ByAcross the nation on the West Coast, the Dodgers are in second place, just one game behind the D-Backs. But by many accounts, their season has not been a success. They’re three games under .500, and as Ian O’Connor writes, Joe Torre doesn’t look so hot anymore. Sure, Frank McCourt killed a deal for CC Sabathia. Sure, Ned Colletti will probably take the blame. Los Angeles, however, expected more from Joe. I was surprised when Torre took this LA job. It was a no-win situation for him because, while the pressure wasn’t as high as it was in New York, anything short of a World Series would be both a disappointment and an admission that perhaps Torre isn’t as great an on-field manager as many think he was while in the Bronx. · (93) ·
Jorge should probably just call it a season
By · CommentsThe Yankees today sit at something of a crossroad in 2008. They are on the verge of an important three-game set against the Red Sox in Boston. They’ve gained a lot of ground in both the division and Wild Card and could see their play this weekend determine whether they are pretenders or contenders.
Meanwhile, one of their star players and biggest money-makers, number 20 himself, Jorge Posada has a decision to make as well. On the one hand, we have doctors — many of them — calling for Posada to get surgery. It is a foregone conclusion that, at some point, he will need surgery on his ailing shoulder, and recovery time for this surgery is at least six months. If he has the operation now, he’ll be ready for the start of Spring Training if all goes according to plan. His window for this decision is about two weeks.
But at the same time, Jorge Posada sees the Yankees winning and doesn’t want to give up. He also knows that the Yankees rewarded him with a high-risk, four-year contract. While this shoulder injury isn’t indicative of the problems likely to show up in the latter years of the contract, that Posada is missing so much time at age 36 is sending off alarm bells left and right.
To that end, Jorge is considing a position change that would keep him in the lineup. He might play first; he might DH; he won’t be catching. Some reports have pressure on Posada originated with Yanks’ Team President Randy Levine. Others have it coming from Jorge himself and his desire to play.
But the reality is that the Yankees need Jorge Posada to be healthy for next season. They don’t need him to delay surgery, and they know that his bat isn’t what it should be with his shoulder hurting. In fact, Jorge has said so himself, and the numbers bear him out. Since returning from the DL in June, Jorge has hit .248/.380/.371 over 129 plate appearances. Since July 1, those numbers — .214/.365/.262 — look even worse.
For the Yankees and for Jorge, it’s not worth the risk. Posada should get the surgery and come back next year. The Yankees — 6-0 in the last six games — can win without Jorge, but next year, they’ll need him healthy and ready to go.
9th inning wins for Tampa & Charleston
By · CommentsTriple-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
ByNothing makes a young fan feel old quite like Old Timers’ Day. In the past, Old Timers’ had long been the purview of players I never knew growing up. Sure, Don Mattingly’s made a few token appearances, but not until last year when Paul O’Neill and Scott Brosius show up did Old Timers’ Day really hit home. This year, it’s going to be even worse. The Yanks yesterday announced the cast of characters for the Old Timers’ Day set for Saturday, August 2.
On that list are a bunch of guys making their first appearances whom I grew up watching: Tino Martinez, Pat Kelly, Jimmy Key, Graeme Lloyd, Ramiro Mendoza, Jeff Nelson, Tim Raines, Rickey Henderson, Tony Fernandez and Buck Showalter. Kevin Maas, Wade Boggs, Steve Balboni and Jesse Barfield are set to make appearances as well. If these guys are Old Timers, well, that’s just a reflections on the whims of age in baseball. · (38) ·
Game 101: Momentum is only as good as tomorrow’s starter
By · CommentsThe 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.
ByAs rumors continue to mount about a Jarrod Washburn-to-the-Yanks deal, a few developments late last night have me thinking that this won’t be a quick or easy deal. In fact, these sticking points could portend the collapse of a deal with a team notable for its unwillingness to trade. Ken Rosenthal reports that Washburn’s limited no-trade clause may complicate things. Jarrod could veto a deal to the Yanks, according to Rosenthal’s sources, and while one way to placate the lefty would be more cash, the Yanks aren’t going to be too willing to kick more money into Washburn after they pick up his hefty contract.
Meanwhile, Jon Heyman reports that the Mariners may want the Yankees to take Jose Vidro too. Vidro would be dead weight on the Yanks, and his contract complicates these talks as well. Of course, right now, this is all just rumor and conjecture from unnamed sources, but it goes a long way toward illustrated why we as a fanbase shouldn’t put too much stock into these various reports. The Yanks may be kicking the tires on Washburn, but it takes a lot more that interest to seal a deal when millions of dollars are at stake. · (65) ·
Not a good night for the pitchers
By · CommentsTriple-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
Game 100: Rollin’
By · CommentsIt’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)
