Triple-A Scranton (4-0 win over Pawtucket in Game 1)
Brett Gardner: 0 for 2, 1 BB, 1 K
Bronson Sardinha: 0 for 3, 1 K — that’s not how you respond to a promotion, Bronson
Erubiel Durazo: 0 for 2, 1 BB, 2 K — back to shit after Giambi leaves
Alberto Gonzalez: 2 for 3 — drove in three of the four runs
Eric Duncan: 0 for 3 — a buddy of mine calls him El Busto. I’m having a hard time disagreeing
Wil Nieves: 0 for 2
IPK: 6 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 9 K — Pawtucket…they have this guy named Buchholz…and he might not be any better than IPK
Chris Britton: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K — pleas swap Britton and Karstens ASAP
The Good, the Bad and the 15-4 Ugly
The Good: At AAA, Ian Kennedy reminded us that, yes, he still exists. Against the Pawtucket Sox, Kennedy went 6 strong. He allowed no runs on 5 hits and 1 walk while striking out 9. His GB-FB ratio was a very impressive 8-0, and he threw 60 of 93 pitches for strike. If Clemens is suspended, he’s already the next best choice, and Chad Jennings wrote glowingly about this impressive performance.
The Bad: In Toronto, things were less than stellar. Chien-Ming Wang, 10-1 over his last 13 starts, was due, and he delivered. He allowed 8 runs on 9 hits while walking 2 and striking out 3 in 2.2 IP. Wang’s sinker and artificial turf just do not mix. Meanwhile, the Yankees 2-3-4 hitters went 1 for 11 with a walk. Unless your name is Robinson Cano, it was not a good night to be a Yankee.
The Ugly: Jeff Karstens has appeared in two games since returning from the DL, one worst than the next. Last week, he threw 3.1 innings in relief of an ineffective Roger Clemens. The 3 runs (on 5 hits) allowed the White Sox to win a wacky game. Today, he was worse. He allowed 5 runs on 3 hits and 3 walks in 3 innings. His ERA since returning from his injury is 11.37. Edwar Ramirez and Chris Britton continue to, you know, actually pitch well.
But, hey, at least the Yanks’ $5.6 million mop-up threw a 1-2-3 8th. On a night when only 53.8 percent of all pitches thrown by the Yanks went for strikes, Farnsworth was the best. Funny how that works out sometimes.
Christian, at AAA, out for the season
Some Minor League news, courtesy of Chad Jennings, raised an eyebrow this afternoon. Justin Christian is out for the rest of the season with a thumb injury. Christian hurt his thumb on Monday sliding into third base, and he will undergo season-ending ligament surgery to repair the damage.
Christian, 27, is a little too old to be considered a prospect, but he was in the middle of a solid season before this injury. He had been hitting .325/.370/.438 with 10 steals in 169 AAA at-bats. Speculation was that Christian would arrive in the Bronx in September when the rosters expand.
Replacing him on the Scranton roster is Bronson Sardinha, up for his recent demotion at AA. Jennings gives us some insight into Sardinha:
Sardinha didn’t earlier this year in Triple-A, but he was sent down to Double-A at the all-star break and hit .429 with four home runs in 15 games for Trenton. Sardinha called the demotion “a good wakeup call.”
When Sardinha hits, he hits the ball hard. He just needs to hit more consistently. He’s starting in right field tonight and batting third.
Meanwhile, Ian Kennedy’s pitching now. We’ll check in on him later.
Torre’s lineup attempts to diffuse a sticky situation
We’re hearing that Alex Rodriguez will take the night off and Wilson Betemit will start at third as the Yanks wrap up a series against the Blue Jays tonight. I like this move. The Yanks have already won the series; they have their ace going in Wang; and there’s no reason to further Toronto’s petty ridiculousness by having A-Rod act as a moving target for another season of missed expectations by an overpaid Blue Jays squad. His bat can come off the bench, and A-Rod can rest.
Update: This is indeed the way the lineup shakes down for tonight. Also, of note, Jason Giambi is DHing and Johnny Damon is enjoying the game from the bench.
Subway updates for NYCers among us
I’ve got a post up on the current (as of 4 p.m.) state of the subway system at Second Ave. Sagas. Things are moving a bit slowly and appear headed that way for rush hour. If you’re Queens-bound this evening, you’re SOL on the E/F/V/R/G lines.
2 homers in 3 days for Tabata
Triple-A Scranton had a scheduled day off. They play two with Pawtuckett today to make up a twice-postponed game.
Double-A Trenton (11-2 loss to Binghamton in 7 innings — called for rain, maybe?)
Reggie Corona: 2 for 3
Bronson Sardinha: 0 for 3
Cody Ehlers: 2 for 3
PJ Pilittere: 1 for 3, 1 2B — had both of Trenton’s RBI
Jeff Marquez: 5.1 IP, 9 H, 8 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 4 K — kid hasn’t been the same lately
Farnsworth clears waivers
That’s the word from Joel Sherman. The Yanks are now free to dish him to any team. The likely return in this kind of scenario is a younger, non-40-man roster player, since they can be traded without clearing waivers themselves. The Yanks will almost certainly be on the hook for $4 to $6 million if they choose to dish him.
Hat tip to Steve