At least they have plenty of time to chip away.
Game 104: In which we discuss how much I hate FOX games
As if it wasn’t bad enough that the Yankees have already lost the first two games of the series in a fashion best described as “ugly,” today’s game will be broadcast on FOX! I can hear all the “Ozzie’s team plays the game the right way,” and the “the Yankees offense has been propped up by that little league ballpark,” and the “CC Sabathia has not been as good as expected” references now. It’s always Trash the Yankees Day whenever it’s a nationally televised game, and for whatever reason they always seem to lose.
Bah, mini-rant over. Anyway, here’s the strange lineup for this afternoon. Try to enjoy the game between FOX’s holier than thou rants.
Jeter, SS
Swisher, RF
Teixeira, DH
A-Rod, 3B
Posada, C
Cano, 2B
Melky, CF
Hairston, LF
Ransom, 1B – really? Hinske can play first, you know
And on the mound, Allen Burnett.
Note: If the Yankees lose, blame Joe. I believe the team’s record when I write the Game Thread this year is 0-157.
Hairston arrives, Shelley send down
T-Kep has the news. I assume Xavier Nady was moved to the 60-day DL to free up a 40-man spot. For the sake of completeness, Chien-Ming Wang was 60-day DL’d yesterday to make room for Shelley. Our Depth Chart has been updated to reflect all of the recent activity.
So, Cody Ransom has to go when Brett Gardner comes off the DL, right? Right?!?
Catching up with Slade Heathcott
Dennis Grall of The Daily Press caught up with Yankees’ first round pick Slade Heathcott yesterday, who at the moment is just kickin’ it with his girlfriend and playing some golf. Committed to LSU, Heathcott didn’t mention anything about how close the two sides are to coming to an agreement or anything like that. All he said was “The Yankees have the ball in their court. I’m probably putting more pressure on the Yankees than they are putting on me.”
Slot money for the 29th overall pick is around $1.1M, but I suspect Heathcott will get a little more than that, perhaps as much as $1.5M. They’re going to sign him, don’t worry. It just won’t happen until the August 17th deadline nears.
The most important fifth starter in the history of the universe
Since when did fifth starters become so dire? It’s amazing, you’d think pretty much any team in the league would kill for a front four of CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, and Joba Chamberlain, but no. Yankee fans never have enough. I understand how important it is for the team to add a starter because Joba is eventually going to have to move to the bullpen to control his innings, but please, let’s not act like it’s the end of the world because the Yankees didn’t acquire Brian Bannister, Jon Garland, Doug Davis, or some other career back end starter who’s never lived the AL East life yesterday.
The more pressing issue right now is that the team is making too many mental mistakes. You can live with Andy Pettitte or Sergio Mitre slipping on the infield grass, or Robbie Cano throwing a double play ball wide of first because the runner was right on top of him, that stuff happens. It’s part of the game. It’s when Melky Cabrera throws to the wrong base to show off his arm. It’s when there’s not even someone on second for Melky to throw to the right base to in the first place. It’s when Alex Rodriguez coasts out of the box and gets thrown out by ten feet on second trying to stretch a double. Stuff like that is inexcusable.
Every team loses three of four at some point in the season, multiple times in fact. But the Yankees have looked flat and seemingly disinterested at times during those loses. The roster is loaded with veterans from top to bottom, and these guys should know better, but when they fall into these collective lapses the coaching staff has to step up. You can bet the fifth starter issue will be addressed this month and Mitre will go the way of Tim Redding, Darrell May, and Scott Erickson. That problem will be addressed. But if the team doesn’t get their heads out of their asses, they’ll be looking up at the Red Sox when they come to town next week.
Yanks drop an ugly one to ChiSox
In a few ways, the Yankees and White Sox played similar games last night. Both had starters who pitched poorly. Both racked up a ton of hits, including two doubles and a homer each. Both drew five walks. Yet one number separated them: hitting with runners in scoring position, and especially with two outs. The Yankees were just 2 for 10 with runners in scoring position, and the White Sox were 6 for 13. The Sox also drove in four runs with two outs, while the Yankees drove in none. Those were the differences in the 10-5 loss.
Last night we saw the worst of Sergio Mitre. It was bound to happen. We know Mitre isn’t a world beater. Clunkers are expected from time to time. To borrow a term, he’s Ponsnerian. Thankfully this year it’s only one rotation spot. It still stings, though, especially on nights like this. Despite the 2 for 10 with RISP mark, the Yanks did put up five runs. You’d like to see them win those games.
Thing started off so well, too. The Yanks put up three runs for Mitre in the first, taking advantage of fill-in starter D.J. Carrasco. Mitre then proceeded to record the first two outs of the first seemingly with ease. The wheels then came off, and it was a shaky ride the rest of the way. Mitre limited the damage to just one in the first, though he left the bases loaded. He wouldn’t be so lucky in the second.
The inning started off with a walk, never a good sign for a pitcher like Mitre. After another play in which the Yankees pitcher slipped on the infield grass, the White Sox had the bases loaded with none out. That netted them three runs, a sac fly and a two-run single. The Sox capped their scoring off Mitre on a Carlos Quentin homer to lead off the third. Mitre did induce three straight ground outs to follow, but even that was not enough to salvage his night. Joe Girardi had seen enough.
David Robertson, Alfredo Aceves, and Mark Melancon all pitched in relief and faced varying degrees of highs and lows. Robertson pitched a quick scoreless fourth, but got into trouble by allowing the first three batters of the fifth reach, the last on an RBI double. He figured it out, though, getting the next three in order. Aceves pitched a 1-2-3 sixth, but like Robertson got into trouble in his second inning of work. Both walked the leadoff batter.
Mark Melancon didn’t experience those lows. He came in and got Gordon Beckham to finish off the seventh for Aceves, and then handily finished off the Sox in the eighth. Prior to Tuesday night, Melancon hadn’t pitched since July 10. In his two recent appearances he’s pitched 3.2 innings and has allowed just two hits. They haven’t been particularly high-leverage situations, but considering his potential perhaps it’s time to start moving him up in the pecking order. It’s worth a try, at least.
On the offensive side, the only runs the Yanks scored after the first came on an Eric Hinske two-run homer, his fourth as a Yankee. The whole offense didn’t do poorly — they did rack up 12 hits, after all, and had at least one baserunner in all nine innings. It all comes back to their hitting with runners in scoring position. And the pitching. It always comes down to those two.
The Yanks will send their best two at the Sox in an attempt to salvage a split. A.J. Burnett vs. John Danks. Both have been pitching well lately, and we should get a bit better matchup than we did last night.
Bleich dominates in Trenton win
Justin Leone was released. He didn’t hit with Triple-A Scranton. Like, at all (.179-.259-.303 in 212 plate appearances).
Make sure you scroll down for tonight’s game thread.
Triple-A Scranton (3-1 loss to Durham)
Ramiro Pena: 1 for 5, 1 2B, 1 K, 1 E (missed catch) – I thought Ramiro Pena didn’t make errors?
Colin Curtis: 0 for 1, 3 BB – threw runners out at second & third from RF
Austin Jackson: 0 for 3, 1 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K – 4 for his last 30 (.133)
Juan Miranda & Eric Duncan: both 0 for 4 – Miranda K’ed twice, E-Dunc once
Yurendell DeCaster: 2 for 4, 1 K – dude is just raking
John Rodriguez & Frankie Cervelli: both 1 for 4 – J-Rod K’ed once, Cervelli twice
Doug Bernier: 1 for 3, 1 R
Anthony Claggett: 4.1 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 2-7 GB/FB – 37 of 60 pitches were strikes (61.7%)
Zach Kroenke: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1-4 GB/FB – 28 of 38 pitches were strikes (73.7%)
Damaso Marte: 1 IP, zeroes, 2-1 GB/FB – 11 of 17 pitches were strikes (64.7%)
Amaury Sanit: 1 IP, zeroes, 3-0 GB/FB –6 of 10 pitches were strikes