Thursday, April 29, 2010

A.J. and Cano- Don't Ya Know?



A.J. Burnett and Robinson Cano helped the Yankees salvage an up-and-down road trip. Somehow, despite a lackluster offense and an unfair schedule, the Yankees finish a 9-game trip to California and Baltimore with a 5-4 record, and they now finally head home to Yankee Stadium. Aside from Phil Hughes' and C.C. Sabathia's near no-hitters, A.J. Burnett's start tonight was the best of the young season for the Bombers. Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez made small offensive contributions in the first inning, but Robinson Cano continues to carry the offense. And in STUNNING news, Marcus Thames has finally broken even. He has now driven in as many runs as he has cost while playing left field. I think DHing against left-handers is just fine for my boy Marcus.

I honestly did not get a chance to see much of today's game, but I heard some classic lines from John and Suzyn over the airwaves in the seventh and eighth innings. First, John decided to use up an entire half inning to tell a story about Ralph Branca warming up in the bullpen before giving up Bobby Thompson's homer in 1951. Apparently Clem Labine was bouncing his curveball in the 'pen next to Branca, so John needed to tell that story after A.J. Burnett bounced a couple of curves to Ty Wigginton. Also, Suzyn was very disappointed with the Yankees' schedule, stating that even though the Yankees are heading home this weekend, the next road trip is "closely lurking behind." I didn't realize their jobs were so difficult.

For my loyal leaders, I must warn you that I will be out of state this weekend, so blog posts will be either rare, or non-existent. Tonight's game (a near must win) turned the trip into a solid one. Anytime you have a record over .500 on a trip that includes a West Coast swing, you smile and try to dominate at home. It's not the Yankees fault that the Rays are constantly home, and pounding the opposition. Looking ahead, the Yankees are still at a .667 pace, but the biggest game of this weekend will take place on Saturday, when the struggling Javier Vazquez takes on the White Sox and the Mouth of Ozzie Guillen.

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Clueless Joe



Last night's game represented everything that's wrong with the 2010 Yankees: their lack of clutch hitting, weak offensive production from the outfield, the bullpen, and the most important part: their manager. With a team like Tampa Bay in your division, this is one of the series you have to sweep. Instead, the hapless Yankees will now have to scratch out some runs and pray that they can take a series against the worst team in the American League.

Brian Cashman did a horrible job putting this team together by not bringing back Johnny Damon. If Nick Johnson (who doesn't swing) gets hurt, which he usually does, Brett Gardner bats second in the lineup. Brett Gardner is nothing more than a solid AAA player. He has no business being in the big leagues. Randy Winn might be better as a 40 and over softball player than a baseball player. And I don't care if Nick Swisher is everyone's friend. It's tough to win when your outfield hits under .250 for the season.

And let's talk about the top of the batting order. It was great to see Mark Teixeira get a seeing eye single in the ninth inning to drive in a run. Tex and A-Rod have to start swinging for the fences; no more of these pathetic ground balls. It's also time for Derek Jeter to start getting some clutch hits. He must lead all of baseball in ground balls to the shortstop position. Everyone keeps saying that Cano is really on a tear- but it's only when the bases are empty. Bases loaded early on? Cano flies out to right field.

Joe Girardi ruined the game by pulling Phil Hughes after he retired the first two batters in the fifth inning. His pitch count was absolutely getting up there, but I don't see the need to start playing match-ups in the sixth inning. One more out and the game completely changes. Instead, Boone Logan does his best Damaso Marte impression, walking a lefty. Then Girardi comes out again and gets Robertson, who compeltely implodes, starting by plunking the DANGEROUS Ty Wigginton on an 0-2 pitch. The Yankees didn't even wake up until the ninth inning thanks to an error by whoever plays shortstop for the Orioles.

You can play the what if game if you want. If Jeter and Posada did not contribute embarrassing errors in the top of the ninth, maybe the Yankees end up tying the game and getting a dramatic victory. But it shouldn't even come to that. Girardi doesn't manage on instinct. He manages with his stupid book of statistics, and he's worried about getting second-guessed. Instead, he's looked like a complete idiot in the Yankees' last two games. Joe Girardi never made the Yankees a winner. The Yankees made Joe Girardi a World Champion.

Someone really needs to question Brian Cashman's offseason moves. Anyone miss Melky Cabrera yet? You might even rather have Cabrera than Granderson, who hasn't hit a homer since his dramatic bomb off of Jonathan Papelbon weeks ago. Instead of Cabrera, they picked up Boone Logan, who walks left-handed batters, and Javier Vazquez, who is nothing more than a decent National League pitcher. All in all, people have to be questioned. There's no excuse for losing any games to the Baltimore Orioles and a bunch of relievers with enormous ERA's. Then again, aside from Mariano Rivera, what exactly are the 2010 New York Yankees?

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Exposing Our Weaknesses



Earlier in the season, this blog called for Brian Cashman to give Yankee fans an explanation. We are still waiting to hear his reasoning for trading the clutch Melky Cabrera for Javier Vazquez, but now I want more answers from the man they call Cash Money. Why did the Yankees sign the injury-prone Nick Johnson, who is out with a stiff back? I'm not quite sure why Nick Johnson has a stiff back...maybe from just standing around at home plate while pitches go by.

I'd also like an explanation as to why we traded three players: Austin Jackson, Phil Coke, and Ian Kennedy, for Curtis Granderson. Jackson, a young centerfielder with a lot of promise, hit his fifth double and first homer today against Texas. Curtis Granderson hit two homers against Boston in April, and has done absolutely nothing since. As we've seen in his career, Granderson is back down to .250, which we should get used to from the Yankees' outfield. Marcus Thames can hit, but the guy looks like an overweight softball player in left field. Again, questionable offseason moves made by Cashman and the Yankees.

Nice managing by Joe Girardi today. This is typical of what he did in the post-season. Girardi is not a great manager. He got lucky using three starters last October and November. Today, after Javier Vazquez once again proved why he can't pitch in the American League, Girardi let Alfredo Aceves pitch. Aceves retired five batters in a row, but for some reason, he was lifted for Damaso Marte. Marte, who already pitched yesterday, did his usual: walk, hit by pitch, fielder's choice, three run bomb. Game over. First series loss of the season.

The Yankees really do need to start hitting. Mark Teixeira continues to do nothing other than walk, and Alex Rodriguez still has just two homers. Where would this team be if Cano and Posada were not starting the season on an absolute tear? The team will enjoy an off day visiting Barack Obama Monday, followed by the Baltimore Orioles on Tuesday. Anything less than a sweep will be unacceptable, as the Orioles stand at 3-16. Then, believe it or not, the Yankees will enjoy some home games after their trip to Baltimore.

Bottom line: the team is still playing .667 baseball, averaging 2 out of 3 victories in each series. You play like that all year, you make the playoffs. Maybe not the division, based on how solid the Rays look, but you make the playoffs and you see what happens. It's really amazing that guys like Teixeira, Johnson, and Rodriguez haven't hit and the team is off to a good start for a change. It's also amazing that the team has lost 6 games on this young season, and Javier Vazquez is already 1-3. It's obvious that Cashman and the Yankee front office are sitting in Tampa resting on their laurels.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Not a Good Joba



The Yankees have lost two games in a row, but they remain at 11-5 despite having what is likely the toughest schedule in Major League Baseball. You've got the Yankees splitting the first four games of a West coast trip, and in Boston, you have Don Orsillo SCREAMING at the top of his lungs about a big 4-3 victory over the 2-15 Baltimore Orioles at Fenway Park. Big win for the BoSox after blowing a 3-0 lead in the eighth inning. On the other hand, A.J. Burnett, Mark Teixeira, and Joba Chamberlain all ensured that the Yankees suffered another meltdown at Angels Stadium.

I thought things were going well when the Yankees took an early third inning lead, but Mark Teixeira's dirty third inning collision at home plate fired up the Angels and even made the announcers question Teixeira's intentions. Teixeira also continues to look lost at home plate. He's not aggressive, he pops up to the left side of the infield, and he constantly leaves runners in scoring position. In another key situation, Brett Gardner popped up a sacrifice bunt attempt on a pitch over his head. These are things that simply do not happen when the Yankees play anywhere else. But against the Angels, you can bet your money that something bad will happen.

Joba Chamberlain looked like he had no business pitching in the eighth inning. Of course, Hideki Matsui came through with a leadoff single, and you had a feeling at that point that the game was not going to end up in the Yanks' favor. Ken Singleton and John Flaherty described Joba's pitch to Kendry Morales over and over again: "it was a slider that just spun." We get it guys...the pitch stayed up, and Morales hit it. He has great numbers against Joba. I was confused at the fact that Damaso Marte was never brought in to face anyone, including Matsui leading off the inning.

Today becomes a must win game. You don't want to extend a losing streak, and the Yankees still want a shot to win another series. There are always disasters in Angels Stadium. We'll see if the team can actually hit Joel Pineiro, which they failed to do at Yankee Stadium recently. Unfortunately, Pettitte is due for a bad start. There's no way the near 40 year old can turn in another stellar outing on the road, this time against the Angels. Or is there?

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Phil Comes Up Hughes



I'm tired and loading up on caffeine today. Why? Two words: Phil Hughes. The young California native was six outs away from a no-hitter last night and was absolutely masterful, keeping me up until 1:00 AM. Hughes and the Yankees continue to roll, already clinching their fifth straight series to begin the 2010 season. You have to wonder if last year's World Series took a world of pressure off this team, and they're just playing free and easy. I can't even remember a start as successful as this one.

Phil Hughes was dominant last night, bringing back memories of that tragic Texas evening in 2007 when he took a no-hitter into the seventh, only to pop his hamstring and put himself on the Disabled List. It really was memorable to see Hughes' parents in the stands, who made the trip to Oakland despite the bad weather forecast. I thought of Lou Gehrig's mother and father watching him play at Yankee Stadium. Phil apparently is telling this blog to shove it and that he deserves the fifth starter role. The way the season has gone after 14 games, I'd say he is the fourth starter who just happens to pitch the day after Vazquez.

One of the most amazing things about this team is the fact that they are 11-3 and their 2-3 hitters are both hitting way below .200. Sure, Nick Johnson walks more than anyone in baseball, but you'd think that he or Teixeira would like to get a base hit at some point. There's one other thing noticeable about this series on the West Coast: Michael Kay is not there. I'm sure it's too late at night for him, and it may negatively affect his radio show. So last night, it was just Phil Hughes on the hill, not PHIL YOOOOOOOUUUSSS.

Thank goodness for a day game today. The West Coast is swing is usually the time when I get sick during the season. Sweep the leg, C.C.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Prime Time



I thought I'd get in a post before tonight's Yankees-Athletics game because, quite frankly, now that I'm a working (and somewhat responsible) adult, I'm not going to be able to stay up until 1 AM watching a regular season game in April. Tonight, the NFL released its 2010 schedule, and as a Jets fan, I could not be more thrilled. Thanks to the charismatic Rex Ryan and the fantastic season the team had last year, the New York Jets have FIVE prime time games on their schedule: Baltimore and Miami in September, Minnesota in October, Cincinnati on Thanksgiving, and New England in December.

The Jets also picked up Jason Taylor today, who absolutely hates Jets fan, but who cares? Plenty of athletes have hated New York, shown up to play here, and succeeded. HBO is absolutely salivating at the idea of guys like Ryan, Taylor, Tomlinson, Holmes, Cromartie, Edwards, and even Sanchez on this year's edition of Hard Knocks. Finally, the Jets are not second fiddle to the Giants in New York. They are the main attraction. You have to wonder if signing Rex Ryan up as head coach is the greatest move the franchise has ever made. Maybe it's too early to tell, but no matter what, he puts "fannies in the seats" and brings the team a TON of publicity. He also has this thing about him that makes people want to play for him.

Although it's Yankee season, training camp is not far behind. The Jets have made enough moves this off season, so no one in Jets-land really cares about the draft this year. Sure, it would have been nice to add Brandon Marshall to the receiving core, but not for a first round pick. Adding the troubled Santonio Holmes for just a fifth round selection was a great no-risk move for the team. They got to the AFC title game with Edwards, Cotchery, and Keller. Now, they have another gun to go to.

The schedule doesn't mean too much, other than the fact that the new stadium will be hopping with excitement this year. For once, win or lose, the Jets will own the back pages in New York come September. That is of cours unless the Yankees want to repeat, which is totally fine with me.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Vintage Weekend



It was just a perfect weekend in Yankeeland, aside from the fact that Chan Ho Park is already on the disabled list. Three amazing starts from our three aces and a three game sweep over the Texas Rangers, who bobbled the ball around the infield like a Little League team. The Yankees are 9-3, tied with the Tampa Bay Rays for the best record in baseball. Then, you look down toward the bottom of the American League East, and the Boston Red Sox are 5 games back. It's early, and it doesn't mean much, but it's nice to be off to this kind of start, the team's best since 2003.

C.C. Sabathia was outstanding on Friday night, and A.J. Burnett turned in another solid performance on Saturday. But today, Andy Pettitte was simply unbelievable. He has been the Yankees best and most consistent starter thus far. After a rocky start to the game, with Michael Kay analyzing every mechanical flaw in his delivery, he turned in an eight inning masterpiece. The Yanks' bullpen was unbelievably conserved this weekend and Joe Girardi still got his wish: Mariano Rivera picked up another save.

In addition to the pitching, I've got to say that I'm impressed with Jorge Posada after the first 12 games of the season. Sure, he likes to chuck the ball into center field once in a while on a stolen base attempt, but the fact that he is close to 40, still hitting the tar out of the ball, and catching some great games really says a lot. The Yankees have been very lucky to have him since 1995. Mariano Rivera is still lights out. I don't care if Trevor Hoffman has the most saves. He'll never even be in the same league as Rivera. His playoff numbers don't even compare. Hoffman choked in Game 3 of the 1998 World Series against Scott Brosius, then gave up a 2 run lead in extra innings during a 2007 one game playoff with the Colorado Rockies. He only saves so many games because the teams he plays on can't blow other teams out, so every game is a save situation.

Two points of negativity after this weekend. It wouldn't be an Inside Corner entry without something to complain about. First of all, someone needs to tell Nick Johnson that he is allowed to swing the piece of wood that he carries up to the plate with him. Remember those vintage Home Run Derby shows? "It's either a Home Run or an out here on Home Run Derby!" Well with Nick Johnson, it's either a walk or a strikeout. The guy just doesn't swing!

Second, someone needs to train Michael Kay on fly balls. Every time someone hits one the outfield, you can hear the volume in his voice like the ball's got a shot at going out, when the outfielder doesn't even have to move to catch it. How this guy emerged from a sportswriter to becoming the television voice of the franchise is completely beyond me. During a game last week, he called out Al Leiter for mistakenly saying that Joe Torre, not Joe Girardi, manages the Yankees. Maybe someone should have called him out when he talked about Derek Jeter's first pitch homer leading off Game 4 of the World Series. Kay insisted that he hit it off of Leiter, but that must have been difficult to do since Leiter pitched Game 5, which any idiot Yankee fan should remember thanks to Mr. Luis Sojo.

All in all, a fantastic weekend and all is right in Yankeeland. Even Mark Teixeira hit a home run! Let's hope the Yankees can keep it going out west, and we don't see another regular season implosion in Anaheim next weekend.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Scratching My Head



DISCLAIMER: I was fully prepared to write an all-positive blog entry tonight, speaking about the Yankees' 6-2 victory, Phil Hughes' successful debut, David Robertson bouncing back, and Robinson Cano's red hot start. I was collecting my thoughts as Joba Chamberlain was getting through the Angels in the ninth inning. With two outs, a ground ball rolled under the glove of Captain Clutch, putting two runners on with two outs. No problem for Joba right? Wrong. Instead, Joe Girardi came out of the dugout immediately to grab Mariano Rivera for a one out save.

Honestly, I believe Girardi has some kind of a mission to get Rivera to 600 saves....THIS SEASON. He brings him in at any point if there's a save situation. The guy is almost 40 years old. Tonight was a perfect night to conserve his energy and let Joba finish the game. Chamberlain looked fairly sharp and was only one out away. Instead, Rivera had to warm up in the pen, warm up when he got to the mound, and get Bobby Abreu to ground out to second base. There was no reason that the game could not have been left in the hands of Joba Chamberlain.

On to other matters from another series victory, Phil Hughes' start was acceptable. You could see the life on his fastball, but 5 walks in just over 5 innings is too much. Luckily, he used the strikeout to escape a few jams. But the walks will kill you eventually, so hopefully it was some early season jitters for young Phil. Between Hughes' walks and the fact that Scott Kazmir is now an atrocious pitcher, it's no wonder why the game took almost 4 hours.

Good for Robinson Cano to hit two homers. It's really amazing that the Yankees have won three series to start the season with their three and four hitters not contributing too much. Instead, they've been getting help from guys like Jeter, Cano, Posada, and Granderson. Teixeira seemed to have better at bats tonight, but he still didn't even get the bat on the ball, walking three times and striking out twice. Tomorrow would be a good day to give Teixeira a day off. Let Johnson play first, and Marcus Thames could DH. Thames earned himself another start, despite almost getting hosed out at second base on a ball off of the 399 foot sign after dogging it out of the batter's box.

The Texas Rangers come to town tomorrow to begin a three game set in the Bronx, before the Yankees head out west. The schedule continues during a tough stretch, but winning series is a good sign, even if it is April. If Tex and A-Rod can get going, this team really can get on a roll.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

LACKing an Explanation



I'm not complaining about today's game. It's only one game, against another good team, and the Yankees are 5-3 to start the season. If they win one of their next two games, they'll be playing at .600 pace, which is fantastic at any point of the season. Today's complaint is just because I haven't heard a real answer from the man pictured above, General Manager Brian Cashman. Why is it that the Yankees passed on free agent John Lackey only to trade for a National League pitcher, Javier Vazquez? After two games in pinstripes, it is clear to see that Vazquez is simply not cut out for pitching in the American League East.

On the other hand, John Lackey had another solid outing for Boston this afternoon, defeating the Twins. He is now 1-0 with an ERA below 2 against Minnesota and New York. Vazquez has been the Yankees' worst pitcher by far, with the team losing both of his starts, and his failure to keep the ball down. Money should not have been an issue for Cashman and the Yankees this past off-season. They lost the contracts of Damon and Matsui, so Lackey seemed to be a solid fit. Did they need more evidence than the gem he pitched in ALCS Game 5 last season?

He's a slow starter, but Mark Teixeira's first five games are getting completely out of control. I know A-Rod hasn't gone deep yet either, but he's still knocking in runs. Tex's RBIs are coming on infield ground balls. He seems to be a bit snappy with reporters, telling everyone to check the back of his baseball card. We like looking at your stats Mark, but it's time to get going.

Joel Pineiro pitched a fantastic game at Yankee Stadium today. Sometimes, that happens. It was good to see the fight left in the Yankees, putting up some good at bats in the eighth inning down by four runs. It got interesting with Teixeira and A-Rod stepping up with a chance to tie the game, but the comeback was smothered pretty quickly. Tomorrow is an enormously important game. Important because of Phil Hughes' first start of the season, and important because of the standings. The Yanks have to deal with a miserable schedule and the Tampa Bay Rays, who continue to feast on the pathetic Baltimore Orioles.

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Ringing in the New Year



Any team's home opener is an exciting moment for the team and its fans. And any team that has a home opener as the reigning World Champs usually has their ring presentation before the game, making the day even more exciting for everyone. But the Yankees just do things differently, and they always bring more emotion and history to the table than any other franchise in sports. If you didn't get a little bit choked up when George Steinbrenner was presented his ring by Derek Jeter and Joe Girardi, then you just don't appreciate The Boss enough. And if you weren't emotional when the ailing Gene Monahan got his ring and received a standing ovation, then maybe you weren't paying enough attention. You also had to feel good for Godzilla, who spent 7 great years in pinstripes, and finally got his ring.

The Yankees just do things better than other teams. It was great for the Phillies that they won their second title in 2008, and even better that they all got World Series rings at their home opener in 2009. But they bring back the usual suspects: Mike Schmidt, Steve Carlton, and the Phillie Phanatic, and they all sit around and smile about how they've won twice in the history. And the Red Sox have had their history and their titles (seven, I believe). They wheel out Johnny Pesky for Opening Day, who is 145 years old.

What do the Yankees do? In addition to having World Series rings that are absolutely amazing, they are handed out by Hall of Famers Whitey Ford and Yogi Berra. Sure, they're at the stadium a lot, but why not? Ford is the greatest starting pitcher in franchise history, and Yogi has 10 rings, more than any player in baseball history. Plus, the organization had banners hanging all over the stadium celebrating their 27 titles. You just don't get the same pomp and circumstance for any other team in baseball.

On to the game, Andy Pettitte was fantastic again. Two starts, 12 innings, and one run has been allowed. Not to mention, these two starts took place against the Boston Red Sox and the L.A. Angels. One thing to note is that relievers like Park and Robertson, who each surrendered runs, haven't pitched all that much yet. Because of the schedule, the Yankees have already had three days off. I was shocked to realize that Park hadn't pitched since last Wednesday in Boston. Robertson is off to a rough start, especially after the grand slam to Abreu, but maybe it was just more fitting to end the game with a save by Mariano Rivera.

The Yankees are 5-2. I haven't done my homework yet, so I really don't know when they last started the season this strong, especially against excellent American League opponents. Tomorrow and Thursday, to me, are very important games. Not important because of the outcome, but important because of the starting pitching. It's critical for Javy Vazquez to have a good outing in New York, and erase the bad memories of October 2004, or even last Friday in St. Petersburg. On Thursday, Phil Hughes needs to silence the doubters and prove that he is deserving of the fifth starter spot. All in all, great to see the guys get their rings, and great to win the home opener. If you haven't seen A-Rod getting his ring yet, go watch it. He looks like a 10 year old on Christmas morning.

Sunday, April 11, 2010

Happy Weekend



There's not too much to complain about after Saturday and Sunday's victories over the Rays, which really turned the Yankees' season-opening road trip into a fantastic one. Four out of six games against likely the two other prominent teams in the American League, and your two ace pitchers pick up the victories. C.C. Sabathia almost pitched his way into the history books on Saturday, Mark Teixeira got his batting average over .000, and on Sunday, A.J. Burnett turned a rocky start into a great outing.

Saturday's game really stands out for me. Not just because of the fact that C.C. was four outs away from a no-hitter, but because of the defensive plays that were made. You got the feeling each time a defender robbed a hit that it was going to happen. Teixeira snagged a line drive in mid-air, A-Rod had two great plays down the third base line, and Robinson Cano opened up the eighth inning charging a slow ground ball that hit C.C. in his pitching hand.

It's interesting that Kelly Shoppach broke up the no-no in the eighth for a couple of different reasons. First, Shoppach caught Sabathia in Cleveland, so you never know, maybe he knew what was coming. Second, the instant that the ball left the bat, Joe Girardi was out of the dugout to grab Sabathia and bring in David Robertson. Early in the season, there was no way C.C. was staying in the game. Third, Joe Girardi stated after the game that Shoppach was his last batter "no matter what." It would have been fun to hear the fan and media reaction if Joe Girardi pulled a Yankee starter with a no-hitter after eight innings. Maybe it's better that the game ended up the way it did.

On a fun side note, the Yankees play their hope opener (finally) on Tuesday and will get their World Series rings during pre-game ceremonies. You've gotta feel happy for a guy like Alex Rodriguez, who can put one on his finger and never again hear the critiques that fans stuck to him since 2004. I'm also happy that they'll be opening up against the L.A. Angels, and most looking forward to the ovation that Hideki Matsui gets when he's presented with his hardware. Matsui spent 7 seasons in pinstripes, and was one of the greatest clutch hitters of his time. The man carried himself with pride, dignity, and never mouthed off or copmlained.

All in all, a fantastic weekend ends a solid road trip. Both series started on scary notes with Sabathia and Vazquez throwing out poor first starts, but the Yankees answered back with two wins in a row in Boston and St. Petersburg. Tough to argue with a 4-2 trip to start the season, especially based on the way things usually begin in April for the Bombers.

Friday, April 9, 2010

Not CASHing In



Disclaimer: This is not a panic blog entry. The Yankees have won 2 of their first 4 games, which have been played on the road against two of the best teams in the American League: the Red Sox and the Rays. That's not easy to do for any big league team, even the Yankees, to accomplish. But tonight's game was ugly for so many reasons, and it really brings up a lot of questions about some of the off-season moves made by the team. We'll get into Mark Teixeira later.

First off, I was happy about the Javier Vazquez move when the trade was made. Tonight, I just realized that he had an ERA close to five in many of his American League seasons. Vazquez was good in the National League, but we know that does not always translate into the varsity league, the A.L. I will say that Javy showed a lot of potential in the first three innings of tonight's game. He looked like he knows how to pitch. Then something happened. I don't know what, but everything he threw was high in the strike zone. Here's hoping it's just early-season jitters. Trading for Vazquez and not signing John Lackey still makes me scratch my head. The fans deserve answers from Brian Cashman.

I seriously don't understand Girardi and Cashman's love for Marcus Thames. The guy had an awful spring training, and there's a good reason why he had no team before the Yankees picked him up. It turns out that he doesn't really hit lefties all that well, and his outfield defense is completely atrocious. Same goes for Randy Winn. Another bad spring, yet he makes the team. It smells a little bit like the Joe Torre syndrome to me. "We have to take the guys that have experience." Thames has played two games in left field, and cost the team three runs thanks to his defense. Brett Gardner deserves to be playing every day.

Finally, and I love the guy for what he did last season, but Mark Teixeira has got to be kidding me. I know he's traditionally a slow starter, but not this slow. You could say that A-Rod and Jeter are yet to get going, and I'd have to say you were right. But Jeter still gets his hits, and A-Rod has had three extra base hits already. Teixeira looks lost out there. Is it time for a day off? Johnson can play first, Jorge can DH, and we can get the Cisco kid a little bit of playing time.

One positive: credit Joe Girardi for the way he used the pitching staff. Despite giving up nine runs, the Yankees only used Javier Vazquez and Sergio Mitre. The bullpen is rested and ready to go for Saturday. All in all, an ugly night in St. Petersburg. I kind of remember starting an April series like this last year. Except this time, no Yankee outfielders were brought in to pitch.

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Dandy Andy, Then Grandy!



Two incredible things happened tonight: the Yankees pulled off a series victory in Fenway Park, and the game somehow took less than four hours. Andy Pettitte was his old self for six innings, and then Chan Ho Park pitched three scoreless frames. I think about seven of the nine outs against Park went to the warning track, but better than over the Monster, I guess. Curtis Granderson became a Yankee tonight. He still can't swing it against left-handed relievers, but his bomb against Papelbon already etched his name into Yankee lore.

Andy Pettitte is a joy to watch. Even if he got bombed tonight, I would have no right to complain about him. All he did last year was win the clincher in all three post-season rounds. But after watching C.C. and A.J. labor through the first two games of the season, this game just wasn't as painful to watch, thanks to Andy. The only thing painful about tonight's game was watching Jorge Posada try to score from second base, flop at home plate, and crawl to touch home plate.

The best thing about tonight's game was the fact that Granderson hit the game winner off of Papelbon. Papelbon, Pedroia, and Youkilis are all of the same breed: great players, but they don't know how to act when they succeed. Pedroia and Youkilis are guys you just want to knock out, and Papelbon does his little rain dance every time he converts a save opportunity. On the other hand, you have Mariano Rivera. You can't tell if he wins or loses two minutes after a game ends.

Now it's on to Tampa Bay Friday. The unfair schedule continues, but the Yanks march on.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Order Restored



I'm really glad that I decided not to live blog during tonight's Yankees-Red Sox game. It's exhausting. Playing the Red Sox is exhausting. The game is guaranteed to take over four hours. I'm kind of wondering if we should get a petition going to Bud Selig to start these games an hour early, or shorten them to seven innings. It's like a playoff game on Fox with the extra commercials, but instead no one knows how to pitch.

Except for the always-reliable Yankees bullpen. A.J. Burnett stunk, but so did Lester. Believe it or not A.J. probably pitched a little bit better. At least he lasted five innings, which he had some serious trouble doing last season in Beantown. The Yanks had several opportunities to bust open the game against Lester, but Teixeira and Granderson could not come through with runners in scoring position. By Memorial Day, we'll remember that Tex is actually on the team.

What Alfredo Aceves did in the sixth and seventh was purely magical. Not only did he keep the Red Sox off the board in Fenway Park, but he got seven outs in the process. Seven, not six, because of Derek Jeter's pathetic throw to first base on a routine ground ball. The Yankees did everything they could to blow the game. In addition to Jeter's brutal throw, Marcus Thames gave up on a fly ball that turned into a run in the first inning. Jorge Posada committed an error, and Damaso Marte thought a lollipop throw to first base might pick off a threat on the bases- Kevin Youkilis.

But we've got to talk about some positives here. Robbie Cano is hitting, and his 9th inning homer provided some much needed insurance. In addition to Aceves, Joba Chamberlain looked like the Joba of 2007. Throwing 97 MPH, striking out two, pumping his fist, and then probably downing a twelve pack in the clubhouse after. Then there's Mariano Rivera, who still strikes out batters with the same pitches. Everyone knows what's coming, but they just don't swing. Also, Nick Johnson knocked in the game-winning run without swinging the bat, thanks to his Wade Boggs-like at bat in the eighth inning.

The Yankees did something they didn't do until the beginning of August last season: beat the Red Sox. It was painful, stressful, and it took about four hours. Nothing unusual for a Yanks-Sox game on April 6th.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

More of the Same



I'm not going to declare the season over, because most people will expect me to do that. Last time I checked, teams who lose the first game of the season, especially on the road, do sometimes go on to win the World Series. But if you're not feeling a little bit nauseous after this latest Yankees-Red Sox clash then you must not have watched all nine innings. It was a typical Yankee meltdown at Fenway Park in April.

The Yankees got off to a great start with back to back homers, but immediately, Sabathia begins coughing it up. Even after the Yanks come through with some clutch base hits and a steal of home by Brett Gardner, Sabathia starts walking guys and giving up base hits. This looks all too familiar from the man who couldn't even get through five innings against the Baltimore Orioles on Opening Day 2009.

It's just one of those things. In Fenway Park, the game is never over. In Fenway Park, I don't even feel comfortable with Mariano Rivera on the mound, unless he's got a three run lead. Even when the Yanks came through and took a 7-5 lead, I was terrified to see what would happen to Chan Ho Park. As it turns out, Park is a lot like his buddy, Chien-Ming Wang. He's all about "keeping the ball down," but Pedroia hits one over the Monster, and Youkilis nearly follows with his own bomb.

Jorge Posada can still swing it, but watching him try to catch the ball makes me wish that Joe Mauer didn't sign an extension with Minnesota. The unbelievable part of this is that it was another Yankees-Red Sox game that took over four hours, and the Red Sox just start waking up after the fifth inning. You count the outs, but they get more and more spread apart. No one, other than Rivera, has a prayer of pitching a clean inning in this ballpark.

Nice job by ESPN by the way. Thankfully, the game was shown on YES in New York, so I didn't have to listen to Miller and Morgan compare the Red Sox to the Big Red Machine. But it's also nice to see Curt Schilling on television. The guy never shuts up, and the Red Sox are sponsored by Dunkin Donuts, so it really should be a perfect fit. Another Opening Day, another disappointing start for the Yankees. Heaven forbid the World Champions get to start, or end, the season somewhere other than Boston.