"A New York Treasure" --Village Voice

I’m Rubber, You’re Glue

When this series started, I wrote that the Yankees’ problem was pitching. Since then, they’ve scored just five total runs in two games despite the successful return of Nick Swisher to the lineup and are faced with a Sunday night rubber game with Johan Santana taking the hill for the Mets. Santana’s 3.72 ERA may not look all that impressive relative to his 3.14 career mark, but it was inflated by an ugly outing in Philadelphia on May 2. Santana gave up ten runs in 3 2/3 innings in that start, but if you factor it out, his ERA in his other eight starts is a stellar 2.25. Uh-oh. In his last two starts, Santana has combined for this line: 14 IP, 11 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 9 K. Amazingly, the Mets lost both games by scores of 2-1 and 3-2.

We could be in for another gem like that tonight with CC Sabathia on the bump to face Santana. It’s a matchup of two of the top lefties in the game and has a nifty backstory. The Yankees, specifically Brian Cashman, refused to trade a package built around Phil Hughes for Santana prior to the 2008 season with an eye toward signing Sabathia as a free agent the following winter. Cashman’s plan worked perfectly, as Sabathia wound up pitching the Yankees to their 27th championship in 2009 with Hughes making a key contribution to that team as a reliever, then emerging as a rotation stalwart in early 2010.

As for CC, he recovered from a rocky outing in Detroit with seven strong innings against the Red Sox his last time out in a game the Yankees nonetheless lost due to the unexpected struggles of Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera. The Yankees, meanwhile, are 5-1 in rubber games this season, but haven’t played one since May 2, when they convincingly took a three-game set from the White Sox via a 12-3 rubber-game victory. Kevin Russo gets the start in left against the lefty Santana tonight, the rest of the lineup is the same as in the previous two games, save for Sabathia, of course.

The Yankees haven’t been playing great baseball of late, but a nationally televised, Sunday night rubber game against the cross-town Mets with Sabathia and Santana facing off is still must-see TV.

I’ll be at the ballpark and in the clubhouse tonight, but Alex reports that the swollen press corps for this series have jammed the CitiField bandwith, rendering our intended liveblogs of this series impossible. If I can break through, I’ll try to have some in-game updates on this post, but more likely I’ll have to save everything for my post-game recap. Stay tuned . . .

Update: Alex Cora is a last-minute replacement for Luis Castillo at second for the Mets.

Update, 6:51pm: Just back from Joe Girardi’s pre-game press conference and batting practice. I have a bunch of photos from BP to upload for you guys, meanwhile, some notes:

  • With the off-day tomorrow, both Andy Pettitte and A.J. Burnett threw their bullpens today. Javy Vazquez will throw a light bullpen on Tuesday, but Joe Girardi said he remains scheduled to make his next start and that his bruised finger is “better.”
  • Girardi has not spoken to Curtis Granderson since he played center for Scranton this afternoon, but said he felt great after DHing on Saturday.
  • With regards to the Yankees recent skid, Girardi said, “we’ve had better weeks.” Adding that “a multitude of problems have led to losses,” naming the starting pitching, bullpen, and clutch hitting specifically.
  • On the fluff side, Girardi named Micah Owings (though not by name), Don Robinson, and Carlos Zambrano when asked to name the best hitting pitcher he’d ever seen. Joe added that he likes interleague and the different DH rules in each league, but felt that pitchers should hit in the home parks of minor league affiliates of minor league teams, which they did in his day, but don’t any more.
  • Standing on the dirt in front of the Yankee dugout, I briefly mistook bullpen coach Mike Harkey for CC Sabathia (Harkey’s a big dude), and though third base coach Rob Thomson would look just like Billy Martin if he grew a weasley mustache.
  • Mike Axisa and I just happened to trail ESPN announcers Joe Morgan and Orel Hershiser down the hallway. Morgan is indeed 5-foot-8, with perhaps an inch deducted for age. Later, Morgan appeared on the field but seemed to talk only to Reggie Jackson. Jon Miller, meanwhile, chatted up Girardi and Robinson Cano and is still out there talking to Girardi as I type this from the press box.

Hopefully I’ll have more later . . .

Update, 7:08:

Lineups so you have them:

Yankees:

R – Derek Jeter (SS)
L – Brett Gardner (CF)
S – Mark Teixeira (1B)
R – Alex Rodriguez (3B)
L – Robinson Cano (2B)
S – Nick Swisher (RF)
R – Francisco Cervelli (C)
R – Kevin Russo (LF)
L – CC Sabathia (P)

Mets:

S – Jose Reyes (SS)
L – Alex Cora (2B)
R – Jason Bay (LF)
L – Ike Davis (1B)
R – David Wright (3B)
S – Angel Pagan (CF)
R – Jeff Francoeur (RF)
R – Rod Barajas (C)
L – Johan Santana (P)

  • Curtis Granderson went 1-for-2 with a walk, all against left-handed pitching for Scranton while playing five innings in center.
  • Also, there will be a moment of silence before the game for former Mets pitcher Jose Lima, who passed away from a heart attack earlier today at age 37.

Update, 7:57: So far, so good on connectivity. Also updating on twitter:

  • Neil Sadaka singing the National Anthem at CitiField after a moment of silence for Jose Lima.// Sadaka’s New York accent, evident in his singing, is a nice vintage touch for the Subway Series. I just hope he does “Calendar Girl” next…

Top 1st (first pitch, 8:10):

Big boo for Derek Jeter as he steps up and knocks the first pitch from Johan Santana into shallow center for a single.

Alternating Let’s Go Yankees! Yankees Suck! chants erupt as Gardner eases his way into the box. Gardner bunts foul on the first pitch, which almost hits him, then strikes out.

Teixeira batting left, check swing on 1-1 changeup, fouled off. Strikes out on high “heat” (89 mph).

Huge boo for Alex Rodriguez, bigger than Jeter. Alex pops out to Alex Cora. No Luis Castillo joke necessary, yet.

Bottom 1st:

Jose Reyes singles under the glove of a lunging Jeter, who actually overran the ball. Last minute-sub Alex Cora pops up to Jeter. Jason Bay battles and draws a walk on a 93 mph fastball way up in the zone. Two on, one out for rookie sensation Ike Davis.

Davis hits a flare just beyond Jeter’s reach in shallow left to load the bases for David Wright. Instant drama around these parts.

Wright takes a curve for a strike, then a fastball high for ball one. He fouls off another high heater for strike two, then waves at a changeup. Curiously, Wright identified the change and waited a beat to swing, but still missed it.

Two outs. Angel Pagan up batting righty.

Pagan takes strike one, fastball outside corner then hits a flare that Robinson Cano goes back on and snags with a casual hop. Three men left on base by Wright and Pagan.

Top 2nd:

Cano shoots the first pitch from Santana down the left field line for a single. The second time in as many innings the Yankees have singles on the first pitch from Santana.

Swisher lifts one down the right field line, but it hangs up for Francoeur, one out.

An ESPN replay shows David Wright was late on Sabathia’s changeup in the bottom of the first. How can you see two 93 mph heaters, foul one off, then be late on a change?

Speaking of changeups, Francisco Cervelli strikes out on one against his countryman, Santana.

Kevin Russo makes solid contact but flies out directly to Angel Pagan, who takes about a step and a half to make the third out.

Bottom 2nd:

Rod Barajas doubles down the left field line on Sabathia’s first pitch, rumbling into second just ahead of Kevin Russo’s throw. Seemed to take Russo some time to dig the ball out of the wall, but that’s the one part of the field I can’t see (deep foul lines).

Jeff Francoeur strikes out on a high fastball around his armpits. Santana then strikes out on a belt-high heater after a half-assed attempt to bunt Barajas to third (I wonder if Barajas is so slow he’s un-buntable).

Reyes singles to left, but Russo holds Barajas at third with a strong throw home, however, the throw bounces over Cervelli and Reyes scampers to second on what is ruled a throwing error on Russo. Tough error for Russo, who saved a run on that play.

Sabathia’s 0-2 pitch to Cora misses inside by about an inch. Cora fouls one off, then shoots one just foul down the first base line. The Mets are making Sabathia work. Half of them have reached base thus far and he’s thrown 35 pitches in 1 2/3 innings.

Cora singles over Cano, and the error charged to Russo results in not one, but two runs scoring as Reyes scores easily behind Barajas.

Cora gets a nice jump on Sabathia and steals second easily ahead of Cervelli’s throw, which was to the wrong side of second base.

Sabathia falls behind Bay 2-1 and Mike Harkey, filling in for Dave Eiland, whose daughter is getting confirmed, goes to the mound. Bay then touches off a shot over the 384 sign in the left-field gap for a two run jack.

4-0 Mets. Ugh.

Bay’s homer was just his second of the year and came on a fastball down in the zone.

Ike Davis Ks to end the inning.

Top 3rd:

CC singles just in front of a charging Pagan for a single, though he barely made it to first before Pagan got the ball back to the infield.

Jeter hits one into the right field corner. Francoeur cuts it off, but with CC in front of him, that was a single at most anyway for Jeter.

Brett Gardner hits into a 4-6-3, Sabathia moves to third. CC stands for Ctation to Ctation.

Tex grounds out to third on the first pitch, stranding CC, who now has to go pitch again.

Bottom 3rd:

Pizza race. What is that? They have fans in several rows pass pizza boxes down the row to the tune of Dean Martin singing “That’s Amore!” Pizza race. One of the few ways in which CitiField is like Shea.

The ESPN delay is roughly nine seconds. Long enough to function as a pitch replay for me and almost so long that the televised pitch almost bleeds into the next live pitch.

Sabathia strikes out Wright on a nasty change, then Pagan singles off the tip of Jeter’s glove as Jeter lunges to his left. Rod Barajas flies out to Swisher in the right-field gap and Francoeur flies out to Russo in left to strand Pagan.

Top 4th:

Alex Rodriguez flies out to right. Robinson Cano fouls out to David Wright. Nick Swisher lines out to Jason Bay in left.

Bottom 4th:

The top of the fourth was so quick the pretzels in the press cafeteria didn’t have time to cook. I’m hungry! (Though I did enjoy the penne vodka and asparagus I had for dinner, I got that fourth-inning ballpark hunger. You know, the totally unnecessary kind.)

Santana grounds out to Jeter, the first groundball out for Sabathia in this game.

Jose Reyes takes a big cut at a 2-0 fastball and fouls it straight back, hard. He then takes one just off the outside corner to go to 3-1. CC comes right back and catches the corner to go full and then comes back again with a 94 mph heater that Reyes floats into foul territory for Teixeira.

“Ev-ry Bo-dy Clap Your Hands!”  There, now it’s stuck in your head, too.

Cora bounces a comebacker off Sabathia’s thigh and is retired by CC the third out.

Top 5th:

This game is speeding up, last nine men to come to the plate have made outs with Cervelli popping out to second to start the fifth.

Russo strikes out on a change and CC waves at a slider. That’s 11 men up 11 men down for both teams combined.

Bottom 5th:

CitiField playing “Sunday In New York,” which always played before Sunday games at the old Stadium when I had my bleacher package. Sigh.

Oof, Jason Bay sends a 1-0 pitch into the bullpens just to the left of the indent in the right-center-field gap. Bay has tripled his season homer total in this game.

5-0 Mets

Ike Davis lifts a perfect tweener that drops between Gardner, Swisher, and Cano in shallow right center for a single then moves to second on a passed ball when CC’s pitch clanks off Cervelli’s glove.

Joe Girardi goes to the mound to give CC a quick “go get ’em.” David Wright then doubles over Russo’s head in left on the first pitch to drive home Davis.

6-0 Mets

So much for the pace of game picking up. Maybe those pretzels will finally be ready after this half. CC owes me at least that after screwing over both the Yanks and my fantasy team tonight.

I’m calling another just-short late-inning rally tonight.

Gene Monahan comes out to check on Francisco Cervelli for something I clearly missed. Liveblogging is perhaps the worst way to try to follow a baseball game, by the way.

Angel Pagan pops out to Jeter on the outfield grass for the . . . first out? Oy.

Barajas flies out to Gardner shallow enough to hold Wright at second. Then the Yanks intentionally walk Jeff Francoeur to face Santana. Francoeur has to ask the home plate ump for directions to first base. [rim shot] Santana strikes out.

Top 6th:

Jeter flies to right on the first pitch, nine in a row for Santana who has thrown just 58 pitches through 5 1/3.

Gardner grounds to second. David Wright makes a nice play diving to he left to snag a grounder by Mark Teixeira. Cruising doesn’t do justice to what Santana is doing.

Bottom 6th:

Sergio Mitre in the game for the Yankees. I imagine they’ll try to get him to finish this one, though there is an off-day tomorrow.

Per Mike Axisa, Johan Santana needed just 27 pitches to get through the last three innings, an average of nine per frame with no one reaching base. Blerg.

Sabathia threw 69 percent of his 93 pitches for strikes and struck out six against just one unintentional walk in five frames, but too many of those strikes were hittable pitches.

After a fly out and a strikeout of Alex Cora, Jason Bay comes up to a big hand having homered in both of his previous at-bats. Sergio Mitre drills Bay in the back with the first pitch, but it was a 75 mph curve that didn’t curve. The umpire warns the benches bringing a heated Joe Girardi out of the dugout. You could see Cervelli saying “curveball” during the argument.

Ike Davis grounds out.

I just noticed that the Yankees have gotten just one baserunner past first base: CC Sabathia.

Top 7th:

Nine outs left for the Yanks, who need six runs to tie. Oh, and Mitre’s not finishing this game, I forgot we were in the NL tonight. He’s due up sixth as Rodriguez leads off against Johan.

ESPN pitch track shows the ball that hit Bay was curving downward when it hit him.

With two outs, Nick Swisher works a walk, breaking Santana’s streak of 13 in a row retired.

Cervelli hits a . . . single? . . . off the top of the left field wall just in front of the foul pole. Replay shows it hit the orange line at the top of the wall and bounced back in. The umpires go in to review it . . .

The play is ruled a single on review. So why the hell do they have that orange line on there? Still, Swisher scored, 6-1 Mets.

Russo flies out. The pitcher will lead off the next inning (which means a pinch-hitter), but the Yanks can get another inning out of Mitre, for whatever that’s worth.

Bottom 7th:

We’re into the get-it-over-with portion of the game. Wright, Pagan, and Barajas go down 1-2-3, all three hitting the ball to Alex Rodriguez.

Top 8th:

Thames hits for Mitre, his first appearance since stepping on his bat. He walks and they leave him in to run, which is a good sign.

Jeter grounds to second in front of Thames who holds up to let Jeter get to first safely as Cora applies the tag. Gardner then hits a sinking liner to Wright for the second out, but Mark Teixeira comes through with a single to center to put runners on the corners for Alex Rodriguez, who comes up to a chorus of boos.

On 1-2, Rodriguez takes a fastball just in off the corner for ball two. Santana’s 103rd pitch of the night then sails high. Full count. Runners on the go . . .

Rodriguez fouls off the first 3-2 into the second deck down the right field line then takes ball four. Bases loaded for Cano.

Out comes Santana in favor of lefty Pedro Feliciano . . .

Feliciano starts Cano out with a breaking ball for called strike one. Then another on the inside corner for called strike two. Cano then pops to first on another. Inning over.

And there was the just-short late-inning rally I promised you all in the bottom of the fifth.

Bottom 8th:

Boone Logan in for the Yankees. Huge momentum crash with that Cano pop out and now the Yankees’ worst reliever on the hill.

After Jeff Francoeur grounds out, pinch-hitter Fernando Tatis singles to left, but Jose Reyes bangs into a 4-6-3.

Top 9th:

Last ups for the Yanks against righty Ryota Igarashi who just came off the DL, where he had been following a hamstring strain.

Swisher, Cervelli, and Russo due up with Juan Miranda likely to bat for Russo.

Swisher battles back from 0-2 to go full, as is his wont. Makes solid contact on the first 3-2, but fouls it down the left-field line. Ditto on the next, but he fouls it back (directly at me, actually, but it hits the screen behind home). Igarashi then looses one high and away, beyond Barajas’s reach to put Swisher on first.

Francisco Cervelli then singles to shallow right, moving Swisher to second. Russo up with no outs. Miranda on deck to hit for Logan.

Russo makes good contact on 2-1, fouling the pitch back to even the count. Igarashi then throws the same wild pitch he walked Swisher on, but Russo’s head was there. Russo hits the dirt, full count.

Russo chops the 3-2 back to the mound, but beats the pivot throw. One out, men on the corners for Juan Miranda.

Miranda fouls the first pitch straight back into the net, then singles to right to plate Swisher and push Russo to second. That brings Jerry Manuel out and Francisco Rodriguez into the game.

6-2 Mets. One out. Ninth inning. Men on first and second. Top of the order and Derek Jeter due up . . .

K-Rod’s first pitch is a curve that breaks over Derek Jeter’s head. Ball one. His next breaks out of the zone away. Ball two. Jeter takes a strike then fouls one down the right-field line to even the count. Another foul to the right side keeps it even. Jeter then steps out on Rodriguez. The second 2-2 is grounded foul up the third base line. The third 2-2 is inside. Full count again.

The 3-2 . . . is laced to left, one hop off the wall. Russo scores. Miranda to third. Jeter in with a double. 6-3 Yankees.

Rodriguez starts Gardner off with a nifty backdoor breaking pitch for strike one. Garnder then checks his swing on ball one. Fastball inside at the knees, strike two. Gardner chopps one to third, the run scores, and he . . . is out at first. Very close play. Replay shows a close play, but out was a fair call.

Tex then loops one over the mound in front of second base and beats it out for a hit. Jeter, who didn’t move up on Gardner’s ball to third, moves to third. Ramiro Peña runs for Teixeira as the tying run at first.

Two outs. Alex Rodriguez as the go-ahead run at the plate.

Frankie falls behind 2-0. Alex then pops one foul behind home, 2-1. Fastball low and inside, 3-1. Oh man.

Big hack, foul, another full count.

Hard not to stand up.

Fouled at the plate.

After throwing 28 pitches last night, Francisco Rodriguez is up to 20 tonight. Alex fouls number 20 down the right field line. Yet another 3-2 on the way . . .

And Rodriguez swings over a changeup. Game over. Mets win 6-4.

Damn.

Back after post-game interviews . . .

Categories:  Cliff Corcoran  Game Thread

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370 comments

Show/Hide Comments 1-100
1 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  May 23, 2010 6:19 pm

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5212413

:_( I loved watching Lima-time..only 37...just not fair...

2 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 6:23 pm

the other contenders in the al east all won big today. it would behoove us to keep the pace and do the same.

enjoy the game, cliff!

3 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 6:23 pm

[1] yes, very sad and unexpected.

4 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 6:34 pm

[2] If the Yankees lose today, my emotions will be betwixt anger & fear.

5 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 6:49 pm

[0] Have a good time, Cliff.

[4] fangry? never a good thing. ever.

LET'S GO YANKEES! (clap, clap, clap clap clap)

...oh yeah - y'all see this? That's a hell of a bargain at 4½ million! Scoop it up!

6 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 6:52 pm

Kevin Russo gets the start in left against the lefty Santana tonight

I'll be happier when Kevin Russo is getting starts because he's the guy WITHOUT the giant fork sticking out of his back ...

7 knuckles   ~  May 23, 2010 6:52 pm

Helluva Sunday.
Sun's out after 2 rainy hours on the bike.
Chicken n' rice n' beans on the stovetop.
Dog is happy and walked n' played out.
Cranking the newly released extended 'Exile on Main Street'
Ready to crack a beer, 2 eyes on the game and one on the Banter.

Beat the Mets.

8 Cliff Corcoran   ~  May 23, 2010 7:03 pm

updates from Girardi's presser and some BP notes above, photos TK.

9 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 7:05 pm

Fangry, awesome.
I think there's a fair amount of fanger here on BB when the Yankees hit a bad spell, or Joe G. plays bullpen roulette.
Also, now we know what the third word is! And speaking of puzzles, Martin Gardner died :..(

10 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 7:08 pm

Hey, nice updates.

Mike Axisa and I just happened to trail ESPN announcers Joe Morgan and Orel Hershiser down the hallway.

And you without a South American poison blowgun!

11 Cliff Corcoran   ~  May 23, 2010 7:16 pm

With 45 min left before the game and dinner still to be eaten, I'm likely going to save my photos for post-game/tomorrow.

12 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 7:28 pm

[9] More sad news.

I like fangry. I was very fangry after the last two Tampa games.

13 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 7:37 pm

[12] I want to make one of those Arnold Palmers, but I like NYYfan22's idea of adding some vodka. Unfortunately, I have no fresh lemons in the house.

14 knuckles   ~  May 23, 2010 7:44 pm

When I think Mike Harkey, I think of this card:
http://tinyurl.com/24x8znh

15 Cliff Corcoran   ~  May 23, 2010 7:45 pm

[14] Me too, but mine doesn't say "bust."

16 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 7:46 pm

[0, 7:08 update] Not that it makes a ton of difference, except that Santana is on the hill, but isn't Gritner a left-handed hitter, not a switch?

17 Cliff Corcoran   ~  May 23, 2010 7:47 pm

[16] oops, fixed.

18 knuckles   ~  May 23, 2010 7:49 pm

[15] Yah- that was the first image that popped up.

19 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 7:51 pm

[7] how many eyes you got there, knuckles?

20 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 7:54 pm

Didn't Josh Wilker post that card back on the Toaster? Or maybe it was Bruce Markusian.

21 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 7:58 pm

hey Cliff -- I don't follow the Mets' buzz, but are people doing a lot of jawing on Ike Davis? I mean, this kid has been in the bigs for like 15 minutes, and now he's batting cleanup! That's gotta be a little demoralizing for David Wright, no?

22 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:00 pm

[13] I think adding in the vodka (or any other booze) turns it into a John Daly.

23 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:01 pm

[21] Meet the Mets, lending credence to Bill James' old dictum, "bad teams blame their problems on their best players."

24 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 8:02 pm

[22] yep. add a few hos to that and you've got yerself a tiger woods.

(couldn't resist)

25 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:09 pm

[24] LOL +5

26 Cliff Corcoran   ~  May 23, 2010 8:09 pm

[23] Amen.
[21] Mets fans love Ike Davis, and well they should given how he's been hitting.

27 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:10 pm

i'm assuming espn has the lineup wrong - russo is in lf and gardner in cf right?

28 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:10 pm

The Captain!

29 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:11 pm

Jeterian!

30 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:11 pm

good start jeter.

31 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:12 pm

God, I've been in grading hell all day and now I gotta listen to Miller: "JETER is on base, RIGHT NOW!"

That coupled (tripled?) with our poor play of late.

Just shoot me now before it gets worse.

32 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:12 pm

...the fuck is this guy?

33 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:12 pm

[31] sorry weeping - hang in there.

34 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:13 pm

I swear Muts fans are just like auburn fans.

35 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:13 pm

Ugh, Gritner's not been bueno batting 2nd ...

36 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:13 pm

That was unfair.

37 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:13 pm

maybe tex will bat better rh.

38 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:13 pm

[29] wouldn't Jeterian be more opposite field?

39 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:15 pm

[35] Although, checking out BB-REF, I see he's actually been betting batting 2nd than he has batting 9th ... tricky things those facts

40 Eirias   ~  May 23, 2010 8:15 pm

Confession of a stathead: I pronounce OPS as one word.

41 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:15 pm

[39] Indeed.

42 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:16 pm

damn.

[39] the last few games haven't been good - so that is what is in our minds.

43 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:16 pm

[38] Oh, it was to LF? I must have misheard the call (not watching the game).

44 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:16 pm

Oh, cripes, the uppercut in his swing. I forgot about that endearing little trope.

45 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:16 pm

[43] I believe it was to center.

46 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:17 pm

Has Gardner messed with Teix's space time continuum, sending him back to April?

47 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:18 pm

[39] Or, to quote the Great Communicator, "Facts are stupid things."

48 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:18 pm

morgan and miller with a little dash of orel has not shut the fuck up for even one second of this inning.

49 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:19 pm

[33] Thanks, Ms. O. Trying. Trying.

50 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:19 pm

oh shoot, Castillo would have dropped that pop up by Arod.

51 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:20 pm

Ahh, that's Hersheiser.
[48] Nor will they. The sooner you have the patience to accept the things you cannot change, the better. (Not that I can, mind you, but if you can, more power to you.)

52 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:20 pm

Jeter is only 2 hits from 2,800.....I guess it snuck up on me.

53 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:21 pm

Oh, ugly.
But maybe Miller is right, he was going to be safe anyway.

54 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:21 pm

God, shut UP!!!

HE can't GET it!

55 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:21 pm

Pastalunging Jeter?

56 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:22 pm

Jeter CATCHES THE BALL! He's OUT!!!

57 Evil Empire   ~  May 23, 2010 8:23 pm

[55] Pastareaching Jeter; he didn't dive or lunge IMO....He kind of gave up on it.

58 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:23 pm

morgan;s point is good - he took a bad angle to that ball.

59 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:23 pm

BAY has been HITTING for AVERAGE!!!!

60 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:24 pm

Orel surgery.
Orel exam.
Orel sex.

61 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:25 pm

And HERE WE ARE watching BASEBALL!!! The YANKEES and the METS! Baseball was INVENTED by Abner DOUBLEDAY!!! NO one knows quite WHEN, but it was sometime in the NINETEENTH CENTURY!!!! In AMERICA!!!

62 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:25 pm

[60] orel herpes

63 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:26 pm

[60] Orel exams.

64 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:27 pm

Gah. Bah. Dammit.

65 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:27 pm

should russo or gardner have gotten that?

66 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:28 pm

dp time big man.

67 Eirias   ~  May 23, 2010 8:29 pm

[59] He's GOING for SPEED.

68 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:29 pm

k will do too - one more big man.

69 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 8:30 pm

[65] I don't think so. It was too far left for Gardy. Maybe a Bubba Crosby type might have gotten it from left, but expecting an infielder like Russo to get to it is probably too much.

70 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:30 pm

Thanks, Robinson!

71 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:30 pm

Nicely done Big Fella!

72 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:31 pm

[69] yeah - i think that's why jeter went back so far because he figured it would be a tough play for russo.

good to get out of that with mo runs.

73 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:31 pm

[63] Weeping, I already said "orel exams".

I mean, I work hard on this shit. I'm starting to think, "What's the point?"

But I know Ms. Oct appreciates it, so, I keep going.

74 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:32 pm

[73] Hah ahahh h ah ah ha. And so you did. And so you did.

75 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:33 pm

[73] haha, definitely :}

76 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 8:33 pm

Hello Everybody, and fine night for baseball!
Nice to see CC get out of trouble.

77 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:34 pm

nice hit robbie.
however, everyone who ripped one of those down the 3b line last night had a double. maybe that has more to do with randy winn than cano though.

78 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:34 pm

Oh, fuck.

79 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 8:35 pm

Sabathia really didn't look as bad as his line in the first

80 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 8:35 pm

The Williams' sisters are not nearly as good looking as they think they are.

81 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:35 pm

Good for Wakefield. The one Boston I actually like.

82 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 8:36 pm

What about Orel Roberts= Orel Sex.

83 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:36 pm

[80] They're not exactly scabrous, hook-nosed hags, Mattpat.

84 Eirias   ~  May 23, 2010 8:37 pm

Yep. A huge intercity rivalry, we have.

85 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 8:38 pm

[83] I find them both incredibly unattractive.

86 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 8:38 pm

[83] They are incredible specimens of womanhood, and I want them on my team in any contact sport.

87 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:38 pm

[80] Hm. I might have to disagree with you there. I'm fond of Venus.

88 Eirias   ~  May 23, 2010 8:42 pm

Barajas' deal with Lucifer is still paying dividends.

89 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:42 pm

wow morgan made another good point - arod is playing waaay off the line.

90 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:42 pm

Ruh roh, I may get fangry early tonight.

91 Chyll Will   ~  May 23, 2010 8:43 pm

[87] There have been many occasions on Banter where the obvious double entendre "Aren't we all..." would be unethical, yet satisfying.

This is one of them... >;)

92 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:44 pm

thank goodness for frenchy.

93 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 8:44 pm

[87] I think Venus is the looker of the two, for whatever thats worth.

Honestly, I think it might just be something with the female tennis player's body type, because I always felt the same way about Graff, Seles, Henin, and a few other of the big stars of the 90s and 00s. They all just do less than nothing for me.

94 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:47 pm

[93] See, now Steffi used to be one of my utter faves.

95 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:48 pm

God, that was pathetic.

96 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:48 pm

Oh, motherfucker.

What sloppy, fucking horse shit!

97 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:48 pm

Lollygagging.

98 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:48 pm

[91] You're such a gentleman.

99 Chyll Will   ~  May 23, 2010 8:49 pm

[93] Really? Does that include Anna Kournikova? C'monnnn...

100 knuckles   ~  May 23, 2010 8:49 pm

Where the F was that pitch, blue?

Show/Hide Comments 101-200
101 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 8:50 pm

C'mon, CC. Pick the rookie up, get this guy out.

102 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:52 pm

Oh fer...

103 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:52 pm

Two runs.
Un-fucking-necessary.

104 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 8:52 pm

Anyone else get the feeling that that was the ballgame?

105 Chyll Will   ~  May 23, 2010 8:52 pm

[98] Well, my apologies. My humor can be broad, but I don't usually talk about them here in that manner...

106 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:53 pm

Great, just damn great.

107 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 8:53 pm

Are those earned runs? That throw was a Russo error wasn't it?

108 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:54 pm

[104] No. Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?!

Reyes would not have scored from first.

109 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 8:54 pm

Did anyone doubt that the man that has no baserunning prowess would steal against us?

110 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:54 pm

[107] I guess one of them is earned.

111 ms october   ~  May 23, 2010 8:55 pm

ugh - we really don't nee the starting pitching to be suffering right now.

112 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 8:55 pm

Oy.

What happened to our awesome pitching staff?

113 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:55 pm

*Now* he hits a home run?

114 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 8:55 pm

Oh, fer fuck's sake

115 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 8:55 pm

Ugh. So much for Bay not being able to hit home runs this year.

I'm not giving up yet, though. The way things have been going lately...no lead is safe, and no lead is insurmountable.

116 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:56 pm

So we sink deeper into the abyss, do we?
Buckle up, Team, this is going to get fugly.
Tonight and beyond.

117 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 8:56 pm

[110] That's how I see it. Gameday lists all runs as earned, though.

118 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 8:56 pm

I mean, when the Mets dominate you...

119 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 8:56 pm

[104] Um, maybe now?

120 Alex Belth   ~  May 23, 2010 8:57 pm

Way to show up, CC.

Starting pitchers really srewin the pooch of late.

Motherfuckers.

121 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 8:59 pm

BARKEEP! ...round of john dalys for the banter. yeah. on my tab.

122 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:00 pm

Hey, thanks, NYYfan!
Although the way things are going, I might need a Tiger.

123 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:00 pm

Miller would call it the Queensboro Bridge.

124 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:01 pm

Pinch runner?

125 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:01 pm

Wow, the bat looks really small in CCs hands. And now...a base hit! I bet he wants to steal too.

126 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 9:01 pm

[121] Thanks.

clink

127 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 9:02 pm

well that's a plus!

128 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:02 pm

Way to go, Derek.

129 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 9:02 pm

Base to base, CC. No more Chien-Ming Wangs, please.

130 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 9:02 pm

bunt

131 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:03 pm

I hope Brett and Teix walk. I don't want to see CC running anymore. (I mean, for his health, although also aesthetically.)

132 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:03 pm

Come on, Brett, get that sweet swing back...

133 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:03 pm

I hope CC knows the signs from the 3rd base coach

134 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:04 pm

Unbelievable.

135 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:05 pm

That's Brett in a real slump, huh?

136 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 9:05 pm

like i said ... bunt.

thanks a whole fucking lot Slappy ...

137 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:05 pm

What garbage.

138 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 9:06 pm

[131] Yeah, it was kind of scary seeing CC on the basepaths. He may be a good hitter, but he's sure not a good baserunner.

139 Alex Belth   ~  May 23, 2010 9:06 pm

Dogshit. The lot of youse.

140 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:07 pm

I have two more exams to grade before bed tonight and I'm tempted to do one now, but it seems borderline unethical considering the foul mood our boys have put me in.

141 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:08 pm

We are lost sheep. Get back that swagger.

142 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 9:08 pm

[140] Have a John Daly or two to lighten your mood.

143 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:09 pm

[140] Orel exams?

144 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 9:10 pm

[139] I'm thinking a rigged "decimation" ... Randy Winn and Boone NOgan, perhaps???

145 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:10 pm

Oh, come on!

146 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:11 pm

[143] Hehehehhehe. Umm, no, no, those would be written exams; my students are not in my apartment waiting to be orelly examined.

147 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  May 23, 2010 9:11 pm

Down 4-0 to Johan?

Sigh...

148 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:12 pm

Good thing I have my scotch--errr, whiskey--ready to hand.
Good grief.

149 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  May 23, 2010 9:12 pm

Oh, and female tennis players are pretty hot..Serena, Sharapova, Hingis, Sabatini (yowza!)...

150 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:12 pm

[147] Johan is hittable -- we've hit him, but then couldn't cash. CC got a hit.

151 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:13 pm

[142] Some kind of scotch, I presume?

152 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:13 pm

[149] But Graff was queen.
That SI issue....

153 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:14 pm

I wonder if we can score a run this inning.

154 RIYank   ~  May 23, 2010 9:16 pm

[151] Heh, no, it's a joke from earlier in the thread.

155 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:16 pm

Can't wait to watch that show. The adorable thieving family.

156 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:17 pm

The Yankees are in a free fall...the question is how long will it last. The pitching was so good for so long, but now that it is struggling, the offense has to pick it up. The problem with that is only Arod and Cano have stepped up. Because they are managed so poorly, it only makes matters worse.

157 OldYanksFan   ~  May 23, 2010 9:19 pm

I never like seeing the boys lose, but watching them underperform like this is really painful. Teix and Jeter are killing us.

158 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:20 pm

[157] Teixeira is pressing, which is a concern, but the much bigger issue is Jeter, who is finally starting to look his age.

159 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:21 pm

"seven pitch inning", Santana "oye como va".

160 Chyll Will   ~  May 23, 2010 9:27 pm

I take it I'm not missing much and should likely call it a night, huh?

161 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:28 pm

On May 24, 2009, the Yankees were 25-19. This year, their record will be 26-18. After such a good start, the Yankees are back in the same boat. Unfortunately, this year, they are six behind the Rays instead of 1 behind Boston, and instead of getting healthy and on the rise, they are plagued by injuries and in free fall.

Meanwhile, how much does this team miss Damon.

162 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 9:28 pm

well, this sucks.

i liked Graf when i was a kid. anna is unbelievable. sharapova wins. wow. just...wow.

163 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:28 pm

I wonder why the mets have not retired Ed Kranepool's number 7? Why would Reyes have that number?

164 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 9:29 pm

[161] i miss damon. but, hell, i still miss Moose...

165 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:29 pm

[163] You're joking? Or do you really think that?

166 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:33 pm

[164] It's one thing for us to miss Damon, but it's the team that misses him. The Yankees haven't had a productive 2-hole hitter all season, and now it looks like the team is going to go with the misguided notion of using Gardner there. Also, Damon's ability to come through in big spots took pressure of Tex, who now seems to be wilting under it.

167 OldYanksFan   ~  May 23, 2010 9:34 pm

Have we had an update on Posada? Anyone know when he's due back?

168 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 9:35 pm

don't worry, we'll be in 4th place soon enough... : /

169 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:36 pm

[163] He played his entire career on the Mets and was sort of mascot for the fans during the follies of the early Mets years. He is in the "Mets Hall Of Fame", and still holds some Mets records. I think in deference to Mets history, his number should be retired.

170 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 9:38 pm

All right, I'm going to grade now.
Be back sometime.

171 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:38 pm

[168] Possibly by the middle of next week. I am not even sure whether to root for the Rays or Red Sox in their upcoming series.

172 Chyll Will   ~  May 23, 2010 9:39 pm

Bye.

173 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:39 pm

Guess the Yankees were just what the Mets needed. Good thing for Cora's error of this would be sweep.

174 OldYanksFan   ~  May 23, 2010 9:40 pm

[171] So soon? Doesn't he have a fractured bobe in his foot?

175 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:40 pm

[169] The Mets Hall of Fame honor is enough. He was a league average player at best. Retiring his number would severely diminsih the honor.

176 OldYanksFan   ~  May 23, 2010 9:40 pm

[174] BONE......

177 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 9:41 pm

girardi needs to pick a spot sometime this ½ inning, come out arguing, and get hisself TOSSED. And curse the shite outta the ump on his way out. Then throw some bats and storm down the tunnel.

..it might help and can't hurt (decisions later in this game if we can pull it closer).

178 OldYanksFan   ~  May 23, 2010 9:41 pm

Wow..... Robbie usually makes that catch.

179 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:41 pm

That's a catchable ball....Yankees are really playing awful baseball right now. This season has done a complete 180.

180 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:42 pm

Oy, start the circus music. This has been a difficult fortnight of yankee fandom

181 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:42 pm

[174] I was responding to when the Yankees could be a fourth place team. Posada is likely out for a month.

182 rbj   ~  May 23, 2010 9:43 pm

Crud.

183 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:43 pm

[177] What he needs to do is learn how to manage a game.

184 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 9:46 pm

What a fucking debacle.

185 Diane Firstman   ~  May 23, 2010 9:47 pm

evening folks ....

I came in to see Bay's 2nd HR of the night .... ugh

186 rufuswashere   ~  May 23, 2010 9:48 pm

I am sitting here pained by the irony that by "getting younger" with Granderson and Johnson, both are on the DL, while the remaining old guys are looking/acting ... old.

187 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 9:52 pm

[175] I don't know about that. Kranepool spent 18 years with the Mets, is the team career hits leader. I don't think it would diminish the honor of the retired number...for this team.

188 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:55 pm

[187] He is the career hits leader because he played 18 years and the Mets haven't had many great players spend along time with the team.

Kranepool's line is .261/.316/.377/.693. His OPS+ was 97, which is even less impressive for an outfielder/1B. For persepctive, his top-3 comps are Tito Francona, Jim Spencer and Jay Johnstone.

Retiring Kranepool's number render the honor absolutely meaningless.

189 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 9:56 pm

i've listened to most of the game on the radio. they said Brains' idol growing up was Melvin Mora. i wouldn't have thought that...

190 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  May 23, 2010 9:56 pm

[186] I'm still high on Granderson, he'll be fine. Nick Johnson was one of Cashman's worst signings ever..yes, worse than Igawa (there was at least a chance he could have been good) of Krazy Kyle..100% predictable NJ would get hurt and miss a lot of time.

Glad am not watching this game, losing to the Muts...yuck...

191 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 9:57 pm

Looks like the Yankees have packed up for the night. Jeter and Tex have probably cost the Yankees 2 or 3 games over the past 15.

192 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 9:59 pm

cliff just mentioned in his live blog that Gene Monohan went to check on Brains. geno's back? he's healthy?! i had no idea. how'd i miss that? i figured LoHud woulda had something, or i'd see it...somewhere. anyway, i'm glad he's alright!

193 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 10:00 pm

[190] Agreed...ther Nick Johnson signing has the potential to be even worse than Pavano and Igawa because of the alternatives that were available. Letting Damon go because of Johnson was absurd, and that's before taking into consideration that NJ would miss at least a month or two. Then, when you consider that guys liek Vlad were also available for $5mn, it makes the decision even worse.

I hope the Yankees are putting that extra $7mn they saved to good use because that decision could play a major role in this team not making the post season (and missing out on all the revenue that goes with it).

194 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 10:00 pm

[192] He's been back part-time for about a month. This is his first "road trip". He hopes to be full-time by mid- June.

195 Diane Firstman   ~  May 23, 2010 10:01 pm

Oooh .... Mythbusters marathon on .... guess that will keep me happy ...

bye for now

196 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:03 pm

[194] cool, thanks. i wonder how i missed that...

197 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:04 pm

joe west was right - we are embarrassing and pathetic...

198 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 10:04 pm

[188] Numbers are not retired on stats alone, his place on the team from the original hapless mets through their two world series wins, and his status with the mets fans. I will let you have the last word on this, but it is certainly debatable.

199 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:09 pm

Well, if nothing else, Jeter has two hits tonight

200 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 10:09 pm

[198] Other things can go into retiring a number, but the basis is usually performance. Kranepool's numbers are so mediocre that he would have had to make some other major contribution to even begin the discussion.

Also, the Mets only one World Series in his 18 years, and Kranepool only had 4 ABs in it. I can't imagine an argument that would come close to justifying retiring his number, and had never even heard the idea mentioned until you just brought it up.

Show/Hide Comments 201-300
201 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:10 pm

i call 7 more pitches for the final 7 outs johan needs... : /

202 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 10:12 pm

[200] Mets have only "won" one World Series...

203 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:14 pm

We need this off day

204 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:15 pm

How is that not a HR?

205 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:15 pm

REVIEW THAT!

206 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:15 pm

that was gone. replay. it was over the line.

goddamn motherfucker!!!

homerun!!!!

207 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:16 pm

if it hits the orange line is it a homer? it should be!

208 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:16 pm

Nothing I hate more than lines on a wall. Stupid shit.

209 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:16 pm

OVER THE LINE! this is not Nam, Smokey.. it's BASEball... there are RULES!

210 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:16 pm

there it is. it's a homerun. has to be. they better turn this around!!!

211 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:17 pm

Moral Orel better be right

212 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:17 pm

[208] it's the Muts, whaddya expect?! ; )

213 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:17 pm

horseshit.

214 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:17 pm

bullshit

215 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:17 pm

Oh well.

216 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:18 pm

[210] my iphone went dead on the radio broadcast. So, it was overturned via instant replay into a HR?

217 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 10:18 pm

If it hits the line, it's not a home run.

Looks like it hit the line to me.

218 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:19 pm

i guess gazoo decided it's okay to run the bases w/ the oversized helmet. he originally said he'd change to a regular helmet if he got on base...

219 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 10:19 pm

[216] Not overturned. Ruled a single. Cervelli coulda been running faster.

220 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:20 pm

bollocks.

221 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 10:21 pm

Guess that qualifies as an offensive outburst for the Yankees. What a devestating last 8 games this has been.

222 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:21 pm

Is it that hard to just have a wall and it it goes over its a HR? Lines on a wall are such bullshit.

223 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 10:24 pm

I think Cervelli thought it hit the foul pole. It didn't. It hit the wall and bounced back in.

Would probably have been a double if he'd run instead of looking at it. Swisher went first to home, and he's not exactly Brett Gardner.

224 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:24 pm

If I paid $500 to sit behind faux-Mr. Met....

225 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:27 pm

Ah, so now it's 6-1.
Good times.

226 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:27 pm

[223] Which is why I hate when people tell me that the point of Joe Girardi's pinch stand there is to score from first on a gapper.

I could score from first on a gapper.

227 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:28 pm

the Mitre/A-Rod inning

2 innings, 20 pitches. he's done, 'coz he'll have to bat...

228 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:28 pm

[225] hand out any D's to anyone other than the Blankees?

229 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:28 pm

okay... c'mon! 6 outs to get this shite done!

get back 4 runs this inning and then we have ourselves a game!

230 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:31 pm

[226] time for a pinch stand there!

...or not.

231 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:31 pm

For some reason, I saw Thames at the plate and my mind processed Wilson Betemit.

That's terrifying.

232 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:32 pm

Wait, it's the EIGHTH already?
Damn, we've been going down meekly like flies, eh?

233 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:32 pm

[229] fuck it, let's get 6 runs here and then...win!

234 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:32 pm

oy vey

235 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:32 pm

I'm wit'cha!

236 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:32 pm

[231] Hehehehhehh.

237 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:33 pm

[231] yikes. i'm sorry, man. but i can see that happening. a nightmare for sure.

well, it wouldn't have mattered if we had charles gipson to pinch stand there. oh wait, he woulda gotten picked off, so there'd be 2 outs. girardi's a genius!

238 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:34 pm

[237] Sunday night at Wrigley Field...ooooph

239 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:35 pm

I think that was Gardner's best swing in a while.

240 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:37 pm

[238] i remember the play, but never would i have remembered that minutiae...

241 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:38 pm

wow, we're gonna pump johan to 100 pitches. here it comes...

242 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:38 pm

alex'll shorten it up to a 2-run deficit. But I fear Cliff is right in his prediction. I'm angry, too.

FANGRY!

243 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:38 pm

what are you lookin' at, alex???

244 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:40 pm

[240] Gipson's wikipedia page says he helped the Yankees win the pennant that year

245 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:40 pm

that place sounds LOUD!

246 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:40 pm

[240] oh its burned in my memory, the day before someone (I think it was Juan Acevedo, or one of those guys) blew what would've been Clemens' 300th win

247 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:41 pm

[244] what's wiki's definition of "help"?

248 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:41 pm

alright alright alright... c'mon now... DON'T STRAND THESE RUNNERS!

249 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:41 pm

TRIPLE STEAL!!!

250 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 10:41 pm

[244] HAHA! yeah so did Gabe White

251 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:42 pm

[246] now THAT, i remember. yeah, i think it was Osuna.

252 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:42 pm

what do ya teach, weeping?

253 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:43 pm

i can't effin' stand that staples commercial. godfuckingdamn!

254 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:43 pm

[252] bunting, small ball and that homeruns are rally killers! ; )

255 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:45 pm

wtf has happened to robbie?! : /

256 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 10:45 pm

goddammit. he had no fuckin chance after going 0-2 in the hole.

SHIT

257 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:45 pm

[246] I always remembered it as Acevedo being released before the ball landed, but he pitched one more game

258 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:45 pm

We really need this day off.

259 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:48 pm

BOOne logan.

260 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:48 pm

Oh good. Boone Logan

261 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 10:48 pm

[255] yeah, he's only gone .393/.393/.536 over the last 7 days (not including tonite), what a sack of crap ...

262 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 10:49 pm

NOOOgan!!!

/Colonel Klink

263 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:50 pm

I thought the Mets were supposed to suck even worse than we do?

264 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:51 pm

[261] it's gotta be only when i get to see him bat. it's not often and lately, it's always grounding out to 2nd, or in this case, popping up to 2nd. i should've written:

wtf has happened to robbie when i'm watching him bat?! : /

but, quick on the slash stats of his past week. just keepin' ya on yer toes!

: )

265 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 10:51 pm

[261] Robbie and Arod are the only two "big" guys who have stepped up when the Yankees have needed them most over the last 10+ days.

The two main culprits over that span have been Jeter and Teixeira. Tex, in particular, has gotten a major pass for his poor performance this season.

266 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:52 pm

[252] History. This grading was for history of Christianity in America.

267 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:52 pm

nicely turned.

at least we won't see that cocksucker, k-rod...

268 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:53 pm

[266] RI and I would fail. ; )

269 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 10:56 pm

[266] Was the burning down of the convent in Boston by the protestants included in the paper?

270 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:57 pm

[268] Hehheh. I'm all for grade inflation when it comes to my Banter pals, so never fear.

271 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 10:58 pm

I really think the Yankees dodged a bullet with Beltran

272 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 10:59 pm

Who's going to step up and carry this baseball team?

273 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 10:59 pm

now, THAT'S a single!

274 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:00 pm

[272] how much does it pay? i've got a lot of days off this week...

275 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:00 pm

[271] agreed, I was always generally ok with not making that deal.

we all realize this game is gonna end 6-5 right?

276 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:00 pm

Derek, Teix, Alex and Cano are capable of carrying the team, and we can rely on Swish, Gardner and Brains for support.

And yet...

277 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:01 pm

[271] it's true. never woulda guessed that. i've always been a beltran fan. i hope he comes back and mashes (and steals). i still think he'll end up in the 300-300 club i adore so much...

278 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 11:01 pm

[272] Russo?

279 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:01 pm

[275] i wouldn't be surprised...

280 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:01 pm

[269] Um, no, can't say that it was. :)

281 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:02 pm

[275] I was never that upset either, but over the past couple years he cemented it for me.

282 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:02 pm

yikes!

283 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:02 pm

[274] heheh. Millions and millions and millions of dollars.

284 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:03 pm

neighborhood play. he didn't touch the bag! i wanna see a replay...

285 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:03 pm

any of those smart lil f'ers bring up the conquestadors in FL? or is it all plymouth and the puritans?

286 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 11:03 pm

Swung at ball four...that's what happens when you have to rely on the Kevin Russo's of thw world.

287 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:03 pm

[283] i'm all about it, dude.

288 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:04 pm

tellin' ya, 6-5...

289 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:04 pm

[285] Yeah, there was stuff on them. (These aren't kids, btw, these are divinity students.)

290 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:04 pm

Something about this screams double play

291 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:05 pm

miller's just not that excited when we do well. i heard some stoopid fox radio host call us the "spankees" before. i can't stand all the public yankee haters. whatever. we're still WORLD CHAMPS!!!

292 Boatzilla   ~  May 23, 2010 11:05 pm

JAY-sus Christ. There is not way Russo should ever have been swinging at that pitch.

293 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:05 pm

K Rod. ugly ear hair havin fucker.

294 Boatzilla   ~  May 23, 2010 11:06 pm

That should come from the bench. "DO NOT SWING UNTIL YOU HAVE 2 STRIKES" WTF. We could have 2 runs now.

295 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 11:07 pm

[292] There is no way Kevin Russo should be playing for the Yankees, but that's where we find ourselves.

296 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:07 pm

[289] whoops. assumption on my part. Sorry bout that.

297 OldYanksFan   ~  May 23, 2010 11:08 pm

Jeez Derek..... take one for the team.

298 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:08 pm

How can Jeter only have 11 ab against this assclown?

And fuck you, assclown. Keep the fucking ball away from our guys' heads.

299 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:08 pm

[298] Four walks

300 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:09 pm

[296] Not at all.

Show/Hide Comments 301-370
301 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:10 pm

[299] Still. I guess, though, different divisions. Plus the postseason.

302 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:11 pm

[298] 15 ab's. still, i thought it might have been more over the years...

c'mon cap!

303 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:12 pm

3-5 with a double for Jeter

304 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 11:12 pm

CAP'N!

305 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 11:12 pm

[289] You teach divinity school?

Crispy fried Christ. I never would have guessed.

306 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:12 pm

Wow, a big hit from the captain!
'Bout bloody time.

Keep it UP, fucking boys!

307 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:12 pm

a pinch stand there woulda scored, instead of miranda...

308 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:12 pm

well alright!

309 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:12 pm

[302] especially when you consider there were plenty of times since 2002 where the Angels had a lead on the Yanks in the 9th inning

310 Boatzilla   ~  May 23, 2010 11:13 pm

Yahoo!

311 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 11:13 pm

Afraid Gardner isn't who I wanted to see here, but maybe the worm is due to turn ...

312 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:13 pm

yeah, i'd rather have damon here. or swisher. even nj...

let's go, gritner!

313 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:13 pm

Gardner's down to .296?

314 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:14 pm

Have to swing at that

315 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:14 pm

christ

316 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:14 pm

No way

317 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:14 pm

[305] Well, that's just one gig. I'm a TF which means I do the discussion sections and the grading (not the lectures). But yes, I teach the godly.

OHHH, FUCKK!!!!!!

318 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:14 pm

NOOOOOOOOOO!

bullshit. he was SAFE!!!!

replay, please

319 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 11:14 pm

He looked safe to me.

320 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 11:14 pm

How does that look on replay?

321 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 11:15 pm

Putting Gardner in the two-hole has been an absolute killer. It's yet another way that Girardi has only made this bad stretch worse.

322 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:15 pm

Kick his ass, Joe!

323 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:15 pm

his foot was off the bag.

i think...

safe!

324 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:15 pm

when I was in little league they used to say "tie goes to the runner". I've never actually seen that though.

325 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:16 pm

Yeah, he got him.

326 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:16 pm

Not so sure. I might agree with Joe Morgan

327 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:16 pm

okay, okay.

3-RUN BOMB!!!

do it, Alex!!!!

328 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:16 pm

Fuck, Teix, you're killing us. Very lucky break.

Come on, Alex. Please. Be a hero.

329 Boatzilla   ~  May 23, 2010 11:16 pm

Morgan is an idiot. SAFE!

330 knuckles   ~  May 23, 2010 11:16 pm

Bang bang, but looked out.

Weird AB by Teix.
C'mon A-Rod.

331 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 11:16 pm

[321] He's actually hit better in the 2 hole than batting 9th; though, generally speaking, I'd love to see someone else there, it's just hard with a short lineup.

Alex, it always comes down to Alex ...

332 Boatzilla   ~  May 23, 2010 11:17 pm

Heal? What about his toe?

333 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:17 pm

you knew it had to end like this

334 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:17 pm

Oh God.

335 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:17 pm

PST

336 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 11:17 pm

It was real close. If this were football, there would be not enough evidence to overturn the call on the field.

337 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:18 pm

I'd pitch around Alex and go after Cano.

338 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:18 pm

AGGGGGHHHHH!!

That was the pitch.

339 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:20 pm

Another one to hit.

340 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:20 pm

Teixeira couldn't do this?

341 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:20 pm

[338] nope, THAT was the pitch.

damn, just got under it...

342 randym77   ~  May 23, 2010 11:20 pm

It's funny how Cano always hits worse with RISP. Been that way ever since he was called up. HBT called him a choker.

343 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:20 pm

Way to fight it off, Alex.
Beautiful.

344 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:20 pm

sterling is a little pathetic when he's in the booth by himself. Like a straight man w/o his stooge. Just sayin...

345 Boatzilla   ~  May 23, 2010 11:20 pm

This is drama. Doesn't get any better.

346 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:21 pm

regardless of what happens here, I think A-Rod is on the verge of an insane stretch

347 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:21 pm

this is an electric battle

348 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:21 pm

[346] I think the team as a whole is

349 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:21 pm

[346] He is looking good, that's for sure.

350 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:22 pm

motherfucker.

351 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:22 pm

fuck

352 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:22 pm

Can someone tell me what the fuck the point of Ramiro Pena was?

353 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:22 pm

fuckin' eh

354 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:23 pm

[352] To stand there, of course.

355 RagingTartabull   ~  May 23, 2010 11:23 pm

even so, if this is rock bottom I'll take it

356 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 11:23 pm

Great AB by Arod...one of the few Yankees who shouldn't feel shame about the way he has played this past week.

357 thelarmis   ~  May 23, 2010 11:23 pm

[352] to stand there in a pinch.

358 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 11:28 pm

Well, that's an 8 day stretch worth forgetting ... with extreme prejudice.

359 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 11:28 pm

Last year's team finished off these comebacks. This year's team seems to keep coming up short. The vibe around this team isn't very good right now. Thank goodness for the wild card because the Rays are off to the races.

Also, at 5-10 in the last 15, it's time to stop saying the Yankees have played well despite injuries. Instead, the truth is they have failed to step up despite having several big names to pick up the slack.

360 cult of basebaal   ~  May 23, 2010 11:28 pm

night all, enjoy the day off, I figure we *all* need one at this point.

361 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:28 pm

how the hell did the blue jays play 3 more games than the yanks?

362 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:28 pm

[355] It's pretty fucking lousy but yes, it's better than 11-19.

363 kenboyer made me cry   ~  May 23, 2010 11:29 pm

Bah, Arod had a good at bat, but not to be.

5-10 in the last fifteen games, and Minny is lying in wait. No rest for the weary.

364 NYYfan22   ~  May 23, 2010 11:30 pm

[361] nvm. it's 2 games.

365 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:32 pm

Frankie's played seven days in a row! Wow. That's not good.

366 williamnyy23   ~  May 23, 2010 11:37 pm

If the Yankees don't make the playoffs in two of his three seasons, does one World Championship save Girardi's job?

367 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:39 pm

Probably.

368 Mattpat11   ~  May 23, 2010 11:40 pm

[366] This is a man who is so brilliant (just ask him) that he puts in a pinch runner and THEN stands around and waits for the three run HR.

We need that kind of strategist in the Yankee dugout

369 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  May 23, 2010 11:41 pm

It all began so well, but what an end:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X03uSwM07_A

370 randym77   ~  May 24, 2010 12:04 am

[361] Domed stadium.

I really wish the new Yankee Stadium had a retractable roof. I think it can be a real advantage, not to have to play makeup games at the end of the season.

Not to mention the hassle, when fans drive for hours to get to the stadium, only to find the game has been called.

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"This ain't football. We do this every day."
--Earl Weaver