The Sommer Frieze

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From Pete Abraham, the lineup for the Yanks today:

YANKEES
Johnny Damon LF
Derek Jeter SS
Bobby Abreu RF
Alex Rodriguez DH
Jason Giambi 1B
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Wilson Betemit 3B
Melky Cabrera CF

Pitching
Ian Kennedy (2-3)
Joba Chamberlain (2-3)
Jon Albaladejo
Ross Ohlendorf

GREAT news on Bobby Murcer. The biopsy showed scar tissue, and not a new tumor. Superb news.

Yanks lose 7-5. Cano had 3 hits.  Jeter had 2 hits and a walk, and Shelley Duncan continues to be RED-HOT with a HR.

Ian and Joba were so-so. It happens. Both are young and patience is necessary—not only now, early in S.T., but throughout the year. Edwar Ramirez had a bad outing, giving up 3 runs. He needs some kind of breaking pitch as a second pitch to go with that change. Heath Phillips continued a nice run at the lefty bullpen spot with a 1-2-3. Chris Britton got both of his hitters out. Both of Ross Ohlendorf’s outs were Ks. Hit “more” for a deeper recap. 

Ian Kennedy went 2 innings. Not great, not bad. 1 run, 2 hits, no walks, no Ks. The run was a 415-420 foot HR by Delmon Young on a high fastball. 3-1 count. The Big G made a nice leaping catch of a line drive.

The Yanks scored 3 in the second. Consecutive doubles by Cano and Betemit (who is noticeably thinner), an RBI single by Damon for the second run and after Jeter walked, an RBI single by Abreu. Betemit earlier made a nice play on a bunt.

Heath Phillips had a 1-2-3 third inning. He and Traber have done well in battling for the lefty bullpen spot.

The Yanks get a run in the 3rd on a single by Giambi, a balk, and a single by Cano (2nd hit today). Yanks 4-1.

4th inning. Joba Time. He’s using all his pitches, but falling behind. Started 3-0 on the first hitter, but got a 4-3 groundout. 1-0 on the second hitter, got him to bounce to first. Went 3-1 on the third hitter, wound up walking him.  Falls behind the fourth hitter 2-0 but gets a 5-3 groundout. Bad news? He fell behind hitters. Good news? His stuff is so good he still had a scoreless inning (0 R, 0 H, 1 walk) and no one got the ball out of the infield.

Jeter has two hits and a walk today.

In the 5th, Joba’s lack of command and control caught up with him. He gives up a single, gets a strikeout, but then Garret Jones takes him deep for a 2-run HR. He hits the next batter on the ankle (ESPN makes some remark that it may be intentional; HELLO? Are they noticing that Joba’s control is off today and that he is behind every hitter???), then gets a flyout (nice running catch by Melky on a shallow fly) and a 4-6 forceout. Yanks 4-3.

2 IP, 2 R, 2 hits, 1 walk, 1 HBP, 1 K for Joba.

3 hits for Cano today. Albaladejo gave up 2 hits in the 6th, one a double, but no runs because after the double, a pinchrunner for the Twins tried to go to third on a fly ball to Melky. He was out by a mile as Melky showed why he had 16 assists last year.  No luck for Albaladejo in the 7th. He gives up two hits and a run. Two runners steal off him (does he have problems holding runners on? Something to look into?) He gets 2 outs, then Edwar comes in with a man on 2nd, 2 out. Tie game. Edwar throws a WP, but gets the K. 

1 2/3 for Albaladejo. 1 run, 4 hits.

Bad 8th inning for Edwar. Walk, forceout (should have been a DP, but Nick Green made a bad throw on the pivot), HBP, infield hit, double for 2 runs, SF on a diving catch by Colin Curtis.   Britton in. Runner steals third. Britton gets a groundout to second. Twins 7-4.

Edwar 1 IP, 3 R, 2 hits, a walk, a HBP. 

Britton gets a flyout in the 9th. 2 batters, 2 outs.

Ohlendorf in. Strikeout, single, strikeout. Alberto Gonzalez broke the wrong way on the single. I don’t know. I’ve seen Gonzalez a few times and despite his rep for being a fine defender, I haven’t seen it.

Shelley Duncan continues to TEAR IT UP. HOMERS in the 9th. He is 7-11, 2 HR and 9 RBI.