Results tagged ‘ Tigers ’
A Nice Start!…
It was great to see Mark Sipkin/NY Daily News So far, I really like what I Speaking of A.J., he goes What a great game for Curtis So, Cliff Lee pitches Although I am pulling for –Scott
Teixeira homer in the Yankees’ Opening Day win against the Detroit Tigers. Hopefully, it is a sign that we won’t see the
April freeze this year with Tex. He has
worked hard to try and overcome his history of slow starts.
have seen of catcher Russell Martin. He
seems to have captured the respect of the pitching staff in a very short period
of time. For as much as I feel pitching
coach Larry Rothschild will have a positive impact on A.J. Burnett, I cannot
underestimate what Martin will do for him also.
I don’t know why the relationship between Burnett and Posada was never
an easy one, but it would be a terrific boon for the team should Burnett and
Martin click together.
today against the Tigers so we’ll soon see…
Granderson on Thursday! He homered and
came up with a few defensive gems that made the highlight reels. Last year, I had started to regret the trade
that sent Austin Jackson and Phil Coke to Detroit for Granderson, with Ian
Kennedy going to Arizona. But late in
the season, with a few adjustments, Curtis started to show us the player he
could be. Some players take time to
adjust to New York, while others can slide right in (like Nick Swisher). Granderson is probably more in the former
category, especially given the high expectations of the multi-player
trade.
tonight in Philadelphia against Wandy Rodriguez and the Houston Astros. If he had joined the Yankees, he’d be
starting today against the Tigers. It’ll
be hard not to wonder ‘what could have been’ this year when Lee starts. That feeling will probably be present until
the Yankees can make a move to acquire another top flight pitcher. I do know that I’ll be cheering for the
Astros tonight…
Don Mattingly and the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League, it was
horrible to hear about the Dodger fans that beat up the Giants fan in the
parking lot of Dodger Stadium after the season opener. Obviously, the violence is not condoned by
the Dodgers, and Mattingly said it was crossing the line. I know that I am always cautious about
wearing a Yankees hat in certain cities.
For example, if I went to Fenway Park, I would not take any Yankees gear. But that is a sad statement that you cannot openly
support your team without concern for your health and safety.
Live from New York, Play Ball!…
CC Sabathia versus Justin
Verlander…
Larry W. Smith/EPA
Tony Dejak/AP
Finally, Opening Day is upon
us! It has been a long and at times
disappointing off-season. Optimism
returned in Spring Training as there were a few success stories and
surprises. The pitching match-up for the
Yankees against the Detroit Tigers is perfect as I expect banner years by both
pitchers. They both will most likely be
finalists for the Cy Young Award at the end of the year if all goes right.
For Opening Day, here are the 2011 New York
Yankees:
Manager
Joe Girardi
Coaches
Kevin Long, Batting Coach
Larry Rothschild, Pitching Coach
Mick Kelleher, First Base Coach
Rob Thomson, Third Base Coach
Tony Pena, Bench Coach
Mike Harkey, Bullpen Coach
Roman Rodriguez, Bullpen Catcher
Starters
1B – Mark Teixeira
2B – Robinson Cano
SS – Derek Jeter
3B – Alex Rodriguez
C – Russell Martin
RF – Nick Swisher
CF – Curtis Granderson
LF – Brett Gardner
DH – Jorge Posada
Bench Strength
Bench – 1B/3B – Eric Chavez
Bench – 2B/SS/3B – Eduardo Nunez
Bench – OF – Andruw Jones
Bench – C – Gustavo Molina
Starting
Rotation
1SP – CC Sabathia
2SP – A.J. Burnett
3SP – Phil Hughes
4SP – Ivan Nova
5SP – Freddy Garcia
Bullpen
Closer – Mariano Rivera
Setup – Rafael Soriano
RP – Joba Chamberlain
RP – David Robertson
RP – Boone Logan
RP – Bartolo Colon
RP – Luis Ayala
Several of the spots are held by injury replacements
(Molina for backup catcher Francisco Cervelli, and Ayala for reliever Pedro
Feliciano) so they’ll go down to the minors when the regulars return. I am sure that Freddy Garcia and Bartolo
Colon will be on short leashes, and it’s very possible that one of their spots
could be taken by Kevin Millwood should either one falter.
I am very pleased to see Eric Chavez on the
roster. It was a foregone conclusion
that he’d make the team after the spring he had, but going into camp, there
were certainly plenty of questions about his health and durability. I am sure that Jason Giambi has probably been
on the phone to his good buddy to let him know the inner workings of the
Yankees organization and the city of New York.
Congratulations to Manny Banuelos for winning the
James P. Dawson Award as the team’s outstanding rookie in camp. I am definitely looking forward to his
arrival in the Bronx, even if it is still a few years down the road.
Even though there were no major additions in the
off-season, I do like this year’s team.
The hiring of pitching coach Larry Rothschild was huge, and I think he’ll
be able to get into A.J. Burnett‘s head and rebuild the pitcher’s
confidence. I expect continued
progression from Phil Hughes, and if Ivan Nova continues to build upon his
outstanding spring, I think the Yankees rotation will be quite strong.
What can you say about the bullpen? They will definitely shorten games for the
starters.
As for the regulars, I expect Derek Jeter to
rebound from last year and put up his usual DJ-like numbers. Robinson Cano will continue his progression
of one of the game’s elite, and Alex Rodriguez looks charged and ready for a
fantastic season. I am expecting more
consistency and better timely hitting from Curtis Granderson this year, and if
Brett Gardner stays healthy, the outfield should be significantly
improved.
The health of Russell Martin is a concern,
particularly since neither Jesus Montero nor Austin Romine was able to prove
they are ready for the major leagues. If
the Yankees have to start Posada at catcher, it will definitely be a sign of
trouble ahead.
In my mind, the positives will outweigh the
negatives, and the Yankees will be in the hunt at the end.
Nevertheless, with all things considered, I do
think the league champions, as it stands right now, will be the Boston Red Sox
and the San Francisco Giants. A World
Series matchup would put the Sox over the Giants for the championship. This is not what I want, but rather, on
paper, it is the most logical conclusion.
Much can happen between now and October, and I certainly expect the
Yankees to acquire a #3 starter (or better) for the starting rotation by the
July trading deadline. I did like the
Philadelphia Phillies, but I think the loss of Chase Utley to injury and Jayson
Werth to free agency will be too much to overcome. Pitching staff to pitching staff, I like the
Giants rotation better than the Phillies.
Win or lose, this should be a tremendous baseball
season for all of us! Go ahead, throw
the first pitch…
–Scott
Have Arm, Will Travel…
Say what you will, it was a win…
Tom Szczerbowski/US Presswire
A night after losing 3-2 to the Toronto Blue Jays in a game that probably could have been won if a clutch hitter like Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Hideki Matsui or Jerry Hairston, Jr. were on the roster, the Yankees returned to their winning ways with a 11-5 victory over the Jays. It was another solid fill-in performance by Dustin Moseley. He was only responsible for 2 of the runs, as the remainder were charged against Chad Gaudin. Moseley has definitely stepped up in a big way during the absence of Andy Pettitte. After fretting what life would be like with Sergio Mitre after Andy went on the DL, manager Joe Girardi quickly reversed course and went with Moseley, a decision that has proven to be very fruitful. Moseley is not the front-end starter you want in the play-offs, but for a team trying to battle its way to the AL East Championship, he has been exactly what the doctor ordered.
After losing to the Jays last night, the Yankees found themselves in a first place tie with the Tampa Bay Rays who defeated the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Mention has to go to Rays closer Rafael Soriano who threw a 9-pitch 9th inning that resulted in 3 strikeouts. It was quite an impressive feat. Why did the Atlanta Braves let Soriano get away again?…
Johnny Damon has apparently invoked his no-trade clause to stay in Detroit after being claimed on waivers by the Boston Red Sox. All things considered, I am glad that Johnny opted to leave his Yankees legacy intact. Damon was clearly one of the primary players responsible for the fall of the Curse of the Bambino as the Red Sox won the 2004 World Series, however, he was later able to cut the cords with the Red Sox after failed contract negotiations (or lack thereof) to sign with the Yankees where he ultimately won another championship. Had he returned to Boston, he would have tarnished his Yankees legacy and turned the Yankees Universe against him. David Cone was one of my favorite Yankees, but I don’t know if I can ever forgive him for going to Boston. I would have hated to see Johnny return to Boston. When I broached the possibility to my Red Sox friends, I received responses like “ugh!”, “ick!”, and “no!”. While Jason Varitek and David Ortiz may have welcomed Johnny back, I am not sure that he would have been embraced by the RSN. Perhaps he would have, but did the Red Sox claim Damon because they truly wanted him or did they do it to block the Rays? As an aging player, I could have understood the player’s desire to play meaningful September games. However, for Johnny, there was so much at stake personally. He was a good Yankee, and hopefully, he’ll let that legacy stand on its own merits. No reason to ruin it by going back to Beantown. If the Yankees had just waited out Damon’s demands and brought him back to the Bronx, none of this would have been necessary. Who knows where he’ll play in 2011, but for now, I remain proud of Damon for standing by his principles and commitment.
Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images
In an off-topic comment, I was dismayed to hear that Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Sidney Rice will miss at least half of the season following hip surgery. Given that the injury was suffered during the NFC Championship Game against the New Orleans Saints, I am not quite sure why Rice waited until now to have surgery. He was the first true threat since the Vikings traded Randy Moss, so Brett Favre is definitely facing a challenge in what should be his final season. This morning, there were reports the Vikings were close to signing former Packers wide receiver Javon Walker who clashed with Favre at times during their days in Green Bay. With Percy Harvin’s on-going bouts with migraines, the best receiver at this point is probably Bernard Berrian which does not bode well for the Vikings and Favre.
Seattle Times
Sports can be so brutal at times…
–Scott
Finally, A Series Win!…
Confidence restored…
After the series opener loss to the Detroit Tigers,
I was a bit dismayed. The Yankees, the
team that started the year on a consecutive series win streak, hadn’t won a
series since late July after splitting a four game set with the Royals in
Kansas City. They returned to the Bronx
and promptly lost a disappointing game to the Tigers with Detroit ace Justin
Verlander looming the next day.
Fortunately, the Yanks beat Verlander and went on
to the win the next two games afterwards to take 3 of 4. The wins were definitely part of the Robinson
Cano Show as he homered in the three consecutive wins. Also, the bat of Curtis Granderson has come
to life since the adjustments he made with hitting coach Kevin Long. I was not an immediate believer in Austin
Kearns, but he has steadily begun to make an impact. With Alex Rodriguez nursing a sore calf and
Lance Berkman on the DL, it was imperative for some of the lesser known guys on
the roster to begin carrying their weight.
It couldn’t have happened at a better time as the Yankees are trying to
stave off the Tampa Bay Rays who they were tied with at the beginning of today’s
games.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
With September right around the corner, I am
concerned about pitching. The only
certainty is ace CC Sabathia. With A.J.
Burnett, you’re never really sure what you are going to get. Javier Vazquez has been pitching poorly
lately with reduced velocity. Dustin
Moseley is never going to overwhelm you, and Phil Hughes is rapidly approaching
an innings limitation. Andy Pettitte
remains on the DL after a setback, so there are a series of question marks with
the starting rotation. It is fortunate
that the bullpen has begun to gel with Kerry Wood, Joba Chamberlain, David
Robertson and Boone Logan pitching very effectively. The long men, Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre,
have performed well in their roles. The
Yankees certainly have the bats to win the division, but I obviously have less
confidence in the pitching. If healthy,
they’d be among the league’s elite. But
in their current state, I’d have to give the advantage to the Tampa Bay
Rays. As for the Red Sox, I can only
hope that Josh Beckett and John Lackey continue their season-long
struggles. With their injuries this
year, it’s amazing that they’ve remained within striking distance so they are
certainly a threat as the page gets ready to flip to September.
But for now, all is well in the Bronx. If the Yankees can get on a roll and win a
few series over the next couple of weeks, they should be in great shape for the
stretch run despite their issues and challenges.
–Scott
Let’s Kick It Into Gear…
I don’t get it…
On Monday, the Yankees are totally befuddled by Max
Scherzer, but on Tuesday, they defeat annual Cy Young contender Justin
Verlander. Monday’s game was so
disappointing. After a lethargic
performance the previous day against Bryan Bullington and the Kansas City
Royals, they continued the lackluster offensive ways against Scherzer
and the Detroit Tigers in losing 3-1.
The losing pitcher was Javier Vazquez. While only giving up 2 runs, he threw a
startling 106 pitches in just four innings.
At this point, the Yankees cannot depend upon Vazquez for the duration
of the season. The inability to acquire
Cliff Lee is even more magnified today than it was the day Lee was dealt to
Texas. The Yankees don’t have a Jeremy
Hellickson in the farm system (at least not one that’s ready to make the impact
Hellickson can for the Tampa Bay Rays).
So, Monday’s loss, which allowed the Rays to tie the Yanks in the AL
East standings was definitely ‘advantage-Rays’.
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images
Tuesday, CC Sabathia was on the hill but things
started poorly when former Yank Austin Jackson hit a lead-off homer. After that, CC settled in and earned his 16th
win despite another home run in the 7th (a solo dinger by Brandon
Inge) as the Yanks won, 6-2. They merely
kept pace with the Rays, who also won, along with the charging Boston Red Sox
who also emerged victorious.
Sipkin/NY Daily News
This game was about how much Brett Gardner means to
the Yankees offense when he is hitting.
As long as he can get on base, things happen. He scored a run in the bottom of the first on
Nick Swisher’s single, and he doubled in the 6th when any other
Yankee would not have made it past first base.
He subsequently scored on Derek Jeter’s single.
The Yankees have their share of injury woes, with
Alex Rodriguez and Lance Berkman in the dreaded DTD status. Despite the recent offensive woes, hopefully,
the team can build upon today’s win to put together a nice winning streak.
I would be remiss for not acknowledging the passing
of legend Bobby Thomson. What baseball
fan who appreciates the history of the game hasn’t heard the famed “Shot Heard ‘Round
the World”? His home run in the decisive
1951 play-off game with the Brooklyn Dodgers gave the New York Giants the NL
Pennant (“The Giants win the Pennant!
The Giants win the Pennant!”). The
team would go on to lose to the Yankees in the World Series, but there is no
doubt that Thomson’s home run was one of the greatest in major league
history.
AP
In my usual off-topic comment, it appears that
Brett Favre will be quarterbacking the Minnesota Vikings in 2010. He flew to Minnesota today, and an
announcement regarding his decision is forthcoming. However, close friend, kicker Ryan Longwell, is
saying that Favre has decided to return (surprise, surprise). The only person that’s probably disappointed
is Tavaris Jackson, but T-Jack should be ready if Favre falters. If I were the Vikings GM, I’d be on the phone
trying to deal QB Sage Rosenfels. I’d
like to see the Vikings give the third QB slot to rookie Joe Webb. Is it really time for football again? Wow, this has been an incredibly fast
off-season. It seems like just yesterday
that Favre should have just ran instead of trying to throw in the loss to the
New Orleans Saints…
AP Photo/The Star Tribune, David Joles
–Scott
Yet Another No-Name Pitcher…
I guess that A-Rod should have held one of those
homers in reserve for Sunday…
The Yankees couldn’t muster any offense against
Bryan Bullington and the Kansas City Royals as the former number
one Pittsburgh Pirates draft pick but still a no-name 29-year-old journeyman earned his first major league victory in beating the Yankees
1-0.
Bridget Wentworth/The Star Ledger
On the other side was loser A.J.
Burnett, who was magnificent if you throw out the first inning.
John Rieger/US Presswire
On Saturday night, Alex Rodriguez homered three
times (the first time he has accomplished the feat since 2005). However, the last homer merely padded the
score as the Yankees coasted to the 8-3 win.
It’s too bad that he couldn’t have waited until Sunday to homer. Any offense at all would have probably won
the game. But like Derek Jeter said, the
way Bullington was pitching, there was no way they were going to beat him.
The Yankees have been very pedestrian thus far in
August. They are 6-8, and have been
underperforming in every series. They
have the occasional outbursts like Saturday night, but they have not been able
to sustain any success. If the Tampa Bay
Rays didn’t encounter their own struggles, they most likely would be in first
place today. As it is, they are just one
game behind the Yankees after another solid performance by Jeremy Hellickson, a
native Iowan like myself. If the Yankees
don’t kick it into gear soon, they’ll be left to fight for Wild Card
scraps. The team is certainly capable of
getting on a roll and reeling off 10 straight victories, so the sooner the
better.
I was afraid that today was going to feature a
sluggish Yankee performance. I was
reading the LoHud Yankees blog before the game, and they posted a report that
it was a lazy Sunday morning in the clubhouse with absolutely nothing going on. To me, that translated to a lack of energy
and the team was just ready to board the plane to return home. Unfortunately, it showed up in how they
played today against the Royals. Nothing
against Bullington, he pitched a great game, but then again, he had a receptive
audience… L
Now, the Yankees head home to face former teammates
Johnny Damon and Austin Jackson, and the Detroit Tigers. If they play like they played in Kansas City,
the results won’t be favorable.
AP
I am not a fan of the Boston Red Sox (obviously),
however, I am glad to see that Dustin Pedroia will return to second base for
the Sox on Tuesday night. He will also
be celebrating his 27th birthday, so birthday wishes are in order
for the Sox warrior. I certainly do not
want to see the Sox get on a roll, but it will be good to see Pedey back at
second for “those” guys.
Jim Davis/Boston Globe
Somewhere my friend Julia is on vacation and loving
every minute of today’s Yankees loss…
Enjoy Pedey’s birthday, Julia…
–Scott
The Machine is Moving Again!…
When the season started, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes were 4th and 5th in the starting rotation. It’s the 2nd of June, and both pitchers stand with 7-1 marks. Given the struggles that Javier Vazquez has experienced and to a lesser degree, A.J. Burnett and CC Sabathia, Pettitte and Hughes are the primary reasons the Yankees are in the thick of the AL East chase. With Vazquez starting to pitch much better and knowing that Burnett and Sabathia will come around, the pitching potential for the remainder of the year is very bright.
Today’s game was an all-around team effort as most of the starters played a role in scoring. Mark Teixeira was 0-for-5 but it was a success to have him on the field given the ball he took off the foot yesterday causing him to exit that game prematurely. Hughes went 7 innings, giving up 6 hits while striking out 7 in the 9-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles. Chad Gaudin pitched 2 innings of scoreless relief.
The game also marked the return of Jorge Posada who was penciled in at DH. Posada was 1-for-3 with a run scored.
The hitting star of the game was, of course, Robinson Cano. Robby went 3-for-4 with 2 RBI’s. He also hit his 12th home run of the season in the 7th inning. He is batting .373 for the season and has been superb batting 5th behind Alex Rodriguez in the batting order.
Both Boston and Tampa won again tonight? Bummer!
In a statement of the obvious, Armando Galarraga of the Detroit Tigers threw the third perfect game of the season even if the record books won’t show it. Unfortunately, first base umpire Jim Joyce blew a call in the 9th inning when he ruled Cleveland’s Jason Donald safe at first even though Miguel Cabrera’s toss to Galarraga beat Donald to the bag. Galarraga settled for the one-hitter, but it was the perfect game with the imperfect umpire. “I just cost that kid a perfect game,” the ump said after the game. “I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw, until I saw the replay.”
I was saddened to see Ken Griffey, Jr.’s decision to retire today. Until he left Seattle for Cincinnati, Junior was on track to have a historic career. Injuries took their toll on Griffey during the Cincinnati years and he was never the same. He departs with 630 career home runs, but he would have been in the land of Ruth, Aaron and Bonds had he stayed healthy. I wish Junior the very best in his post-playing career. Thanks for the memories!
Well, it is once again time for another wager with Julia of Julia’s Rants. We had hoped for a Stanley Cup Final involving her Boston Bruins and my San Jose Sharks. However, both teams fell victim to the number 4 in their respective conference finals. The Sharks were swept 4 games to none by the Chicago Blackhawks, while the Bruins blew a 3 games to none lead on the Philadelphia Flyers. Nevertheless, our respective NBA teams have made it to the finals so it gives us the opportunity to place another bet. Besides Julia needs a team other than the Red Sox if she ever hopes to win a wager again! 
Seriously, if the Boston Celtics win the championship, I will be the not-so-proud recipient of a Celtic championship t-shirt and of course proof will have to appear on my blog. If the Los Angeles Lakers win, Julia will be seen wearing a purple and gold championship Lakers t-shirt. For me, this is about revenge given the Lakers’ loss to the Celtics two years ago. Kobe Bryant has had a tremendous career, but he needs a championship victory over Boston to add to his legacy. So, here’s hoping that Kobe and the gang are victorious in their championship drive! Let’s go Lakers!
–Scott
Motor City Misery…
The string comes unwound…
The Yankees had been successful in every season series this year except for their trip to Anaheim, CA, but the string of success came to a resounding thud in Detroit. The Tigers were victorious in winning 3 of 4 games against the Yankees.
Sancya/AP
The Tigers took a close game on Monday, 5-4, when a late Yankees rally fell short. Tuesday was rained out, so the team played two the next day. Despite a strong performance by Javier Vazquez (his best of the season, by far), the Yanks fell 2-0 in the first game. They rebounded in the nightcap behind a very strong performance by Phil Hughes, which is rapidly becoming “the norm” for #65. The game was close most of the way until the Yankees scored 6 runs in the 9th to win, 8-0.
Burleson/AP
In the getaway game, the Yanks were shut out for the second time in three games, 6-0. The game was highlighted by a disappointing outing by CC Sabathia.
Burleson/AP
Tonight, the Yankees are back in the Bronx for a weekend series against the Minnesota Twins.
As it stands right now, I am concerned about the team. Andy Pettitte pitches on Saturday and there is uncertainty regarding his health. He has missed a start due to elbow stiffness and it would not be realistic to expect his high level of performance in April to continue.
The rainout in Detroit, forcing Javier Vazquez to pitch on Wednesday, has pushed Javy’s next start back a day so Sergio Mitre will start Sunday against the Twins.
My biggest concern is the ongoing health challenges the team has faced. For awhile, it seemed as though every win was accompanied by an injury. I know the Yankees spare no expense, but at times, I do wonder about the team’s strength and conditioning program. It is a completely unsubstantiated remark, but the constant little injuries do make you wonder what the cause might be.
Curtis Granderson is eligible to come off the DL on Monday, but he has yet to begin running again. He is scheduled to do some light running this weekend, and has been vigorously working out. However, if he hasn’t started running, it does not appear he’ll be back immediately. Nothing against Marcus Thames, Randy Winn or Greg Golson, but I’d prefer to see those guys coming off the bench…not starting in the outfield.
Other Yankees have been dinged up…Jorge Posada, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano, Mariano Rivera, et al. Chan Ho Park and Alfredo Aceves are on the DL with Granderson, although Park is expected back soon.
A trip to October always includes a bit of luck so hopefully the Yanks will be able to overcome these string of injuries without losing too much ground to the Tampa Bay Rays…or let the dreaded Boston Red Sox catch up.
On the bright side (for me), the San Jose Sharks will soon begin the Western Conference Finals against the Chicago Blackhawks for the right to advance to the Stanley Cup. I had hoped for a Stanley Cup collision against my friend, Julia, but unfortunately, her Boston Bruins let a 3 games to none lead slip away. That also included a 3-0 lead in Game 7. So close Julia, “but so far away”. Sorry, my friend. At least we still have hope in the NBA play-offs as the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics are in their respective conference finals. So, we’ll have to hope for Lakers-Celtics in the finals, with a Sharks-Bruins match-up just a dream for future years.
The Battle of Beantown, Part II…
Bring out the broom…
The Baltimore Orioles have proven to be very challenging for the Yankees in recent years. The Orioles are one of the AL’s young and improving teams, and they’ll be a force to be reckoned with in the not-so-distant future. Despite the slow start, the Orioles came into the Bronx fresh off a weekend sweep of the Boston Red Sox. But pitching prevailed as the Yankees completed a three game sweep before heading to Boston for their own weekend series against the Red Sox.
Antonelli/NY Daily News
I’d love to think that…if the Orioles can sweep the Red Sox and the Yankees can sweep the Orioles, then surely the Yankees can… Oh well, one can dream! It should be a fun series at Fenway Park.
After the Yankees picked up wins in the first two games against Baltimore behind the pitching of CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett, I was somewhat concerned that the Yankees would be caught looking ahead to the weekend on “getaway day”. Thanks to homers by Nicks Johnson and Swisher, Andy Pettitte was staked to an early 6-1 lead but he departed in the 5th inning due to a stiff elbow. An MRI later revealed mild inflammation in his left elbow, and he is expected to miss his next start. With Mariano Rivera still out and Joba Chamberlain unavailable after two consecutive nights of work, the game was left in the hands of the bullpen. Baltimore mounted a rally against the relief corps, but the Yankees held on for the 7-5 win. Alfredo Aceves picked up the save.
Christopher Pasatieri/Newsday/MCT
The Yankees have definitely dealt with their share of injuries lately. Fortunately, only one player was hurt enough for placement on the DL (Curtis Granderson; strained groin). The others, like Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera, have simply taken a few days off. The Yankees will most likely skip Pettitte’s next start as a precautionary measure, but hopefully, Posada and Rivera will be ready for action on Friday night.
With the Yankees headed for Boston, it can only mean one thing…for me, anyway. It’s time for my latest battle against Julia of Julia’s Rants! This time, we’ve decided to make the loser go on a journey to find an inexpensive piece of memorabilia about the ‘other’ team. It can’t be something that is current and easy to find. Part of the loser’s obligation will be to document their journey by photographs in the quest. The loser will have until the end of Memorial Day Weekend to complete their adventure. It should be a very fun time for Julia as she explores Boston for Yankees paraphernalia! Hey Julia, Game On! J
Speaking of the Red Sox, they did the classy thing and had Nomar Garciaparra Day today at Fenway Park against the Los Angeles Angels. Despite the 2004 trade and Nomar’s subsequent stays in Chicago, Los Angeles and Oakland, he remains a fan favorite in Boston and the city was allowed to express their love and respect for a great former Red Sox player. A very nice touch by the Red Sox organization…
Boston Globe Staff
I’d also like to pay respects to the late great Ernie Harwell. The long-time Detroit Tigers announcer lost his battle with cancer at age 92. I may not have been a Tigers fan, but I was…correction, I am…an Ernie Harwell fan. For a wonderful tribute to one of the game’s greatest, you don’t have to go any further than Mitch Albom’s column in the Detroit Free Press. His column entitled ‘Ernie Harwell: Gone now, but not forgotten’ is a must-read.
Daniel Mears/The Detroit News
So, Julia‘s Boston Bruins and my San Jose Sharks are both a game away for their respective conference finals. Both teams hold commanding 3 games to none leads in their current series, the Sharks against the Detroit Red Wings and the Bruins against the Philadelphia Flyers. A Stanley Cup is not a certainty by any stretch as both teams still have to a) win their current series, and b) win the conference finals. But here’s at least one person hoping for a match-up against the great Ranter from Massachusetts! Hey Julia, Games on!
Carlos Osorio/AP
Mr. Personality…
The Bully has spoken…
WFAN
As much as I love the Yankees and support their right to spend whatever is necessary to win, I admittedly have trouble warming up to Yankees president Randy Levine. I agree with Levine’s words: “We play by all the rules and there doesn’t seem to be any complaints when teams such as the Brewers receive hundreds of millions of dollars that they get from us in revenue sharing the last few years. Take some of that money that you get from us and use that to sign your players”, Levine said in an interview with ESPNNewYork.com in response to Milwaukee owner Mark Attanasio’s ongoing complaints about how much the Yankees spend. Per ESPN, the Yankees have paid out nearly $175 million in the last 7 years (92% of the total revenue sharing that has been paid out to teams).
I agree, in principle, with everything Levine has said, but he still comes across as a big bully. I don’t follow the business side of the Yankees as much as I do the playing side so maybe I just don’t know Levine. Or maybe this truly is the real Levine. Either way, I am not a fan of his…
After failing to see the much-needed clutch hit during Sunday night’s loss to the Red Sox, I could not help but notice Monday’s box scores:
Johnny Damon, Detroit Tigers (8-4 win over the Kansas City Royals)
2 hits (including a double); 2 runs; and 2 RBI’s
John Sleezer/McClatchy-Tribune
Hideki Matsui, Los Angeles Angels (6-3 win over the Minnesota Twins)
2 hits (including a solo home run); 1 run; and 2 RBI’s
Rose Palmisano/The Orange County Register
The four RBI’s could have come in very handy on Sunday night!
At least Melky Cabrera went 0-for-5 for the Atlanta Braves. Well, he did score a run. Ugh!
AP
The Yankees captured their first win of the season with a 6-4 victory in Boston. The win evens the series, and sets up the getaway game as the deciding game in my latest wager with Julia of Julia’s Rants. It should be a great game with Andy Pettitte facing new Red Sox pitcher John Lackey. Hopefully, I will be arranging for the shipment of a book to the Boston area so that a friend of mine can begin her book assignment!
In tonight’s game, Nick Johnson did EXACTLY what he was signed to do…get on base. With the bases loaded in the 8th and the score tied 4-4, Nick worked a walk to bring in the go-ahead run. Robinson Cano added an insurance run with a solo homer in the 9th, but Nick Johnson was definitely the key to the rally.
Joba Chamberlain showed me that he is the 8th inning set up guy, and Mariano Rivera proved, yet again, he is a legend in our midst. I am sure it will be a very sad day when Mo walks off the mound for the final time. I have been very proud of him all these years, and he probably is my favorite Yankee.
It was not a great night for Boston’s Jon Lester but I am convinced this will be a big year for him. I may not be a Red Sox fan but I am a Jon Lester fan. Beckett and Lackey? Not so much…
Elsa/Getty Images
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