along the line of a 7-8-9 run outburst in them is about as pie-in-the-sky as it gets.
- Dan
  
  I want badly to hold on to that glimmer of hope, but being that we have 3 Major Leaguer’s in our line up I’m going to let it go.
- Winter
  
  Yankees scored seven runs a week ago against the Rays.
  - SDB
    
    That feels like it was a month ago. Or more.
    
    Does anyone remember those April games when this team could come back in late innings, and people got clutch hits?
    - your mom
      
      No
  - Mikhel
    
    Yankees largest comeback this season? 3 runs.
    
    11 times the NYY have scored 4+ runs in an inning.
    16 times the NYY have allowed 4+ runs in an inning.
    
    4 wins – 15 losses when the NYY get to the 2nd inning behind in the score.
    
    3 W – 27 L when they get to the 6th and are losing.
  - Kramerica Industries
    
    Can anyone, off the top of their heads, remember the time before that?
    
    Not to toot my own horn, but I’m pretty savant-like with this stuff, but I’d really have to take time to figure out the answer to that question. I would seriously hope any team in baseball can churn out one seven-run outing a week, at a minimum. What’s sad is that we’re reduced to thinking “gee whiz, they did it that ONE TIME in the not-overly distant past”.
    - forensic
      
      Heh, I looked it up and you had to go quite a distance back to find the last 7 run game before that one.
      - Kramerica Industries
        
        I’ll spill out my mental process aloud here. So, yeah, bear with me here if you want to see how Kramerica Industries does this stuff.
        
        Texas: 4, 5, 0
        Tampa Bay: 3, 6, 7, 1
        LA: 6, 0
        Anaheim: 2, 2, 6 (they actually scored six runs back-to-back; that’s shocking)
        Oakland: 4, 2, 2 (18 innings, lol)
        Seattle: 6, 1, 3, 2
        Cleveland: 7, 4, 6
        
        THERE IT IS. The series opener against the Indians. That was, what, June 4? Nearly four weeks ago.
        
        So they’ve had TWO 7+ run games in the past four weeks. Round of applause for that.
        
        forensic
        
        June 3rd, but pretty good still.
Alkaline

Roughst rat for BGDP
your mom

Cano you bum.
Neil

Anybody on this team ever hear about taking a couple of pitches? So Cano has seen two pitches tonight.
Dan

Last night when they put in Joba Mike posted this on twitter

“Joba’s in?” http://i.minus.com/ij90sFWMSifKU.gif It was the only time I laughed during that game yesterday. Sad.
WhittakerWalt

“The Yankees need to take that sinker the other way”

Followed by Cano pulling the sinker and grounding out, then Wells pulling the sinker and grounding out.
Rally over.
Justin Pupa

How pumped are you guys for Luis Cruz and Jeff Francoeur, the inevitable Yankees!? #notpumped
- forensic
  
  They’re not old enough yet…
  
  Though Francoeur would fit right in. No plate discipline, no OBP.
Winter

Clearly this game just isn’t big enough for David Phelps.
bob michaels

Change the title from “just Win” to just score.
Justin Pupa

And where is Eddard? Mysteriously disappeared when “BGDP” has a tough outing. If you’re gonna tout him so ridiculously when he’s pitching well, at least be around when he stinks up the place.
- WhittakerWalt
  
  Eddard is not to be taken seriously. I suspect he’d be the first one to admit that.
CashmanNinja

Jeff Francoeur released. Our prayers have been answered!
CG

Dickerson’s revenge starts now
Dan

The only reason I’m not excited about this top ten pick we will be getting next year is because of Mo. Man I wish we hadn’t shut down so completely in the ALCS last year. That was it.
Kramerica Industries

6-0.

Can we just forget about this now?
- your mom
  
  Probably should, but this thread will be a fun trolling thread now. 9-0, awesome job Phelps.
SDB

Eh. Down by 4, down by 6, down by 10, who cares – it’s not like the offense was going to catch up after that first inning.
your mom

Is this Phelps or Hughes on the mound?
- Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
  
  yes
LK

Can someone check on Eddard? Poor guy’s probably suicidal what with Phelps’ being 4th in ERA among the team’s starters now.
- LK
  
  Sorry make that dead last among the team’s starters in ERA (including both Hughes and Nova).
CG

lmao
SDB

BIG GAME DAVE!
Kramerica Industries

Yikes.
Wheels

crazy
Dan

I can’t control myself, I’m actually laughing.
Charles

And it’s over, hopefully we don’t get swept tomorrow.
- your mom
  
  You kidding? It was over after we were down 4-0.
Matt

Everyone in the world knew that Dickerson was a better guy to keep around than paying $13 million for a washed up Ichiro. Except for Randy Levine apparently. They never gave him a fair chance, even though he’s always had talent.
forensic

Dickerson is hitting .500/.500/2.167 in 4 games against the Yankees this season…
Matt

Why even bother taking Phelps out right now? This game is over. Don’t burn the entire pen when he is only at 6 pitches.
- Matt
  
  *60
- Matt
  
  What a freaking waste. Girardi is such an idiot to waste relievers in this. What if Nova isn’t sharp and can only go 4 or 5 innings?
  - forensic
    
    If Nova goes 4+ then there’s only one left to fill. If he goes 5+ then the game is over. What’s the big deal? They also still have Warren, and it not like the rest of the bullpen has been overworked recently.
    - Matt
      
      Or he could have done what a smart manager would do and have Phelps take one for the team and throw 5 or 6 innings to guarantee that not a single reliever in that pen outside of the long man has to pitch.
      - Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
        
        Or he could actually be looking ahead, realize he has an extra long man in the bullpen for no reason, realize that extra long man was due to get an undetermined start in the next series on what would be a whole lot of extra days rest, and take advantage of the bad situation to give Nova a tuneup for that start.
        And there are 2 long men. Whether Nova by himself or Warren and Nova, nobody outside of the longmen should/will need to pitch.
      - http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa
        
        They have two long men and can send Warren, Nova, or both to Triple-A for a fresh arm tomorrow. This is the stupidest of stupid things to complain about.
      - LK
        
        What makes you so sure Phelps could throw 5 or 6 innings? He was getting fucking demolished. Seriously, you’re worried about the bullpen being overworked with everything else going on with this team?
- Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
  
  May as well give Nova a tuneup for his next start.
- forensic
  
  They have several longmen in the bullpen. Might as well use one.
Winter

Ok, what are our odds of seeing a position player pitch today?
- SDB
  
  I want to see Ichiro pitch! (Preferably to Dickerson.)
your mom

Oh, so that’s why we kept Nova on the roster. Girardi knew Phelpsy or Hughesy would shit the bed soon.
Rolling Doughnut

Funny in a funny sorta way. This is no way to enjoy the $300 seats and the $20 hot dogs.
http://AOL AMANDA

I MIGHT AS WELL GO CLEAN THE KITCHEN FOR THE REST OF THE SUMMER WTF ARE THE YANKEES EH
Dan

It’s starts like this from Phelps that should remind everyone why they cannot move Hughes to the bullpen.
The Other Sam

Holy hell, do something FO! Not one more day of doing nothing but blaming it all on the injuries. And no more other teams has beens and rejects either. Jeter, A Rod and Grandy aren’t going to fix this. Promising a championship-calibur team means having viable contingency plans!
- mick the quick
  
  We should all be petrified that the response will be to throw a ton of years and a ton of money at Cano just to show they are “serious about winning.”
dee dubs

you know it’s bad when mccarver starts handing out compliments on the team’s character
your mom

So is this the nadir of the season or are we gonna sink further???
- http://www.penuel-law.com/ Cuso
  
  They’re not under. 500 yet. This is not the nadir.
Dan

I hope the team does not make any moves to be honest. What is the best case scenario? Young, Ruiz, and Utley? Keppinger and Schierholtz?

This team is not a playoff team. Even if they make those moves and play better for having made them, do you really think they can compete with the O’s, Tigers, or Boston? That Tigers lineup will murder this pitching staff with ease. Just endure the down year and regret the blown opportunity in the ALCS last season.
- your mom
  
  This seems logical but the front office is anything but logical. Say goodbye to some of our good prospects.
your mom

Of course Hardy makes that play, of course.
LK

Sigh. I remember when it was the Yankees doing this to other teams.
forensic

How many rock-bottom’s is this team going to hit this season?

Who wants to bet Mike’s just about done with his recap already? The only thing left is to fill in the ‘X’ in “The Yankees got demolished by the Orioles, X-0.”
Dan

I’m off to watch the Yankeeography of Derek Jeter. It will make it easier to think of happier times. Good bye.
bob michaels

It ain`t over til it`s over said Yogi, but not with this cast of players it`s over.
stuart a

again can’t watch the game. Phelps has had 2 mega clunkers this year the under 1 inning outing and this besides those 2 games he has been very good.

if you want to move him to the pen when pineda comes up that again will give them the ability to move joba or obviously they can move hughes and keep phelps in the rotation.

newsflash sisies the season is not over get nunez and grandy back withi 2 weeks and then add the other guys. michael young would be a good pickup if it is real cheap.
- LK
  
  Nunez is terrible.
Robert Ross

Memo to YES:
Yea, it’s on FOX tonight, but it’s your baby, and falling ratings will suck even more as the summer turns to fall. Exactly how much less will your advertisers pay next year to watch games that no one wants to watch? I’m a 26, yes, 26-year season ticket holder, and I just turned off the game in the THIRD inning. The ghosts of Andy Hawkins and Greg Cadaret and Kevin Maas returning we’re just too much. God, I despised Steinbrenner. Tonight, a bit less. Over/under on number off months before the sons get out of Dodge?
- stuart a
  
  so your solution is what? spend more money on inflated contracts for underperforming players???/ that works real good…
  
  how about bite the bullet, try to make smart moves without breaking the bank and see what happens….
  
  or should they compound their mistakes by signing cano for 8 years and $180 mill. that would be wise, if you are retarted
  - Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
    
    if you are retarted………………
  - Robert Ross
    
    I’m not paid to fix this. I just write my season tickets check every year (so far):
    1. No. Paying over market for aging players makes no sense. Of course.
    2. Yes, I agree, but spend over market not on players but on better talent evaluators. I’d easily and happily pay the equivalent of Vernon Wells’ salary for ONE smart guy in the Cardinals front office. It’s about talent evaluation…and our GM is mediocre, at best
    3. Paying Cano 8 years is almost as dumb as paying A-Rod that much.
    .
bob michaels

I`m waiting for some positive news from the minor league teams after this fisaco is over
http://www.twitter.com/matt__harris Matt :: Sec110

Josh Beckett out for the season….maybe they’ll want Hughes for a bat? hahahaaha
forensic

Suzyn, John, and Feinsand are all so confused about Nova being in this game without understanding that he can still pitch in Minnesota either on short rest if he’s not long today or full rest on Thursday.

Sounds like they’re almost channeling Matt…
- stuart a
  
  they are often confused. again the radio crew love Nix. Nix is a avg utility player…
Wheels

lookin good, Robbie
forensic

Other than Charleston, all the minor league affiliates are on the road the next couple of days. I don’t see Nunez in any of their lineups. Is he really just not going to play these days because they’re on the road? He only played 3 innings the last 2 days, days off shouldn’t exactly be a necessity at this point.
forensic

Lead-off walk.

The rally starts here!
SDB

Two innings, and no more runs for the O’s?! This is progress!

That said, I’m now watching Seinfeld (The Jimmy – forgot just how awesome this was.)
stuart a

when you want to trade prospects earl in there career i got 1 word for you AJAX…..

having AJAX in center field would really suck about now for the Yanks right??
- LK
  
  This lineup would suck with or without Ajax.
  - stuart a
    
    true but he is 25 and cheap.
    
    newsflash they have about 4 starters hurt as well as a few of those starters backups…
    - forensic
      
      He’s 26.
    - LK
      
      Meh. They traded away from upside for some certainty. Ajax has worked out well but Grandy was good for them, especially in 2011. A move that you probably wouldn’t make with the full benefit of hindsight but not one that did much damage to the team, really.
      - stuart a
        
        i had no problem with the grandy trade because he was only 28 or so when they got him and his contract was only 3 or 4 years…
        
        bad example on my part … point being guys over 30 only trade for as rentals and pay commensurate on them being rentals…
- Winter
  
  Am I the only one who still thinks the Granderson/Kennedy/Jackson trade was a good one?
  - forensic
    
    I’m sure there are other power-obsessed (imo) people here who agree with you (Axisa for one, I would think).
    - LK
      
      I think it’s worked out fine. Like I said above I don’t think you make the trade in hindsight, but that’s only because you know that Ajax basically hit on his best case scenario. It was a perfectly reasonable move at the time that hasn’t blown up in their faces or anything.
  - WhittakerWalt
    
    I still like it.
Kramerica Industries

Yay for no shutout!
Steinbrenner’s Ghost

Cashman Failed
Kramerica Industries

Yay for multiple runs!
SDB

Please tell me Girardi’s going to pinch hit for Romine.
forensic

See, told ya it’s rally time!

Romaine with a grand salami now!
- forensic
  
  Romaine woulda hit it out…
Kramerica Industries

Pronk fell about three feet short of making us all foolishly believe we had a game on our hands.

Damn.
WhittakerWalt

Did anyone see Chris Stewart’s comments on CC’s season?

“”He’s un-CC-like maybe numbers-wise, but as far as intensity and the way he goes about it, he’s the same guy. It’s just tough that his numbers aren’t with him this year.”

So other than the fact he’s not pitching as well, he’s still the same guy. Fabulous. Great assessment, Stew!
- forensic
  
  He says a lot of dumb things, and calls a lot of dumb pitches. Last night he said it was clear McLouth was sitting changeup, so of course he calls one and McLouth hits it out.
- LK
  
  Haha yeah, I don’t think it was CC’s personality that we were concerned about.
  - WhittakerWalt
    
    Good news! CC’s still tall and black, and he still wears his hat cocked to the side. Everything’s fine!
    - LK
      
      To be fair, if he *wasn’t* still tall and black I’d be even more concerned.
- Andrew 518
  
  Wow, your’re right…
  
  because usually when players answer questions they show lots of candor and provide a great deal of insight.
  - WhittakerWalt
    
    Stewie seems to give particularly useless interviews.
Alkaline

#Ibelieve
nick swishah is a stahting pitchah

Is this a save situation for Mo?
The Real Greg

They sent a carrier out from Norfolk
And picked the Yankees up for free.
They said that Queens could stay,
They blew the Bronx away
And sank Manhattan out to sea…
Alkaline

So….I haven’t really read the whole thread. Anything good?
Oy

What the hell was Wells bitching about after striking out?
- Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
  
  He’s pissed that other teams keep throwing him breaking balls.
  - WhittakerWalt
    
    I’m fairly certain I could sneak a curveball past him.
  - stuart a
    
    sad but true..
    
    you figure after 12 years at a minimum he could recognize an offspeed therefore not waste his time swinging at it.
    
    good news is wells is free next year i say he does not even make the opening day roster…
    
    f martinez is on fire in the minors, why not give him a look for a few games?
    - Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)
      
      They owe Wells $2.4M next season.
      He’s only “free” with regards to how much of his salary counts towards their luxury tax payroll.
    - BronxBombers?
      
      You realize the fact that he is “free” next year all but guarantees him a spot on the roster. They want to get under 189 so they are definitely keeping him.
WhittakerWalt

Is the website broke, or did everyone just give up on the game thread?
- forensic
  
  It was time for me to eat dinner. That’s my absence.
  
  I’m sure most just gave up though. It’s been quiet for awhile.
  - Manny’s BanWagon
    
    How much of this shitty baseball can anyone take. They should be in last place by about the middle of July at this rate.
    - forensic
      
      I’m not even sure it’ll take till the middle of July the way they’re going, though maybe they’ll win a couple from the Twins and Royals before the ASB.
Improbable Island’s Dirty Midget Whores (formerly RRR)

So did they win?