There are a lot of interesting stories surrounding the Tigers this year.
Miguel Cabrera, who drew headlines when police were called to break up a domestic dispute that got physical in his home on the morning of his team’s one-game playoff against the Twins last October (a game Detroit lost despite Cabrera’s three-run homer in the third), went to rehab for his alcoholism over the winter and has opened 2010 as one of the majors hottest hitters (.370/.457/.639 with a major league best 33 RBIs).
Dontrelle Willis, who arrived with Cabrera from the Marlins in a trade during the 2007 winter meetings but had been limited to one win in 14 starts over the past two years by leg injuries and mental illness, has emerged from his struggles to lead the rotation in ERA in the early going, though he’s been scratched from his start tonight due to the flu.
Jeremy Bonderman, the former Moneyball draftee who went to the Tigers in the Jeff Weaver/Ted Lilly deal with Carlos Pena, was a part of Detroit’s pennant winning rotation in 2006, but had been limited to three wins in 13 starts over the past two years by the after effects of heavy workloads in his early 20s, is also back in the rotation and pitching effectively. He’ll face Phil Hughes, whose innings limit was surely partially inspired by Bonderman, on Wednesday.
Joel Zumaya, the rookie fireballing relief sensation of the 2006 team who has suffered a variety of arm injuries since, including one stemming from too much Guitar Hero and one suffered while moving his belongings out of the way of the California wildfires of late 2007, is also healthy and dominating out of the pen having struck out 23 men in 18 1/3 innings without allowing a home run or a walk.
Then there’s Austin Jackson, the Yankee center field prospect sent to Detroit in the three-way deal that brought Curtis Granderson to the Bronx. It was widely believed that the 23-year-old Jackson needed a bit more seasoning in Triple-A, but the Tigers made him their Opening Day center fielder and leadoff hitter and he has responded by blowing everyone’s damn minds, leading the league with a .371 average, the majors with 49 hits, and producing a total line of .371/.420/.508 with six steals in seven attempts.
I was a Jackson doubter (his .300/.354/.405 average for Scranton last year looked like a lot of empty batting average, which is performance thus far this year might prove to be as well), but then I doubted Robinson Cano, too (he was, after all, a career .278/.331/.425 hitter in the minors). Sometimes talent and athleticism win out over prior performance, particularly with young players (Cano was 22 when the Yankees installed him at second base), and in Jackson’s case, particularly with a young athlete who had primarily focused on basketball before the Yankees backed a truck full of money up to his house at draft time.
If Jackson is anything close to the player he has appeared to be in the early going this year, the Granderson trade is going to look like a major bust. Remember, it wasn’t only Jackson, but Ian Kennedy, currently sporting a 3.48 ERA and 3.18 K/9 in the Diamondbacks’ rotation, and Phil Coke, who has been a big part of the Tigers major league best bullpen this year, who were dealt for the currently-injured and previously-slumping Granderson.
Seeing Jackson and Johnny Damon start things off for the Tigers while their replacements, Granderson and Nick Johnson languish on the disabled list won’t be much fun for Yankee fans in this series, nor will any game that pivots on the relative abilities of Coke and Boone Logan. Still, it’s important to remember that the Yankees are thisclose to the major league’s best record, while the Tigers are a decidedly average team.
Though they led the AL Central for most of 2009 before being overcome in Game 163 by the Twins (a team the Yankees quickly dispatched in the Division Series), the Tigers were actually outscored on the season, and coming into this week’s four-game set, their 2010 run differential is a meager +3.
The Tigers have the lowest bullpen ERA in the majors by good distance (2.17 ERA vs. the Rockies 2.43) and are fourth (second in the AL) in WXRL, but their rotation has been among the majors’ worst, thanks in large part to poor starts by 21-year-old New Jersey native Rick Porcello and 25-year-old Max Scherzer, who arrived from Arizona in the Granderson deal (Porcello starts against Javy Vazquez on Tuesday, the Yankees will miss Scherzer).
That works out to a roughly league-average pitching staff to go with an offense that’s just a hair better having weighed down the production of Cabrera and Jackson with a poor start from rookie second baseman Scott Sizemore (.241/.319/.337) and a complete offensive black hole at the catching position (.155/.256/.300, with 23-year-old rookie Alex Avila representing only a modest upgrade over Gerald Laird’s brutal start).
Since sweeping the rebuilding Indians in their second series of the season, the Tigers have gone 12-13, and they seem unlikely to turn the tables this year on the run-away Twins, who already have a 3.5 game lead on the second-place Bengals. If they manage a split in this series it will likely result from the fact that the Yankees pushed all of their pitching problems past the Boston series to this one.
Much to his chagrin, Andy Pettitte is being skipped tonight after reporting tightness in his pitching elbow during his last start. Sergio Mitre will start in his place, looking to build on the solid long-relief work he’s done in the early going (total line: 9 2/3 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 HR, 4 BB, 3 K).
In Game Two, Javy Vazquez will start on nine-day’s rest having failed to escape the fourth inning in his last two starts. I’m unclear as to why Vazquez should be expected to do better now than he would have done in his regular turn, save for the fact that the Tiger offense and ballpark are less dangerous than their Boston equivalents.
After that, the Yankees get back on track with Hughes and CC Sabathia. The latter will rematch with Justin Verlander, who kicked his excellent 2009 season into gear by winning a late-April duel with Sabathia at Comerica. After compiling a 6.95 ERA in his first four starts, Verlander already seems to have turned his season around (1.80 ERA in his last three to go with 23 strikeouts in 20 innings), but then so has Sabathia, who struggled into May last year.
This is the Yankees first series of the year with an even number of games. They will also play a pair of two-game series at home next week against the rival Red Sox and Rays. The Yankees have gone 9-1 in series thus far in 2010, all of them three games long.
Finally, with Romulo Sanchez having gone 3 2/3 innings Sunday night, he’s being swapped out to Triple-A for fresh arm Ivan Nova, who was off to a great start for Scranton (2.43 ERA, 2.67 K/9 in six starts).
Detroit Tigers
2010 Record: 17-14 (.548)
2010 Pythagorean Record: 16-15 (.516)
2009 Record: 86-77 (.528)
2009 Pythagorean Record: 81-82 (.497)
Manager: Jim Leyland
General Manager: Dave Dombrowski
Home Ballpark: Comerica Park
Bill James Park Indexes (2007-2009):
LH Avg-97, LH HR-96
RH Avg-105, RH HR-118
Who’s Replacing Whom:
- Austin Jackson is replacing Curtis Granderson
- Johnny Damon is replacing Marcus Thames, Josh Anderson, and Clete Thomas (minors)
- Scott Sizemore has inherited Placido Polanco’s playing time
- Brennan Boesch (minors) is filling in for Carlos Guillen (DL)
- Alex Avila is taking over much of Gerald Laird’s playing time
- Ramon Santiago is taking over much of Adam Everett’s playing time
- Don Kelly has inherited Aubrey Huff’s playing time
- Max Scherzer is replacing Edwin Jackson
- Dontrelle Willis has taken over the starts of Armando Galarraga (minors)
- Jeremy Bonderman has taken over the starts of Jarrod Washburn, Nate Robertson, Luke French, Zach Miner (DL), Alfredo Figaro (minors), and Eddie Bonine
- Jose Valvarde is replacing Fernando Rodney
- Phil Coke is filling in for Bobby Seay (DL)
- Joel Zumaya and Brad Thomas are taking over Brandon Lyon’s innings
- Eddie Bonine is replacing Zach Miner (DL) in the bullpen
25-man Roster:
1B – Miguel Cabrera (R)
2B – Scott Sizemore (R)
SS – Ramon Santiago (S)
3B – Brandon Inge (R)
C – Alex Avila (L)
RF – Magglio Ordonez (RF)
CF – Austin Jackson (R)
LF – Johnny Damon (L)
DH – Brennan Boesch (L)
Bench:
R – Ryan Raburn (OF)
R – Gerald Laird (C)
R – Adam Everett (IF)
L – Don Kelly (UT)
Rotation:
R – Justin Verlander
R – Max Scherzeer
L – Dontrelle Willis
R – Rick Porcello
R – Jeremy Bonderman
Bullpen:
R – Jose Valverde
R – Joel Zumaya
L – Phil Coke
R – Ryan Perry
L – Fu-Te Ni
L – Brad Thomas
R – Eddie Bonine
15-day DL:
DH – Carlos Guillen (left hamstring strain)
LHP – Bobby Seay (torn rotator cuff)
RHP – Zach Miner (elbow tendonitis)
Typical Lineup:
R – Austin Jackson (CF)
L – Johnny Damon (LF)
R – Magglio Ordonez (RF)
R – Miguel Cabrera (1B)
L – Brennan Boesch (DH)
R – Brandon Inge (3B)
L – Alex Avila (C)
R – Scott Sizemore (2B)
S – Ramon Santiago (SS)
AJax is definitely off to a nice start, but his BABIP is an astounding .511 and he is second in the AL in strikeouts.
Also, while I am glad IPK is doing well in Arizona, that gulf between the AL East and NL West is so wide, you can't look at his season to date and think that would have translated for the Yankees.
Ernie Harwell Tribute Night at Comerica tonight.
[1] Correct on all points, plus small sample issues. Still hard to watch with Granderson on the DL with a .225/.311/.375 line frozen on his record until June.
off topic...
did SI cover curse hit the core 4 lately (injuries / HBP's)?
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/cover/featured/11417/index.htm?eref=sircrc&eref=sisf
Hi all.
Kind of a let down, post Fenway, huh?
Yay!
Shoulda just et that ball.
Oy.
Those are the kind of plays you can't have when you are trying to skate by with a pitcher like Mitre.
Ouch Kenny...you need to know the rules there...has nothing to to do with ground rules.
Mitre is awful, but Arod could have helped him out.
Well that's just annoying.
Mitre is actually pitching pretty well.
[12] Besides the three hard hit balls?
[13] One line drive, three grounders, two K. That's decent pitching.
[14] Two of the grounders were hit very hard.
so the inevitable mitre question lingers - is he lucky or unlucky?
I guess. I mean, it's not Hughes' productivity, but I'll take that any day from Mitre.
Only it didn't work out well.
[16] You know the old question: Is it better to be lucky than good? I think Mitre couldn't decide and opted for neither.
AWFUL at bat by Thames...awful.
[16] He's lucky that Thames isn't playing the outfield today, I know that.
[18] hahahaha
i hope "he has to be better out there" is griardi speak for thames will not play lf again while i am the yankee manager
[20] haha very true
You cannot DP The Gritner
The Yankees really need to take advantage of these chances.
Waste of a good start to the inning.
This game seems headed for a whole heep of frustration.
Crud. Good at-bat, good pitch to hit...
At some point, Winn and Thames are going to hurt this team. They really need Granderson back sooner than later.
I hate Sergio Mitre...why isn't Chad Gaudin starting this game?
Time for some Run Prevention, boys.
I'm not having a good Sergio Mitre Experience.
[31] That's common. It helps if you take some greenies before the game, I find.
There must be a rule that forces the Yankees to keep one awful pitcher on their roster each season.
Derek...please be patient.
Guess not...the Yankees need to figure out Jeter's problem soon before it becomes a season long issue.
How unlucky has Mitre been so far?
damn - pretty well hit
that was an absolutely awful route
[32] Ah, thanks. I think I had some of the brown stuff instead of greenies. I'll make a note of that.
can't complain about jeter hitting it on a line to right center.
[39] The ball was out of the strike zone, and Jeter has been swinging at bad pitches at alarming rates. If that doesn't change, he will have the worst season of his career.
[36] He was unlucky that he walked the leadoff guy in the second, but lucky that Marcus Thames isn't playing LF.
For the second time, Swisher's patience illustrates the folly of Jeter's approach.
Vin Scully told the same Ernie Harwell story the other day, but somehow Kay makes it much more annoying
The urinal?
Just what the Yankees need...Tex to get going.
Teix message!
thank goodness for tex this last week
Happy May.
[44] and mk is so excited by it
evening folks!
[43] I don't get the YES feed tonight, so I'm going with the Tigers. Normally Rod Allen is annoying, but they're having Ernie's old partners in the booth tonight, get to hear some good Harwell stories.
Oh, ffs.
Why? Makes no sense.
Kay could learn a thing or 7 from Harwell.
BoSox trailing 4-2 bottom 2nd
Incredible that Thomas only gave uo 2 runs pitching as poorly as he did.
[56] Yeah, I was thinking that.
Why isn't Nova here already? It's not like the Yankees didn't know Mitre was pitching tonight.
This is one of those times when you hate to see the starting pitcher go so soon.
[59] I know, all along I was having mixed feelings about cranking up his pitch count.
Thames is quickly becoming the Yankee I don't like. It's not really his fault, but he is going to play way more than he should.
Inge's arm versus Gardner's speed is a fun matchup.
Hey folks, checking in from Peru... According to gameday, this Bonine fella throws a knuckler, is that true?
Serious, Peru?
[63] Yes. Tigger's announcers were mentioning it, and that it's a bit harder than most knucklers of the last 20 years.
hi folks.
another somewhat crappy day here, but i'm glad to be at the banter and watching the yanks on tv. nice that it's not jon & joe.
mo = sage prophet. i'm gonna dvr his interview tomorrow.
[63] hey raf! monkeypants is in italy. we've got the world covered.
[61] i thought the same thing during his last ab. i'm doing a bunch of stuff right now and the one ab i was able to sit down and watch was his. i got disappointed and left the room...
fuck the damn shit sox. i loathe them...
WTF, those were both strikes.
[63] Lima? I hope to be headed there some time this summer.
WPA!
Hmm, have they secretly replaced Sergio Mitre with a pitcher?
[66] Thelarmis, stop worrying about the Red Sox.
They are now where they should be: locked in a fierce battle for third place with the Blue Jays. It's a great match-up!
yuck - not good captain
Something has changed for Jeter...I really hope it's not the contract.
[68] Yep, Lima. May hit Ayacucho later this week to visit my sister who is a missionary there. Spent the day in Callao with the gf, had some great cebiche. Weather's a bit cooler than normal, but I guess since it's fall here, it should be expected.
Saw a bit of Hughes' start last weekend, but for the most part, I've been too busy to follow the Yanks. Not having coverage of baseball helps a bit with that as well.
[74] If you see any Yankee shirts, say hi for me. Chances are the person wearing it, got them from me.
That's just disgusting...if the Yankees lose this game, they can look back on at least 5 or 6 at bats that were just given away.
I guess he does indeed throw a hard knuckleball.
Teixeira is supposed to hit three homers, I thought.
[71] thanks. you're right - i have plenty of other things to worry about. in fact, i need to get back to that now. i'll check in later...
I miss having that swing on our side.
time to end the sm experience
Damon! Oh, wait, that's right, we've got Thames, not Damon.
Sigh.
well, that sucks. musta been hard for him not to smile while running the bases! jd's lookin' a bit chubbier all around.
meat tray puts it on a platter...
oh, and it's now 7-4 shit sox... ; )
I really hope we don't hear (although I know we will) from Girardi how well Mitre did. He gave up 4 runs in 4 1/3 innings. That's awful. Mitre is awful. He shouldn't be on the roster. And yet, the Yankees seem willing once again to simply throw away games. Incredible.
that was the most predictable home run since...well since game 7 2004 probably
[81] so says the dominatrix?! ; )
[85] A-Rod didn't help him in the first inning though. I'm not saying he was great, but it wasn't that bad for a spot start.
[88] Arod made a throwing error, but his dive saved a basehit. Even for a spot start 3ER in 4 1/3 is very bad. That's an ERA over 6.
I hadn't seen Damon's hair before today. As A-Rod would say... hah!
He couldn't see the ball!
Why didn't someone help him?
that's fun. love when that happens... : /
really?
Double sigh.
No, MK, he did not look like he was saying "I got it."
Miguel Cabrera = Very good hitter
What a comedy this game has been. It seems as if the Yankees have had problems with let downs this year. The post Obama meeting and now the two post Fenway games have been followed up by very poor efforts.
Boesch was in AA last year. Started this year in Toledo.
Should I be watching the ESPN feed or the YES feed?
[84] I thought that, too - that he looks a bit pudgier. Could be the white uni and long underwear underneath maybe.
As for Gardy...looked to me like he was saying "I got it." It was only on replay that I realized he was saying "I can't see it."
Robertson is coming close to hitting Posada's glove.
[101] Isn't, I meant.
Jorge is not a good catcher.
[103] If not for his pride, the Yankees would be better off with Cervelli behind the plate and Posada as the DH until Nick Johnson gets back.
I miss Cervelli behind the plate. I wonder what he could do with Mitre.
[100] he's lookin' bigger in their road grays too. i like johnny, i hope he remains healthy, employed and productive. i'd love for him to reach some serious round numbers in his counting stats...
[104] but then we'd have to carry 3 catchers. i want no more moeller!
[100] The first wave of the arms looked like "I got it" because that's what you expect to see, but then he kept on waving frantically and I wondered why Kay failed to be alarmed.
Whatever.
[106] So do I...kind of wish he and Cash could have worked something out.
[104] Much. If not for his pride.
[100] When he first put his arms out, I thought he was saying, "I got it." Then I realized with growing dismay, on a pop fly to center, there was no reason for him to be calling so demonstratively.
[107] I don't think you would have to. do it, but Girardi probably would.
[99] If you have EI, listen to the Detroit feed. They are bringing in Harwell's old broadcast partners who are sharing stories of the man. Pretty nice. And no Michael Kay.
Any chance Cervelli is our catcher of the future? Or is he destined to be Montero's backup?
don't get caught stealing this time. next bag will be his 300th!!!
What's going on with Robbie?
[114] Probably a backup or starter somewhere else. How odd would it be if for one season, you had Posada as DH, Montero in LF, Romine at C and Cervelli as the backup.
[116] Pulling off.
I think Cervelli will be traded. He's going to have a lot of trade value, and Jesus is coming.
Posada has to get this run in...the bullpen only gets stronger from here.
Are we going to manage not to score this run?
please no dp. please no dp.
Cano back to old bad habits .... sigh
This is where the short bench is a killer. Yankees could really use a lefty here. Thames against righties isn't optimal.
[118] I wish he'd cut it out.
[119] jesus just left chicago.
Leyland is such a good manager. He knows exactly when to use his best assets. I wonder what it would be like if a roster as talented in the Yankees had a manager like he.
i thought zoom was their "8th inning guy". this is doomed to fail for leyland and he can't even smoke in the dugout anymore, poor chap.
Hm, good bullpen use. Damn.
[126] And ascended into heaven?
[114] Starter on a bad team, backup on a good one :)
Seems the general consensus is that he will be passed soon by both Romine and Montero. He's a light hitting defensive catcher, there'll always be work for him
Marcus Thames + 2006-era Joel Zumaya does not bode well.
I predict strikeout here.
Fuck. Zero walks against 23 Ks. Damn.
this is not gonna end well for us.
[130] neh, texas - it's an old zz top song! : )
I'd love to kill Thames for that AB, but he had no business taking it.
FUUUUUUCK!!!!!
Fuck.
Least he made contact.
No DP. I consider that a good outcome.
If Leyand was managing the Yankees this year, they'd probably have three fewer losses.
If you're going to hit into a DP, at least have the good grace to pop out to second.
beat out a lil' squibber, gritner...
Gardner's the best guy to have up right now. He's got the shortest swing on the team by far.
[144] Uh, yeah. I'd just hate to have Teix up, or A-Rod. WIth those long swings. Or Swisher.
touche Zumaya...touche
Nice ab, Brett.
Too bad, though. He was our best shot.
If Randy Winn succeeds here, there's no reason to put Thames in the outfield ever again.
Normally, I'd love that walk, but with Winn on deck, not so much. If Winn gets a hit, I'll fall opff my chair.
Oh, Zumaya must have figured it out, Weeping. "Gotta get to a longer swinger."
good ab for brett, but i fear that was our best chance to score - gritner beating out a swinging bunt, or something...
Gritner -- Zumaya's first walk of the year. Space - time continuum confounded.
Sigh.
seriously?!
useless.
According to gameday, Zumaya has yet to throw a pitch less than 100mph
[147] No... there is another.
[157] Ugh. Man, Randy didn't even give me a shot there.
That's all a player like Winn can do against a pitcher like Zumaya...the injuries are really starting to show. The Yankees are losing this game because of them.
Grrrr. I don't mind the flyout so much as it is a first pitch swing. At least take one or two, there's always a chance for a WP or PB.
[148] or even if he doesn't succeed. i mean the root of succeed is "suck" anyway... ; )
[149] i've been falling opff my chair a lot lately. and in college, i studied orpff instruments! ; )
Will Zumaya pitch another inning? Start another inning? I think not.
[145] Well, I wouldn't *hate* to have them up, but against that kind of fastball, I'd honestly have the most confidence in Gardner, the way he's swinging the bat these days. Obviously the others could easily hit it out if they were to run into one, but they'd probably just K.
Anyway, it's a mute point.
[160] exactly. esp after the guy's first walk of the year.
Can the Yankees trade for Leyland?
[157] Heh ehhe heh eh eh.
That's some play by Cano.
nice play robbie. hope that didn't ouch tex's back.
the giambino!
[163] Swish killed Dan Bard, though. Same type.
[169] Tex got Bard too.
It was indeed some play and yes, I winced there to see Teix's contortion. Did not look kosher.
[163] Yeah, you're right about that. Good point.
Someone just texted me that JD Drew is out with "vertigo"..that made me laugh.
[131] Given how short on catching talent the league is these days, I think Cervelli could be a decent starter somewhere. He doesn't have the power of a Posada or a Montero, but he's always had a good OBP.
Montero is sort of struggling in Scranton, but he's only 20. I really like watching him play. The difference between his arm and Chad Moeller's was painfully obvious in the series I saw last month. They were running on Moeller at will. Montero was gunning them down.
In many ways, the injuries to Johnson and Granderson have hurt the Yankees more in this game than the one to Pettitte. I have a feeling that could be an unfortunate theme over the next week or two.
[172] I love Kim Novak!
[172] That's for "The Birds"
Posada's arm is shot...Girardi needs to take the reigns and let Jorge now his catching days are numbered while the DH slot is open.
[175] Oh yes!
[176] Stop this Frenzy at once, you Psycho!
That's pretty good stuff from D-Rob tonight. Let's hope he can string some of these together.
[179] Yep. Too bad it couldn't have been the seventh and eighth. Long way to go, still.
What can the Yankees do to bolster their bench?
Someone needs to start fining Derek.
Is Jeter trying to help this team? His at bats are pathetic.
that's 11 pitches for 3 outs for zoom
[181] Jermaine Dye.
Jeter is either trying to compile statistics or feels he his bat speed as slowed because has been swinging at anything close. Once word gets around, Jeter will be in big trouble.
good lord.
[181] Barry Bonds
[184] And the thing is, this is a bullpen game for the Tigers. Make them burn up their pen for this 4 game series tonight.
[178] I am Notorious for that.
[185] i started to type that, then deleted.
c'mon Tex
Yeah, okay, Weeping. When Z throws 100 mph heaters over the outside edge, Swisher has no chance.
Over the inside of the plate, Swish would have a shot at smacking one, but not out there.
102. That last fastball was 102 mph.
18 pitches for 5 outs.
[188] : )
[188] stop it
Valverde is the closer, right? I think I remember some controversy over the winter or something.
Ah! Nice job, Boone. He understands the role perfectly.
According to Michael Kay, the Yankees are losing this game because they didn't get into their hotel rooms until 4 this morning.
Again, you really have to hand it to Leyand. Most managers, including the one in the Yankee dugout, would have held Zumaya back until the "8th inning". The next time someone says managers don't make a difference, remember this game.
[197] It is curious that they have played very poorly in the their three let down scenarios.
[194] Sheff.
[189] I keep giving you enough Rope, so..
total fucking bollocks.
BOOne!!! : /
I'm glad we have Boone Logan. You know, to face lefties.
Did you know Boone Logan can throw 95mph?
This game has really exposed how precarious the Yankees roster is right now.
[200] I Confess, this is becoming a Frenzy.
Boesche, um, what can you say.
Javy Vazquez better step it up tomorrow. Playtime is over.
[206] I guess Logan was just The Wrong Man for the job.
great. our impatience has led to more zoomy-zoom. : /
[208] Boone Logan is becoming Notorious..please send him back to Scranton?
Nice hit, Alex.
So, a 101mph fastball can be hit?
Nice try by Adam.
Not so smart managing.
Tiring Zumaya vs. A-Rod, good match-up for our side.
It almost looked like A-Rod hit that ball so hard that it turned oblong.
[210] Are the directions to Scranton North by Northwest?
[210] Preferably in a Lifeboat.
Or maybe just on a Train, with some Strangers.
Robbie's not feeling it. Two weeks ago that 1-1 pitch would have been in the seats.
Fuck.
Holy fuck.
nice hitting, back-to-back.
No Zoom Zoom tomorrow.
[219] my virgin ears.
Huh.
The plot thickens.
[221] No. And it looks like Jenius Jim may have left him in just a little too long, too. (See [214])
Ah...now I see the Yankee strategy. Swing at everything in the 7th, fool Leyland into bringing Zumaya back for the 8th even though he's losing it.
Ingenious.
Leyland keeps Zummy in there with 33 pitches already.
[223] As it always does! This is Hitchcock, after all.
very very nice!
I can't believe we saw that same stupid play twice in the last, what, three days?
Way to hit the shit out of the ball, Marcus.
Brains! I bet this is the first time Frankie is a PR.
[217] Bruno Anthony in Strangers on a Train..one creepy dude! Without a shadow of a doubt..
[227] Hah ahahha ha a h hah hah.
Indeed.
Cokey!
be nice to your former team. that'd be grand!!!
[231]
Is there NOTHING The Cervix can't do?
Whoa!! Check out Phil Pepsi's picture on Gameday...what the hell happend??
i'll take it. steal 2nd, get rid of the dp and tie the game. at the very least...
Come on, Randy, get it in the air.
Guess I'll take that.
Gritner delivers.
[235] Nope, that's why he's the brains of the outfit.
[235] i'll have to look deeper into that and get back to you. don't worry, it'll be quick! ; )
Fuck. Why is he swinging at a high pitch on 2-0?
Joba looks a little like Tony Soprano. That thing he just did with his tongue and that look in his eyes.
Fuck.
Fuck.
Come on, Derek. Please.
Please.
[238] He did. You have to be more specific.
Grrr.
fucking cocksucking moron. you are freaking useless. this is ridiculous.
i keep thinking gritner is in the 9-hole and the order is turning over. it's been killing me to see tims and winn sandwiching gritner.
bullpen roulette.
Yes, bullpen roulette. Hope springs eternal...
That's The Trouble with Randy.
Jeet can make up for some truly crappy ABs tonight right here.
How come Phil Coke doesn't come in and immediately give up a HR against us?
Pfew.
God, that was close.
He didn't go
Oh God damnit
MOTHERFUCKER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
fucking christ. : /
DAMMMIT.
He got his pitch, too. Damn.
Damn.
Tip your cap on that play.
Damn it.
Damn it.
Damn it, that was cruel.
Oh, that was painful.
Well, sometimes shit happens. Maybe we can smoke Valverde in the ninth.
Well, on the bright side, there were a couple nicely hit balls from Jeter tonight
All right, all right. I'm over it. Never fear, gentlepeople, Teix is going to come to the rescue.
That was a ballsy play by Magglio. If he slides and misses, Gritner scores.
[259] Is that what the kids call it these days? Mary Jane has so many names.
that was 97mph
Damn.
That was beautiful.
beautiful hook. joba looks terrific thus far!
Holy cow. It's the Joba of old. Where you been, kid?
Wow.
Way to go, Joba.
Did I just enter a time warp back to 2007?
holy crap, what a wonderful inning that was.
firepower coming up. let's pull this shit out.
Man.
Uh, somebody think of the perfect Hitchcock title. I'm dry.
He's never going to be a starter.
I'm now fully convinced that ship has sailed.
[269] Courtesy of Gritner.
Let's go Yank-ees!
[271] I'm just Spellbound.
[271] Ah: he left them Spellbound.
OH CURSE YOU RBJ!
[276]
Here comes some High Anxiety.
[277] Just like you to pull out the parody.
Oh, Zumaya was the Man Who Threw Too Much.
[276] I'm just The Man Who Knew Too Much
(actually, I've got the Hitchcock list on another tab.)
why is boone logan even on the roster, much less pitching in a tight game?
goddammit.
AGGGGGHHHHH, fuck.
[277] i got it, i got it, i got. i ain't got it...
Well, at least it's the big guns. If we go down then we go down with Tex and ARod.
[278]
OH CURSE YOU RIYANK!
Maybe Valverde will turn into Sterling Hitchcock now?
what the fuck? this guy is throwing one pitch. how are they fooled by it?
Fuck you, ump.
motherfucker. this is a video game.
good lord, i hate his little hop/dance.
FUCK!!!
c'mon a-rod
[287] That's what our opponents have been asking in the ninth inning for fifteen years.
I see Valverde suffers from K-Rod Syndrome, wherein you celebrate before the game is over.
crush him, alex
Horse shit.
that sucked ass.
What an infuriating game.
Ooooooh.
Gotta hand it to the dude.
Night, folks. Tough loss, very winnable game. Get 'em tomorrow.
Nothing quite like a two game losing streak heading into a Vazquez start
randy winn's popup is really pissing me off.
though not as much as valverde's antics.
javy tomorrow. feh.
Damn.
Though I do have to say tonight I do not mind the loss. The Tigers were celebrating Ernie Harwell Tribute Night.
This one was for you, Ernie.
Plus we burned a bit of their bullpen. No Zumaya the next two nights. And hey, it was a Sergio Mitre Experience.
night all
That young man is going to have to come to Yankee Stadium. And when he does, I'm thinking he may just be leaving with a bat jammed up his keester.
People complain about Joba, goodness sakes.
[297] Let's just presume it's already a three-game losing streak. That way we can be pleasantly surprised if twenty-four hours from now we look up and see W1 instead of L3.
[286] Nice.
Good night all.
Like william said earlier, the injuries really caught up to them this game. They didn't play their smartest ball either, but Winn just killed them. He seems like a nice enough guy, but I sure wish to hell he had a chance up there.
[301] I blame K-Rod for starting this whole "insane closer" trend.
[305] I might blame Al Hrabosky, but at least in his case, it had some zeitgeistish style, instead of just goofy ridiculousness.
Speaking of which, remember our old buddy John Rocker?
Man, what a buffoon he was.
[307] he showed up to a gig of mine in midtown several years ago. he was a buffoon off the field, as well. oy.
[308] Really? How very bizarre. Not that he was a buffoon, of course, but that you encountered him in that context.
[309] yeah. he was driving a bright yellow corvette. had a hot broad with him. he was parading around midtown like a hotshot. i was playing a hot spot there; place was packed and he caused a stir. as soon as i saw him, i waited for our song to end, then i reached in my bag and proudly put on my yankees hat! : )
I actually met him about a year before he lost his mind. He was very nice
[311] by the time i saw him, he had already pretty much been outta the spotlight. but he was certainly outta his mind!
[310] Heh heh.