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Game 80: Hoping for fireworks
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yanks have their work cut out for them today, as the almighty Roy Halladay will toe the rubber for the visiting Blue Jays. Thankfully the Yanks will have Jorge Posada back in the lineup after a two day rest brought on by a sore thumb. Mo knows they’ll need all the help they can get.
Have a Happy Fourth everyone, whether you’re spending it with us and the Yankees or someone else.
Here’s today’s lineup:
Jeter, SS
Damon, LF
Teixeira, 1B
A-Rod, 3B
Cano, 2B
Posada, C
Matsui, DH
Melky, RF
Gardner, CF
And on the mound, Chien-Ming Wang.
Happy Birthday, Big Stein
Posted by: | CommentsGeorge Steinbrenner turns 79 today, and although he’s scaled back his involvement with the team, his impact still resonates throughout the organization. The New York Yankees wouldn’t be what they are or where they are today without him.
Happy Birthday, big guy. And thanks.
There are still some tickets left for this year’s Double-A Eastern League All-Star Game in Trenton, if you’re interested.
Triple-A Scranton (6-1 win over Partucket)
Kevin Russo, Ramiro Pena, Shelley Duncan, Colin Curtis: Yurendell DeCaster & Eric Duncan: all 1 for 4 - Russo drew a walk & K’ed … Pena walked, scored a run & K’ed twice … Shelley walked, scored a run, drove in one & K’ed … Curtis broke the game open with a grand salami in the 8th … E-Dunc doubled & scored a run
Austin Jackson: 0 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Juan Miranda: 0 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Jose Molina: 1 for 2, 1 2B, 1 BB - caught six innings
Josh Towers: 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HB, 7-10 GB/FB - 61 of 86 pitches were strikes (74.4%) … his ERA’s high, but he’s certainly been better than I expected
Anthony Claggett: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K, 3-2 GB/FB - 17 of 29 pitches were strikes (58.6%) … hadn’t pitched in the last six days
Quick Links: Matsui, Montero, Venditte, Sanchez
Posted by: | CommentsSome quick links for you to read as you get ready to fire up the grill, if you haven’t already.
- Longtime reader Cameron emailed along this cool little nugget about Hideki Matsui from the Yomiuri Giants 1998 Season Preview: “It’s rumored that the clumsy center fielder will move to third base in 1998.” Hideki Matsui at third base? I can’t imagine …
- Erik Manning at FanGraphs wrote about the almighty Jesus Montero. In short, the kid’s good. Real good.
- Baseball America released their midseason minor league All-Star team, and the only Yankee farmhand to make the cut is switch pitcher Pat Venditte. You can certainly make a case for Montero over Carlos Santana, but Santana’s absolutely worthy.
- Another Latin American catcher, the recently signed Gary Sanchez, will report to the Rookie level Gulf Coast League Yankees within two weeks according to BP’s Kiley McDaniel. This is unheard, international signees typically sign contracts which begin the follow the season, and at best start their first professional season in Extended Spring Training. The Yanks must think this kid is really advanced.
- Beyond the Box Score took a quick look at the fastball of the recently defected Aroldis Chapman. Shockingly, the Yanks are interested in Chapmn’s services.
Tickets available for tomorrow afternoon’s game
Posted by: | CommentsWe have a pair of tickets available for tomorrow afternoon’s game against Toronto. The seats are in section 428, row 10, which is the upper deck on the third base side. The seller is asking for $44 total for the two tickets ($20 face value plus $4 ticket forwarding fee). If you’re interested, email me at mike (at) riveraveblues (dot) com, and I’ll put you in contact with the person trying to move the tickets.
Update (7:44pm): The tickets have been claimed.
Game 79 Spillover Thread
Posted by: | CommentsTime to ice this baby.
Game 79: Starting a new streak
Posted by: | CommentsYesterday’s game was just one of those losses. The team didn’t beat themselves with errors or boneheaded plays, their ace just didn’t have it. It happens. Thankfully, the Yanks are sending a molten hot AJ Burnett out to the mound today to stop the bleeding. Over his last eight starts (48.2 IP) he’s struck out 56 and held opponents to a .222-.336-.356 line, translating to a 2.59 ERA. And that includes his 2.2 IP, 5 ER disaster in Fenway. Yeah, he’s been crazy good.
On the mound for the Blue Jays is lefty Brian Tallet, who held the Yanks to just two runs over six innings back on May 14th. He’s been solid but not spectacular for a Toronto team dealing with more pitching injuries than any team should. Hopefully the Yanks pull this one out, because Doc’s waiting on Saturday.
Here’s the starting nine:
Jeter, SS
Damon, LF
Teixeira, 1B
A-Rod, 3B
Cano, 2B
Swisher, RF
Matsui, DH
Cervelli, C - Posada’s thumb is still bothering him
Gardner, CF
And on the mound, the lightning rod from Little Rock, AJ Burnett.
Yanks keeing an eye on Qualls
Posted by: | CommentsVia MLBTR, the Yankees are keeping a close eye on Diamondbacks closer Chad Qualls. The bullpen has been tremendous of late, but if Brian Bruney continues to struggle and Phil Hughes has to rejoin the rotation for whatever reason, all of a sudden the team is in need of a late game reliever. Qualls has all the qualities you’d want in a relief pitcher - high strikeouts (8.2 K/9), low walks (1.1 BB/9), high groundballs (3.56 GB/FB) - but he’s struggled of late, pitching to a 5.32 ERA and a .810 OPS against since earlier May. He’ll be a free agent after 2010.
The D-Backs are in complete freefall, sporting the worst record in the game (non-Natinals division) and winning just 6 of their last 22 games. They should be in full blown sell-off mode in short order, making everyone not named Upton or Haren available.
Montero does it again in a loss
Posted by: | CommentsAustin Jackson, Shelley Duncan, and Chris Stewart were named to the International League All-Star Team. Congrats to them.
Make sure you scroll down for tonight’s game thread.
Triple-A Scranton (4-3 loss to Pawtucket)
Kevin Russo: 0 for 3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 E (fielding)
Ramiro Pena & Austin Jackson: both 2 for 4, 1 R - Jackson swiped a bag & K’ed
Shelley Duncan: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 RBI, 1 K
Juan Miranda: 1 for 3, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 K
Jose Molina: 0 for 2, 1 RBI - caught the first five innings
Colin Curtis: 0 for 2, 2 BB, 2 K
Yurendell DeCaster & Eric Duncan: both 0 for 4, 1 K
Sergio Mitre: 5.1 IP, 6 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HB, 9-3 GB/FB - 44 of 79 pitches were strikes (55.7%)
Mark Melancon: 2.2 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 7-0 GB/FB - 26 of 39 pitches were strikes (66.7%) … that’s domination, homes
