ByWhen the Tigers were in town a few weeks ago, Andy Van Slyke tried to jump the subway turnstiles at Yankee Stadium. As any astute fan knows, the transit cops lie in wait at the ends of games, and Van Slyke was slapped with a $60 ticket at the time. Read more about it at Second Ave. Sagas. · (2) ·
Game 138: It’s like the 2003 ALCS all over again
By · CommentsRoger Clemens is starting with Mike Mussina ready in the bullpen. Sound familiar?
Meanwhile, to address a point that Rich raised in the comments to this post, at some point, Joe Torre simply has to go with someone else from the bullpen. Sure, these guys won’t be consistent, but they will get outs. Edwar Ramirez had one great inning yesterday, and he could have done that in the 7th with Joba in the 8th.
No one has a sure-fire bullpen anymore, but other managers trust their relievers enough to go to them in close games. If Torre is willing to use only two people when the Yanks are fighting for a game, the rest of Septembe — not to mention the playoffs — could be problematic too. It’s not ideal, but it’s better than watching Andy Pettitte, who has a history of elbow problems, throw 119 pitches in back-to-back starts.
The lineup that will face King Felix today:
Damon LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Rodriguez 3B
Matsui DH
Posada C
Giambi 1B
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Reinforcements arrive for Trenton’s playoff drive
By · CommentsHey that rhymes!
Triple-A Scranton (4-0 win over Pawtucket)
Brett Gardner: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 K, 1 SB - boosts his BA up to .244
Eric Duncan, Bronson Sardinha & Raul Chavez: all 0 for 4 – Duncan K’ed twice…Sardinha drove a run in & swiped a bag
Mike Kinkade: 1 for 2, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 2 SB, 1 HBP
Jose Cruz Jr.: 3 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Angel Chavez, Andy Cannizaro & Juan Francia: all 1 for 4 – Chavez swiped a bag & allowed a passed ball…Cannizaro doubled & K’ed…Francia scored a run & stole a base
Jeff Karstens: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 10 K, 1 WP – 61 of 88 pitches were strikes (69.3%)…this can’t be the same Jeff Karstens that we saw 2 weeks ago, can it?
Ross Ohlendorf: 1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
TJ Beam: 1 IP, zeroes, 1 K – since coming off the DL on June 23rd, he’s got a 27-3 K/BB ratio in 31.2 IP
Game 137: Just win baby
By · CommentsJoba’s fosh 2 game suspension is over and he’s available out of the ‘pen. Pity the D-Rays.
Lineup:
1. Johnny Damon, LF – how good has he been out in left?
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. AL MVP, 3B
5. Hideki “don’t call me Kaz” Matsui, DH
6. Jorge Posada, C
7. Robbie Cano, 2B
8. Andy Phillips, 1B
9. Melky Cabrera, CF
Toeing the rubber is Andy Pettitte, who’s been every bit the ace that no one outside of Yankeeland said he would be.
(sorry for the pathetic post, I guess that’s what happens when you leave it to the minor league guy to cover the big league squad)
ByOn that date, I first referred to Ian Kennedy as IPK.
Fast forward 4 months and you’ll see that blogging juggernauts Peter Abraham and No Maas have begun to freely use the moniker.
I’m not looking to gloat or anything like that, I just think it’s pretty cool that it’s spread like it has, and hopefully I get a tiny bit of credit for it somewhere down the line. · (8) ·
Near no-no for Scranton
By · CommentsSo big ups to Clay Buchholz for throwing a no-hitter in his second career start.
What? No smart ass comment here, that’s a helluva thing. I wish Hughes coulda finished it off.
Triple-A Scranton (11-2 win over Pawtucket)
Brett Gardner: 0 for 4, 1 R, 1 BB, 2 K
Jose Cruz Jr.: 0 for 3, 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Bronson Sardinha: 1 for 3, 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB – .251-.334-.436-.770, but it seems like it should be alot worse
Angel Chavez: 1 for 4, 2 R, 1 BB, 1 SB
Eric Duncan: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 2B, 3 RBI, 1 BB – 10 hits (5 doubles) & 9 RBI in his last 9 games
Raul Chavez: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K
Mighty Matt: 5 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 5 BB, 3 K, 1 WP – a few too many walks, but hard to argue with no hits
Scott Patterson: 3 IP, zeroes, 1 K, 0-8 GB/FB – beast
Charlie Manning: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K – coughed up the no-no with 2 outs in the 9th
Colter Bean: 0.1 IP, zeroes, 1 K
Update: Scranton had a doubleheader. I’m not going to do a full write up for the second game, but here’s the box score.
Game 136: The trifecta is complete
By · CommentsBy the time you read this, I’ll be well on my way to TR 18, Row F, to watch Ian Patrick Kennedy make his Major League debut. Unlike Joba, Kennedy’s debut won’t come with fireworks. He’s a solid pitcher who relies on control and deception to get outs and keep hitters off balance. He profiles to a very solid number three starter in the Big Leagues, and right now, that’s all the Yanks need.
So discuss away, and hopefully the Yanks can win. They have to start winning on days when the Sox and Mariners lose. Maybe today could be that day.
1. Melky Cabrera, CF
2. Derek Jeter, SS
3. Bobby Abreu, RF
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Hideki Matsui, LF
6. Jason Giambi, DH
7. Robinson Cano, 2B
8. Andy Phillips, 1B
9. Jose Molina, C
And on the mound, making his Major League debut, number 36, Ian Patrick Kennedy.
Quick notes on Sept. call-ups
By · CommentsFrom The Post:
With rosters expanding to 40 men today, the Yankees will call up 1B Doug Mientkiewicz, who has missed 82 games to a fractured right wrist, INF Alberto Gonzalez , who came over in the Randy Johnson trade, and RHP Jose Veras. They will add more pitchers in a few days.
I also hear they’re calling up some kid named Ian Kennedy. In all seriousness, I’m a bit surprised Veras got the call, he was a prime DFA target for me. Next year when they need a 40-man spot for Kevin Whelan or David Robertson, I suppose. The Yanks actually need to clear 2 spots on the 40-man so that Mink & Veras can come off the 60-day DL, and I’m dying to see how they work this out (bye bye Sean Henn!).
Good to see the Former Attorney General up, he can really pick it with the glove, and won’t totally embarass himself with the bat, a la Miggy Cairo. Expect Kevin Thompson to come up one of these days too. I would have loved to see Brett Gardner come up for pinch-run/pinch-bunt/late inning-D role, but it’s not going to happen. Like they did last year with Hughes, Clippard & JB Cox, I think the Yanks will bring some kids up (probably Alan Horne, Whelan & Ross Ohlendorf) and have them shag flies during BP, hang out in the clubhouse, then watch the game from the stands just to get their feet wet.
Quick guess at the pitchers they’ll call-up: TJ Beam, Matt DeSalvo, Kei Igawa & Jeff Karstens, all after the Triple-A playoffs. Don’t be surprised if Chase Wright comes up just to have a lefty available.
GCL Yanks win Gulf Coast League Title
By · CommentsTriple-A Scranton (9-3 win over Pawtucket)
Kevin Thompson: 2 for 5, 1 R, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K, 2 SB
Jose Cruz Jr.: 0 for 4, 1 R, 2 BB, 1 K
Babe Mientkiewicz: 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K – 4th straight game with a double
Mike Kinkade: 3 for 5, 3 R, 1 3B – just up from Trenton, but he just keeps on rakin’
Bronson Sardinha: 1 for 5, 1 RBI, 1 K
Alberto Gonzalez: 1 for 5, 1 2B, 2 RBI, 1 K - doubled off this guy…but then again, who hasn’t?
Eric Duncan: 2 for 5, 1 R, 2 K
Wil Nieves: 2 for 3, 1 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB
Juan Francia: 3 for 5, 2 R, 1 RBI, 1 SB – had been 3 for his last 33 coming into the game
The Ghost of Kei Igawa’s Ghost: 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 9 K – only 1 HR allowed…is he a better option that Phil Hughes right now? I think…NOT!
Charlie Manning: 2 IP, zeroes, 3 K – 6 baserunners & 12 K in 11.2 AAA innings
