Archive for Open Thread
Sunday Night Open Thread
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Chris Stewart hit his annual homer this afternoon. (Tom Szczerbowski/Getty)
Here is your end of the weekend open thread. The ESPN Sunday Night Game is the Cardinals at the Phillies (Westbrook vs. Kendrick), and that’s pretty much it. The Red Sox and Royals are playing the second game of their doubleheader, but I don’t believe that is on national television anywhere. Talk about whatever you like here. Go nuts.
Saturday Night Open Thread
Posted by: | CommentsNot sure if you saw that play last night, but Jean Segura stole first base. As in he was standing on second, then he stole first. The rules allow runners to go backwards around the bases as long as it isn’t intended to make a mockery of the game, so … heads up play by Segura I guess? Definitely not something you see everyday. Or basically ever.
Anyway, here is tonight’s open thread. The Mets, Islanders, and Knicks are all playing as of right now (5pm ET). MLB Network is showing a game (who you see depends on where you live) plus the Nets are playing a little later on, otherwise you’re on your own in terms of entertainment. You folks know how this works, so have at it.
Monday Night Open Thread
Posted by: | CommentsThe Yankees are off today, but baseball seems kinda pointless given everything that is going on in Boston right now. I hope all you from the area or you have friends and family in the area or whatever … I truly hope everything is okay. This is horrifying. Please keep everyone in your thoughts and forget about baseball tonight. Focus on what’s important.
Saturday Night Open Thread
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(AP Photo/Kathy Willens)
Well, the four-game winning streak was fun while it lasted. The Yankees lost a game to the Orioles this afternoon that didn’t really feel as close as it actually was — the final score was 5-3 — because Phil Hughes was awful in the first few innings. Allowing runs early is a great way to make a game feel like a blowout despite the actual score.
Anyway, here is your open thread for the night. The Rangers and Islanders and playing a huge game with enormous playoff implications, so that will be a blast. MLB Network will also air a game (teams depend on where you live), but otherwise you’re on your own for entertainment. Talk about whatever, enjoy.
Monday Night Open Thread
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Go Robbie. (Michael Loccisano/Getty)
Hooray for more offense. The Yankees housed the Indians on Monday afternoon, scoring a season-high eleven runs in the win. It was the first time they scored double digit runs since … the last regular season game of 2012. I thought it had been longer than that. Was really hoping for some dramatic effect there. Oh well.
Here is your open thread for the evening. The Mets are playing the Phillies (Halladay vs. must-see Matt Harvey), plus the Rangers and Knicks are both are playing. Louisville and Michigan are also playing for the NCAA basketball championship. Talk about either game or anything else here. Have at it.
New-look middle of the order carrying the Yankees offensively
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(Elsa/Getty)
We all knew the Yankees’ lineup would look a little different coming into the year, but an injury-filled Spring Training meant the offense looked even more different than expected when the regular season opened last week. Robinson Cano and Brett Gardner were the only players in the lineup for both Opening Day 2012 and Opening Day 2013, and a whopping six players made their debut for the team last Monday. That’s the first time that’s happened in over 100 years, since before the Yankees were the Yankees (they were the Highlanders at the time).
Two series and six games into the season, it’s the new-look middle of the order that has carried the club offensively. The players who were with the team last year — specifically talking about Cano and Ichiro Suzuki here — have mostly been a drain on the offense. I’m talking about a combined .631 OPS for those two. No, seriously. If you add Cano’s (.330) and Ichiro‘s (.301) OPS together, that’s what you get. Good grief. Thank goodness it’s only been six games.
Anyway, here are some happier numbers…
- Kevin Youkilis: 9-for-22 (.409), two walks, one hit-by-pitch (.480 OBP), four doubles, one homer (.727 SLG)
- Travis Hafner: 7-for-20 (.350), two walks (.409 OBP), one homer (.500 SLG)
- Vernon Wells: 5-for-17 (.294), four walks (.429), one double, two homers (.706 SLG)
The Yankees have scored 24 total runs this year and those three guys have scored (11) and driven-in (11) basically half of them (46% to be exact). New York is hitting .272/.323/.399 as a team but without those three it drops down to .194/.273/.295. Youkilis, Hafner, and Wells have really carried the load in the first six games. They’re driving the offense.
Now, here’s the bad news: these guys aren’t going to keep hitting like this forever. Youkilis seems like the best bet to continue providing big production, but he’s still going to come back to Earth at some point. The good news is that some other players in the lineup — specifically Cano, Ichiro, and Gardner — will improve going forward to help balance things out. That’s usually how things go, some players are slumping while others are hot and it evens out. When it happens during the first week of the season, we tend to notice. When it happens in the middle of the dog days, no one really cares.
Despite yesterday’s seven-run outburst, the Yankees have struggled offensively in their six games this year. Those struggles pale in comparison to the pitching problems, but they exist nonetheless. They need (especially) Cano and some others to start hitting as much as they need the middle of the bullpen to straighten itself out because Youkilis, Hafner, and Wells won’t be able to carry the offense all year as they have so far. That trio has been awesome, but they still need some help sooner rather than later.
Sunday Night Open Thread
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Two singles and a homer from Jayson Nix today. (Gregory Shamus/Getty)
For the first time in 14 games, since Game One of the ALDS, the Yankees scored more than four runs this afternoon. They put up a seven spot against Justin Verlander and various relievers this afternoon, winning their second game of the season in six tries. Hopefully they can build on this going forward and string together some wins. Cleveland and a four-game series with Nick Swisher‘s Indians are next on the schedule.
Here is your open thread for the evening, a little earlier than usual because there’s not much of anything going on right now. The ESPN Sunday Night Game is a good one, the Angels at the Rangers (Weaver vs. Darvish). The Devils are also playing and I guess Mad Men returns tonight as well. Never managed to get into that show, though I did give it a few chances. Anyway, talk about whatever you like here. Have at it.
Saturday Night Open Thread
Posted by: | CommentsHere’s your open thread for the evening. All three hockey locals are playing, and I’m sure there’s baseball on somewhere. Oh, and I guess the Final Four is on as well. You know how this stuff works, so have at it.
Friday Night Open Thread
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(AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
The Yankees got walloped by the Tigers on Friday afternoon, as yet again the part of the team that was supposed to be a strength (pitching!) was its downfall. Both Ivan Nova and the bullpen were awful, meaning the Yankees will somehow have to beat both Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander if they plan on escaped Detroit with a series win. I foresee disappointment.
Here is your open thread for the evening. The Rangers and Knicks are both playing, plus the Mets are playing and MLB Network is airing a game as well. I’m not sure if Extra Innings is still in a free preview, but if it is you have that as well. Talk about whatever you like here, enjoy.
Tuesday Night Open Thread
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(AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
After Spring Training and Opening Day, I forgot how utterly boring regular season off-days can be. There was one day game today (Orioles at Rays, yuck) and that was it. The harsh reality of the regular season has returned, I suppose.
Here is your open thread for the night. The Islanders and Knicks are playing, plus Extra Innings is in the middle of their season-opening free preview, so find the channel(s) and you can watch any baseball game you want tonight. The Dodgers and Giants (Bumgarner vs. Ryu) will be on MLB Network later. Talk about any of that and more. Enjoy.
