Today was a long day at work, and unfortunately I don't have a Yankee game to blame my not going to the gym on this evening. That means I'm going to have to go, and I don't want to go. Off days suck, but I know for the players they are crucial. Being gone from their families for so long, I'm sure is really tough, and a day off could mean spending time with the kids, the wife, or if you're Jeter, assorted actresses.
There are a few interesting happenings going on right now, including the arrival of Kei Igawa. The question was asked in one of the comment sections if there was anyone else they could bring up in place of him. Its a valid question since Igawa has been less than inspiring in his time with the Yankees. Right now, he stands with a 3.86 ERA with a 3-3 record and 40 strikeouts in 39.2 innings in Triple A, issuing 12 walks. 12 walks to 40 strikeouts is not bad, and really, his propensity to walk hitters was really the big problem. Will Igawa throw strikes at the big league level? And if he does will those strikes get hit for homeruns? I suppose we'll have to find out.
Some of the other options include the following:
Triple A
Dan Giese - 1.35 ERA, 1-0 record, 23 strikeouts and 6 walks in 26.2 innings. He was moved to the rotation in Scranton.
Steven White - 3.21 ERA, 2-1 record, 29 strikeouts and 14 walks in 33.2 innings.
Double A
Chase Wright - 2.95 ERA, 4-1 record, 27 strikeouts and 9 walks in 42.2 innings.
Jason Jones - 2.19 ERA, 4-0 record, 16 strikeouts and 10 walks in 37 innings.
Daniel McCutchen - 2.33 ERA, 3-2 record, 39 strikeouts and 8 walks in 38.2 innings.
George Kontos - 3.52 ERA, 0-3 record, 22 strikeouts and 15 walks in 30.2 innings.
Alan Horne would have been an intriguing option at this point, but he's injured. I tend to shy away from the Double A guys unless they're absolutely dominant. We all know what happened when Chase Wright came up last year. Dan Giese has the best numbers, but do you really want him starting a game for the Yankees?
The Yankees have to give Igawa every chance to succeed. They have 4 more years and $16 million more dollars to pay out on top of the $26 million posting fee they already paid. If he can catch on and pitch a good season like Aaron Small did in 2005, then maybe they'll consider the contract worthwhile. Will he pitch as good as Small did in 2005? I have my doubts.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Yankees Welcome Back Rasner With Offensive Surge
The Good
Rasner was pretty darn good. He gave the Yankees 6 innings of 2 run ball and 4 strikeouts. What was even more impressive was the 0 walks he gave up. Being the soft tosser that he is, he can tend to nibble and put a lot of guys on base. At least the old Rasner used to do that. Jeter had 4 hits, Abreu had 3 hits, and both Damon and Matsui had 2 a piece. Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homerun, which was followed by a Robinson Cano solo shot. Ohlendorf-Farnsworth-Rivera closed out the game with 3 scoreless innings, which makes the bullpen look a little better when Chamberlain leaves.
The Bad
Giambi had an 0-2 night with a walk and an RBI. He's at least helping the team somewhat, but he's still struggling at the plate. His strikeout was pretty bad.
The Ugly
The umpire's call in Shelley Duncan's pinch hit at bat was awful. After working a full count he took a pitch at shin level that was called a strike. Horrible call.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. The C&C boys continued on their quest to conquer Derek Jeter's single season homerun record set by Derek Jeter. They each hit a round tripper putting them one homerun closer to their goal:
Melky Cabrera 6hr = $6.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 4hr = $4.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 3hr = $3.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $32.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
Rasner was pretty darn good. He gave the Yankees 6 innings of 2 run ball and 4 strikeouts. What was even more impressive was the 0 walks he gave up. Being the soft tosser that he is, he can tend to nibble and put a lot of guys on base. At least the old Rasner used to do that. Jeter had 4 hits, Abreu had 3 hits, and both Damon and Matsui had 2 a piece. Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homerun, which was followed by a Robinson Cano solo shot. Ohlendorf-Farnsworth-Rivera closed out the game with 3 scoreless innings, which makes the bullpen look a little better when Chamberlain leaves.
The Bad
Giambi had an 0-2 night with a walk and an RBI. He's at least helping the team somewhat, but he's still struggling at the plate. His strikeout was pretty bad.
The Ugly
The umpire's call in Shelley Duncan's pinch hit at bat was awful. After working a full count he took a pitch at shin level that was called a strike. Horrible call.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. The C&C boys continued on their quest to conquer Derek Jeter's single season homerun record set by Derek Jeter. They each hit a round tripper putting them one homerun closer to their goal:
Melky Cabrera 6hr = $6.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 4hr = $4.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 3hr = $3.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $32.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
The House That Ruth Built
I was at the stadium for the last three innings of today's game, which was kind of pointless since we got there just as Johnny Damon hit his two run homerun. By the time we sat down the Yanks had a 6-1 lead and it was time to watch assorted relievers try to keep the mariners to four runs or less. I'll say this about Edwar Ramirez, the kid loves to pitch. You may think he's ineffective, walking two batters and all, but he just didn't want the inning to end. If he strikes those guys out, he's in the dugout for the rest of the game. He wanted to pitch and so ensured himself a 40 pitch inning. Give credit where credit is due people, he loves the game.
Was it cold at the stadium? It wasn't so bad, but we were in the upper tier and there was a fair amount of wind, and pigeons. Some poor girl decided to head down the seats after the game instead of taking the stairs, lost her footing and tumbled a few rows. That is a terrible way to end the day at the ball park. She seemed pretty shaken up and as we left she was still surrounded by her friends/family as she stayed sitting where she landed. Hopefully she's okay.
There's not much else to report from the goings on. I think the only bad thing about going to the stadium is as you walk out you inevitably end up behind some guy smoking. If you're a smoker, please realize that just because you're outside doesn't mean you're not an utter nuisance to everyone around you. That's my rant for the day, back to my paper on a medieval mystic.
Was it cold at the stadium? It wasn't so bad, but we were in the upper tier and there was a fair amount of wind, and pigeons. Some poor girl decided to head down the seats after the game instead of taking the stairs, lost her footing and tumbled a few rows. That is a terrible way to end the day at the ball park. She seemed pretty shaken up and as we left she was still surrounded by her friends/family as she stayed sitting where she landed. Hopefully she's okay.
There's not much else to report from the goings on. I think the only bad thing about going to the stadium is as you walk out you inevitably end up behind some guy smoking. If you're a smoker, please realize that just because you're outside doesn't mean you're not an utter nuisance to everyone around you. That's my rant for the day, back to my paper on a medieval mystic.
Yankees Take Two From Mariners
The Good
Damon and Jeter both had 3 hits a piece with Damon hitting a 2-run homerun. Abreu, Matsui and Cabrera all had a pair of hits and each knocked in a run. The story of this game has to be Mike Mussina though. 6 innings, 1 run, 5 strikeouts, no walks. The only run he gave up was manufactured when Betancourt hit a single, stole second, and scored off a single by Ichiro. In the 6th, Mussina struck out Ibanez, Clement, and Sexson, some of the Mariners better hitters, to close out the inning, and he did so working around a throwing error by Ensberg. He left after throwing 84 pitches. Hawkins-Ramirez-Veras pitched a combined 3 innings of scoreless relief, with Hawkins working around a throwing error by Jeter. Molina broke out of his hitless streak going 1-3 today with a walk.
The Bad
Well, a throwing error by Jeter and a throwing error by Ensberg. Also, Ramirez was not sharp. Although he pitched a scoreless inning, he walked Ibanez on 4 pitches, and then walked Beltre after working a full count. He got up to a full count with Clement before striking him out with the 10th pitch of the at-bat. It took him 28 pitches for that one inning.
The Ugly
Cano seems unable to break out. He had an 0-3 night with one intentional walk. Giambi had the same line, only his walk wasn't intentional. Those two are batting .150 and .154 respectively. Ensberg also went 0-4, and was actually the player the Mariners intentionally walked Cano to get to. He's batting .218 on the season.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. Johnny Damon hit his 4th homerun of the season as he continues on his quest for his first 30 homerun season:
Melky Cabrera 5hr = $5.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 4hr = $4.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 2hr = $2.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $30.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
Damon and Jeter both had 3 hits a piece with Damon hitting a 2-run homerun. Abreu, Matsui and Cabrera all had a pair of hits and each knocked in a run. The story of this game has to be Mike Mussina though. 6 innings, 1 run, 5 strikeouts, no walks. The only run he gave up was manufactured when Betancourt hit a single, stole second, and scored off a single by Ichiro. In the 6th, Mussina struck out Ibanez, Clement, and Sexson, some of the Mariners better hitters, to close out the inning, and he did so working around a throwing error by Ensberg. He left after throwing 84 pitches. Hawkins-Ramirez-Veras pitched a combined 3 innings of scoreless relief, with Hawkins working around a throwing error by Jeter. Molina broke out of his hitless streak going 1-3 today with a walk.
The Bad
Well, a throwing error by Jeter and a throwing error by Ensberg. Also, Ramirez was not sharp. Although he pitched a scoreless inning, he walked Ibanez on 4 pitches, and then walked Beltre after working a full count. He got up to a full count with Clement before striking him out with the 10th pitch of the at-bat. It took him 28 pitches for that one inning.
The Ugly
Cano seems unable to break out. He had an 0-3 night with one intentional walk. Giambi had the same line, only his walk wasn't intentional. Those two are batting .150 and .154 respectively. Ensberg also went 0-4, and was actually the player the Mariners intentionally walked Cano to get to. He's batting .218 on the season.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. Johnny Damon hit his 4th homerun of the season as he continues on his quest for his first 30 homerun season:
Melky Cabrera 5hr = $5.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 4hr = $4.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 2hr = $2.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $30.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Phil Hughes Injured and Blind
So it turns out Hughes had a legitimate reason for why he hasn't been so sharp lately. Turns out, he has a fractured rib, and though I'm not a medical expert, I suspect that may have hindered his pitching. It also appears that Hughes is near-sighted and needs glasses. Further more, Hughes discovered that he's actually left handed, and has been pitching with his non-dominant hand all this time. It really does make his recent outings that much more impressive.
Now if Ian Kennedy can discover that he's been pitching on a broken leg, and is legally blind in one eye, then I think this rotation is back on track.
Now if Ian Kennedy can discover that he's been pitching on a broken leg, and is legally blind in one eye, then I think this rotation is back on track.
Yankees Beat Mariners
The Good
Wang is amazing. That is his 6th win of the season as he threw 6 innings of 1 run ball, striking out 5. Farnsworth-Chamberlain-Rivera finished the game off with 3 scoreless innings. Farnsworth was especially impressive with 2 strikeouts in his inning of work. Melky hit a 2-run double with Ensberg and Matsui knocking in runs of their own.
The Bad
Jeter went 0-4, though he did score a run. Molina was 0-3 but had a sac fly. All in all, not a bad game.
The Ugly
Bedard gave up two unearned runs and took the loss, but his final line was 7 innings with 1 earned run. Technically a better outing than Wang who did get the win. I guess its not as bad as Roy Halladay pitching 3 complete games and losing 2 of them. That guys on the wrong team.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. 5 runs tonight, but none off a long ball. Maybe tomorrow:
Melky Cabrera 5hr = $5.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 3hr = $3.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 2hr = $2.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $29.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
Wang is amazing. That is his 6th win of the season as he threw 6 innings of 1 run ball, striking out 5. Farnsworth-Chamberlain-Rivera finished the game off with 3 scoreless innings. Farnsworth was especially impressive with 2 strikeouts in his inning of work. Melky hit a 2-run double with Ensberg and Matsui knocking in runs of their own.
The Bad
Jeter went 0-4, though he did score a run. Molina was 0-3 but had a sac fly. All in all, not a bad game.
The Ugly
Bedard gave up two unearned runs and took the loss, but his final line was 7 innings with 1 earned run. Technically a better outing than Wang who did get the win. I guess its not as bad as Roy Halladay pitching 3 complete games and losing 2 of them. That guys on the wrong team.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. 5 runs tonight, but none off a long ball. Maybe tomorrow:
Melky Cabrera 5hr = $5.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 3hr = $3.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 2hr = $2.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $29.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
You Would Not Imagine Who I Saw Yesterday
Last night, while I watched the Yankees play something that loosely resembled baseball, I decided to switch over to the Red Sox & Blue Jays game to see how it was going. It was the 9th inning and who should I see pitching if not Toronto's closer BJ Ryan. For those who don't know, BJ Ryan had Tommy John performed last June and missed the rest of last season. He was activated this season and pitched in his first game on April 13. Since then, he's pitched in 6 games, recording 8 strikeouts in 6 innings, with 3 saves and has yet to allow an earned run. He used to throw in the mid-nineties, but was consistently around 90 mph yesterday. You're probably wondering why this matters. Well I just recalled that we also had a pitcher who had Tommy John performed last June. The only difference is he's not pitching yet. In fact, he's expected to miss the whole season as he recovers from the surgery.
Have you ever misplaced $41.95 million? Must suck.
Have you ever misplaced $41.95 million? Must suck.
Betemit Rehabbing Eye Injury
Wilson Betemit was placed on the 15 day DL some time back with what was believed to be pink eye. It turned out to be corneal ulcers. His recovery from such an injury has been grueling, but he continues to make strides.
"When I bat from the right side, my eyes are okay, but when I bat from the left, they start hurting." Explained Betemit. "I've been doing a lot of eye exercises to stregthen the muscles around the cornea, which my doctors say will help stabilize the injury."
Doctors have referred to Betemit's injury as a "mild strain" of the cornea, suffered from trying to track fast moving objects across his plane of vision. Betemit further excarbated the issue by trying to switch hit.
"Baseballs were moving really fast from the right side, then they were moving really fast from the left. Then suddenly there's a curveball in the dirt, and my eyes have to look down really quick. That's when I heard something in my eye snap, and it hurt to look at things."
Betemit tried to play through the injury, but the pain was effecting his play. Yankee officials claim that they never saw a decrease in production from Betemit, but more like a continuation of his lack of production and never suspected an injury.
"We appreciate Betemit trying to play through his injury." Said general manager Brian Cashman. "But I think we can all agree that having Betemit on the DL is better for the team. We don't want him back until he's completely healthy. In fact, he should take a couple weeks after the recovery for mental health. Take a vacation if you will."
"When I bat from the right side, my eyes are okay, but when I bat from the left, they start hurting." Explained Betemit. "I've been doing a lot of eye exercises to stregthen the muscles around the cornea, which my doctors say will help stabilize the injury."
Doctors have referred to Betemit's injury as a "mild strain" of the cornea, suffered from trying to track fast moving objects across his plane of vision. Betemit further excarbated the issue by trying to switch hit.
"Baseballs were moving really fast from the right side, then they were moving really fast from the left. Then suddenly there's a curveball in the dirt, and my eyes have to look down really quick. That's when I heard something in my eye snap, and it hurt to look at things."
Betemit tried to play through the injury, but the pain was effecting his play. Yankee officials claim that they never saw a decrease in production from Betemit, but more like a continuation of his lack of production and never suspected an injury.
"We appreciate Betemit trying to play through his injury." Said general manager Brian Cashman. "But I think we can all agree that having Betemit on the DL is better for the team. We don't want him back until he's completely healthy. In fact, he should take a couple weeks after the recovery for mental health. Take a vacation if you will."
Yankees Swept By Detroit
The Good
Jeter and Abreu both had 2 hit games with Abreu hitting a 3-run homerun in the first inning of the game. Shelley Duncan knocked in his first run of the season. Britton pitched a scoreless 2.2 innings, though at that point the Tigers seemed eager to get the game over with.
The Bad
Ian Kennedy lasted 4.2 innings and gave up 4 runs. Not to be out done, Jonathan Albaladejo gave up 4 runs in 1.2 innings. The Yankee offense waisted several opportunities to score as has been the case all season.
The Ugly
Last night's loss means a sweep. The Yankee offense finds 2 run leads insurmountable, and there is just no fight left in this team. With the rotation we have, it seems like the team needs two long relievers, and Albaladejo shouldn't be one of them. After tonight, I find it hard to believe that Kennedy gets his next start, but I also don't know who they'll replace him with.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. Last night, Bobby Abreu hit one out to support the cause:
Melky Cabrera 5hr = $5.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 3hr = $3.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 2hr = $2.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $29.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
Jeter and Abreu both had 2 hit games with Abreu hitting a 3-run homerun in the first inning of the game. Shelley Duncan knocked in his first run of the season. Britton pitched a scoreless 2.2 innings, though at that point the Tigers seemed eager to get the game over with.
The Bad
Ian Kennedy lasted 4.2 innings and gave up 4 runs. Not to be out done, Jonathan Albaladejo gave up 4 runs in 1.2 innings. The Yankee offense waisted several opportunities to score as has been the case all season.
The Ugly
Last night's loss means a sweep. The Yankee offense finds 2 run leads insurmountable, and there is just no fight left in this team. With the rotation we have, it seems like the team needs two long relievers, and Albaladejo shouldn't be one of them. After tonight, I find it hard to believe that Kennedy gets his next start, but I also don't know who they'll replace him with.
Respect Jeter's Gangster is for the Children
The "Respect Jeter's Gangster" blog joined Johnny Damon's homerun club, which raises money for the Children's Health Fund. We are pledged to donate $1.00 for every homerun the Yankees hit this season. We will keep a running tally of the homeruns hit and the money donated throughout the season. Last night, Bobby Abreu hit one out to support the cause:
Melky Cabrera 5hr = $5.00
Alex Rodriguez 4hr = $4.00
Hideki Matsui 3 hr = $3.00
Bobby Abreu 4hr = $4.00
Jorge Posada 1hr = $1.00
Jason Giambi 5hr = $5.00
Johnny Damon 3hr = $3.00
Morgan Ensberg 1hr = $1.00
Robinson Cano 2hr = $2.00
Chad Moeller 1hr = $1.00
Total = $29.00
If you are interested in Johnny Damon's Homerun Club or the Children's Health Fund you can find links to both at the top right hand corner of our page.
Kennedy Pitches a Gem . . . For the Tigers
So Ian Kennedy did what he does best last night, spare the bullpen from having a day off. I didn't really bother to study the box before writing this but I assume he went something like 3.2 innings with 130 pitches thrown and 9 runs. That's more or less the pattern with Kennedy. It's strategy really, you lull them with a first pitch ball, then you blow a second pitch ball right by them. They never see it coming. Will Kennedy eventually live up to expectations? Well, based on the number 5 guys we've had in the last few years (Wright, Igawa) Kennedy has actually exceeded expectations. He is by far our best 5th starter since that first game Al Leiter pitched against the Red Sox when we signed him to a three week contract in 2005. So if you run into Ian Kennedy, ask him how the Shrivers are doing, and then congratulate him on his fine season thus far.
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