Comments on: Missed It By That Much

By: Rich

Rich — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:23:11 +0000

[0] why Jeter wasn’t pulled over for a full shift, I couldn’t tell you

This is the reason they lost.

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:16:35 +0000

Also from MLBTR:
THURSDAY, 7:58pm: Jayson Stark and Buster Olney of ESPN.com report that the Yankees inquired about Bannister, but talks didn’t develop because the Yankees asked the Royals to pay the $650k that remains on Bannister’s 2009 contract. Since when does $650k stop the Yanks from making a deal?

Brian Bannister (28) Career: 4.57 ERA, 1.36 WHIP, .267 BAA.

That would be very solid if we dont have to give up any prime meat.

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:11:51 +0000

From MLB TYrade Rumors:
“SI’s Jon Heyman says the Ms asked for catcher Jesus Montero from the Yankees for Washburn and were rebuffed”

Jeez… why not ask for Joba AND Montero?

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:09:06 +0000

Does another one bite the dust?
From ESPN:

Bronson Arroyo, a former Boston Red Sox (2003-2005) teammate of Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz, said he would not be surprised to find his name on a list of 104 ballplayers who tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs in 2003, as he had heard a then-legal supplement he was using was tainted with steroids, the Boston Herald reported.

Arroyo said he started taking taking andro after 1998, after a season with the Pirates’ Double-A affiliate. “Andro made me feel great, I felt like a monster. I felt like I could jump and hit my head on the basketball rim,” he said, according to the report.

By: weeping for brunnhilde

weeping for brunnhilde — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 15:07:06 +0000

[11] I’m all for raising the mound back.

By: Horace Clarke Era

Horace Clarke Era — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 14:15:37 +0000

[11] OYF that’s why I’m interested in the ump’s tendencies, if there’s a site that shows their zones. It would be a great addition to Cliff’s pre-series reports. (Cliff has LOTS of time on his hands, right?)

I agree that a patient team is hurt more by a wide zone, you start losing confidence in your own eye and it throws you badly off. 14 Ks tells its own story. I WILL say the zone looked consistent, Andy got the calls, too.

By: OldYanksFan

OldYanksFan — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:54:50 +0000

It looked to me that ARod took an extra second to make sure he made a good throw. You could almost see him thinking ‘don’t fuck this up’. It was a tough loss as we weren’t hit hard, and as PeteAbe documents, a lot of little things went blooie that were a bit lucky for Chicago.

My beef is a mile wide Strike Zone. I think with patient hitters with good eyes like we have, a humongous strike zone hurts us more. Raise the mound or widen the plate if MLB wants lower scoring/faster games, but for Christ’s sake, call balls and strikes correctly.

14 Ks for us. Yeah… right. The Ump should get credit for more then half of them.

By: Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO

Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:48:48 +0000

Trade deadline day! Hope I wake up from a fog of Guinness to read about some exciting deals..unfortunately it’s Smoltz vs Guthrie on tv here tomorrow morning, blechhhh….

By: Joel

Joel — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:30:09 +0000

[1] It wasn’t an awful play by A-Rod, but it was one of those split-second plays that shows the difference between A-Rod and a very good 3B who has played the position his whole life. A Brosius, a Rolen, etc…attacks that ball like a 3B to glove it cleanly instead of letting it ride up his chest to make the play. A-Rod fielded that ball like an SS. Becuase he is so talented, he is usually able to get away with it. Not that time unfortunately.

Also, although Cano’s throw was an awful one, if Tex was able to get that much of his glove on it, he needs to catch it. He’s a great 1B, but that ball should not have gotten that far away from him. That’s what allowed the run to score from second.

By: Horace Clarke Era

Horace Clarke Era — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:24:31 +0000

I’m surprised anyone is actually complaining about the Pierzynski slide. It was exactly what he was supposed to do and we’d applaud any Yankee who did (or has done) that. I didn’t think Alex messed up the throw, either, second baseman are always at some risk on a play around the horn and Cano didn’t quite nail that one. Happens, aggravating.

Tough loss, but a reliever throwing 97 from the left side to an ump with a huge zone is gonna be tough. Both starters got the benefit of the same zone all night.

This reminds me of something: with all the stats we have available, does any site actually track umpire strike zones online? It would be a really interesting thing to know, going in to a game, if we could anticipate a pitcher’s or hitter’s ump behind the plate.

By: The Mick536

The Mick536 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:16:38 +0000

How about them strikeouts to end the game?

By: Mattpat11

Mattpat11 — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 07:11:55 +0000

I knew the night wasn’t going to end well when Andy Pettitte fell down.

By: Cliff Corcoran

Cliff Corcoran — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:49:55 +0000

[4] He might yet, but Girardi said he had no problem with the slide calling it “good hard baseball” and saying that’s what he wants his players to do in the same situation (Tex and Gardner are two off the top of my head who I’ve seen do it this year). I didn’t think it was dirty, but yes, Cano could have buzzed him with the throw, that’s also part of the game.

By: Just Fair

Just Fair — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:19:02 +0000

[2] I for whatever reason keep coming back to Verducci’s Torre book. I recall Bowa giving Alex Shit about his throws b/c he was going to get his 2nd baseman killed. I’d like to see AJ get drilled in the ass this series, but that’s just me. : ) Cano SHOULD HAVE buried that throw in AJ’s chest.

By: monkeypants

monkeypants — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:12:37 +0000

The only solace I take–and it’s not too comforting–is that Yankees never actually led. It would have killed me if they were ahead by a run and that damnable inning cost them the lead. This game had the feeling all along of one that was going to end up badly. Swish’s homer gave me hope that they might steal it, but otherwise I kinda reconciled myself to a loss pretty early on.

Maybe Mitre can spin some more near 6.00 EAR magic tomorrow and they steal that game instead.

By: Cliff Corcoran

Cliff Corcoran — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 06:07:38 +0000

Rodriguez’s throw was a bit high, but that didn’t seem to affect Cano. I credit Pierzynski entirely with breaking up that DP.

By: Just Fair

Just Fair — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 05:57:45 +0000

I’d say Alex “lollygagged” the throw to Cano, but that’s just me. It could be one of the lone chinks in Alex’s 3rd base defense. What an infuriating way to lose.