The bottom of the lineup is very weak without Posada and Swisher. Until Arod gets back, I think the Yankees need to send Gardner down for a decent bat in the OF (whether it be a quick cup of coffee for AJ, Duncan or whomever).

Torii Hunter talks about the new Stadium, and the fans
http://www.sportingnews.com/yourturn/viewtopic.php?t=544842

Bleh @ the "FOX blackout!" We here are "reduced" to Waldman and Sterling from the "Lowe's Broadcast Booth" this afternoon... not that there's anything wrong with that!

Go CC!

: )

I HATE BLACKOUTS! If there at place on the Net where you can HEAR a broadcast???

IS THERE a place....

damn jetere hit

I think it's time to hit some of their hitters.

[4] We subscribe to MLB Gameday Audio, OYF. It's $15 a season, and the reason we have it is for "FOX Saturdays" and "ESRSN Sundays"...

;)

karma

Hockey players around the world are giggling at you Aybar. Man up, brother.

[10] See also cheerleaders...

;)

"Brimming with people"...but plenty of good seats still available behind home plate.

Here is a place to listen for free if anyone needs it-http://www.wlad.com/page.php?page_id=20325#5014

It's the Sterling/Waldman stream

This has become a theme with Sabathia...he seems to have good stuff, but all of sudden walks a batter and then starts giving up hits.

Bit of a jam here for CC.

C'mon double play!

: )

that was a nice sequence - now one more time

I hope Derek doesn't have to be removed like Swisher was last night...

: /

I heard over the YS PA in the background that Alex went 0-6 and Wang pitched well... allowing no runs over four innings with two walks...

EDIT

Alex played five innings @ 3B...

Ham said that Wang is getting physical therapy.

i wonder if alex and/or the yankees are pleased with how he is swinging the bas?
the numbers aren't very encouraging, but they may well be meanigless.

He went.

very nice play melky

Melky is as good in RF as anyone. If only he could hit like a RFer.

No way Swish catches that.

Also, Molina looks awesome with the glasses.

[22] I keep having to remind myself that Alex has "only just begun" baseball activities, and that a mid-May return is more realistic as the earliest.

To the Banterers,

With Glove,

Melky

: )

How is that fair?

These umps are retarded.

Abreu doesn't catch that.

I dunno, the first angle sure made it look clearly foul.

[26] yeah the glasses are cool. i am always amazed at how quick and agile molina is behind the plate.

[27] i agree with the mid-may return date. i'd rather alex get comfortable at the plate and not come back and press or develop bad habits if he gets off to a slow start.

[32] Here's what Cash said today:

On A-Rod’s timetable: “We’re giving him tomorrow off regardless and then we’ll kind of see how this goes. We do have an idea of when we might be having him here. But it’s too easy to say whether that is a realistic idea.”

Cashman would not reveal that date other than to say it would not be on this homestand.

[32] He plays defense like a 30-year-old 200 pounder!

: )

Great play.

Dear Lighting in a bottle. Thanks for the help.
- Alberto

Lemme guess...

Cody/Berroa don't make that play?

;)

I could really get to like this Pena kid.

[33] thanks.
hopefully pena can continue hitting (even if he cools off a bit, at least be serviceable) and it seems plays like that are the norm from him fielding wise, and the yanks continue their winning ways so arod is not overly rushed.

[36] Who's Alberto?
I hate it when I don't get the jokes.

[37] I think we can safely say that, yes. Nor A-Rod, for that matter.

[37] i don't think arod makes that play with ease anymore.

[39] Even if he doesn't continue hitting, to my mind it's completely clear that he's our bench infielder when Alex returns. No contest.

[42] i certainly hope so. not only is his glove far far superior to anyone on the bench, much less the starters on a certain side of the infield, he can actually pinch run too!!!

[40] Lol. My mistake. I had Alberto Gonzalez on the brain. I meant Ramiro. And lightning for that matter. OY!

this has really turned into a "why the hell is this guy getting so many outs" kind of game.

Like Flash mentioned earlier, the 1990s Yankee teams would have blown a mismatch like this out of the water, especially after a great comeback the night before. It's kind of disappointing that the Yankees are allowing the Angels to stay close in this one. These are the kinds of games you need to put in your pocket if you are going to have a sustained winning streak.

[42] They asked Girardi about it, and he said it would come down to whether it would be better for Pena to play every day in Scranton rather than sit on the bench in the Bronx.

[42] I agree, RIY! And just as soon as Alex returns, it will be time to give Jeter and Robbie a day off, too. I'd like to see Girardi give the four starting infielders a day off per week so Pena can continue to get these most valuable reps on a regular basis for his development.

The only reason that Pena wouldn't be the UI is if they think not getting regular ABs in the mLs would limit his ultimate ceiling.

The dreaded UCJMP. Unknown Career Journeyman Minor League Pitcher. SHITE.

[47] Sorry, missed your post.

Seeing CHONE make feeble outs makes me smile.

Yay CC!

Can we made get another hit off this guy?

[52] Sorry, which CHONE do you mean? Be more specific.

*maybe*

[47] Yeah, but Pena wasn't getting ABs when Ransom was in the lineup, why would it matter when Arod comes back? Pena should be the UI, he's a great defender, decent runner and can lay down a bunt.

[57] I think they suddenly see his ceiling as maybe being higher than they thought.

[55] According to the booth, the one who looks like Chad OchoCinco, Dennis Rodman, and Willie Randolph. : )

Ramiro can be a bona fide ROY candidate if they use him productively, resting the starters regularly, keeping everyone sharp and fresh during the grind of the long season.

I'm just sayin'...

My only question is, "Can Pena play 1B?"

I would imagine so.

This team needs to score more before a mistake costs them a win.

I've really seen enough of Gardner now...it's time to get a more usefull player on the roster.

Pena knows leather.

[60] I don't think that's going to happen. That never seems to work. Didn't they try that with Melky, supposedly playing him every day by taking turns resting the starting OFers? The starters don't like getting that much time off, and as soon as the kid goes into a slump, he ends up on the bench.

Plus, Pena could come in to pitch during the next blow out. He probably throws in the low 90's. : ) Nice play.

Dammit. And just when I was going to mention how great it is to have excellent defense for a change.

[61] Todd Linden is playing well for Scranton.

[61] You mean like that. ugh

Take a seat, Hunter.

Sweet.
I love free outs.

Oh well. No free out.

wtf

An ace keeps it tied here. Just sayin'.

I don't understand how Napoli can steal a base on Molina and LH pitcher.

[72] Ace!

Some games are frustrating...this one is angering. I really thought this one was going to be a stroll, but instead it's another bullpen battle. Just when you think this team is ready to go on a roll, they seem poised to take a step back.

[75] If it's a bullpen battle, I'm pretty confident our pen is better than theirs.

[76] I agree, but on the other hand, I expected them to be crushing Palmer.

Like that.

Boooooooo.

jeez

Pick him up, Mat.

Teixeira is really hurting the lineup. He needs to snap out of it soon. Meanwhile, the Yankees are on the verge of squandering another opportunity. It's very disconcerting that they seem unable to pull away in this game.

C'mon, Godzilla!

Absolutely awful inning an awful game for this offense.

Cy Palmer escapes.

unfreakinbelievable.

I hate when broadcasters overuse the phrase "nice piece of hitting."

That ball has to be caught! Did the Yankees know they had a day game today?

How can Damon not catch that?

Girardi trusts Alby far more than I do, and doesn't trust Robertson at all.

This is a character game to me...a great team doesn't let a match-up like this end up in the loss column. The effort today has been extremely discouraging, so much so that a loss would completely wipe out any good feelings from the week.

Damon is not the player he used to be.

Gardner or Melky gets that one.

Get a K.

CC needs to step up here.

One more.

Come CC...be an ACE now! You need to get that last one.

Smoke. 1 more, big man.

I wonder if Sciosica is thinking, "Damn, I should have put on some stupid-ass small-ball play, I knew it."

Dammit. Good try, Rob.

Can't blame CC here...his offense and defense sucked all game.

Don't let down now!

Jesus. Had him 0-2.

Could you play that any worse, Damon.

Now you can blame C.C., which is fitting because now the entire team pretty much didn't show up today. Absoultely pathetic.

Girardi's bullpen management was very good last years. This year it sucks.

Holy crap. 5-1. This game got out of hand quickly.

Incredible...right now, the Yankees are simply not a very good team. Great, even very good teams rarely if ever put up efforts like this one.

It really seems like the Yankees have given up a lot of big innings so far. I am not sure what that means, but it certainly doesn't bode well for the rest of the season.

This is the type of game where you almost wish it was the NFL and Bill Parcells was the coach. No level of tongue lashing could do justice to the way the team played today.

[104] Wait, how was that bad bullpen management?

[107] You can't blame Girardi for this one...his players simply didn't show up.

You have to hit Posada here...now I assign some blame to Girardi.

As ever, the Yankees have a knack for making obscure minor league pitchers look like Cy Young candidates.

[108] Because Alby isn't very good. Last night, he brings Melancon in with the bases loaded even though he has barely pitched in the MLs. He hasn't used Robertson since April 25th, yet he used Veras ahead of him, It goes on and on.

[111] Last night is another story.

Cue the comeback kids.

[111] Down three runs is exactly the right time to use a bullpen pitcher who isn't very good. That's why those guys are on the roster, guys like Albaladejo.
Now, why Veras is on the roster, that's a mystery.

[112] I'm not blaming Girardi for them not hitting or not playing good defense, I just think that the relievers that he chooses to use aren't giving the team the best chance to win. Bringing in Alby when he did instead of a hard thrower (since there were two outs) is yet another example.

Speaking of the bullpen, when is Bruney coming back?

Now I put a lot of blame on Girardi...this is the worst spot to use Posada.

[114] But my guess is that Girardi thinks Alby is good given how he has used him to date. Better than Robertson, who has been lights out in AAA.

[115] I'd agree with you for most of the season, just not today.

Interesting, batting Jorge for Pena instead of for Molina. I would have thought Pena was actually a better hitter than Molina, and furthermore this way you lose Pena's defense.

Using Posada there is borderline incompetent. Girardi now takes his rightful place among the rest of the team for pretty much mailing it in.

[120] And, now Posada's bat is gone. Bonehead decision.

[122] No, he can stay in the game for Molina, can't he? Double switch.

It's very sad to hear O'neill and Flaherty talk about what the great Yankee teams would have done in a game like this because it makes you realize that this is not a great team.

ARGH.

[123] They can, but by not hitting Molina I assume that means he didn't want to replace him.

I feel like that was our last real chance.

In the pre-game and during the broadcast, Jones and Kay kept talking about how happy the Yankees were in the clubhouse. Perhaps they should have been a little more focused because they certainly played like a team without a care in the world.

Cap'n Clutch bails out. I blame Girardi.
It is supposed to rain here tomorrow. I blame Girardi. Cashman probably has a hand in it too.

I thought it was obvious to everyone that Veras sucks.

[124} I was just listening to that. Very disheartening.

I have completely lost faith in Veras. Why is he still paraded out there?

[126] Nope.
There were two good reasons to use Posada to pinch for Pena instead.
First, if you think Molina is a better hitter (which I don't, but maybe Joe does).
Second, you're waiting for a higher-leverage situation, with two men on; that part I agree with.

[123] Posada came into the game, which really makes you wonder why Molina was allowed to hit. Now, Posada is batting one slot lower, and instead of Pena, you have Berroa.

Then again, by using Veras, Girardi is waiving the white flag.

If I was the Steinbrenners, I would refund the tickets for this game because the team didn't bother to show up.

[129] Accountability means nothing to you. Sweet.

Veras should be off the roster, seriously. We don't need 13 pitchers, esp. if the 13th is Jose Veras.

I geuss they did do a double switch. It's Berroa at 3B.

[132] The leverage argument is plausible, but it (1) assumes Molina will reach base, which is very risky and (2) it ignores that the deficit is 4 runs and the likliehood of Berroa having a big AB in a potential comeback is likely.

It seems to me as if Girardi just had a knee jerk response to Molina reaching...if so, that could be why Posada seemed ill prepared for that AB.

Three teams in the AL have more wins than the Yanks. I blame Girardi and Cashman. Happy Sat. all.

[138] And three more teams have one fewer win...so what's the point? I didn't realize the Yankees mission statement was to hover around .500 and in earshot of the wild card. If so, then you make a great point.

[137] I didn't put it explicitly enough. It's not just that when Molina reaches the leverage is higher. It's that if he doesn't reach, then the leverage is very low, and you can just keep Posada on the bench. By waiting for Molina's turn, you delay the decision until you have more information.
I think on balance it made more sense to bat Posada for Molina (I like Pena's glove and I believe he hits better than Molina), but there was a legitimate logistical consideration.

But as a matter of fact, you're probably right that Girardi didn't actually consider it.

I guess some people prefer pom poms...whatever.

Paul O'Neill is becoming inane.

[141] I don't mind looking on the bright side, but there are only two explanations for losing a game like this: (1) being ill prepared and putting up a subpar effort as a result; or (2) not being that good.

If it's the former, Yankee fans should be very angry about this game. If it's the latter, they should be very discouraged.

Quick prediction...Teixeira hits a HR this inning.

[143] That's a rational way to look at it.

I don't mind if people want to only look at the bright side. What I mind is when they insist on telling other people the proper way to be a fan. It's the height of arrogance.

No, there is another explanation:
Baseball is hard, and even very good players often do it quite badly.
I think that is almost invariably the correct explanation of why a team loses, myself.

[144] Close!

[146] That's a great explanation for most games, but not when you have such an overwhelming advantage in the matchup. I am not going to alibi their failure to score runs...get hits...or even work the count on a career minor leaguer with little success at that level. If baseball comes that hard to this team, they aren't that good.

[146] The caveat is whether or not the players are being put in the best chance to win. No one explanation usually explains all of the variance, but each usually explains at least part of it.

[147] Baseball games really follow patterns and certain events seem to repeat themselves. After only a few innings, you could just tell by the Yankees effort that they were going to sleepwalk through this game. That's why I don't think it's an issue of baseball being "hard". The telltale signs were there early...one you rarely see with a great team.

[148] I disagree. Remember Aaron Small? He got a lot of guys out, a lot of guys who "should have been able to hit a career minor leaguer". It's just not that simple.

So Robertson is alive.

If there's a bright side to this game, which I doubt, then giving David Robertson a shot under no pressure is probably it.

Who knew there was a Yankee dentist?

There must be some good jokes to be made about the Yankee dentist. Did Kay say the guy's name?

[154] I wonder if there is an interlocking NY on his dental outfit.

Dr. Levy

Dr. Scott Levy

[157] Thank you. I'll be working on my Dr. Levy jokes for tomorrow.

[151] And, if you look at his game log, he beat a lot of mediocre teams, or had some help fromt he offense in games against better teams. I am not saying the Yankees are awful because they lost this matchup (it's more than who started against them)...just that great teams don't lose them.

Wait, you're saying that great teams do not lose to mediocre pitchers? That sounds extremely unlikely to me.

Mr. Robertson is not acquitting himself impressively.

Oh, Melky.

Nor is Mr. Cabrera.

[162] That's tough to do when you haven't pitched since April 25th.

[161] No, I am saying great teams don't lose when they have a Cy Young pitcher facing a journeyman minor leaguer with a 4.21 ERA in three AAA seasons (which is far from a mediocre MLB pitcher), especially because their offense had one run and three hits.

So, when is Bruney supposed to return? I feel like a regular diet of Coke, Bruney, Melancon, Mo, with an occasional appearance by maybe Albaladejo or Marte, would be a lot better than what we've been seeing.

Melky got an error for that? I thought you had to touch the ball to get an error.

[167 About two weeks.

Robertson deserves a legitimate chance, and he's not getting it.

[167] The key to that is getting innings from the rotation, and that hasn't been happening.

[166] I don't buy it. Even a great line-up can be held to a single run by a journeyman pitcher. It happens.

Wait, two weeks from when? From now? I thought it was supposed to be much shorter.

Teixeira is probably the day's prime goat, but Jeter, Damon and Sabathia probably earned a share. When your lineup includes Molina, Gardner and Pena, you can't have those prime names show up on the wrong side of the ledger.

Never mind, I see he's been on the 15 day DL a week ago. So he should be back in another week.

[173] Jeter slugged .667 today. OPS 1.000.

[171] I am not trying to sell it to you...it's just my opinion, which is also shared by Flaherty and O'Neill, both of whom have pretty much said the 1990s Yankees would never lose a game like this. I obviously agree, but I guess we could all be wrong.

[175] His error was very important.

I think Damon is the goat.

Lucky for Girardi his bullpen decisions produced a blowout because an AB like that in a big spot would have really made him look bad.

[178] That ball was very catchable, so he can share the blame for sure.

[176] Uh, no, O'Neill definitely did not say that his team "would never lose a game like this."
In any case, I'll believe it if someone comes up with evidence. I don't believe things just because someone (even Paul O'Neill) asserts it.

What a bandbox.

WTG, Po.

[181] They didn't explicity say that, but it's easy to read between the lines. Flaherty, for what's it worth, said when he faced those 90s teams, it would be game over by the second inning.

My opinion isn't based on their observations; it is supported by it.

[179] I think we can agree that it wasn't Girardi's bullpen decisions, but rather his bullpen, that produced the blowout!

[184] If Flaherty really said that (and I don't remember him saying it), then he's full of shit, frankly.

[182] Be careful The thought police will accuse you of blaming the Stadium.

[185] I think it's both.

What a battle by Gardner.

[187] Every home run must be attributed to the Stadium.

The Constant Gardner! Chauncy!

[186] He said it in the 2nd or 3rd inning...check it out on MLB.com after the game is archived. I think he was spot on.

[190] My bad. I often miss subtlety. ;)

Good, warm up all of your goddam relief pitchers. We want Fuentes.

Matthews pulls an Abreu.

Holy crap! Matthews dropped it!

[193] You get a pass, but if this happens again you must be re-educated.

Nothing is easy. Even Gary Matthews drops balls. Every bullpen stinks.

I'm working on slogans.

The sun must be really bad. Gardner was fighting off the sun on his last couple of catches in CF. And maybe that's why Damon missed that one?

The way the Angels have been playing, they need a lot of help to get some wins. Unfortunately, they got that today.