I have a good feeling about this series, but I do think there is plenty of potential for disaster, because all three Yankees starters have the ability to implode out of nowhere

Chamberlain's nibbling drives me nuts not just because he nibbles, but also because he loves the awful, pointless waste pitches. He'll go 0-2 on someone and decide that we need to follow that up with a pitch over the head, a pitch at the feet, and a pitch in the other batters box. Of course no one swings, and then we start going for the corners, which leads to 13 foul balls and the eventual walk.

Is maddening.

[1] Word

singleton and coney!!!!

yeah about time

[3} I'm glad the 3 days I spent missing Red Sox weekend to find Cone paid off. : D

[4] no doubt.

it's going to be weird seeing pudge in a ranger uniform again.

A 3-2 breaking ball to a speed guy leading off. I guess Joba has picked right up from where he left off.

Just about every playoff contender has a speed element to their game. That could wind up being the Yankees biggest achilles heel.

we need to hope texas swings at shit in the dirt all night

Oh boy...Jorge isn't off to a good start.

How did he not score?

Off the bat, Joba has already reverted back to the bad habits.

good job getting the dp

Joba pitches backwards in every sense. In an AB, he starts off with the breaking pitches and goes to the fastball late in the count. In an inning, he nibbles with no men on base, but gets more aggressive in a jam. It really doesn't make much sense.

I hate that pitch in the other batters box.

jeter with the walk - unreal he went that long without a walk

The Rangers can't be happy about the current schedule. They get the Yankees, while the Red Sox get to face Contreras and Garcia and TB faces a Jays team that has already flown south for the winter.

[14] Because he has been swining very early in the count AND getting a ton of hits.

Pudge can still throw.

[16] and mp and i know how you disaporve of the first onet :}

damn pudge got him

[18] I don't disapprove of it as a rule...just in ABs when the team is behind by a lot.

This feels like an A-bomb.

[20] There was a wiring problem.

[16] Don't necessarily think that's a bad thing.

WOOHOO!

beautiful hit hideki

Wow...alot of action on that play...and it all happened very quickly.

Damn, Mats. Can't hit it any harder. Why do guys coming home refuse to watch the on deck batter?

[26] In Arods case, I think he wants to avoid a jarring slide into the plate at all costs.

Hello all. I just showed up...on the Score Truck!

Eat it, Millwood.

WOOHOO X 2!

Just like that, 4-0

Think Texas is ready for the next stop on their road trip. I am not sure how long it will last, but the Yankees have established themselves as a cut above everyone else, with the possible exception of Anaheim.

[28] surprised the score truck had room for you

hate that the yanks are doing a favor to the red sox...

So, I'm going to the game on Thursday. Can anyone tell me when the new Stadium opens for day games--two hour or three hours before game time?

As soon as Jorge's home run went out, I wondered how frustrating the top of the second would be. Cause that's how I roll (and how Joba rolls, let's be honest).

[33] There's always room for one more on the Score Truck!

BTW, Posada really killed that rally, huh?

after jeter got thrown out i was a bit pessimistic about that inning - glad i was wrong

[34] I was thinking that too. Just hope the Red Sox lose.

[37] yeah guess it has been a roomy score truck lately

yes damn those rally killing hrs

anybody see Teix yesterday on letterman; i thought he was pretty cool, interesting answers. he said he saw himself playing in NY this time of the year last year... had a couple of other nuggets.

[34] It does give this game a somewhat odd feeling, but I am keeping my eye on that best record. Also, you really can't start picking your playoff opponent because that always seems to bite you. Afterall, the Yankees would probably be best served by having Anaheim bounced and the Sox historically have the best chance to do that.

[35] Two hours.

[36] There's your answer. With all the good things in Yankeeland, Joba's resistance to learning how to pitch is definitely a concern. We all keep waiting for him to emerge as an ace, but maybe he just wont be anything more than a highend #3 or #4.

here comes the frustration....

[42] i agree that you can't start picking your opponent; I just want the red sox out of the playoffs! I want their season to be a complete failure

2-0 pitch to Andrus! and he throws a slider. I can't believe Eiland and Girardi approve of his pitching pattern, but then why do they allow him to continue?

yuck

Joba just needs to have his ass kicked relentlessly. he's not smart, he's not experienced: he just has a great arm. other people need to do the thinking for him.

A small part of me really wants Joba to get absolutely hammered because his stubborness and ignorance on the mound is angering. I don't know what it is going to take for him to finally learn, but maybe a few drubbings would do the trick.

[34] I take it all back. I want the yanks to win this one no matter what.

[42] Blast--I was hoping for three hours, watching BP and the like.

I hate to say this, but Joba really reminds me alot of Jose Contreras. Both have excellent breaking pitches and hard, but straight fastballs. They also both rely too heavily on the breaking pitch and wind up having to throw their fastball in obvious hitter's counts. When you look at both pitchers' stuff, you can't imagine how they give up runs, but then you watch some of their decisions on the mound and you see why.

[49] he's had his share of very bad games and hasn't learned. I hope he'll eventually figure it out. he has a good role model in CC to teach him how to do it. he better not hang out with AJ who hasn't fully figured it out.

Same old shit from Joba, huh?

[43] Huh, that was worse than I thought. I figured he'd just drive everyone crazy but get it out of his self-made mess. Not so!

I suspect Posada's approach to his job is ill-advised. He doesn't look like a helper or a guide for the pitchers - he looks like a task-master and a scold.

[55] And a busy-body. I know that with Chamberlain, staying on top of him may be necessary, but it's annoying how often Posada goes out to chat with the pitcher.

bah nice stop

Freaking Jeter.

Hey all.

19

[59] that counter has been moving fast

Millwood was luck Teix didn't launch that pitch.
Well, he did launch it, but you know what I mean.

wow swisheroo!!

"...he’s not smart, he’s not experienced.."
REALLY!
Just because he's still very young...
and has fewer profession IP than any other pitcher in MLB....
and was called up prematurely because the Yankees had pitching troubles...
and has been in both the SR and BP....
and has had an irregular routine due to injury and an innings limit....
Is ABSOLUELY NO EXCUSE not to be experienced and smart.
UNACCEPTABLE!

Now that's a great catch.

Meanwhile, another flat fastball by Joba.

Very nice.

[63] I agree with everything you said, but considering all those things, should Joba will be taking such a significant role in how his cames are called? Unless the Yankees want him to pitch backwards, it seems as if that is the pattern Joba prefers. Because he is inexperienced, the Yankees should perhaps dictate how he approaches the hitters.

A little over 250 innings at the big league level. Joba really should have it all figured it by now. The fact that he's not going 7+ every game and shutting down everyone just goes to show how overrated he his.
/ sarcasm.

3-2 fastball with a lead and no men on! Thank you.

i hope kevin millwood sends a whitman's sampler over

[69] everyone loves a whitman's sampler

67, 63--I'm not interested in blame, or snark. I neither blamed Joba, nor suggested he was overrated. I'm interested in figuring out the best way to handle Joba so that he fulfills his potential. I recognize that MOST young pitchers don't fulfill that potential. I feel that Joba tends to mess around and overcomplicates things rather than going after hitters. Just my opinion....

Cashman better sign this kid

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFrmeND_rM8

Why is he nibbling on the corner!!

what irks me is that that percentage of joba's pitches that are strikes is barely over 50%.

So, I take it Joba's having his bad inning now?

[66] My guess is if the Yankees disapproved of Joba's technique the way you do, they would get involved... and ARE involved. In terms of raw potential, it has been a long time since the Yankees have had anyone like Joba. I'm quite sure a LOT of hours of interest by the FO has been invested in Joba.

The truth is many fans are just too impatient and expect Doc Gooden. A few hot prospects go right to the top, but most have some struggles and many take years to reach their potential.

Let's not forget something. The 2 best pitchers in baseball (?), Santana and Halladay have career ERA+s of 143 and 132. Our immature, inexperienced, disappointing, not-so-smart Joba's career ERA+?
145.

One hundred forty five.

Joba seems to aspire to being Greg Maddux, when he should be aspiring to be Roger Clemens (on the mound, that is). There's no reason, if you can throw 95-96, trying to be tricky and clever.

Oh boy...this inning is a replay of the 2nd. Joba is basically just giving runs away. If the Yankees don't start taking more control over how he pitches, the habits are going to be harder to break. Right now, Joba is a poor pitcher with very good stuff. That's enough to get by, but it really is a waste.

Elvis was a hero to most but he never meant shit to me.

What happened to Joba's new quicker approach on the mound? Painfully slow again tonight.....

1-2 count....Joba shakes...another slider. There is absolutely no variance in the pattern. Why the Yankees continue to allow Joba to shake off is beyond me.

Oy vey

[79] that sucker was simple and plain

[76] what is his era+ as a starter?

this is turning into a fucking hit parade

What a disgusting performance by Joba.

[81] I really don't see how "allowing" even comes into it, unless you wanna fine him an undisclosed amount everytime he shakes off. There is only so much coaching that can be done, at some point it's just on him.

This inning is ridiculous btw, I would almost be happier if they were smacking him around. Right now everything is just landing in the right spot for Texas.

used to be a Joba start was a reason to stay home at night.

now a Joba start is a reason to go out and skip the game.

just pathetic.

[49] So is this enough of a hammering?. Or are you dissappointed in all the seeing eye hits?

[76] That's a bit misleading, no? Joba's ERA+ as a starter is 3.56...still good, but surely not 145 or the like.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again--Hughes will end up the better starter. But we'll have to check back in a few years to revisit this particular conversation.

Great Joba...way to embarrass yourself.

[85] It's as simple as telling him he throws what the catcher puts down or he comes out the game and works on his mechanics in Scanton.

[83] BR doesn't have ERA+ in splits. His OPS against as a starter is .725. His WHIP is high at 1.4, Mind you, I agree that Joba has issues. But not as many as us fans. I believe we expect to much (typical Yankee fans, yes?)

[87] If they are going to lose, I wouldn't mind seeing more runs. It looks like he is "unlucky", but that's a product of a stubbornly predictable pattern and horrid location. The reason those two ground balls got past Jeter is because he was cheating up the middle based on the location. Joba missed both times and sure enough the ball got through.

[88] I definitely agree that Hughes will wind up the better starter. Unless he isn't being coached properly, I am starting to think that Joba will be another example of a talented pitcher unable or unwilling to actually learn to pitch.

[92] I agree his location is horrible. But if he throws everything Posada calls for his location is STILL going to be terrible. All this Joba bashing is beyone me. IMHO.

Hm. This is starting to feel, unfortunately, like a Sergio Mitre evening. In two ways. First, that Joba was unluckied to death and will last only about four innings. Second, that I bet Sergio comes into the game as the "long man."

WOW! I went to put the kids down for the night with 2 outs and I come back to this? Man, Joba is frustrating.

SLASHER!!!

[91] thanks for checking.
i agree that the expectations of him are often too much - but there are a two things that are problematic that can and should be addressed that i think would make a big difference- shaking off the catcher to the degree he is and throwing so many junk pitches on 2 strike counts

Do the Yanks lead the league in replays. WTF?

[91] I don't think it's too much to expect Joba to be more consistent, efficient and dominant. He has ++ stuff (or had)...the kind of arsenal that should allow him to be a borderline ace even at his level of relative inexperience. Furthermore, it isn't the result that is frustrating, but rather his approach and his stubborness.

Joba has been unlucky tonight, in his defense. But I'm getting sick of Joba talk, in general. And in general, he places that target on his own back.

44 pitch inning. Did I see that right? Joba's been getting shelled out there.

[95] :{

yeah robbie - chip away boys

If the Yankees can win this game, Joba giving up 7 runs might be a good thing. It might take a few more similar outings to finally break through, but if Joba continues to pitch this way, he will be much better than the 4ERA pitcher he is today.

[95] monkeypants, I hope you're right. I'm going to the game Friday and I see that CC was pushed to Sat and Mitre is pitching. Bummer.

To play devil's advocate--how do we know that it's Joba's stubborness that is leading to all of the slow stuff with two strikes? Sure, he's shaking Posada off, but for all we know it's Posada putting down two fingers every time.

I find it interesting that when AJ shook off Po and got sheeled, everyone was quick to blame Posada, and many called for marrying AJ and Molina. But when Joba shakes off Posada and gets shelled, everyone blames the pitcher.

[106] Oh man, that is a bummer. I went to two games last season (a rarity for me--I usually can only make to one game at most), and saw Ponson both times. Grrrr.

But I’m getting sick of Joba talk, in general.

Oh, yeah???

"Ha! Mongo wan chee kospah ooh. Pee cha ka wunchy culpa tong me too chonky troi. Peecha wanchee lockhba tang nannee du chonky troy. Solo fol too ma kay chalia."

Take that!

=)

I was a little more inspired by Gaudin's start than by any of MItre's... I wonder why Gaudin is the long man.

[108] that sounds like a rotten conspiracy against you. ouch!

[106] Wait a minute [he says, actually thinking about it], are you saying that Mitre, who got "unlucky" against Boston, has earned a ticket back to the rotation? Sometimes this team has an interesting way of handling merit and promotion.

[111] At they won both games! The first Ponson pitched "well" (a million runners but no one scored). The second was that crazy game against the Angels, when Teix hit a HR but Nady came back and hit a HR to put the Yanks ahead for good. The final score was like 13-11.

[108] My game last year was an evening with Ponson. I thought it would be a blowout and Sidney pitched out of enormous gourde. Yankees lost 1-0 and Mariano took the loss. That was a bummer.

[107] The difference is AJ is a veteran and Joba has not yet learned to pitch. The biggest difference is AJ does not have a discernible pattern. He basically goes with what is working. Joba, on the other hand, is easy to predict.

[107] i have consistently "blamed" the pitcher in both cases
i think with joba, he is shaking off to get to the slider - i looked at this on gameday a few weeks ago to try to confirm and that is what seemed to be happening

[107] Another interesting thing about your comparison is that like Joba, AJ wasted his youth refusing to learn how to pitch. His early stubborness and immaturity is well documented. Joba's stuff isn't even as good as AJ's, so if he doesn't get his head on straight, he could have the same underachieving career.

[117] and aj was advising joba earlier in the season!!

well no unlucky mitre tonight - gaudin it is

[112] That's the word on the street......and Yankees.com.

Lots of Banter posts from the hosts, and 1120+ game thread comments to catch up on..from the box score I take it Joba wasn't "all that" in this start? Oh well, I guess he made good pitches but give credit to Texas' lineup..something like that?

[115] A.J. has 2 pitches. Joba has 4. If onnly A.J's curve is working that is predictable. If only his fastball is working that too is predictable. Joba is a young kid trying to figure it all out. He threw a great 2-0 change to Pudge that he was way ahead of on his swing and miss. A 2-0 change is not predictable in most cases.

[116] So have I. But I do find the variant assumptions and conclusions interesting.

[115] That may be, and it is clear that Joba is "stubborn" inasmuch as he shakes off Po a lot, but in the end there is insufficient evidence to determine who is "winning"--it may be that Posada gets his way, eventually, on the pitches thrown. I'm not sure I believe this, of course.

Yeesh.

[119] This team boggles my mind sometimes. I guess they gotta justify that 13-man staff.

[120] Nope...he was awful.

silver lining. boston is losing 3-2 and tb is winning. if all holds up boston is only .5 games ahead of tex in the WC and 2.5 up on TB. the yanks lead would remain intact. I like it

[113] right on. at least it turned out well. :)

[108] That is beyond hysterical..reminds me of the time Jason Seaver and Carol got free tickets to Frank Sinatra...only to be seated and find out it was Frank Sinatra Jr...

[121] Joba "has" 4 pitches, but he mostly throws only 2. The one change to Pudge might have been an example of a good pitch in an unpredictable spot, but that's one example.

[122] I guess Posada could be winning out, but that would kind of go against what Jorge usually does...which is call for the fastball. If that's the case, then I apologize to Joba.

One more point about Posada and AJ...part of me wonders if Posada doesn't call for the curve from AJ because he has so much trouble catching it.

"That’s a bit misleading, no? Joba’s ERA+ ...(you mean ERA?)... as a starter is 3.56…still good, but surely not 145 or the like."

Wow... a crappy 3.56?
CC Sabathia of the AL Central has a career ERA of 3.65.

[129] He mostly throws only 2? Well that clears that up.

Evening folks ....

[131] I never said is was crappy. In fact, I said that it was "good,"as you quoted. And it was misleading to cite his career ERA+, which is distorted by his ERA as a reliever. Just like Hughes' ERA this year obscures his poor ERA as a starter and super-duper ERA as a reliver.

this whole shaking the catcher off stuff has got me thinking about pitchers that supposedly called their own game. when it is said that moose called his own game how exactly did that work?
the catcher was putting signs down because the catcher obviously has to know the pitch type and location - moose wasn't first giving signs to the catcher, right?
so if that is right, basically it seems the catcher put the sign down and moose either shook him off or not - how is that different than any other pitcher?

[131] You are really relying on small sample sizes to make your point. Joba has such a small body of work as a starter that after today his career ERA has jumped all the way to 3.82. He also has a WHIP over 1.4 and a K/BB ratio of only 2. Throw in his career IP/GS average of 5.4 and I don't think you can argue that Joba has been particularly impressive as a starter aside from a few brilliant starts.

Instead of making excuses for Joba, we, he and the team need to fully acknowledge that he is performing well below his talent. Whether it's stubborness, poor approach, injury or inability, the Yankees have to figure out the cause and make needed adjustments. Otherwise, the Yankees have an end of the rotation pitcher where they thought they had an ace.

This year, a 3.56 ERA translates to a 126 ERA+. We just paid $23m/yr to a guy with a career ERA+ of 121, which is, as you would say, a little less then 'good'.

[136] Man..he's 23 yrs old..not everyone is Doc Gooden, fully formed at 20! Give him some more time..I have no problem with people criticizing Joba's performance and attitude but he is still just a kId!

[132] Joba rarely throws his curve and change. What needs to be cleared up?

[136] Whether it’s stubborness, poor approach, injury or inability,
None of those. It's. Location. Location. Location.

[138] What does give him more time mean? How about teach him how to pitch? I am not suggesting the Yankees ship him out, but do think they need to start cracking the whip. Joba is not making progress. He is regressing. I don't think the Yankees should stand by and watch him waste his talent by hoping he'll figure things out.

[140] Location is not a cause...it is an effect. His location is poor because of one of those other things I cited (he nibbles, he throws pitches in the wrong count, he is injured or he is hurt).

Is Joba still in?

What I posted in [63] are not excuses. They are history. Facts and circumstances. Even with all that, to date, Joba has still been an above average pitcher.

Joba is trying to teach himself to pitch... no just throw heat. It's frustrating to me also, but I believe it is just part of the process.

[141] I wonder how much is scouting by the opposing team. When he first came, as I recall, he got lots of swings and misses on that slider well off the plate. I think the league has caught up to his pattern of pitching. I'm not sure that is regression on the part of Joba, though one would like to see better counter-adjustments.

[139] Fastball and slider are his 2 best pitches of course. Rarely throwing his curve and change is what's known as mixing his secondary ptiches. He does this. That fact that he even has these pitches in his arsenal and is willing to throw them in unpredictable counts is all about the process.

[142] Ask Greg Maddux if location is not a cause. It caused him to win about 340 games and be a sure fire hall of famer. : D

[144] It is also history and fact that young pitchers with Joba's "stuff" can and are dominant within their first 200 innings. It is also history and fact that Joba has been regressing, not improving. If he keeps up the pattern, he wont even be above average anymore. My point is Joba should not be teaching himself to pitch...the Yankees should be. If they don't have the time, maybe Joba needs more time in the minors. Otherwise, they need to figure out the root causes of the problem and address them. Also, Joba needs to own up to his poor performance. We'll see after the game if he does that...or if he credits the approach of the hitters and laments his "bad luck".

Also, "throwing heat" is very much part of being a pitcher, especially if you possess a 95 mph fastball, which I presume Joba still does.

[145] I think that is absolutely part of the equation. The league has adjusted to Joba and he has not returned the favor.

Yankees better get some runs here because Feliz is game over.

[146] His rare use of those pitches limits them as weapons. He may use them 2 or 3 times per game, but a real four pitch pitcher uses his full arsenal alot more.

This is great managing by Ron Washington. Instead of letting the Yankees strike against Millwood, he goes right to Feliz.

The Rangers' haul in the Teixeira deal was massive.

[152] I'm pretty surprised that Feliz was not saved, though, for the eighth inning.

[154] Breath of resh air, right?

I wonder when (or even if) Washington will come under insane pressure to keep Feliz as a reliever, or make him the "eight inning guy," or "the heir to XXXXXX closer," etc.

Damn White Sox...if Boston gets this back down to 6, who knows. With Joba and Mitre and Gaudin, maybe we shouldn't be counting chickens just yet.

[151] What does that mean percentage wise for a 4 pitch pitcher with 4 pitches?
25%, 25%,25%,25%,
33% 33% 17% 17%
45% 45% 5% 5%
Just curious.....

My guess is more the last one.

[154] A 4 pitch pitcher with 4 pitches is rather redundant. Probably. : O

[159 was for 158} I am going to quit trying to talk to myself now. D'oh!!!

[156] Not facing that presure might be one of the perks of managing in Texas. Of course, Washington has pretty much been using him for more than one inning, almost like Rivera was used in 1996. I think he is the secret weapon for this team.

They couldn't Photoshop that ZZTop beard off Gaudin's Gameday photo?

Joba Gaudin hasn't pitched very well tonight.

Boston up 4-3...all of sudden things might be tightening up again. What a shame that Joba just completely shit the bed tonight.

Unless the evening changes in a hurry, I won't have to worry about seeing the house money lineup on Thursday. However, I do somewhat dread the day-game-after-a-night-game lineup, especially if it is also a rest-a-rod's-hip day. I might see all two of the bench as starters!!

Gameday here again..was Feliz stuff as advertised or too soon to tell with only one batter?

[158] I don't know the percentage, but from watching him, I'd guess Joba's rare use of his curve and change would not meet the cutoff.

[166] I've seen him a lot before, so yes, his stuff is as good, if not better than the hype. He did absolutely blow one fastball by Damon, but he did hang a curve that Johnny just missed. I am sure having to be quick played a part in that.

[164] "All of a sudden" ? "Tightening up again"? Worst case scenario, the lead went from 7 back in the loss column to 6 back in the loss column.

Boston is not winning this division. I say this tempting every jinx and curse.

[161] Bleating from talk radio does not equal pressure. If the organization feels Feliz will do better as a starter, they will put him in the rotation.

The dreaded 2-0 swing down by alot late! Ugh.

[163] Joba Gaudin hasn’t pitched very well tonight.

That should just about guarantee that he starts a game soon.

[169] In two days, the lead was timmed 1 1/2. With Mitre looming and some good teams on the schedule, a few more games could be dropped. After watching Joba continue his slide, that leaves two weak slots in the rotation.

Good grief!
http://tinyurl.com/natnyl
Add J.J. Putz to the list of Mets players done for the season.

Putz has been shut down indefinitely and will not return this year after an MRI on Tuesday found that he has some new fraying and a slightly torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow.

Putz had surgery on the elbow in June to remove a bone spur and fragments of bone and was slated to make his first rehab appearance Tuesday for Class-A Brooklyn. But he was scratched from that appearance after complaining of soreness in his right forearm, the team said in a statement.

Wow...Feliz looks like a stud. Of course, so did Joba three years ago.

101 for Feliz on Gameday...yikes...

[167] FWIW, Fangraphs has Joba's pitch percentanges as

FB: 64.6% (92.5)
SL: 22.4% (84.2)
CB: 8.6% (77.4)
CH: 4.4% (82.1)

6-3 Boston...hopefulyl Chicago comes to town playing the same shitty baseball.

Feliz reminds me of 1995 Mariano .... bring him in in the 6th/7th, let him K everyone for 2 innings, bridge to Wetteland.

[170] It was a little more than talk radio silliness. Every newspaper columnist, every reporter asking the same questions. It must have some impact. Even the players (I'm looking at you, Jorge) started to weigh in the pitcher's proper role (in the case of Joba). Is the manager completely immune from this? Perhaps. Or does doubt creep i? Is he concerned that he will be the scapegoat if he makes the "wrong" decision?

I'm convinced this is a contributing factor to the way closers are used. There may be (I would even hazard to guess, probably are) managers who would use their closers differently, but know that if they bring him in in the sixth inning and fails even once, they're on the hot seat. I recently linked to an article (from espn.com?) about pitch counts, in which it was argued that managers feel pressure not go with their instinct, but instead conform to the 100-pitch orthodoxy.

I have to imagine that intense media scrutiny over a specific issue, in this case the "eighth inning guy," has some impact. At the very least, it must be a relief for a manager if he simply doesn't have to deal with the same questions and second-guesses again and again and again.

[177] Maybe some more changes is the answer? Those percentages suggest about 3 per game.

Oh well...this was a very bad day for the Yankees.

[173] Now who's using misleading numbers! GB is less important than difference in losses. The Yankees had an off day, and then lost, and unsurprisingly they went from 7 ahead in the loss column to 6 ahead.

[177] Three pitch pitcher! Three pitch pitcher!

[183] I don't buy into the "loss column" argument. Wins are important too...they are games you didn't lose. Part of a comeback would be Boston winning, so that part of the equation factors in as well.

[177] Thanks. I've been searching different places to find those.
: D

Gaudin wins the battle with Joba for least ineffective pitcher of the inning, also know as the Sergio Mitre award..

[185] Well, then we will have to disagree. The "loss column argument" makes sense because, to use the phrase, the Yankees control their destiny. Just because the Sox won when the Yankees had an off day, that does not equate to a "real" reduction in their lead. Because the Sox had played one game less, the "extra" half game lead was illusory to begin with, a fluke of scheduling. The Yankees have lost one game from their lead over second place in two days, that's all.

Moreover, I refuse to panic when, after the team won a series against the second place team in the division to balloon their lead to its largest of the season, that the Sox manage to claw a game back the next day or two.

Nothing has happened "all of a sudden," other than the Sox won one and the Yanks lost one.

[174] I think the Mets knew Putz wasn't right.

[180] I dunno, it appears to me that closers are used the same just about everywhere, regardless of the size of the media market. I'm sure there are opportunities for managers to be creative with their pitching staffs, but for whatever reason they don't. But looking at guys like Joba, Feliz, Pedro and Wainright, I'm sure if their teams think they're better served starting, they will start, no matter what players and the press think.

Mind providing the link to the article.

[189] "Mind providing the link to the article?" is much more better :)

I'm not listening to the game any more, but following occasionally on gameday. I am very confused that Feliz is still in the game. I mean, he's a hot young pitching prospect, being used in parts of three innings out of the pen. Very odd indeed.

[188] I am not saying they no longer control their own destiny, but they have seen their lead reduced by 20% in 2 days. I don't see why you consider refusing to believe that the season is over with 25% of it yet to be played as " panicking", especially because of how quickly things can change in baseball. All of sudden is the hallmark of a schedule in which you play everyday. That's this start by Joba should be more of a concern than most people seem to think. He/Gaudin/Mitre could wind up starting 16 more games between them. If each pitches as they have recently then AJ/CC/Andy better all stay sharp.

"I’m sure there are opportunities for managers to be creative with their pitching staffs, but for whatever reason they aren't..."

I could use a proofreader :p

Well, hopefully we wont have to see Mr. Feliz again in this series.

[189][190] OK, I tried to answer you, but my comment is waiting moderation, so it's lost. I'll try again, by breaking up the links..

Part 1:

http://tinyurl.com/m9se72

But in 2001 the 120-plus pitch games were cut in half. By 2006 they were cut in half again. Last season there were only 71 games where a pitcher threw 120-plus pitches … these games have become almost extinct. I do think it’s fear-driven … most of the managers I talk to around the game privately DESPISE the pitch count. Or, more to the point, they despise the oppressive nature of pitch counts…

part 2:

http://tinyurl.com/ny6cte

When pitch counts reach the century mark, the end is near … but why?
…
We, the media
“What year was it that Pedro Martinez was left in the game against the Yankees in the playoffs?” asked Wakamatsu, referring to the 2003 American League Championship Series when Red Sox manager Grady Little chose to leave Martinez in the game. Martinez lost the lead, the Yankees won in extra innings and knocked the Red Sox out of the playoffs, and Little was fired after the season essentially for leaving a starting pitcher in too long. “After that, the education of the public has changed so much. There was so much public scrutiny over that.”

Duncan agreed, saying, “If you’re a die-hard supporter of a team, or someone who covers the team, what happens when the top pitcher on the team breaks? Everyone looks at the pitch count. The first thing they’re going to do is see if there’s any possible way that the pitcher was abused. The media is now setting the standards for how many pitches to throw.”

[190] Is much better too...

Looks like the Rangers have "Neftali Rules," so we won't be seeing him the rest of the series.

thanks, MP

[192] Because historically it is very, very, very rare for teams to lose 71/2 game lead (more importantly, seven games in the loss column) late in August. It happens, sure, but it is very rare.

They lost a game because, after taking two out of three from Boston, they dropped agame and Boston won. This sort of thing will happen to teams with leads. I suggest that it is rare for a teams lead to keep growing nearly every day, without the lead being cut by a game or two now and again.

[192] I mistook your statement "things are tightening up all of sudden" (not an exact quote) as having the tenor of panic, because in the grand scheme, things have not tightened up all that much. Look at it this way, the Yankees were six up in the loss column before they played Boston, and now five days (and four games later, for the Yankees), they are...six games up in the loss column.

The six game lead was not "tight" then, nor is it "tight" now...in fact, with a few games knocked off the schedule, that six game lead is effectively even larger.