Game 129: Rebound
By
(Jonathan Daniel/Getty)
The Yankees’ five-game winning streak came to a screeching halt last night as the Rays roughed up Hiroki Kuroda, and now it’s up to CC Sabathia to stop the bleeding. The Bombers can’t afford any kind of prolonged longing streak, even two losses in a row at this point. Sabathia has to be stopper he was as recently as last year. This year’s CC won’t suffice. Here’s the lineup Joe Girardi is running out there against reigning Cy Young Award winner David Price:
- RF Ichiro Suzuki
- SS Eduardo Nunez
- 2B Robinson Cano
- LF Alfonso Soriano
- 3B Alex Rodriguez
- DH Vernon Wells
- CF Curtis Granderson
- 1B Mark Reynolds
- C Austin Romine
And on mound is Sabathia, who never seemed to pitch well at Tropicana Field even when he was at his best these last few years.
I don’t know what the weather is like in St. Petersburg but it doesn’t really matter because of the roof. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10pm ET and can be seen on YES. Enjoy.
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The Eric Jagielo Watch
Ok. Plain and simple: it’s time for the Ace to be Ace”y”
Right!
Reverse lock?
Let’s hope. He’s even admitted this year that the Rays have his number. Walking in, knowing that, he needs to be fired up.
not a very appealing matchup, is it
Not really. I may be acting nonchalant, but I have agita.
This lineup looks so much better when Jeter comes back. Light years better now than a month ago. Imagine no injuries…..
They pay CC $20 million to win these ballgames and he needs to start winning them. These next two games are must wins. I’m not worried about Nova because he always pitches well against TB. It’s CC who doesn’t live up to his billing.
So….we need a reverse lock tonight and a real lock tomorrow?
That feels tough. I’m going to be more reasonable and just ask the Yanks to score a combined 28 runs between tonight and tomorrow.
Boom. Do it.
It shouldn’t be a reverse lock. CC is paid $20 million to beat the Rays, Sox, Os and Jays. He should be able to match Price inning for inning. And if this offense spots him 3-4 runs he can’t cough it up like he has all season against division rivals.
I know, I know. I was trying to keep it light. Trying to stay loose. Go out there and have fun, its only a game.
Yadda yadda, ….forget it.
Boston is up 4-2, Oakland up 2-1. This is why tonight is a must win. They got lucky those teams lost last night but they won’t get lucky again. If they lose tonight they’ll lose ground on every team ahead of them, excluding the Os who they already lost a game on yesterday.
“…excluding the Os who they already lost a game on yesterday”
Sat what???
O’s need to beat every team in front of them (except when NYY pass them) and lose to every team behind them.
Big game, what else can you say.
Come on CC, just be good again tonight.
Wow.
Cowbell night? grrreat
We need a cardboard pin-up of Rachel Phelps to get us through the rest of the season.
Three well-struck balls off Price. Get him early guys.
Nunez hit that one hard, but I have no idea what he is doing in the 2 slot. Cano, Rodriguez, Wells, Soriano, Granderson, and Reynolds all should get more at-bats than Nunez. Period. I guess Ichiro lead-off is okay because of his reverse split and because the Ancient Rules of Baseball say the lead-off man should be speedy and incapable of hitting home runs. Should bat Soriano 2nd; move 5-8 up a slot; bat Nunez 8th.
I love Nuney in the 2 hole. He’s got speed and he’s swinging a hot bat. Wells shouldn’t be getting more ABs than anyone else on the club.
Of course you do.
you snaked my joke, guy.
He’s been hot lately, and has pretty good numbers against Price.
Not as terrible an idea as it would normally be.
The theme continues:
Line drives finding gloves.
It would appear so. And in the Dodgers-Sox game, the Dodgers hit into three line drive DPs.
that sucked but lackey was on his game, too. much as it pains me to say.
They are seeing the ball well against Price tonight. CC just needs to not put them in a 5 to 0 hole and let them tag Price 2nd and 3rd time through order
These days, I am surprised when Nunez’s throw isn’t off.
ARod showing off the range…yikes.
Strike 3 not called, next pitch goes for a double. Excellent.
CC hangs his first changeup. Got off lucky with Longo AB.
You know, when you have to deal with the absurd gimmicks of Tropicana Field, you really appreciate the Yankee Stadium experience so much more.
I would appreciate a baseball stadium with absurdist gimmicks. I like to be reminded of the essential irrationality and meaningless of life wherever I go.
Like maybe have all the signs say NO EXIT.
Or have Eduardo Nunez batting ahead of Robinson Cano and Alfonso Soriano.
well done, both of you.
Vernon Wells everybody.
There ya go wells make him work
Jesus Alex two hops?
geno smith: strong arm; zero pocket presence.
I’m seeing 94-95 on the stadium gun. What does YES have?
I’m watching a Japanese feed and they had CC topping out at 95
Same.
About time we get one.
All the well-hit balls make outs, the Mark Reynolds bloop shot drops for a hit. conclusion: stop hitting balls hard.
Tatooed and of course dp
The BABIP gods are not on the Yankees side right now.
Price does not look sharp. Second time around next inning, they get to him.
Sure looks like CC is getting squeezed compared to a fairly generous strike zone for Price.
nice play CC
This is what had to happen, CC had to match Price inning for inning. If he gets any type of lead he needs to make it stick through 6 when they can set up their bullpen.
CC wants this effing game!
The big man off the mound!!
pfp ftw.
Piniella, Munson, Chambliss.
That’s why Nuñez in the two hole against Price does not make sense. At least with Granderson, there’s the chance he goes yard.
Cano has caught the ‘weird half-assed bunt/fake bunt with nobody on for automatic first strike’ disease that Gardner, Ichiro, and Jeter have.
The rays will make the playoffs…. And their 300 fans will be so stoked
blue jays in total free-fall
deeply satisfying
except that it makes us look a little less cool for dominating them.
Just thinking the same thing. Definitely looked uncool last night.
Joe Maddon is what happens when you take Girardi’s random meddling with matchups and shifts and make it actually make sense so it positively affects outcomes.
Tonight is easily the best CC has looked all season long.
Now they’re stringing some hits together. Now get these runs home for CC.
I cannot stomach the Rays announcers right now. Turning it off.
Maybe Curtis wouldn’t have struck out if he hadn’t wasted a strike on a totally inane bunt attempt.
I just said as much to my son. That was stupid.
Little rally….sure hope stewart is taking some practice swings in the tunnel
Is it old timers day – in the booth? I’m sure one of them is grandpa Simpson.
Come on Romine
Come the fuck on. Maybe the New Lineup can bring somebody in.
Ump has missed strike 3 on both sides
That ump is Jerry Meals…unfortunately.
Fortunate for us in that instance.
I prefer Stewart. That at bat would’ve lasted 3 pitches if Stewart was in there. Would’ve given me time to go grab another beer.
So much better than Stewie. What an AB for Romine.
Romine is definetely locked in … Girardi needs to play him more … even the first AB he hit it hard .. unfortunately it was right at someone
Wow.
Great AB.
Lettuce rejoice! Romaine walks in a run!
Tremendous AB.
So much for my earlier comment about Price getting a generous strike zone tonight lol. Great at-bat by Romine.
That was such a gritty RBI from Tromine, Stewie and Nix must be proud.
Damn nice ab…stewart will still start tomorrow
See, before I would have predicted that we don’t score, but I have faith in the New Lineup (TM).
Romine playing like a veteran tonight.
And he can run the bases
that kid has iceberg in his veins
Romine’s doing it all.
And WOW. Go Romine.
Romine got 2 runs for CC, now he needs to make them stick in a pitcher’s duel. He only needs to get through 2 more innings and they can set up their bullpen.
Yeah, like I said, what the hell is Nunie doing in the 2 slot.
Good on T-Ro though, his baseball smarts on the basepaths put second half Stewart to shame.
One Hell of an inning. Those are two pillow-soft runs, man.
what a nice dive!!!
Reynolds wants it.
Reynolds! God i use to hate you
how ’bout one of them old fashioned shut-down innings.
The Yankees new way of getting outs, try to tackle the runner on their way to first base.
For as bad as Reynolds is defensively at 3B he sure looks pretty good at 1B.
Jerry Meals calling a great game.
i think romine should be sabathia’s personal catcher
he pretty much has been lately.
You want Romine as your personal ________.
:p
and how.
This looks like the CC of old, coming back at just the right time.
ace-like.
knock wood.
Shut down inning
CC’s best start of the year. So that’s what shut down innings feel like.
I can’t believe that one didn’t go out.
got it off the end of the bat.
such a shitty stadium to play baseball in
sterling.
Get that pen ready. Kelley, Drob and Mo. You cant let this one slip away.
Settle down please, cc
Bye lead it was nice having you
He’s going to cough it up again. GET HIM OUT OF THE GAME!!!!!
Well, this might be it then. Come on, CC.
This is going to be really bad. Get him OUT of there.
ugh.
We’re going to be losing by a minimum of two runs by the time that CC ends.
CC sucks.
Bullpen now please.
He coughed it up again. He’s done it time and time again. Joe should not have kept CC in this ballgame.
Typical
Way to fall asleep at the wheel Joe.
That outcome wasn’t at all predictable.
How the fuck is he still pitching?
I just don’t know how many times Girardi is going to keep CC in there as he gives up the lead. He’s been spotted leads against the Os, Rays and Sox all year and has blown them all. He just shouldn’t be given that long a leash anymore.
And there it is
Someone grab the binder and rip out the page with large bold letters saying “CC: PC minimum 100″…
such trash, please turn in your Ace card if you haven’t already.
I love how Girardi is a slave to his binder on shit that doesnt matter but the real things like longoria owning CC he ignores
Is anybody up in the bullpen?
Claiborne is (or at least was).
But we all know CC can’t come out until he’s thrown at least 100 pitches, regardless of game situation.
Girardi hasn’t gotten the message that CC sucks this year. He should have had Claiborne up when CC didn’t get the 9 hitter.
During this rally with runners on I haven’t seen one Tampa Bay hitter waste a strike by trying to bunt. Are you watching, Granderson/Girardi/etc?
We have to figure out a way to get him out of the rotation. There is absolutely no way they can make the playoffs with him pitching.
I hope Fernando Rodney shoots hit arrow right into CC.
The fact is, that was insanely predicable when he let fucking SAM FULD lead off with a hit.
CC historically has a problem given up walks, hits and homeruns to guys hitting under .230
But, FFS, the lineup turns over and Fuld is a sub-.200 hitter. That’s how rallies start; bullshit like that.
If we lose this game, we’re in huge, huge trouble.
When you’re winning by two runs in the 6th inning and your pitcher has a shutout going, you HAVE to win that game when you’re in the position the Yankees are in.
What a demoralizing inning. What a demoralizing game. What a demoralizing season for CC.
And now Nunez. Here comes the fourth fucking run.
Phew.
GOD FUCKING DAMMIT NUNEZ.
fuckin Nunez
Mark Reynolds looking like Mark fucking Teixeira at first lately. We need it. You really need a 10′ man to play 1st with Nunez, you need that much reach to catch all his stupid fucking throws.
That inning sucked, but it’s not the end of the world. Yeah, CC needs to not give up 3 runs, but a 1-run deficit with 3 to go isn’t the end of the world. If it is the end of the world, if we can say right now the game is over, then our offense is to blame. As it has been all year. 3 runs is completely beatable.
This game is so similar to the last time C.C. had a good start. The game in Baltimore. He fell apart in the sixth there, too.
McGee: a strike out pitcher for our strike out hitters.
Come on New Offense (TM).
Vernon Wells = suck
We got this guys.
Okay, we’re going to lose. I was just bullshitting positive vibes.
ietc
Oh, fuck you, Reynolds.
CC Sabathia: Not an ace.
old news
I can guarantee CC will give up a home run this inning and put this game further out of reach.
Wrong dipshit.
The wind is blowing in tonight at the Trop. At least it is when the Yankees are batting.
They play “Hey Joe” when Girardi walks out to the mound.
Reply fail. But yeah, it sure seems like the dome wind is blowing in.
Sam Fuld yankee killer…pathetic
Starting to remember why its been three years since I last went to this hellhole. This stadium and its fans can go fuck themselves.
you sound like a fun guy to go to a game with
This is actually why I seldom go, and only by myself. I cannot just “have a good time” at a Yankees and/or Rays game.
I’ll go if these two meet in a playoff series. Otherwise, the irritation is just too much.
I give you credit for acknowledging it, at least.
Move to a National League town. That way games are a) mostly irrelevant and b) kind of quaint, because of that silly no-DH thing. No stress, just a nice day at the park, watching players fling the old horsehide around.
Dude the Yankees are getting outplayed. Suck it up. 6 outs to go. Anything can happen right?
Do I have a choice? I’m not exactly the type to bail early.
Could be I’m paranoid, but does anyone else think that those “devilish” Rays might be manipulating the “air” inside that blimp that they disguise as a ballpark ? The balls hit by Soriano and Romine seemed to “die” in mid-air. And one of the announcers made reference to the “air” being shut-off. Off for us, on for them ?! Maybe …, or maybe I’m just paranoid.
Bullshit. The devilish Rays are probably just better than us. Even, it appears, with our new old lineup.
I’m sure the CC apologists will say that tomorrow.
This makes 0 sense.
Bwahahahaha…yeah, okay. And there are fans in the stands who take out leafblowers when the announcers aren’t looking and the Yankees are at bat.
Inexcusable play by Cano.
Just tuned in. Is that Lou Pinella’s voice on the broadcast?
yep.
Sad. Sam fucking Fuld is a one man show
Nice job by Claiborne.
Just saved Girardi’s ass for his decision to let CC let someone on and Cano’s ass for whatever that was.
Ichiro is beyond awful offensively right now.
Amazing how many times the Yankees put a ball in play and Im immediately thinking base hit only to have a Tampa player make the play for an out.
how can they start ichiro next yr he is total shit?
Unbelievable defensive positioning by Rays this game. At least 3 hits taken away.
The Rays defense really makes the Yankees look like little leaguers. Seriously seems like they steal so many hits due to great defense.
So, do the Yankees put another man on base?
I’m going to say no.
that bs he balked mf
what exactly is Cano complaining about? he literally just took a pitch right down the middle.
Cano looking stupid just watching that pitch
I just think CC is an overweight sunk cost at this point. His best days are behind him. In a game he knew he wasn’t going to get much run support he went out and coughed up another lead, just as he has done time and time again this season against division rivals.
And if Girardi had any clue in his head he would have had relievers ready to go in the 6th and pulled CC at the first sign of trouble. That’s why he’ll always be a step behind Maddon, who thinks ahead of the curve.
Game over.
R-Tils, just so you know: If we lose tomorrow, I’m not proud of this Yankees team. In their best chance at a comeback, they would have folded like a house of cards.
And honestly, even if they win tomorrow, this was a crippling blow.
Yanks should try to trade CC to SF this offseason. I bet he’d waive his no trade for a chance to be near home, plus he would be able to hit. Yanks would have to pick up some salary but so what. They did it with AJ.
I agree. CC and Hughes should go there together. They may thrive in the NL West. One thing’s for sure, neither one can pitch in the AL East.
Why would they take CC?
Boston wins, Cleveland wins, Oakland wins, Tampa wins. It’s over, folks. In a game they had to have their $20 million ace couldn’t get through one more inning and set up the bullpen. And the manager wouldn’t dare take him out and try to win a must win.
What were you expecting? They aren’t giving us an 11.6% chance of getting into the playoffs for nothing.
OK, CC coughed up the lead but he did only give up three runs. This one is on our “new” lineup which has not looked too good lately. Even against Toronto, there were several (3?) games in which people like Nix and Stewart picked up the slack.
Yep.
Exactly what a lot of people will say tomorrow to rationalize the loss. Blame the offense. God forbid if CC could just out pitch someone for once.
It’s not like the offense was good.
CC not getting the job done doesn’t erase that fact.
What the Hell are you talking about?
CC sucks this year. I think we all agree on that one. But a one run deficit in the 7th inning with the A team should not be game over. IMHO
And to be honest, yeah, our lineup didn’t really improve THAT much. But when guys get hot, guys get hot.
Right, and that’s really the larger issue going forward. 2014 could be a disaster. Reynolds, Granderson and why the fuck is Wells still out there, strike out way to much for what they produce. Oh yeah Soriano, having regressed to the mean, gets in the club too. Then there’s the pitching. ARGHHH
well, the tease is over
Come on Brett….how about a slap single
that pretty much does it for any playoff hopes. thanks again for a great year, CC.
It was nice being good for awhile. Going back now to only flipping into the game when I feel like it.
Man, I hate this team.
Phil Hughes ERA 4.88
CC Sabathia ERA 4.81
Send them both packing this offseason and the club will be a lot better off.
But it’s the offenses fault they only gave CC a 2 run lead against a Cy Young pitcher like Price. They failed, not the $20 million ace pitching like a 6th starter and who has blown lead after lead this season against division rivals.
Eddard, you’re a marvel.
The Rays are the better team in 2013. Better hitting, pitching, defense, shifts, farm system and a better manager. This team seemingly always finds a way to win. The past week was fun but the Yankees inability to receive a clutch pitching performance againist this team will haunt them, meanwhile the Rays keep winning. But CC had a “quality start”!!1!!11. A “quality start” isn’t giving up 3 runs when your team has 2 and allowing fucking Sam Fuld to start the rally. Puke.
Nothing is stopping you from becoming a Rays fan.
that stung.
Word.
It also stunk. Or is it stank?
Wow…reality set in. I say dont even bring Jeter back on monday…let him rest for his final season next year
You all do realize there’s a month left of baseball and a lot can happen. Look at what happened do the sox a few years ago! We aren’t out of this and especially after a few tough losses.
True. If we win tomorrow it might not quite be over, though this would be a crushing blow.
If we lose tomorrow, plan for football season.
Christ dude just do what you said you were going to do and stop watching. You have been doing this two step pussy dance for weeks now. You are such a needy bitch.
Holy shit… I never said I’d stop watching. I pay attention to the games, follow on the blogs, and watch when I fucking want to. Believe it or not, I can take an interest in the season without having to watch games that aren’t fun. If that doesn’t get me the True Fan (TM) moniker, oh well.
I want them to do well, I pay attention even if I’m not watching to see what’s going on, and watch when it’s FUN. It’s not a difficult concept, and I don’t really get why you, or anybody else, is bothered by it.
Meh. We have an 8% chance of getting the second wild card. What is your definition of being out of it?
random irrational thought, but wonder if the giants would trade matt cain for CC straight up.
We gave up 4 runs today.
If you think that’s it always the Pitching’s fault when we can’t Win a game when they score 4, then you are off base.
This team’s Pitching was never elite. If everything went right, it was at times, excellent. But it really just Very Good at best. To make the PS, we have to have an offense that can score more then 4 runs.
How many hits did we have today. How about yesterday? How about Thursday?
The bottom line is without Jeter and Teix, we don’t have enough fire power consistently.
Price is a great pitcher, and scoring 2 off him ain’t shameful. But we have played ‘meh’ pitchers many times and come up short.
Here it is.
We are 5th of 15 in ERA
We are 13th of 15 in OPS.
You tell me, Is it Pitching or Hitting that’s the problem?
Spot on.
Here it is.
We are 5th of 15 in ERA
We are 13th of 15 in OPS.
TO ADD:
We basically have the same ERA as Boston.
We basically have the same ERA as TB.
We have a slightly better ERA than Cleveland.
Our ERA is almost a half run better than Baltimore.
We are 14th of 15 in HRs.
We are 15th of 15 in Total Bases.
You tell me. Are we missing the PS because of Pitching or Hitting?