C'mon Gaudin! Let's lock this shite up!

Chad Chad, he's our man! If he can't do it...

[0] Great photo, love those old cabs form the 60s and 70s...speaking of which, I am probably wayyy late to the party but the lady and I just started watching Season 1 of "Mad Men", really like it. And oh that Va-Va-Voom style of the 1950s women!!

[2] I never watched it yet, but I've heard nothing but good things. I'll have to start gettin em on Netflix.

26

damn this guy just keeps finding space for these hits

Derek Jeter is AWESOME

derek is setting the tone right from the beginning - we shall overcome gaudin!

Jeter twice gave away the MVP award just because he could. : D Stay thirsty, my friends.

[8] haha, nice one :}

nicely done derek - i guess kennedy thinks they will score more than 1 run on gaudin

This would be a "big game" to win. It would definitely be nice to head into Fenway with at least a 6 1/2 game lead (the same margin when last these two teams met).

If Gaudin couldn't put away Kennedy........oh boy!

Umm..anyone see Chad G's picture on Gameday? Does he still have that beard?

What was the thought process behind Gaudin again? Should've just stretched Ace out.

[13] yeah i saw it last week during a day game. very scary. hell no he doesn't still havee that thing - thankfully the yankees strict hair policy has some benefits.

[14] name pulled out of a hat is my guess.

thing is, Gaudin's stuff isn't embarassingly awful or anything (he averaged about a K an inning with the Padres) he just isn't very, ya know...good

Hanging (breaking ball) Chad Gaudin

1 inning, 0 runs - i'll take that start

every hit like that to swisher has me a bit antsy

Landon Powell .... cool "50's actor" kind of name ...

no relation to Hosken Powell of the Twins of the late '70s..
http://www.baseball-reference.com/players/p/powelho01.shtml

[18] diane, were you really away at the sabr convention - or were you secretly hanging out with chris berman?

[14] Yankees love bad pitchers.

Every "Swisher" is a story, don't it ...
(yes, I'm tired)

[21]

sigh .... :-)

no one ever seems happy to be sitting next to Nomar, do they?

[25] I actually know someone who had dinner with Nomar and Mia

[24] you wore leather, didntcha?!?!?!?

[27]

beat me to the punch! LOL

[26] did he call her "beautiful"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OoqCZV-_8Qc

What is it with Anderson and drinking his water really weird?

[8] Hey, you're stealing my material! ; )

[27} ??

Cubs lost again to San Diego last night..on the nightly highlight show there was a close-up of Sweet Lou's face in the dugout, my lady glanced over and said "that guy looks reallllly scary"... wonder if it's worse to be a Cub fan or a Met fan?

Does Halladay have some equivalency rule with the Sox and Yanks? Like he coughed up it up against the Yankees so now he has to go do it with the Red Sox? Geeeeez

[31] we're holding you responsible for halladay tonight

[34] Yeah, sorry about that.

[28] That's quite allright ... I imagine you Ingrid Bergman in 'Casablanca' beautiful ... I imagine him ... uhhh, Chris Berman ... these things are NOT compatible ... where's the MIND BLEACH!!!

[34] In my defense, Halladay is 0-2 against the Yankees since July 16, but he's 1-1 against the Sox.

[36]

Heh .... I'm closer to "Peppermint Patty" than Ms. Bergman, but thanks! :-)

Aren't breaking balls supposed to break?

[32] i would think it is worse to be a met fan. right now incompetence and chaos is pervasive and seemingly entrenched in that organization. they are the second team in town and always will be regardless of the meme that assholes like lupica tried to advance a couple of years ago (remember when some were claiming nyc was rapidly becoming a mets town).
plus the cubs can always fall back on being lovable losers and the whole hang out at wrigley experience, the mets just end up losers.

Oh Hacky, HOW I'VE MISSED YOU!!!

[37] alright i'll give you credit for the 2 losses to the yankees; i guess the sox split is acceptable, but not an ace-like performance from you

[31] Blame Cano, If I didn't compliment him you may have never referenced it. lol. : D

i will be so happy after august 28th to never hear mk say jersey koozie again

hey nice catch johnny d

tonight's text poll should be what can you fit in the foul ground in oakland?
a cruise ship
a trailer
a mansion
goose gossage's ego

[44]

I'll be happy after Friday .... no more "Inglorious Bastards" promos

[45]

all of the above?

Gaudin has a hard time with lefties, but he's pretty tough on righties. He's probably best used out of the pen.

Gossage's ego may be pushing it

Think the A's blogosphere feels about Gaudin like we feel about Tomko?

[46] Basteardedszs!!!

[45] The Joba Rules V. I - III and the Map.

Slump. What slump. : O

tex with the big swing!!

yay

[45] all of the above.

my that was horrid robbie

looks like ROTTEN Robbie is back ...

awful quiet here

[59] we're letting chad concentrate :}

bend, DON'T break, Chad'!!!

I'm not sure I "get" why tonight is the night off for Posada. Give him a night off when one of the better pitchers - who don't like pitching to him anyway (allegedly) - are on the mound, not when his bat will probably be needed to counter the runs Gaudin gives up.

That was just N'Djamena!

[60] Nice one

awful quiet here

two chicks and a worshipper of various gods who were patrons of cities in the Ancient Levant ... AWWW, YEAH!!!

BROWN CHICKEN, BROWN COW!!!!!!

[62] I like the idea of giving him 2 days off before Boston. I also think it helps to have the better defensive catcher with Gaudin, who like Burnett has stuff that really moves.

25

Girardi has to bunt to there, especially with a hot Jeter on deck. I really wish the Yankees had a manager with some ability to manage a game.

I don't think Jose can bunt.

Jeter once dated twins b/c he was tired of triplets.

[69] I actually think he is a pretty good bunter.

[70] And refused to validate their parking!

[68] seriously? any competent manager would bunt there?

It rained on the day of Jeter's ML debut, because G-d wanted to make sure the air was clean of any impurities for his Golden Child.

Davis is annoying...he takes such bad routes to balls but still makes the catch.

Molina has about 4 sac bunts per year. I guess that means he's not completely incompetent.

Mark Teixeira has zero sac bunts in his career, in case anyone was wondering.

[73] Let's see...decent speed on the bases...awful, slothly hitter at the plate...ungodly hot batter on deck...yeah...any competent manager would bunt there considering the game situation.

Gaudin has been effective, but Girardi has to be quick on the trigger here.

[77] Molina's OBP is .321. The question is whether giving away 1/3 of an out is worth the extra base. With the current score, it's a very close call. (With most ordinary scores it would be definitely wrong to bunt.)

Guadin is throwing a one-hitter?? Gameday malfunctioning again???

Seriously, how is Derek Jeter doing this? Is he healthy? Having a freak year? Will he come back to earth later in season? Craziness.

[79] This is year's OBP is over a very small sample, so it probably makes more sense to consider his .278 career .OBP.

CAN I HUG DAD?

Who's up in the BP?

[83] sure, i think you will need to after that play

[82] Wait, you said it was relevant that Jeter is hot. Why would you use Jeter's recent performance, but Molina's career performance?

[81] The more you think about it, it looks like 2008 was an injury influenced fluke season. This year is right in line with2005-2007.

Cano has to make that play...

that error should be shared

[86] Because Derek Jeter is a hall of famer who even when not hot is still a great bet to produce, while Molina is an awful hitter performaing slightly better over a very small sample.

FUCK THE WIN, BRING VULTURE IN ... NOW!!!

oh flash i could give a rat's ass about gaudin getting a win - pull the plug on him with no regard to him getting a win

gaudin is pissed, and it looked like girardi didn't like his reaction.

Good move going to Aceves...Cano has really been awful this entire series. I have no idea what explain his complete lack of focus in this series.

[89] I don't understand why a Hall of Famer's recent statistics are more relevant than his career statistics, while a BUC is the reverse. Why is that?

BELIEVE IT, CHAD.

We're NOT here to screw around while you try and figure out whether you can complete 5 innings ...

[92] yeah he was pissed, now i'm feeling a bit bad for him - though not enough to have wanted him to stay in

If only Girardi has been as quick with the hook in some of Mitre's starts.

[93] he should have been able to make the play, but it was kind of a late toss right at his face.

He walked two guys, he's not really entitled to be pissed off.

I mean, he walked two guys this inning.

way to do it ace

For the record, I think the right move here was Phil Hughes, not Ace.

That's why you don't F- around with pitchers like Gaudin. Good job, Joe.

VULTURE PICKS YOUR BONES!!!!!!!

Dear Chad,

This is not San Diego .... standards are different here.

Ack .... the Valerie Bertinelli lookalike!

[102] ... though Joe's choice worked out awfully nicely.

Damn, that must feel really, really good. I would love to experience that, entering the game with the bases jammed and one out and inducing a quick and easy DP.

[105] He did good, though.

DUD ACING! HA!

[94] Because a HoF is probably a better bet to perform up to his expected level. Also, what probably makes HoFame hitters is there ability to get on and sustain hot streaks. Molina, however, has very little ability. If his .OBP is higher in 80 PAs, it is just as likely to be because of external factors than a sign of enhanced ability.

I remember feeling so down when the A's pulled the 1-2-3 DP on Arod 2 nights ago. Now Aceves has pulled it off, too! Nice!

How 'bout a few runs, boys!

[106] LOVED Valerie on "one day at a time"..every 8-yr old's dream girlfriend..

[109] the numbers account for him being a hall of famer. it doesn't make sense to judge 2 players by different sets of data. i agree that you should use career numbers, but for both. you are giving jeter extra credit for being on a hot streak, which is fair, but you can't count it twice.

Because a HoF is probably a better bet to perform up to his expected level.

This makes no sense to me. Everyone is a good bet to perform up to his expected level. That's why it's "expected level". The Hall of Famer has a higher expected level. But what does this have to do with whether his recent or career performance is his expected level?

Also, what probably makes HoFame hitters is there ability to get on and sustain hot streaks.
Really? Or is it their consistency? (Which would be almost the opposite -- it would mean they are lessstreaky.)

I would have liked to see A-Rod and Swish see more pitches. Could have run Anderson very close to his pitch limit with a couple of long at bats.
Well, Ace will have to be awesome now. Good start.

[97] Girardi managed Mitre before in Florida, that probably influenced his decision to stick with him.

damn that thing carried

how did that go out?

Damn...something so nice about a three run lead.

Let’s see…decent speed on the bases…awful, slothly hitter at the plate…ungodly hot batter on deck…yeah…any competent manager would bunt there considering the game situation.

Joining the discussion late...

But had Molina bunted successfully, wouldn't that have resulted most likely in Jeter being intentionally walked? So, ironically [in Michael Kay voice] your strategy might very well have taken the bat out of the hands of the "ungodly hot batter."

Do these people always break these streaks against us?

[119] Maybe we can do something about that next inning.

time to punch out again

i'll trust the banter will hold on to this lead and get the win

[113] By any set of data, I think it was an obvious decision. Personally, I think Jeter being on a hot streak is relevant because of his superior skill and status as an ever day player. Molina's better .OBP, however, has been compiled over intermittent ABs. Put another way, Jeter’s hot streak has lasted almost as long as Molina’s season total of ABs.

Cano is simply not giving a full effort in this series.

Again, longer at bats by Melk and Molina could have ended the night for Anderson. But they each got a pretty fat pitch, so I don't blame them. Just disappointed.

Also, I'd like to see Hughes in this game. I'd like to see him right now, but I'd settle for seeing him after some bullpen roulette involving Phil Coke walking a lefty.

Why are we looking at A-Rod's ass?

[114] Great hitters combine consistency with high peaks. While a Molina could boost his.OBP 50 points over his career total thanks to one or two games, a Jeter's hot streak is sustained over weeks.

Two blown games at home to a bad Twins team...Texas will not be a factor in the wild card race. The Rays are really the only other team in the mix.

[120] You think they would have walked Jeter to bring up Damon and Teixeira? Hell, that's still much better than having Molina swing away.

Big batter here Ace...let's get this game to Hughes.

[129] Great hitters are more likely to go on streaks, or less? (The latter is what consistency means.)

Molina's boosted totals are not over a few at bats. It's over this season. About the same sample size as Jeter's streak.

nighty night all ...

Phil Coke warming, I knew it. I'll be satisfied if Hughes enters after Coke.

[133] I think great hitters are probably like to maintain a baseline (consistency) with large peaks (hot streaks) and small valleys (slumps). Lesser hitters probably have a lower baseline with smaller peaks and larger valleys.

[130] Twins play the game the right way though..always grind it out!

Did Gaudin stay on the bench? He and Joe G go at it in the club house? This team needs more internal strife..harmony is boring..

My brother just emailed me from Dodger Stadium, where Adam Wainwright has a no hitter through five.

Bad pitch by Ace...can't give him an outside fastball that he can reach.

Absolutely inexplicable pitch calling.

Damn. Good try, Ace.
Gonna be a barn burner.

Damnit

Paging Joe Girardi...time for Hughes, right?

[143] No kidding.

[136] I'm not sure that makes sense, mathematically. If a player has big hot streaks and small slumps, his averages (i.e., "baseline") will be higher.

Hmm. Now will Coke get to face three batters, or just one?

I'm sure glad that one out in the eighth inning is covered.

[145] Why? The baseline is his performance between the valleys and peaks, not his average.

Of course not Hughes....why actually manage to win the game?

This has been really bizarre managing.

Again, what is the point of having a talent like Hughes in the bullpen if he is never used in high leverage?

There we go, 6 more outs

i don't see why it doesn't make some sense to go to coke there against a lefty and save hughes for the 8th.

[151] But he is used in high leverage situations. Remember, the eighth inning is just about the most highest leverage inning, second only to a SAVE SITUATION!

[153] It does. Coke is much better against lefties than Hughes is, anyway. Look at their splits.

[155] career or 09 splits?

[156] Career, I was thinking. But either will do.

[157] it was a joke. same either way. what i don't know is how well hughes pitches to lefties as a reliever. my guess is it's very good.

[153] Because Hughes is the better pitcher and there are more lefties coming up. Why burn Coke for one batter that Hughes probably as just as good if not a better chance to get?

[157] To be fair, you have to look at Hughes numbers as a reliever.

Wow.

I know I'm late to the discussion but I don't understand not understanding why someone would rather give Jeter a chance at the plate than Molina.

Yankees desparately need another run or two here. They have been sleep walking through this series and one bad break will send them to Boston with another loss.

Let's just all agree that the use of Hughes has been ... sub-optimal. I think, looking forward, we'd probably agree that that will continue. It appears to be systemic, though exactly what that system is is anyone's guess.

[161] i just think that either is defensible

[157] More seriously, I don't mind going with the lefty in that specific circumstance. But as you know, I fundamentally disagree with the practice of "saving" your best relievers for designated innings. Frankly, I would have gone to Hughes in the fifth inning, and used him for 1.1 to 2.0 innings, depending on pitches. If things had worked out, there would have been no need to worry about a key lefty-lefty matchup in the seventh.

I want everyone to know that my computer is dying before my eyes. It's a sad sight.

[161] Anyone (rooting for the Yankees) would rather give Jeter a chance at the plate than Molina.

[163] Agreed. Well put.

[165] On calling for Hughes in the fifth, see [102].

Using Coke to get lefties is not a bad strategy, btw. I just think using him to get 1 lefty is a bad strategy.

If Molina can't be counted on for a sacrifice bunt, he ought to add that to his skill set. I mean, I like when he gets a hit, it's kind of like the Tooth Fairy actually existing for a brief shining moment. But come on.

[165] i understand that and i think the rigidity is stupid too. but i do think there's something to be said for saving your best relievers for the end of the game. of course there's a balance that has to be made, but why not save them for when the game will definitely be a win if they pitch well?

Shit...this game has a very bad vibe. Once again, the Yankees have kept the As in a game and now any bad break will cost them.

Anyone named Jack Cust can't be all bad.

Let's go Phil!

[172] Best pitchers should pitch in the most important situations. It's that simple.

The reason to wait for the end of the game is that you can then be certain that the situation is important. Bringing in Mo in the fifth with two on and nobody out might turn out in the end to be a very unimportant situation because somebody rallies for ten runs in the eighth.

[169] Great minds...

this umpire is so inconsistent

[178] Incredibly inconsistent.

You have to really be concerned by Hughes throwing to an unoccupied base there. It kind of suggests he might be a little distracted.

Uh oh.

What!! A curve ball to Cust's slooow bat.

By historical win expectancy data, Oakland just became the favorites in this game.

Sterling is killing me. "Cust has so much power. If he gets his bat on it, it's gone. He has a great swing." What does that say for Jeter's power? or any other 15 HR hitter? That's ridiculous right?

And grats to everyone who was so excited about Hughes. I was just worried no matter what.

No more curves, Phil

[176] that's what i mean by balance.

There's gotta be a compelling analogy for the use of Hughes. He looks great when he's pitching but somehow that doesn't equate to him being in there more. Watching him results in this weird combination of appreciation and frustration.

...

Maybe this isn't the best time to contemplate that.

This has been a poorly played, pitched and managed game. The Yankees are about to give away another game on this trip.

[176] But of course, by not bringing in Mo in the fifth (in your hypothetical) the other team may score ten runs, which would be very important. So, (tuning more to [172]) by saving the best relievers, the game is more likely to be lost in the earlier innings.

On a similar note: http://tinyurl.com/lkxuok

Mark Teixeira is amazing!

Beautiful.
And there's nothing wrong with Phil's curve, it turns out.

[191] Nothing wrong at all....except why throw it to Cust, who can't get around his fastball?

Woohoo!

Now it's time for some runs.

[189] Of course.

Again: the early and late innings are per se equally important. The difference is that when the fifth is really important, you just don't know it at the time, whereas when the ninth is important, you do. That is the only reason to save Mariano for the ninth.

Break by Girardi, btw. He has seemed itchy to go to Mo in that situation. It's nice to see him trust Hughes for the entire inning.

[187] Yes. He seems to have consistently succeeded himself into getting less work--which maybe common enough in some businesses, but somewhat odd in pro sports.

[195] Ah, gotcha. I missed your point there.

[189] like i said, i agree it's too rigid. but i do think some people seem to forget that late innings are inherently more important (that is, all else being equal).

[195] You also need to factor in the pyschology as well. Even though the 5th may be higher leverage in some games, I'd have to believe most pitchers wouldn't think so. The 9th, however, seems to be a boogey man for some relievers.