River Avenue Blues

Game 97: It’s a Gio!

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Come on, Ned! Move this thing!

I can’t! It’s a Geo!

The Yankees will face the baseball equivalent of a Geo today, Gio Gonzalez. A 2004 supplemental first round pick, Gonzalez has bounced around the league quite a bit: he’s been traded three times already, and one of them was back to a team that once traded him.

A year and a half after the White Sox drafted him, they sent him to Philadelphia as part of the Aaron Rowand – Jim Thome trade. Pitching above A ball for the first time in the Phillies’ system, Gonzalez had his struggles, seeing his K rate drop and his BB and HR rates rise.

After just one season — 363 days after the original trade — the Phillies sent Gonzalez back to the White Sox, along with Gavin Floyd, for Freddie Garcia. That one didn’t work out too well for Philly.

One would think that the White Sox liked Gonzalez, considering they traded him and then traded for him back. But in January 2008 they sent him to Oakland, along with Ryan Sweeney, for Nick Swisher. Among all these trades, there are multiple games of six-degrees.

The Yanks look to make it nine straight. I hope everyone enjoys the game. I’ll be at a wedding.

Lineup:

1. Derek Jeter, DH
2. Brett Gardner, CF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Nick Swisher, RF
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Melky Cabrera, LF
8. Cody Ransom, SS
9. Jose Molina, C

And on the mound, number forty-six, Andy Pettitte.

If you are a reliever, the Yankees are interested in acquiring you

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Late last night some schmuck at MLBTR mentioned that the Yankees were taking a look at Blue Jays closer Scott Downs, perhaps the most underappreciated reliever in the league. Downs is just the latest pitcher we’ve heard connected to the Bombers, joining the likes of Chad Qualls, Huston Street, and many others.  It seems like a foregone conclusion that the Yanks will acquire some sort of arm for the stretch run, we’re just not sure if it’ll be a starter or reliever.

Of the bullpeners we’ve seen connected to the Bombers, the lefty Downs is by far the best. Dude has a 2.08 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP over the last three years, pitching almost exclusively in high leverage spots, and he’s more than a LOOGY too, making him that much more valuable. Toronto’s not just going to give this guy away, but adding Scott Downs to any staff makes them better.

Kennedy’s rehab progressing

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Less than three months after having surgery to remove an aneurysm from under his right armpit, Oam Ian Kennedy is rehabbing down in Tampa and making 50 throws at 90 feet. “It feels really good. Doesn’t feel like anything ever happened,” said Kennedy, who hopes to get into a few games before the minor league season ends in early September. Regardless, the former first rounder plans on heading to the Puerto Rican Winter League for a second straight year to get some innings in. Fingers crossed, but so far everything sounds good for IPK.

Oh, and it’s good to see Danny Borrell land a coaching gig in the organization as mentioned in the article. It’s a shame injuries derailed his once promising career, but he deserves nothing but the best. Tremendous person and the classiest of class acts.

Yanks put up an 8-spot for 8th straight win

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Another day, another come-from-behind win.

Behind seven strong innings from Joba Chamberlain, the Yanks overcame an early but small one-run deficit to down the A’s 8-3. For the AL East-leading Bombers, it marked the team’s eighth straight victory. With Boston edging the hapless Orioles and the Rays rebounding from Mark Buerhle’s perfect game, the AL East playoff picture remains the same. The Yanks will keep on nursing that 2.5 game lead.

Heading into Friday’s affair, a win was no sure thing. Bret Anderson hadn’t allowed a run in three straight starts, stopping the Rays, Red Sox, and Angels during that stretch. In the first inning, the Yanks fell behind 1-0 on a double, a stolen base and a sacrifice fly. After Anderson struck out Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, and Mark Teixeira with well-placed fastball and some nasty breaking pitches, that one run seemed to be more than enough.

But, just as they did against Vinny Mazzaro on Thursday, the Yanks caught up with the crafty lefty after a few trips to the plate. In the third, they plated two to take a lead they would not relinquish. Robinson Cano singled, and after a Nick Swisher pop up, Melky Cabrera lined a double down the left-field line. Derek Jeter hit a patented opposite-field single, and Johnny Damon drove in the second run with a fielder’s choice. Had someone covered first base, it would have been a double play. Instead, the ball hit Damon’s thigh, and the Yanks scored.

Meanwhile, Joba settled down, and he settled in. After the first inning, he was nearly untouchable, and he dazzled the A’s. He would allow one hit through his final six frames. In the fifth, he ran into some self-generated trouble and showed the old Joba emotion. After two walks and a wild pitch, the A’s found themselves with one one and the tying run on second. But Joba struck old Mark Ellis and Eric Patterson. He unleashed a roar and a fist pump for the ages.

After this spot of trouble, the Yanks’ bats took over. They plated a few on some outs in the fifth and sixth. In the eighth, aided by an Oakland miscue and a Jorge Posada home run, the Yanks blew it wide open in the 8th. They scored four runs, and even a David Robertson meltdown in the 9th couldn’t bring the A’s any closer than 8-3.

Game, set, match. Joba goes seven-plus innings, surrendering one run on two hits. He walks three and strikes out six for his sixth win of the year. His ERA is at an impressive 3.86, and the Yanks are rolling. Eight in a row. And that’s a wrap.

Rookie Pitcher Update: With this victory, the Yankees are now 19-7 against rookie pitchers. That’s the best mark in the majors. For what it’s worth, this is the second time they’ve faced Anderson this year, and the second time they’ve beaten him.

Phelps dominates in Tampa debut

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Chase Weems was placed on the temporary inactive list. That just means he’ll be out briefly, so maybe he’s got a wedding to go to or something, and since he’s a catcher they needed to add someone to the roster.

Jesus Montero placed seventh on Baseball American’s Prospect Hot Sheet, but Andrew Brackman made the not so hot sheet.

Triple-A Scranton
Game 1 (8-7 loss to Toledo in 9 innings)
Kevin Russo & Juan Miranda: both 3 for 5 – Russo drew a walk … Miranda doubled twice, drove in a run & scored another
Ramiro Pena & Austin Jackson: both 0 for 5 – Pena stole a base & scored a run while playing CF … Jackson K’ed thrice
Shelley Duncan: 4 for 4, 4 R, 1 2B, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB – SHELLEY SMASH
Frankie Cervelli & Colin Curtis: both 1 for 5, 1 K – Cervelli doubled, drove in a run, scored another & committed a throwing error
Yurendell DeCaster: 2 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 HBP
Ivan Nova: 4.2 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 7 K, 1 WP, 2 HB, 5-0 GB/FB – 55 of 95 pitches were strikes (57.9%) … second straight clunker, maybe he’s got a little dead arm thing going on
Kevin Whelan: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K – 6 of 12 pitches were strikes
Jon Albaladejo: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 0 K, 6-0 GB/FB – 15 of 28 pitches were strikes (53.6%)
Edwar Ramirez: 2 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K, 1-3 GB/FB – 26 of 40 pitches were strikes (65%)

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Game 96: We’re going streaking (with a Wang update)!

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The A’s won’t have the services of Matt Holliday for the rest of the series because he was traded to the Cardinals earlier today, but they will be trotting Brett Anderson out to the mound tonight. He’s got a 1.15 ERA and a .402 OPS against in his last five starts, and those numbers are even more ridiculous (0.00 & .269) in his last three start. The young lefty, once the headliner in a package for Dan Haren, will make the Yanks earn it tonight if they plan on running the winning streak up to eight. Hope Joba’s up for it.

Jeter, SS
Damon, LF
Teixeira, 1B
A-Rod, 3B
Posada, C
Matsui, DH
Cano, 2B
Swisher, RF
Melky, CF

And on the mound, Jobber Chamberlain.

Update (6:32 p.m. by Ben): While earlier today we reported that Chien-Ming Wang’s tests would be shown to Dr. James Andrews for a third opinion, now it sounds as though the Yanks’ once and former ace will make the trip to Alabama himself. Wang could be seeing Andrews as early as Monday, and I can’t expect the Yanks to receive any good news. Maybe we’re better off hearing about Wang’s damaged shoulder. It would be explain his incredible ineffectiveness this year.