“You got to have Faith…”
Recap: With the C and C boys 5 and 6, a lefty pitching and in an NL park (no DH), you knew runs would be at a premium. The Yanks did tie the game at two in the 7th, and Robertson was warming up. Once the game was tied, Girardi went with Veras instead of the youngster. Should have stayed with the kid and shown faith in him, Joe. Veras gave up a two-run HR in the bottom of the 7th, and that was the ballgame. Sure enough, in the 8th, Robertson had a 1-2-3 inning. Figures.
Speaking of Pittsburgh, I see reports that the Rooneys may sell their share in the Steelers. That would sadden me. The Rooneys are class and synonymous with Pittsburgh.
YANKEES (49-42, 3rd, 6.5 out; 1 game better than Pytagorean)
OPS+ 104; ERA+ 99 (have you noticed the offense going down but the pitching up lately?)
Funky lineup. Jeter, Abreu Alex and Jorge move up one, and Cano 5?
Jeter SS .284-4-39-5-98 (# 200 tonight?)
Abreu RF .274-10-57-11-110 (Two HR last time in Pittsburgh)
Rodriguez 3B .317-18-50-13-164 (#537 tonight?)
Posada 1B .282-3-22-0-117 (149 AB. Next HR ties Don Mattingly)
Cano 2B .253-6-38-1-76 (at least over .250 now)
Cabrera CF .247-8-34-7-79
Molina C .231-0-10-0-58 (seven walks in 160 AB)
Christian LF 3 for 15 in MLB career.
Mussina RHP 11-6, 3.64 (ERA+ 112) .160 career hitter. 8 for 50, 5 RBI.
Cano and Cabrera are last or next to last at their respective positions in every meaningful offensive statistic.
Bruney should be with AA Trenton this weekend.
Nice to see Mattingly’s life has cleared up to the point where he joins the Dodgers as hitting coach. Actually, his first order of business is to unglue certain sportswriters and broadcasters lips from the backside of Joe Torre.
Get a chance, check out this article from Larry Brooks of the Post.
After about 9 years of vacancy, Tiger Stadium is coming down. I remember the ‘68 Tigers on, Cash, Kaline, Horton, McLain, Lolich on to Whitaker, Morris and Trammell. I’ve read about Cobb, Cochrane, Greenberg, etc. The one Tiger I’ll remember? Tom Brookens. Talk about a pest. He wasn’t that great, but always seemed the one who was beating the Yanks in the mid to late 1980s.
I thought so. Rasner’s slump seems to coincide with losing Moeller as his catcher. Go here and see for yourself. Consider this. He was 4-0 at SWB. Who was his catcher there? Moeller. He started 3-0 up here. His catcher in those games? Moeller. Since then, 1-7. With Moeller as his catcher, hitters are hitting .233 off Rasner. Molina? .386. Posada? .338. Moeller hasn’t had a start in a while, why not give him a start Saturday up in Toronto to catch Rasner? See what happens. Can’t hurt.
Catch you later, maybe mid-game. I have a few things to catch up on.
Get home, write this. Run errand. Check to see if paycheck deposited. It is. Make out bills, put on radio for game. Let’s see. What did I forget…oh yeah…food!
Scoreless in the 2nd.
Pirates score 1 in the 3rd. 1-0 Buccos after 3.
2-0 after 5. With this lineup, it feels like 20-0.
Christian gets a two-out hit in the 7th. Betemit PHs for Moose. Robertson coming in.
Betemit gets a hit. 2 on, 2 out for Jeter. He needs to come through here. HBP. Make that Abreu needs to come through here. HE DOES! Game tying single. Alex grounds out.
No Robertson. It’s Veras. Should have trusted the kid. Veras gives up a 2-run HR. Robertson has a 1-2-3 in the 8th.
61 responses so far ↓
1 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Mussina enters the second with five pitches under his belt in the first.
2 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 7:30 pm
At that rate, he could pitch three straight games.
3 Tim The Wizard // Jul 10, 2008 at 7:40 pm
Suzyn Waldman must be executed.
4 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 7:49 pm
What did she say, Tim?
5 Tim The Wizard // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:04 pm
Nothing of note but she must still die.
6 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:04 pm
i love suzyn. my favorite media figure of all time
7 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:05 pm
certainly the best informed sportscaster. a legend.
8 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:06 pm
one of the foundations of the broadcast industry
9 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:06 pm
seriously—could this game be any duller?
10 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:09 pm
‘Tis a dull game, Mike.
Fair enough, Wiz. Go she must.
11 Tim The Wizard // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:10 pm
Sorry I am having computer problems here in Korea.
12 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:11 pm
The Yanks need runs. Mussina has been quite good.
13 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:13 pm
I like the way Christian and Gardner play left–charge to the ball, get the ball in fast with a quick throw. Excellent to see.
14 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:15 pm
Lefty pitcher and NL rules = trouble.
15 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:16 pm
The Yankees didn’t exactly send up Murderers’ Row in the lineup tonight.
16 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:17 pm
more like already murdered row
17 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:17 pm
Exactly, Mike. Nice bench, but that does little when Melky is sixth, Cano (while improving) is fifth. I saw the lineup, and wondered if I missed a call for a flight to Pittsburgh today. They needed me.
18 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:18 pm
LOL, Mike F.
19 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:21 pm
Long but ultimately fruitless at-bat for Molina.
20 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:22 pm
a base hit from the moose…
21 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:22 pm
Moose shows them how it is done.
22 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:23 pm
With all that running around Mike, what was for dinner?
23 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:23 pm
Mussina with a single, nice. Let him run! [Ducking pots and pans hurtled through the air]
24 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Jeter singles to right, two down and two on for Abreu.
25 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:25 pm
Maholm didn’t even look to second to check Mussina back to the bag. What disrespect! I’d run and show him! [Dodging kitchen sink]
26 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:25 pm
meacham will make sure he wont return in one piecce…
27 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:26 pm
Horrible at-bat, Abreu.
28 Tim The Wizard // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:26 pm
The internet in this hotel is driving me nuts.
29 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:26 pm
why dont you execute the staff?
30 Tim The Wizard // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:26 pm
It would be my pleasure.
31 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:33 pm
Not the best throw from Jeter, but Jorge should have caught that.
32 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:34 pm
It was bound to happen eventually. McLouth stole on Molina–really on Mussina with the huge lead. Now the botched DP costs a run, sac fly, 2-0 Bucs.
33 Tim The Wizard // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:37 pm
Why doesn’t Girardi just start Giambi. Are our lefties incapable of hitting lefty pitchers?
34 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Giambi is hitting .235 against lefties.
35 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Suzyn and John once again show their ignorance of the minors.
36 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:43 pm
He wants Molina and Posada in the lineup, and to do that, Posada has to play 1B.
Not much, just had some baloney and cheese. I ate pretty heavily for lunch in the company cafeteria.
37 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:45 pm
I’d fry that baloney up and slather some mustard on it–all on toast. I’m talking myself into hunger, but I just had pork tenderloin on the barbecue–one loin with Montreal seasoning, one with barbecue sauce.
38 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:46 pm
The bats suck tonight.
39 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Christian is all well and good, and I know Jason Lane isn’t hitting for a high average, but if they needed a righty bat…Maybe one with pop (they have the speed with Gardner). Nothing against Christian, just saying. Lane could have been in LF tonight, and hit in the middle of the order. Oh well.
40 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 8:59 pm
Kid gets a hit. Betemit PH for Moose.
41 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:06 pm
That’s as sweet as candy! Game tying hit by Abreu.
42 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:07 pm
Got to give Christian credit for starting the rally.
43 yankeemza781 // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Christian could be a Dave Roberts type pinch run steal some bases
44 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:11 pm
Him or Gardner.
45 yankeemza781 // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:12 pm
I think that Gardner, if Melky keeps playing this way will be the starting center fielder. Even if he’s not hitting he’s at least working counts battling.
46 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:14 pm
Probably should have stayed with Robertson.
47 yankeemza781 // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:14 pm
By the way metioning Melky, how bad do you have to be from one side of the plate before your not considered a switch hitter. Are there any cases where a player who was switch stopped hitting from one side
48 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:15 pm
Exactly. Also has 4 SB already. Melky has speed but only 7.
49 yankeemza781 // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Also do you think Hawkins makes it though the season.
50 yankeemza781 // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:26 pm
Solid game for McCutchen tonight 6 innings two runs 6k 1bb
51 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:35 pm
Good to hear. I usually check the minors late or early in the morning. In his last outing, McCutchen pitched a complete game five-hit shutout with 10 K.
I think Hawkins is a good candidate for a DFA, especially when Bruney comes back.
I’m sure that there are cases of guys stopping switch-hitting because it wasn’t working.
Hmm…sure enough, Robertson had a 1-2-3.
52 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:35 pm
The two-run homer Veras allowed were the first runs he’s allowed since June 21.
53 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:38 pm
Nice walk from Christian, bringing the tying run up. I wonder who pinch-hits against the lefty.
54 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:39 pm
It’s Giambi. Tie it up now, Big G.
55 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:43 pm
Christian stole second, good.
56 Jason // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:44 pm
So much for that. A listless effort for the Yanks, dropping a 4-2 game in which they led 3-1 the first attempt to play it.
57 mike f // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:49 pm
a bunch of losers …
58 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:49 pm
Can’t blame Veras, who has been good. Due for a blip. Just wish Joe would have shown a little faith in the kid there. Throw him into the fire…he does there what he did in the 8th, it’s a confidence booster. Oh, well. I was thinking Veras did go yesterday, and…
59 yankeemza781 // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:50 pm
anbody know anything about Anthony Claggett. He pitched two innings no runs no walks struck out four. he stats look impressive
60 yankeemza781 // Jul 10, 2008 at 9:53 pm
There playing better baseball and teams do lose. Sometimes players have a bad night and tonight was veras’s turn. Its just being behind that makes each loss so much harder. But Robertson very good
61 Mike Sommer // Jul 10, 2008 at 10:22 pm
See my next blog, Mark. I’ve been on the guy for a while. Between Robertson, Cox, Melancon, Claggett…(and who knows, Jonathan Ortiz at Charleston and maybe Gerrit Cole, the #1 draft pick) this could be one heck of a bullpen shaping up.
Claggett was one of the kids the Yanks got for Sheffield.
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