River Avenue Blues

River Ave. Blues » Archives for Mike

9th inning wins for Tampa & Charleston

by 44 Comments

Triple-A Scranton was warshed out. They’re going to make this heres one up as part of a doubleheader tomorrow. If you’ve ever set foot in Scranton, you’ll get that.

Double-A Trenton (2-1 win over New Hampshire)
Reegie Corona: 2 for 4, 2 K
Ramiro Pena & Austin Jackson: both 1 for 4, 1 R – Ajax doubled & uninspiringly K’ed
Chris Malec: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 3B, 1 RBI, 1 BB – 17 for his last 35 (.486) with 3 XBH and a 7-9 K/BB ratio
Colin Curtis: 2 for 3, 2 RBI, 1 BB
PJ Pilittere: 0 for 3 – left the game in the middle of the bottom of the 7th for an unknown reason
Edwar Gonzalez & James Cooper: both 0 for 4 – Cooper K’ed & is now 6 for his last 37 (.162)
Walt Ibarra: 1  or 4, 1 K
Chase Wright: 7 IP, 5 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 BB, 1 K, 9-11 GB/FB
Mark Melancon: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 5-1 GB/FB – 2 runs allowed in his last 14.1 IP

[Read more…]

Game 101: Momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s starter

by 163 Comments

The Yankees are hot hot hot, winners of all five games since coming back from the All-Star Break. They’ve won in blowouts, nail biters, extra inning marathons, you name it. Nine games back in the division as recently as July 6th, the Yanks have cut that deficit down to just 3.5 thanks to timely hitting, a lights out bullpen, and a well-timed slump by the Rays.

On the mound today is the AL’s second winningest pitcher, Mike Mussina. Picking up a win before heading up to the land of pizza throwers (with an off-day in between) would be pretty rad. Standing in their way is young southpaw Glen Perkins, a command-and-control lefty that tends to give up oodles of hits without many strikeouts. Dick Lock Sexy, this is why you’re in pinstripes brother.

Damon DH
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Sexson 1B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C
Christian LF

Mussina P

Remember, off days are only fun when you go in with a six-game win streak.

Not a good night for the pitchers

by 42 Comments

Triple-A Scranton (4-3 win over Richmond)
Cody Ransom: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 HR, 2 RBI – 3 straight games with a jack
Chris Stewart: 3 for 3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 E (throwing)
Greg Porter: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI
rest of lineup: combined 0 for 17, 1 R, 1 RBI, 3 BB, 6 K, 1 HBP – Eric Duncan drew a walk & was hit by a pitch
Al Aceves: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 6 K – 43 of 65 pitches were strikes (66.2%) … taken out after strugging through the 2nd and 3rd innings
Steven White: 3 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 8-1 GB/FB – 17 of 34 pitches were strikes (50%)
JB Cox: 1 IP, zeroes, 2 K
Brian Bruney: 1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K – schedule to pitch tomorrow night as well
Scott Strickland: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

[Read more…]

Game 100: Rollin’

by 271 Comments

It’s hasn’t been pretty and it certainly hasn’t been textbook, but the Yanks have managed to trim a full three games off the division and Wildcard deficit since the All-Star Break. As the season hits the century mark in terms of games played, take solace in the fact that only five teams in the AL have a better winning percentage than the Yanks. By the end of the night that number could be down to just four.

The Twinkies managed to push a run across in the 9th inning last night, so this is another test for Joe’s yet to be unproven theory that if a team is being blown out and they score in the final innings, they’ll carry that momentum into the next game for a win. Tonight would be a great night to disprove that theory.

Kevin Slowey’s been pounded his last two starts, but that means diddly squat tonight. Yes, I just said diddly squat.

1. Damon, DH – so much for that 0-fer I was talking about yesterday
2. Jeter, SS
3. Abreu, RF
4. A-Rod, 3B
5. Giambi, 1B
6. Cano, 2B
7. Cabrera, CF
8. Moeller, C
9. Gardner, LF

And on the mound, Darrell “From Waiver Claim to Yankee Fame” Rasner.

Notes: Rasner is 3-2 with a 2.67 ERA when Moeller catches him, 2-5 with a 6.87 ERA when anyone else is behind the dish … Dan Giese has pitched one inning in the last 19 days … Triple-A reliever Steven White is missing … Melky Cabrera has a 70 OPS+ this month, his second highest monthly mark behind April (135)

Charleston’s offense stays hot, but they lose again anyway

by 61 Comments

The uninspiring Austin Jackson was named the Eastern League Offensive Player of the Week thanks to his .643 BA. Phil Coke was named EL Pitcher of the Week. Allowing 5 hits with 21 strikeouts in 14 IP will earn you that honor. Brian Baisley won NY-Penn League Offensive Player of the Week honors, but he’s the oldest position player in the league, roughly 6 years older than league average.

TPA posted their Midseason Top 10 Yankees’ Prospects. Hard to argue with that list, very well put together.

Remember, the number in parenthesis following a player’s name is the round he was selected in if he was an ’08 draftee.

Triple-A Scranton (6-4 win over Richmond)
Alberto Gonzalez & Nick Green: both 0 for 4, 1 K
Eric Duncan: 0 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Matt Carson: 2 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 K – threw a runner out at come from CF … OPS’ing over .860 this year
Juan Miranda: 0 for 4, 2 K
Cody Ransom: 1 for 3, 2 R, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K – 17 homers this year
Ben Broussard: 2 for 3, 2 R, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB
Chris Stewart: 3 for 4, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 SB
Kei Igawa: 7 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 1 WP, 7-10 GB/FB – 69 of 107 pitches were strikes (64.5%)
Chris Britton: 0.1 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K – 10 of 11 pitches were strikes (90.9%)
Billy Traber: 0.1 IP, zeroes
Steven Jackson: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

[Read more…]

Game 99: Johnny’s back, but it’s probably too soon

by 336 Comments

It’s nice to have Johnny Damon back atop the lineup, especially considering that the Yanks score 1.22 more runs per game when he’s playing, but am I the only one that thinks a minor league rehab stint would be in order, even if it was just a 3-gamer with the nearby Staten Island Yanks? I mean, he last played in a game on the 4th of July, so it’s been 17 days since he faced live pitching. Plus check this out: with the Damon in the lineup, the Yanks are 41-41, but without him they’re 12-4. I dunno about you, but I smell a nice 0-fer coming tonight.

While getting Damon back is big news, the far bigger news is that Jorge Posada has been placed on the DL and is probably done for the year. While his throwing has deterioriated immensely, his bat remained a weapon (109 OPS+) and downright Ruthian compared to Jose Molina (48 OPS+, yikes). Luckily the 3rd Annual Robinson Cano Second Half Surge has begun, but the Yanks are still going to need some other guys to pick up the slack (I’m lookin’ at you, kid). Maybe they can buy low Josh Bard, who’s currently playing in rehab games after having his season derailed by Albert Pujols.

1. Damon, DH
2. Jeter, SS
3. Abreu, RF
4. A-Rod, 3B
5. Giambi, 1B
6. Cano, 2B
7. Melky, CF
8. Molina, C
9. Gardner, LF

And on the mound, the Amazin’ Arubian, Sidney Ponson.

Charleston’s offense erupts, but they lose anyway

by 58 Comments

Chad Jennings has some quick Triple-A news: LHP Heath Phillips has been released, and Dan McCutchen will skip his next start to keep his innings down. I take this as a pretty clear sign that they’re strongly considering calling him up for the stretch run because he’s thrown only 123.1 innings this year, 55.1 IP fewer than his career high of 178.2. They want him available in late September and maybe, just maybe, October. Why else would they want to limit his innings?

CJ also mentions that Thursday’s scheduled starter is still TBA, even though Ian Kennedy lines up for that start. Not sure what that’s about. The big league club is off that day.

One last thing: I received a request in the comments yesterday to incorporate a little more info about this year’s draftees into DotF, so I’m going to add the round the player was drafted in in parenthesis after his name. So “Gerrit Cole (1)” means Cole was a first round pick. Simple enough. I’m going to do this for 2008 draftees only.

Triple-A Scranton (7-2 win over Lehigh Valley)
Alberto Gonzalez & Eric Duncan: both 3 for 5, 2 R – The Former Attorney General mashes 3 doubles … E-Dunc doubled twice, homered & drove in 2 … he’s such a tease, isn’t he?
Matt Carson: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 2B, 1 RBI, 1 BB
Juan Miranda, Cody Ransom & JD Closser: all 1 for 4, 1 RBI – Miranda K’ed … Ransom hit a solo jack & K’ed twice … Closser doubled & K’ed
Ben Broussard (Reds, ’99, 2): 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 2B
Jason Lane & Greg Porter: both 0 for 2 – Lane K’ed & left the game for an unknown reason in the bottom of the 4th
Chris Basak: 0 for 4, 1 K
Jeff Karstens: 7 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1 WP, 13-6 GB/FB – 62 of 94 pitches were strikes (66.0%)
Billy Traber: 1.1 IP, zeroes, 2 K
JB Cox: 0.2 IP, zeroes, 1-1 GB/FB

[Read more…]