The Sommer Frieze

I’ll be at work as the Yanks take on the Twins this afternoon on getaway day. After the game, it’s off to Anaheim for those lovely late night games we Easterners love (cough, cough).

Aceves goes today in his first start of the year. An emergency start because of Wang’s injury. We’ll see how far he can go.

In other news, I see that ex-Met and Phil Lenny “Nails” Dykstra has filed for bankruptcy.

Catch you after the game.

AAA: SWB lost last night 4-1. A-Jax 1 for 4 with the RBI (.316). Kevin Russo (see prev. post) 1-4, .325. Ramiro Pena 2 for 4.

AA: Trenton wins 2-1 in 11. 3 hits for Austin Krum. 5 Trenton pitchers combined for a 2-hitter with 15 K, but also 11 walks. Montero in a slump, down to .287 at AA. 

A+: Tampa ppd. Rain.

A-: 6-2 loss for Charleston. Mitch Abeita (C) 2 hits, solo hr.

From Pete Abraham:

Glenn Perkins is sick and is out. RHP Anthony Swarzak (2-2, 3.90) goes tonight and the ghost of Francisco Liriano (4-8, 5.49) goes tomorrow.

Tomorrow is an afternoon game. I’ll have to check the box when I get home. 1 pm start, and most likely done by the time I get off work. Aceves goes. I am sure that my friend Jorge from Mexico will be tuned in.

Abraham reports that Molina is in the house.

The lineup for tonight:

YANKEES (49-34, 2nd 1 GB) +2.5 for WC
+2 on Pythagorean
OPS+ 117, ERA+ 99

BA/HR/RBI/SB/SB Attempts/OPS+ (* = team leader)
Jeter SS .313*-10-35-17*/20*-123 (Typical Jeter in BA, HR and RBI…SB a bit of a surprise)
Damon LF .284-16-49-8/8-133
Teixeira 1B .281-20*-62*-0/0-143* (and way overdue to go yard)
Rodriguez 3B .246-14-44-2/2-142
Matsui DH .268-13-39-0/0-130
Posada C .282-11-38-1/1-128
Cano 2B .305-13-45-4/8-114 (off the schneid, start hitting with RISP now, Robbie!)
Swisher RF .243-14-44-0/0-123
Gardner CF .287-3-15-17*/19-106 (4 doubles, 5 triples)  

Pitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (7-4, 3.83). ERA+ 115

After four, 3-2 Yanks. Gardner drove in two in the second. I love Suzyn’s comment, “Who’d have thought he’d be hitting .290?” Start reading some blogs, Suzyn. Granted, all I wanted from him was .270, but hey…some of us blogwriters had faith.

One thing I’ve argued for a while is that the blogwriters know more about the minor leaguers than Sterling or Waldman do. (Remember when instead of calling someone up last year or checking out the minors to see who could be brought up, Suzyn wanted the Yanks to sign 45 year old David Wells and never mentioned a prospect at all?) They see some minor leaguers in spring training, and that is it.

You see “forced furloughs” put on various people now. Instead of laying people off, companies are forcing employees to take a week without pay.

Sometimes I think Waldman, Sterling and others should be forced to give up two weeks. Find other announcers/writers for those two weeks. Force John and Suzyn to cover and report on Scranton-Wilkes/Barre for a week, then Trenton for a week. Then when they come back to the booth they may know what Gardner did in SWB last year, or what an A-Jax is doing this year at SWB or a Montero at Trenton. Saying “Who’d have thought Gardner would hit .290?” shows a lack of belief in the kid, but also putting all her observations in only what he did in the majors last year and basing everything on that. Had she done her homework, she may have realized that Gardner has started slowly at each level he was at, only to pick it up.

The “furlough” will never happen, though. Too bad.

Will Gardner keep it up? Who knows. I can see that, in covering the Yanks day-by-day, that Sterling and Waldman don’t keep up that much with the minors. But they could or should be able to talk to Cashman or Girardi about the prospects. How much they do, I don’t know. I’m not there. But it seems like they don’t do it enough. Either talk to Cashman or Girardi or better yet, pick up a phone and call reporters or the coaches at SWB and Trenton and get a first hand account for themselves. It doesn’t seem like they do that, and it shows on the broadcasts.

I argued about that a while ago. To me, nothing has changed since I first made that point.

Let me give you an example. God forbid anything happen to Cano. Should something happen to him, most likely Pena is brought up to play 2B (I think they’d go with that rather than use Ransom). Sterling or Waldman might bring up a trade. I’d be willing to bet that neither of them would mention anything about Kevin Russo. Maybe Russo could cut it, maybe not. I don’t know. But I do know that Russo hit .307 for AA Trenton last year in 71 games and is hitting .327 for SWB in 37 games so far this year. He’s been injured. But .314 in his last 108 minor league games, AA and AAA. The righty-hitting 2B turned 25 today. Would they know about him, or immediately holler for a deal?

Try within first, then go make a deal. Who knows what you have? That’s my motto.    

5th inning. Jeter doubles and scores on a single by A-Rod.  4-2 Yanks. Yanks loaded the bases with 2 out, but Cano went back to his RISP (lousy) self. 

Bottom of the 5th. Twins load the bases, two out. Mauer is really something. A catcher with two batting titles already (Ernie Lombardi, eat your heart out) who is hitting .387 now. Wow. Burnett gets the K and gets out of it. 

Mauer throws out Gardner trying to steal, then HRs off of Coke (it seems like Coke, in every game vs. the Twins this year, has given up a HR to Mauer or Morneau). 6 1/3 for AJ, the HR and a K for Coke, then Hughes for the last out in the 7th.

I hope Girardi leaves Hughes out there for the 8th. He only threw one pitch and got the out. No messing around. No “8th inning guy.” No Bruney just because it’s the 8th. Use your eyes. Keep Hughes for the 8th, then Mo. Meanwhile, some insurance runs would be nice here.

Meanwhile, Mauer is now at .390. Wow.

Hughes does start the 8th, gets two outs then gives up a hit. In comes Mo, who gets a four-out save. The last out? Mauer. Save #504 for Mo. #22 for the year, ERA 2.50. At 39, not too bad. But then, since Mo has had EIGHT seasons under 2.00 (far more than ANY other closer) we are spoiled.

Red Sox won. Yanks stay 1 GB at 50-34.

Afternoon game tomorrow. 1 pm. Aceves with the start.   

AAA: SWB won 5-1 in 11. Juan Miranda HR’d to tie in the 9th and Chris Stewart hit a grand slam in the 11th. Sergio Mitre won’t get Thursday’s start (going to Aceves) but went 6 2/3, 1 R, 5 H, 2 walks and 7 K. Zach Kroenke went 3 1/3 for the win (5-0, 0.97). Claggett the save.

AA:  2-1 loss for Trenton. Molina 0 for 1, walk and whiff.

A+: Tampa susp. rain. Tampa was up 1-0 in the 4th. Game to be resumed in late August.

A-:  9-3 loss for Charleston. Cory Arbiso 8 R, 3 ER in 3 IP. 2 hits, solo HR for Ray Kruml. Same for Tommy Baldridge

Francisco Cervelli may be going back to the minors soon, but it doesn’t mean he has to go quietly.

The backup catcher went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI and called a great game for CC (7 IP, 1 R, 3 H) as the Yanks routed the Twins 10-2. He is expected to be sent down this week when Molina is reactivated. He has done everything expected of him, and more. He’s opened a lot of eyes as his stock has surely risen. 

Cano, Gardner and Cervelli, the bottom of the Yanks’ lineup, combined to go 7 for 14 with 6 RBI.

Cano broke an 0 for 22 skid with RISP with a broken bat bleeder for his 2 RBI. Whatever it takes.

Gardner was 3 for 5 with 2 RBI, including his fifth triple of the year.

The final score could have been more. Both A-Rod (Grand slam) and Matsui (3 run) had would-have-been HRs caught at the fence or over it by CF Carlos Gomez of the Twins.

Teixeira added four hits and a ribbie.

Aceves gets the Wang start on Thursday. With the break, it’ll be the only “fill-in” start needed for Wang for a little while.

Tomko went the last two innings, giving up one run.    

YANKEES (48-34, 2nd 1 GB.)
+2 1/2 on WC;
+2 on Pythagorean; OPS+ 116; ERA+ 98 

Jeter SS .314*-10-35-17*/20*-124
Damon LF .284-16-49-8/8-133
Teixeira 1B .273-20*-61*-1/1-141 (last HR, 6/12. Due. Prediction: He hits one in the Humpty-Dumpty Dome)
Rodriguez 3B .244-14-43-2/2-143*
Matsui DH .267-13-38-0/0-129
Swisher RF .242-14-43-0/0-122
Cano 2B .303-13-43-4/8-114 (2 outs, RISP: 172; RISP: .196; no one on, .352; men on .247. About time he is out of the #5 slot) 
Gardner CF .278-3-13-17*/19-100
Cervelli C .257-1-7-0/2-58 (Posada gets a day; last game for Cervelli before Molina’s return?) 

Pitching: LHP CC Sabathia (7-5, 3.85). ERA+ 114
(Record a little disappoining, considering…)

Twins get a new Stadium next year. Good. I never liked the Metrodome.   

AAA: SWB won Game 1 of a DH 3-2 in 11. Ivan Nova 2 R in 5 1/3. Edwar went 2 2/3 scoreless innings, K’ing 4. Melancon (4-0, 2.50) 3 scoreless for the win. Juan Miranda 3 hits, 2 RBI.

Game 2: 4-1 win. HR by A-Jax (.319-4-32). Igawa went 6. (7-3, 3.65) So no, he won’t be called up for Wang on Thursday. Shelley Duncan 2 for 2, RBI.

AA: 3-1 loss for Trenton. Zach McAllister 3R, 2 ER in 6 iP. (5-4, 1.87). Montero 1-4, double (.312 at AA). 2 hits for Jorge Vazquez (.332). Molina DH’d. 0 for 3, 1 for 10 in his rehab.

A+:   6-3 loss for Tampa. Humberto Sanchez 3 R, 2 ER in 2 2/3. 3 hits, 2B, 3B for Matt Cusick.

A-:  6-5 loss. Andrew Brackman’s tough year continues. 1-8, 6.01. 1 IP, 6 R on 4 H and 4 walks. Ouch. 1st round pick. Granted coming off surgery but … ouch. Corban Joseph 3 hits. 3 hits, RBI for Mitch Abeita. Jose Pirella 2 hits, 2 RBI 

You know it’s not a good day when a call goes against you in the bottom of the first and the manager gets tossed right away…

Toronto added a couple of good defensive plays and they needed every one of them in order to hold off the Yanks 7-6.

Yankee Stadium giveth and taketh away. After giving up a run in the second, Pettitte gave up a 3-run HR to Alex Rios in the third—just over Melky’s reach and first row. Still, a HR.

The Yanks got one back when newcomer Eric Hinske HR’d in his first game as a Yankee.

Three in the 7th doomed the Yanks. McDonald touched Pettitte, who then walked Scutaro. Andy had a bad day (6+, 6 R, 5 hits, 5 walks, 3 K, 2 HR) to drop to 8-4, 4.53. He still leads the Yanks in wins, but the 4.53 is the highest of the quartet of CC, AJ, Andy and Joba.

Andy’s home woes continue. He is now 4-1, 2.79 on the road but 4-3, 5.72 at home. Just something to consider should the Yanks be playing deep into October. 

Andy was looking for win #224, which would have tied him with Catfish Hunter and Jim Bunning on the all-time list. It’ll have to wait until the weekend or (if he doesn’t get it then) until after the break.

Bruney gave up a couple of doubles to let in two runs, one charged to Pettitte. He is a bit rusty, and his ERA went up to 4.11. As Sterling and Waldman accurately assessed, with the way Hughes, Aceves, Coke and Robertson have been pitching in front of Mo, Bruney is at the bottom of the chain right now…well maybe not behind Alby.

Robertson came in, got four outs, 2 by K and lowered his ERA to 2.66. Albaladejo pitched a scoreless 9th.

Down 7-1, Swisher drove in two in the 7th. Jeter walked with the bases loaded in the 8th to make it 7-4.

The first two Yankees (Teix and Alex) made out in the 9th but then Posada singled, Cano doubled and Matsui (PH for Melky) singled in two before Hinske struck out to end it with PR Ransom on first.  

Forget the break. For true mathematicians, the second half starts today.

I literally have my keyboard on my lap, since I can’t stretch my left arm out. I’m worried. The doc said tomorrow as far as going back to work, but my arm isn’t better. Ice isn’t helping…as far as the Vicodin, I’m asleep or out of it most of the time. My how that stuff knocks you out.

Let me get this straight…Vicodin was only ONE of the drugs Michael jackson was taking? It’s more than enough for me…as I’m asleep most of the last couple two days.

Yesterday I saw a couple of posts in the Readers Shout Out or whatever in the NY Post begging Omar Minaya to go get Adam Dunn. (…and getting off-track a little, why does it seem like those posts are always from the same people? Get a blog!) Anyway, one person said that they need to get Dunn, play him at 1B, then move him to the OF when Delgado comes back and is healthy. Which leads me to ask….have these people EVER seen Dunn play the OF?  The guy is brutal. Brutal. I saw him on TV recently vs. the Phils botch up a couple of balls in Philly’s bandbox, not to mention be not too good in the new bandbox called Yankee Stadium III. Now they want this lumbering giant in the cow pasture known as Citi Field’s outfield?  Be careful what you wish for. Speed and defense are also part of the game of baseball.

But as I’ve mentioned many times, it seems like all people want are “beer league softball” lineups, because they give no thought to speed or defense. Some people would try to squeeze the big G into the OF if they could. Sheesh.

Forgot to mention this about last night’s AA game. From Pete Abraham:

Jose Molina was 0 for 3 today with two strikeouts. He played for Trenton in a 5-0 loss against New Britain and caught Jeremy Bleich (6 9 5 3 2 6).

Jose is 1 for 7 in three games, which really doesn’t matter much. What does is that he caught seven innings and apparently felt fine.

It appears he will be activated in Minnesota on Tuesday. Unless the Yankees have some trick up their sleeve, Francisco Cervelli will be sent down.

Abraham adds:

MR. CONSISTENCY: This from the Yankees’ notes: Derek Jeter hit his 10th home run of the season in Sunday’s win vs. Toronto, marking his 14th consecutive season with 10-or-more homers. He is now one of six players to accomplish the feat solely as a Yankee and is one of five active Major League players with such a streak through 2008 or 2009.

The other Yankees to have done that: Mantle (1951-68), Berra (1947-62), Ruth (1920-34), Gehrig (1925-38) and Bernie (1993-06). 

My note: If you are wondering about DiMaggio, he missed all of 1943-1945 due to WWII. He did hit 10 or more in every season of his career that he DID play, but his career lasted just 13 years (1936-1942, 1946-1951). Hence his exclusion. Note that the list above took up all of Mantle’s career and the whole Ruth Yankee tenure. Nettles was with the Yanks eleven years. Bernie hit 3 in 1991 and 5 in 1992.

Today’s lineup. Yup, an afternoon game. What do you know…Getaway DAY for a change.

Sterling has a tough job today. Lots of times he puts me to sleep. With the Vicodin, it’ll be quite a task to keep me awake today.

JD gets a day off. Hinske in.

YANKEES (48-33, 2nd, 1 GB [but in the WC position by 2.5 over LAA/Tex., who are tied for 1st in the AL West] )

OPS+ 116, ERA + 99 (almost to average!)
+2 on the Pythagorean.
Jeter SS .316*-10-34-17*/19*-123
Swisher 1B .234-14-41-0/0-118
Teixeira DH .278-20*-61*-0/0-145* (Teix gets a 1/2 day off)
Rodriguez 3B .244-14-43-2/2-144
Posada C ..284-11-38-1/1-131 (pretty good for a 37 y.o. catcher, eh?) 
Cano 2B .302-13-43-4/8-112 (poor SB %; and at least batting 6th. Most likely because of the lefty on the mound, but keep him out of the 5 spot, Joe)
Cabrera LF .281-8-32-5/7-103
Hinske RF .255-1-11-0/0-103 (all with Pittsburgh, 106 ab)
Gardner CF .277-3-13-17*/19*-100

Pitching: LHP Andy Pettitte (8*-3, 4.25). Leads Yanks in wins. ERA+  103.

Recap later.   

1-2-3 for Andy in the first, thanks to a good catch by Jeter. Jeter walks, goes to 2nd on a balk but is caught stealing third. Jeter thinks he is safe, Sterling and Waldman say that the replay shows he made it and Girardi gets the rest of the day off. Yup, ejected.  

It costs the Yanks a run. Swisher singles. Wild pitch.

Hmm…a balk, a wp, …. Yanks have to score here.

Later…

AAA: SWB DH ppd. due to wet grounds.

AA: Trenton was shut out 5-0. Jeremy Bleich 5 r, 3 ER in 6 IP. Eduardo Nunez had 3 of Trenton’s 6 hits.

A+: Tampa lost 3-1. D. J. Mitchell 3 R in 7 IP. Matt Cusick 3 for 3.

A-:  Charleston in progress. Melky Mesa has hit HR #18.