Results tagged ‘ Blue Jays ’
A Day Filled with Fireworks!…
Welcome back, Marcus Thames!…
Andrew Mills/The Star Ledger
Despite a brief time away (trip to the DL), Marcus Thames made the most of his return to the team with a pinch-hit run-scoring single to drive in the winning run in the Yankees’ 7-6 win over the Toronto Blue Jays. Nothing like July 4th and a day at Yankee Stadium to celebrate Thames return with a little pie…
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
The Yankees had taken the early lead in the game, but the continued struggles of Phil Hughes allowed the Jays to go ahead in the top of the 5th. The Yankees tied the score in the bottom of the 6th with a two-run inside-the-park home run by speedy Brett Gardner.
The Yankees took the lead in the bottom of the 7th, but like recent games, the bullpen was not up to the task. However, this time, the game tying run was not scored against Damaso Marte or Joba Chamberlain, but against Mariano Rivera in the 9th. With go-ahead run on third, Alex Gonzalez grounded into a force out to end the threat. The Yankees failed to score in the bottom of the frame, so it was off to extra innings.
Like the inning before, the Blue Jays had their chances in the 10th. With David Robertson starting the inning in relief of Rivera, he allowed the first two hitters to reach base (a single and a walk). The next batter, Edwin Encarnacion grounded into a double play on a bunt attempt, which pushed the go-ahead run to third. Robertson intentionally issued a free pass to Lyle Overbay, who had homered earlier in the game, before getting former Yankee Jose Molina to strike out.
So, it was off to the bottom of the 10th. As usual, Robinson Cano was involved in the action as he walked to lead things off. He was sacrificed to second on a bunt by Francisco Cervelli. Curtis Granderson struck out, but Brett Gardner reached base on a two-out walk. Up to the plate came Marcus Thames, who had just been re-activated from the DL. Thames worked the count full before slashing a hit to center to score Cano with the winning run. Welcome back, Marcus, you’ve been missed!
Uli Seit/The New York Times
It was an exciting day for the Yankees, particularly since the Boston Red Sox were losing to the Baltimore Orioles. It would have been nicer for Hughes and Mo to post more memorable appearances on the day they were selected to the All-Star team, but of course, being an All-Star is not about one game.
When American League manager Joe Girardi takes the field at the All-Star Game in Anaheim on July 13th , he’ll have plenty of familiar faces joining him (and Hughes and Rivera as previously mentioned) as MLB announced the following Yankees had made the All-Star team:
Derek Jeter
Robinson Cano
Alex Rodriguez
CC Sabathia
Phil Hughes
Mariano Rivera
Jeter and Cano are starters, Jeter’s 11th All-Star appearance and Cano’s second. Rodriguez was tabbed as a reserve by Girardi primarily since A-Rod is third in the AL with RBI’s at 62 (behind fellow All-Stars Vladimir Guerrero and Miguel Cabrera).
The Yankees have a chance for a 7th All-Star with Nick Swisher in the running for the Final Vote. Special voting is open until Thursday at 4 pm Eastern. Swish faces steep competition from Kevin Youkilis (Boston), Delmon Young (Minnesota), Michael Young (Texas), and Paul Konerko (Chicago).
Congratulations to all of the AL and NL All-Stars!
Well, alas, it is once again time for the “forced” spotlight on a Boston Red Sox player (thanks to my wager loss to Julia of Julia’s Rants). Before, I embark on yet another painful journey, I do have to say that I am quite amazed at what the Red Sox have been able to do (within striking distance of the AL East lead) with a disabled list that looks like an All-Star team:
|
Disabled List |
|||||||||
|
POS |
BIRTH PLACE |
SALARY |
|||||||
|
19 |
Josh Beckett DL |
SP |
R |
R |
30 |
6-5 |
220 |
Spring, TX |
$12,100,000 |
|
17 |
RP |
R |
R |
28 |
6-2 |
205 |
Boston, MA |
$905,000 |
|
|
2 |
LF |
L |
L |
26 |
6-1 |
185 |
Madras, OR |
$496,500 |
|
|
32 |
LF |
L |
R |
26 |
6-3 |
200 |
Atlanta, GA |
$3,345,000 |
|
|
25 |
Mike Lowell DL |
DH |
R |
R |
36 |
6-3 |
210 |
San Juan, Puerto Rico |
$12,500,000 |
|
41 |
C |
B |
R |
31 |
6-2 |
210 |
Ciudad Bolivar, Venezuela |
$7,700,000 |
|
|
15 |
2B |
R |
R |
26 |
5-9 |
180 |
Woodland, CA |
$3,750,000 |
|
|
33 |
C |
B |
R |
38 |
6-2 |
230 |
Rochester, MI |
$3,000,000 |
|
I also read today that All-Star Clay Buchholz is most likely headed for the DL. I may not be a fan of the Red Sox but I am not a fan of these injuries. Hopefully, these guys will return to health in the near future. In the meantime, I’m sure the Red Sox will keep knocking on the door.
For the latest installment, I will go with one of the so-called replacement players who has done a good job helping to fill in for the loss of left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury (and Mike Cameron when he was out)….
#54 Darnell McDonald
Courtesy of The Boston Herald
I can remember when Darnell and his older brother, Donzell, were highly touted youths with the Orioles and Yankees, respectively. Neither materialized with their respective teams, and I had long forgotten the McDonald brothers when Darnell’s contract was purchased from AAA Pawtucket in April when Ellsbury went to the DL. He had been signed as a minor league free agent in January. Julia was very quick to inform me when McDonald homered in his first at bat with the Red Sox. He has done a capable job since he joined the Red Sox (5 home runs, 20 RBI’s, and .260 batting average).
Darnell played high school baseball with Cherry Creek High School in Denver, Colorado. He was drafted in the first round by the Baltimore Orioles in 1997. He would stay in the minors for the duration of his Orioles career, enjoying only a brief call up in 2003. His stops between Baltimore and Boston included the Minnesota Twins and the Cincinnati Reds. He hit his first major league home run on August 30, 2009 against Clayton Kershaw of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
At 31 years of age, Darnell is enjoying the greatest stretch of his professional career. He showed that he was a wise off-season acquisition by GM Theo Epstein who is notorious for the low cost, high upside approach to free agency. He has believed in the dream since his days as one of the best high school players in the nation, and it is finally happening for him in Boston.
So, whatever happened to brother and former Yankee Donzell? He currently plays for Acereros de Monclova of the Mexican League.
Happy 4th of July, everyone!
–Scott
Feeling The Heat…
Two games in two days, but only one win to show for it…
The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind. On Thursday, Alex Rodriguez won the game with an 8th inning “walk-off” home run…except there were still 3 more outs to go. Today, despite a very strong rebound by a Dave Eiland-supported A.J. Burnett, the Yankees fell to the Toronto Blue Jays in extra innings due to a porous bullpen.
Zach Ornitz/The Star Ledger
In Thursday’s game, CC Sabathia was solid. He didn’t have his best stuff, however, he was pitching a shutout into the 8th inning when he surrendered a game-tying two-run single to Russell Branyan. In the bottom of the 8th, Alex Rodriguez homered to right with Mark Teixeira on base. Thinking it was the 9th inning, A-Rod raised his arms and looked toward the dugout before realizing there was more baseball to be played. Fortunately, Mariano Rivera ensured the hit was the game-winner as the Yankees defeated the Seattle Mariners, 4-2, to avoid getting swept at home.
Sabo/NY Daily News
On Friday, the bats decided to take the day off even though the team was scheduled to play an afternoon game at Yankee Stadium against the Toronto Blue Jays (the offense must have thought game time was 7:05 p.m.). With pitching coach Dave Eiland back in the fold and working to help A.J. Burnett correct the flaws in his delivery, A.J. pitched the best he has in several months. He went 6 2/3 innings, giving up only 4 hits, 3 walks and no runs, with 6 strikeouts. But Joba Chamberlain did what he does best in giving up the lead by allowing a run-scoring single in the 8th which tied the game. In the 11th inning, the bullpen came undone with David Robertson and Chan Ho Park as they gave up 5 runs in the 6-1 loss. The Yankees blew a golden opportunity in the bottom of the 3rd with the bases loaded and no outs, but couldn’t push any runs across the plate.
Sipkin/NY Daily News
With Boston’s win tonight (3-2 over the Baltimore Orioles), the Yankees hold only a very slim ½ game lead over the injury-riddled Red Sox.
Boston Globe staff
Boston keeps losing players but it hasn’t slowed them in the least. The latest casualty is catcher Jason Varitek who was placed on the DL with a broken foot. Since Victor Martinez is also on the DL, the team reached out to the Houston Astros to bring back former Red Sox catcher Kevin Cash (who spent time with the Yankees in 2009).
Al Messerschmidt/Getty Images
Let’s see, for the fourth player installment of my “forced” spotlight on the Boston Red Sox, I’ll go with the first baseman of the Red Sox. As the result of a lost wager with Julia of Julia’s Rants, I have to include a paragraph about every member of the Red Sox roster as of 6/26/10, so today the spotlight is on the player affectionately known as “Youk”.
#20 Kevin Youkilis
Elsa/Getty Images
Kevin Edmund Youkilis was born on March 15, 1979 in Cincinnati, Ohio. He is of Romanian descent despite the Greek surname. In an interesting note of fact, he had an uncredited one-line speaking role in the movie, Milk Money, when he was just 14 years old.
Youk was drafted by the Boston Red Sox in 2001 after a solid collegiate career with the Cincinnati Bearcats. After working his way up through the Red Sox farm system, he made his debut with the team during the championship 2004 season. He homered in his first major league game against Pat Hentgen and the Toronto Blue Jays. He would spend the next two years going back and forth between Boston and Pawtucket before finally landing in the majors to stay. While he came up as a third baseman, he has been the starting first baseman since 2006. On the roster during the 2004 World Series, he didn’t get to play but that was not the case in 2007. While he did sit when the Series was played in Colorado (due to the loss of the DH and the move of David Ortiz to first base), Youk help the Red Sox secure their second championship in three years.
Youk is well known for his charitable work, and he founded Kevin Youkilis Hits For Kids, a non-profit dedicated to the health and safety of children. Here is a link to the organization:
My frustration with Youk is that he is always in the middle of a rally. Whether it is a hit or walk or simply his intensity and gritty play, he always seems to be in the thick of the action, making something out of nothing. His uncanny ability to get on base is what coined the nickname “Greek God of Walks” in the best-selling book, Moneyball. It’s never fun to see him come to the plate…unless you’re a Red Sox fan. The Red Sox might lose players like Jacoby Ellsbury, Jason Varitek, Dustin Pedroia, Victor Martinez, Mike Lowell, Josh Beckett and others to the DL, but as long as Youk is in the lineup, they’re not going away. As Julia is always so quick to point out, “things in the mirror are much closer than they appear to be”. Unfortunately, because of guys like Youk, she’s right…
Tomorrow is a new day! Go Yankees! 
–Scott
Road Trip Blues…
Not that we need further evidence, but the Yanks are clearly better at home…
Next to the Baltimore Orioles, the Yankees have the word road record in the AL East. By salvaging the last game of the three game set with the Blue Jays in Toronto, the Yankees are 16-15. By comparison, the Tampa Bay Rays hold a road record of 22-8. The Yankees have the best home record in the division at 19-7 but they do need to figure out how to win on the road if they intend to be successful.
The Yankees had been playing great until their arrival in Canada. Friday night’s loss was abysmal as the Jays battered their former teammate, A.J. Burnett. Saturday, the problem wasn’t pitching as Andy Pettitte was great; it was the lack of hitting and scoring. Credit Jays’ pitching but they kept the Yankees off the board in extra innings before they prevailed in the bottom of the 14th inning, 3-2. Mark Teixeira had one of his worst games with 5 strikeouts.
Andrew Mills/The Star Ledger
The losses made Sunday’s game a “must-win” if there is such a thing in June. After losing ground to both the Jays and the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees needed to turn the tables. Early on, it was a stellar pitching duel between Toronto’s Brandon Marrow and New York’s Javier Vazquez.
Javy had a no-hitter going into the sixth inning. With two outs, he walked Adam Lind which brought Vernon Wells to the plate. Wells homered in what would be the only hit off the day off Vazquez for a 2-0 Jays lead.
Vazquez breezed through the bottom of the 7th inning with three up and three down. His day would be finished thanks to what would happen next. In the top of the 8th inning, the Yankees broke through for four runs and their first lead of the game.
Francisco Cervelli and Brett Gardner were both hit by pitches to start the innings (Cervelli by Morrow; and Gardner by Scott Downs). Derek Jeter made the Jays pay for their miscues with a run-scoring double. After Nick Swisher struck out, the Jays intentionally walked hitless Mark Teixeira (why?). With the bases now loaded, Gardner scored on a Jason Frasor wild pitch. After Alex Rodriguez struck out, Robinson Cano came up with the hit of the day when his single scored Jeter and Teixeira. The Yankees would need those extra runs as the Jays would close the gap to 4-3 in the bottom of the frame when former Yank Jose Molina scored on a single by Fred Lewis. Joba Chamberlain, who had started the 8th in relief of Vazquez, needed help from Damaso Marte to get out of the inning but it was Mariano Rivera and “game over” in the 9th.
AP
The Yankees now head to Baltimore for a series against the Orioles at Camden Yards. Since they last saw the O’s, the O’s have a new manager (Juan Samuel, replacing the fired Dave Trembley) and they are no longer mired in a long losing streak thanks to today’s 11th inning walk-off win against the Boston Red Sox.
Boston Globe
Hopefully, the Yanks can shake their road doldrums and end the current road trip on a high note.
Following the trip to Baltimore, the Yankees will return home for the continuation of interleague play. They’ll see the Astros, Phillies and Mets before heading west for a trip down memory lane. On June 21st through 23rd, they’ll be in Phoenix to face the Arizona Diamondbacks. It is the scene of two of the worst baseball games I’ve ever personally attended, Games 2 and 6 of the 2001 World Series. Then, in the climax of interleague play, they’ll be in Chavez Ravine on June 25th through 27th to confront old friends Joe Torre and Don Mattingly, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. It should be a thrilling month, but PLEASE, work on the road record!
Reuters
Life Is About Choices…
Doc or Josh…
Joel Auerbach/US Presswire
To repeat as World Champions, the Yankees clearly have to upgrade the middle of their pitching staff. No offense to Andy Pettitte, but going into the play-offs with a three man rotation is not the recipe for continued success…especially if Bud Selig is successful in shortening the off-days during play-off series. At this point in his career, Andy is better served by bringing up the rear of the rotation. So, if the Yankees decide to pursue a frontline starter to go with CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, should they go after Roy Halladay of the Toronto Blue Jays or Josh Johnson of the Florida Marlins?
Pitcher to pitcher, it’s easy to say that the choice should be Roy Halladay. He is arguably the best pitcher in the American League, and he knows how to win in Boston, New York, Baltimore, Tampa and Toronto. He is not intimidated by the Los Angeles Angels, and at 32, he is primed for a few more years of dominance.
But if it were my decision, I’d have to go with Josh Johnson. I know that he doesn’t have Doc’s resume, and there is the age old argument that National League pitchers struggle in the American League. However, it goes beyond just Johnson’s age (he will be 26 next season). After undergoing Tommy John surgery in mid-2008, he is 22-6 since his return and according to FanGraphs, he ranked third in average fastball velocity this past season with 95.1 mph (behind Ubaldo Jimenez and Justin Verlander). He enjoyed a very fine 2009 season, going 15-5, with 3.23 ERA. He struck out 191 batters in 2009 innings. He will continue to get better, and will soon be an elite ace if he’s not already there.
Probably the bigger reason I’d pursue Johnson is that either pitcher is going to require a hefty bounty in return. There is no doubt that the Yankees will lose the likes of Phil Hughes or Joba Chamberlain, and other high level talent to make a trade. Realistically, if we are going to lose those guys, I’d rather see them pitching in the National League instead of right here in the AL East. The counter-argument is that some team is going to pay the Blue Jays a very high price, so they’ll walk away with a much stronger team either way. But still, I am not prepared to see Joba Chamberlain pitching for the Jays. The AL East should be very competitive next year. Aside from the Yankees and Red Sox, you know that the Tampa Bay Rays will be a force to be reckoned with. The fine young talent in Baltimore is finally starting to gel and should result in a much improved Orioles squad. So, if the Jays are smart about the pieces they receive in a Halladay trade, there will be no pushovers in the division.
Greg Fiume/Getty Images
The Yankees have A.J. Burnett locked up for four more years so I am not concerned about him. However, CC Sabathia still has the right to opt out of his contract after two more years so I think it would be wise for the Yankees to go with the younger option so that they can build a cornerstone for future years. I don’t think CC will opt out, however, as long as it exists as a possibility, it has to be considered. Much can happen in two years.
So, I say go with Josh Johnson and send the premium Yankee talent to the National League…even if that means Doc Halladay calling Fenway Park “home”. Yankees manager Joe Girardi is familiar with Johnson from his year as the Marlins manager in 2007, so it would aid Johnson’s transition to the Bronx.
AP
There is a question of whether the Marlins organization will be willing to part with Johnson, but it should be interesting to see what develops in the coming weeks…
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
But tonight, I choose to see Kelly Clarkson…
Playing Musical Chairs…
Ready, set, go!…
It’s the start of free agency, and teams now have the right to negotiate with available free agents as teams’ exclusive rights period ended Thursday night. Of course, there were no significant signings on Friday, but activity should pick up in the coming weeks.
The big three for the Yankees are obviously Andy Pettitte, Johnny Damon, and Hideki Matsui. Regardless of what other moves the Yanks have in mind for their rotation, I feel very strongly they should bring back Andy assuming that he wants to come back for another season. Had he not gone to Houston for three years, Andy would potentially be in position to challenge Whitey Ford for the Yankees record for most career wins (The Chairman of the Board holds the record with 236 wins, while Andy stands at 229 career wins with the Yankees and Astros). Andy may never reach Ford’s Yankees record, however he still has the chance to reach the 200 win milestone wearing pinstripes, needing just 8 more wins. I think Andy is very proud of his Yankees legacy, and I do expect to see him back in the Bronx next season.
Adrien Veczan/Reuters
I would like to see the team re-sign Johnny Damon. The only thing about Damon that concerns me is his arm-strength in left field. Otherwise, he is still playing the game like a young man despite his age (36). He simply makes things happen and his double-steal in the World Series was classic but typical Damon-like. The Yankees would be wise to allow Damon to return next year on a two year deal.
Elise Amendola/AP
As much as I like Hideki Matsui and how great his timely hits have been, I see this as the end of his career in the Bronx. Since he’s limited to DH, he simply wouldn’t get enough at-bats in the coming seasons with the need to increase the DH rotation to include older players like Jorge Posada, Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez (to allow them more rest from playing the field).
Stubblebine/Reuters
I am sad to see Xavier Nady go, but it doesn’t sound like there’s any interest on the Yankees’ part to bring him back. Some team is going to get a high quality guy and if healthy, a productive player. Of course, that means he’ll probably be signing with Boston any day now… 
The rumor mill regarding Roy Halladay is gaining steam once again. A free agent after next season, it is very likely that the Toronto Blue Jays will move Doc this off-season rather than wait until the trading deadline. The list of teams not interested in Doc is probably shorter than the list of team who are. The Blue Jays will be able to get a King’s ransom for Halladay and it should set them up for a bright future. Of course, the Yankees and Red Sox are always rumored to be in the mix, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Doc go to the Los Angeles Dodgers. Assuming that Frank McCourt isn’t too distracted or financially drained by his divorce proceedings with wife Jamie, the Dodgers need a frontline ace to compete against the Philadelphia Phillies for supremacy in the National League. The Dodgers have a window of opportunity so they should certainly make every attempt to secure the final pieces of the puzzle in what could be Joe Torre’s last hurrah.
Dunn/Getty Images
Wow, with 15 wins, Tim Lincecum captured the NL Cy Young Award for the second consecutive year? I am not trying to take anything away from Lincecum (15-7, 2.48 ERA), but I was surprised. I know and understand that win total is the one statistic that a pitcher has the least amount of control over, however, I thought that Adam Wainright of the St. Louis Cardinals was the deserving choice (he led the NL with 19 wins). His ERA was slightly higher than Lincecum’s at 2.63, but it was still very good. You could also argue that Chris Carpenter should have won, as he had a remarkable season (17-4, 2.24 ERA despite missing time with a pulled muscle in his side). Wainright, 19-8, captured the most first place votes, but finished third behind Lincecum and Carpenter. I can’t help but think that if Wainright had pitched for the Mets or the Dodgers, he would have won the award. Even the local Bay Area press was surprised by Lincecum’s win. I was listening to San Francisco sports talk radio on Friday, and all they could talk about was how long Lincecum’s hair was going to be by Opening Day next season. Lincecum lead the league in strikeouts with 261, and was second in ERA and third in innings pitched. If you ask Lincecum which stat is most important, it’s WHIP (walks plus hits per innings pitched). Timmy finished fourth with a WHIP of 1.047 (behind Dan Haren, Carpenter, and Javier Vazquez). I am not saying that Lincecum was a bad choice…it was simply unexpected, in my mind.
Seattle Times
Hey Julia, I enjoyed reading the Boston Globe this morning…”Out of Synch: Magic’s Act Again Surprises Celtics”. Very nice!
Orlando Sentinel
I am going to see a show by comedian Lisa Lampanelli tonight. I don’t know anything about her except that she is the so-called “Queen of Mean”. I found this review of Lisa’s show by Larry the Cable Guy: “Front row tickets to Lisa’s show are $100, and obstructed view tickets are $150″. I’ve heard she is very raunchy so I might want to get those obstructed view tickets! 
No Time for Sleepless in Seattle…
A well deserved day off while the Yankees head to Seattle…
Speaking of Seattle, I am always appreciative of the fact that Tom Paciorek no longer plays baseball. For my generation, he was the original Yankee killer. I know that there were many before him and many since, however, he was the first player that I personally witnessed as a single-handed destruction force against anything pinstripe-related.
It was an interesting week. Monday saw the Yankees defeat their nemesis, the Los Angeles Angels, in a makeup of the May 3rd rainout.
Bill Kostroun/AP
Tuesday was a mess. A brawl left Jorge Posada and Shelley Duncan with three-game suspensions. Posada, who had taken exception to an earlier pitch, threw an elbow at Jays pitcher Jesse Carlson, while scoring on a double by Brett Gardner. There were several bench clearing moments, and the latter occurred following the elbow by Posada. Hitting coach Kevin Long and pitcher Edwar Ramirez were also fined for their involvement in the fracas. Any way you slice it, it was an ugly representation of baseball. The Yankees dropped the game, 10-4.
Kathy Willens/AP
Wednesday, the teams were more amenable to each other. The Yankees fell behind the Jays early and trailed 4-2 in the 7th inning. I had started to become concerned that the Yanks were on the verge of their second consecutive loss, but Hideki Matsui allayed my fears with a two-run homer in the 8th to tie the game. At that point, I had confidence that the team would mount yet another walk-off win. I was not denied, although I was a bit surprised by the source. I will first start by saying I love watching Brett Gardner work the base paths. Following a lead-off single in the 9th inning, he stole second. Derek Jeter grounded out to short, but it advanced Gardner, the winning run, to 3rd. That brought catcher Francisco Cervelli to the plate. His single to left scored Gardner, and the Yankees had a new recipient for the pie of the day…
Ron Antonelli/New York Daily News
This morning, I was looking at the AL East standings, and was surprised to see that the Red Sox were only 5 games behind the Yanks in the loss column. Boston has been playing very well lately as evidenced by the 7-game winning streak. Julia is quick to note that this team reminds her of the 2004 and 2007 World Championship clubs, and the way they’ve been playing, I do not necessarily disagree. Nevertheless, I have confidence in my guys and their ‘no-quit’ determination. Given that the Texas Rangers have performed the baseball equivalent of hara-kiri, there is no much mystery left regarding whether the Yankees and Red Sox will make the play-offs. The only question is who will take the AL East crown, and right now, the Yankees have the advantage. The Yankees continue their quest for the best record in the AL, but they cannot lose sight of the team in their rearview mirror. I learned long ago not to underestimate the Red Sox.
The Red Sox did see the end of their 7-game winning streak tonight, as they were clipped by the Angels, 4-3. The Yankees magic number has been reduced to 10, although the Angels were able to pick up a ½ game on the Yanks.
Charles Krupa/AP
The Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees were unable to defend their International League crown. They were swept in the finals tonight by the Durham Bulls with a 3-2 loss in the third and final game. The Yankees did pick up championships in two other minor leagues. Class A Tampa won the Florida State League, while the Staten Island Yankees won the New York/Penn League. I’m thinking “three’s company”, so let’s go big league Yanks!
In a somewhat shocking announcement, Peter Abraham of the Yankees LoHud Yankees Blog announced that he will be moving to Boston to work for the Boston Globe. His blog has long been one of my personal favorites, and I will miss his Yankees insight. I am sure that he’ll provide Red Sox fans with the same robust and reliable information that we Yankee fans have been accustomed to, not to mention the quick wit. Pete Abe made a comment that some will call him a traitor, but I will not. He is a class act, and his decision was made for family reasons, which is a very admirable trait. I would like to thank him for his work over the years, and I wish him the very best in Boston. Of course, he’ll miss out on writing about the 2009 World Series Champions…
My fantasy football team faces a huge dilemma this weekend. My starting QB is Tom Brady, while my defense is the Jets D. So, I have one player working against another since the Patriots face the Jets this weekend. Who do I pull for? Yikes! As an 0-1 team (thanks to LaDainian Tomlinson’s ankle), I have to hope that best case scenario plays out.
I will close with a photo of my pride and joy. She has been the master of self portraits since she was very small, and has developed a great sense of humor (despite her dad)…
–Scott
Another Passing Grade for the Test…
I missed a great game…
Bill Kostroun/AP
I should have been in attendance at Monday’s game between the Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels in the Bronx. I had gone to the May 3rd game that was rained out, so my ticket would have been good for Monday’s game which was the make-up game. I had it all laid out perfectly. I had requested Monday and Tuesday off from work, so that I could stay at the Stadium until the bitter end. Unfortunately (baseball-wise, not personally), I relocated from the East Coast to California so a trip to New York City was not in the cards. I missed an outstanding game as a result of my attempt to improve the circumstances of my life.
I realize that it was only one game. However, the Yankees, for one night, showed that they could beat the Angels at their own game. It lifted a huge monkey off the Yankees’ back, and they know that they can beat the Angels. On a double-steal in the 8th inning, Brett Gardner racing to third, broke for home when catcher Mike Napoli’s throw to third sailed into left field, scoring the go-ahead run. Alex Rodriguez reached third on the play, and scored on Robinson Cano’s RBI single. As a result, the Yankees emerged with a 5-3 victory over their nemesis.
Meanwhile, Scott was sitting in Northern California wondering what could have been…
The Yankees couldn’t parlay the win into a victory tonight as they lost to the Toronto Blue Jays, 10-3. But for one night, they can be excused. Unfortunately, the Red Sox creep (and I use that word for its multiple meanings) one game closer to the Yankees. So, the so-called Magic Number remains at 12. The Rangers did lose, so the Yankees did move closer to the guaranteed Wild Card slot.
What about the Rays? The schedule makers have slotted the Yankees to begin AND end the 2010 season against the Boston Red Sox. I guess there will be more fun and games for my friend, Julia, and I. Julia is very quick to tell me that the Yankees will end their season THIS year against the Red Sox, but I know that my friend lives in a fantasy world…
Last night, baseball aside, was tough. I did not expect to hear the news that Patrick Swayze had died. Yes, I knew that he was battling pancreatic cancer, but Patrick has long been one of my heroes. I felt if anyone could beat cancer, it was Patrick. I became a Swayze fan during The Outsiders, and I remained a true fan through his final appearances in the TV series, The Beast. I remember feeling a loss when he died in Ghost even though his spirit succeeded in reaching out to his true love and eliminating his enemies. Now, the feeling is loss is permanent and it stinks, to say the least. Julia mentioned to me that Patrick had a way of appealing to men and women. I don’t disagree with that. He was always one of my heroes, and he will remain someone who lived by the standards that I will always strive to achieve. This one will be tough to overcome…Patrick will be missed…
Whoa! I can’t believe my favorite tennis player, Roger Federer, lost the U.S. Open against Juan Martin Del Potro. Congratulations to Del Potro, but hopefully Roger will return to his rightful throne in the not-so-distant future. My brother was in attendance at the Open, and I should have been there, but the move to CA kind of got in the way. Sorry Roger, I let you down…
William Perlman/The Star Ledger
Back to baseball, there’s not much drama regarding the AL East Champion and the Wild Card except who will fill which role. Clearly, the Yankees have the advantage, but the Red Sox are not out of contention…not if they keep winning. But the Rangers are done. They are losing tonight to the Oakland A’s and probably won’t be mounting a miraculous comeback. So, despite the Yankees’ loss, they will still gain ground on the Rangers for the Wild Card. As Julia is quick to mention, it doesn’t matter how you get into the play-offs…
AP
The Yankees announced that they’ll skip Andy Pettitte’s next start due to a fatigued left shoulder. I think this is a case of Yankee conservatism, and Pettitte would pitch if the situation were dire. I just wish that they’d quit trotting Sergio Mitre out there…
Chris Sweda/MCT
Hey, I am just glad that we’ll be playing October baseball again. But I gotta admit, I like this team…
Bill Kostroun/AP
Win Some, Lose Some…
I hate it when I am right…
I knew that the Toronto Blue Jays series was going to be tough, and I had predicted a split at the start. After the Yankees had taken 2 out of 3, I was hopeful of another win today but it was not meant to be.
Sergio Mitre reverted to the pitcher that I fully expected him to be and why I felt that Brian Cashman should have been more aggressive at the trading deadline to secure a proven, reliable #5 starter. If the Los Angeles Angels can rummage through the bargin bin to find a Scott Kazmir, why couldn’t the Yankees find someone?
Here is Mitre’s line for Sunday’s 14-8 loss to the Blue Jays:
4 1/3 innings, 11 hits, 11 runs (9 earned), 2 walks, and 5 K’s.
I agree that the Yankee defense did absolutely nothing to help Mitre’s cause. The Yankees had four errors in the game. A throwing error by Jerry Hairston, Jr., and fielding errors by Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, and Ramiro Pena. A lost ball in the sun and other poor fielding decisions added to the follies. But I wasn’t a fan of Mitre’s before, and I am certainly not one now…
Frank Gunn, The Canadian Press/AP
Nevertheless, the Yankees are still 7 ½ games up on the Boston Red Sox so they are in good shape. But I hope the decision to stay with Mitre/Gaudin doesn’t come back to haunt the team. The Los Angeles Angels did win today (7-2 over the Kansas City Royals), so they’ve cut the deficit to 5 games for best record in the AL.
Charlie Riedel/AP
The Yankees will face a challenge on Monday with a day/night double-header against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium. CC Sabathia will pitch the first game, while A.J. Burnett, with Jorge Posada on the bench, will pitch the nightcap. Posada won’t play the second game because of the double header, not because of Burnett, but I am sure that A.J. will be glad to see Jose Molina behind the plate.
Derek Jeter went 3-for-3 in today’s game, and now stands just three hits away from Lou Gehrig for the franchise’s career hits record. It will be special to, hopefully, see the record fall at the new Yankee Stadium.
Frank Gunn, The Canadian Press/AP
I was glad to see the Jays’ Randy Ruiz is okay after getting hit in the face by Yankees reliever Josh Towers. It was a scary moment, but Ruiz was able to walk off the field. After the game, Ruiz said he had a bruised left cheek and some bleeding in his mouth. He is very fortunate that he was not more seriously hurt.
Frank Gunn, The Canadian Press/AP
Monday should mark the return of Brett Gardner. He has finished his rehabilitation starts in the minor leagues and appears ready to go.
Simmons, NY Daily News
Mariano Rivera, who has been suffering from a groin injury, is also ready to return. He was available today, but was obviously was not needed…
William Perlman, The Star Ledger
The Minnesota Vikings did what I had hoped would not happen. They cut former USC QB John David Booty. There are many who believe that Booty will never be more than a #3 QB, but I felt he showed talent and potential. This leaves Sage Rosenfels and Tavaris Jackson as the back-ups for starter Brett Favre. Favre initially cost Booty his number and ultimately his roster spot. Hopefully, this is not a move that will come back to haunt the Vikings, but it very well could. Just ask Shaun Hill or Tyler Thigpen…
–Scott
Take 2 Aspirin & Call Me In The Morning…
It was one of those nights…
I knew the Yanks were in trouble with Doc Halladay scheduled to be on the mound Friday night. Doc hadn’t pitched well during preceding weeks, but you knew that it was only a matter of time before you’d see vintage Halladay. Given the Yanks’ struggles with him over the years, you also knew that there was a better than average chance that it would be against the Yankees. Alas, it was…
Darren Calabrese, AP/The Canadian Press
I was appreciative of Jorge Posada’s walk in the 5th to end the perfect game for Halladay and Ramiro Pena’s 6th inning double to break up the no-hitter, although it was the only hit of the night for the AL East Leaders.
Darren Calabrese, AP/The Canadian Press
At this point, I am not sure what to think of Joba Chamberlain. I know that Joba Rules 2.0 are in effect, but Joba just hasn’t looked good. Last night’s line was another disappointment…3 innings, 6 hits, 3 runs (2 earned), 2 walks, 2 K’s, and he hit Vernon Wells with a pitch. No wonder he was striking the “Defeated Sabathia” pose on the mound…
Darren Calabrese, AP/The Canadian Press
AP
I have not been optimistic about this series with the Toronto Blue Jays. I knew going in that the four game set would be a challenge. Winning the first game, despite the pitching of Chad Gaudin, was a plus. But with Sergio Mitre scheduled for Sunday, and Joba’s recent struggles, the only optimistic start is today with Andy Pettitte. However, as great as Andy has pitched in recent weeks, I keep waiting for the bubble to burst. So, I guess I am a ‘glass is half empty’ kind of guy today…
On the bright side, the Boston Red Sox lost to the Chicago White Sox, 12-2, so the Yankees retained their 7 ½ game lead. However, the Los Angeles Angels defeated the Kansas City Royals, 2-1, to cut the overall lead for best league record to 6 games.
Charlie Riedel/AP
It is amazing that the Yankees have 7 players with 20 home runs and at least 70′s RBI’s. As great of a season Derek Jeter is having, he is not one of them but he can join the club by the end of reason as he currently has 17 home runs and 61 RBI’s. DJ did not play last night and remains 9 hits from breaking Lou Gehrig’s club record for career hits (2,721). Hopefully, the off night for Jeter will help him break out of his recent slump (3 for his last 17 at-bat’s). Good luck to Derek as he continues to the drive for the hits record…
Darren Calabrese, AP/The Canadian Press
Mariano Rivera, still recovering from his groin injury, hopes to pitch Sunday.
Led by Shelley Duncan, the Scranton/Wilkes Barre Yankees captured their fourth consecutive International League North Division title last night. Duncan hit the decisive home run in the 8th inning off former Yankee Sean Henn as the Yankees defeated the Rochester Red Wings, 7-3. I am all in favor of the Yankees beating anything with “Red” in their name! J Of course, the IL play-offs, which begin September 9th, will be missing the Pawtucket Red Sox who are 21 games behind the Yankees at 58-81. Hoping that losing feeling will catch on with their big league club too! Sorry Julia, but one can hope!
Off-Topic Stuff…
Maybe the Minnesota Vikings shouldn’t trade Tavaris Jackson after all. His stats weren’t great but he played error-free ball in the Vikings’ 35-31 loss to the Dallas Cowboys. But he had the team ahead of the Cowboys until the other two QB’s, Sage Rosenfels and John David Booty, made costly mistakes to prevent the team from finishing the preseason with a perfect mark. Brett Favre didn’t play, and was on the sidelines in a hat and t-shirt. I saw an interview with him, and my only thought was how old he looked…
Maybe Julia knows better than I, but the New England Patriots must be betting that they’ll get a solid backup QB in the next couple of days. Or they must feel that Brian Hoyer is the next coming of, well, Matt Cassel. After releasing Kevin O’Connell last week, the Pats cut Andrew Walter yesterday. There has to be a master plan because guys from Boston are smart…right Julia? Seriously, it would be foolish to think that the Pats didn’t have a plan in place or several possibilities in mind. Otherwise, they wouldn’t have made the cuts they did. But until their final moves play out, it does look curious…
What’s up with all the offensive coordinators losing their jobs before the first regular season snap is taken? Chan Gailey, Turk Schonert, and Jeff Jagodzinski have all been given pink slips in the past couple of weeks. I wonder how many times Jagodzinski has wished that he had kept his mouth shut and stayed at Boston College. Oh well, don’t feel bad for him, he just pocketed a $1 million for a few weeks work…
AP
Hey Mark Kotsay, congrats on the big game last night! The Texas Rangers, now only 2 games behind your former teammates, appreciate it! J
Nam Y. Huh/AP
Did Jonathan Papelbon really get fined $5,000 for working too slow? Whoa, I know a few too many people who should get that fine!
Finally, thanks for my friend Julia for her grace and professionalism in accepting the penalty for the recent loss in our last Yankees-Red Sox wager. Her blog with the photos and Top 11 post of all things good about the Yankees was first class. An excellent job! I look forward to her next defeat!
Courtesy Julia’s Rants
What The Sam Hill Did I Drink?…
A Post-Red Sox Hangover…
Fresh off a four game series sweep of the Boston Red Sox, the Yankees stumbled tonight against the Toronto Blue Jays, losing 5-4. Of course, the deck was stacked against the Yanks with Sergio Mitre on the mound. Mitre went five innings, giving up five runs (three of which were earned). He also had six strikeouts. It wasn’t a great performance, but it wasn’t awful…somewhere in middle which seems to be typical-Mitre…not bad but not quite good enough. I am ready for a change. Give Chad Gaudin a chance or, gasp!, reach down and pluck Kei Igawa from AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre. I wish now that the Yankees had made a play for Pedro Martinez who is scheduled to start for the Phillies on Wednesday. Heck, even Luis Tiant was looking good the other night on ESPN! Anybody but Mitre. I know, he pitched better tonight than his previous outings and it was a miscue (his, by the way) that was his downfall. But I am just not convinced that he is the answer…
Kathy Willens/AP
The Yankees’ seven game winning streak was halted with the loss, and they lost a game in the standings to the Red Sox, who defeated the Detroit Tigers, 6-5. Their lead in the AL East is now 5 ½ games. Of course, I’ve already read that the largest lead the Yankees have ever blown was 6 games in 1933. Julia is probably already writing about it on her blog…
Cody Ransom cleared waivers, and now heads back to AAA Scranton-Wilkes Barre.
UPI
Today was a sad day with news of the death of Mickey Mantle’s widow, Merlyn Mantle. She had been suffering from Alzheimer’s, and made her last public appearance during a dinner before a memorial for Bobby Murcer. I lived in Dallas during Mickey’s final years. I never saw the Mantles, but I attended Mickey’s funeral in 1995 and used to drive by their condominium building on a regular basis. Just this morning, unaware of Merlyn’s health, I put up an autographed picture of Mickey in my office.
AP
On a brighter note, I heard that Aaron Boone is already playing baseball again for the Houston Astros’ AA team, the Corpus Christi Hooks. He played third base and was hitless in two at-bats before departing. Less than five months ago, Boone was undergoing open heart surgery to correct a congenital defect in his aortic valve. That’s incredible news. I suffered a stress fracture of my left tibia several months ago, and I am still trying to make a comeback. Boone is sliced open so the world can see his heart, and he is swinging at 90 mph fastballs. I’m a wimp. I thought that Boone’s career was finished, and he proved me wrong. I wish him the very best as he attempts to make a comeback. I hope that the road leads to Houston. Good luck, Aaron, old friend…
Al Messerschmidt/AP
Tomorrow night, I’ll get my first taste of the San Francisco Giants rivalry with the Los Angeles Dodgers when I travel to AT&T Park. It will be my first time to personally attend a game in opposition to Joe Torre and one of my all-time heroes, Don Mattingly. On the bright side, I’ll be wearing the same hat as my favorite closer of the 80′s, Dave Righetti.
It just wasn’t that long ago when I was cheering for Rags to close out games…
AP
Hopefully, Tuesday will bring a new Yankees winning streak…
New York Daily News
–Scott
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