Phil Hughes got back on track against the weak-hitting Indians Friday night. This afternoon it’s CC Sabathia’s turn. Two of CC’s last three starts have been duds (total line in those two games: 11 IP, 19 H, 12 R, 11 ER, 4 HR, 2 BB, 10 K), and in his last four starts, Sabathia has allowed six home runs, many of them on two-seamers up in the zone. CC has quite simply been off his game, and now’s the time for him to put it back together.
Sabathia has faced his old team just once since being traded to Milwaukee in July 2008. That came one day shy of a year ago, when he twirled a solid seven innings against them in a 10-5 Yankee win in Cleveland. Today, he faces fellow lefty David Huff, a 25-year-old with little to offer who has made just two quality starts in eight tries this season and has gotten just 2.57 runs of support on average on his way to leading the American League in losses. Huff, who faces the Yankees for the first time this afternoon, is a fly ball pitcher with poor velocity who doesn’t strike anyone out (he’s struggling to keep his strikeouts above his walks this season). The Yankees should eat him alive.
Should.
Alex Rodriguez and Francisco Cervelli return to the lineup, while Curtis Granderson sits against the lefty in favor of Kevin Russo, who will start in left. Nick Swisher bats second. Bottom four below Cano: Thames (DH), Cervelli, Russo, Gardner (CF). Girardi says he’s “easing” Granderson back in. Old pal Shelley Duncan draws the DH start for the Tribe against the lefty Sabathia.
I smell a Shelley Smash!
Huff, who faces the Yankees for the first time this afternoon, is a fly ball pitcher with poor velocity who doesn’t strike anyone out (he’s struggling to keep his strikeouts above his walks this season). The Yankees should eat him alive.
A soft tossing lefty the Yankees have never faced before? If history is any indication, I sense a two hit shutout coming.
now that's what i want to see CC.
[2] Well, there's one!
RIP Dennis Hopper, dead at 74 from prostate cancer.
[4] Two!
[5] ah geez. all of these icons from my youth...
Well, that's 1 run ... shoulda been 3.
Alex still not quite on the ball ...
i'll take an early score truck delivery!
nice thing to wake up to : )
1st 2 fastballs of game ... 93
3 batters in .... fastballs at 89-91.
[6] Three!
[9] well, we've already got our cap of two hits so...
[11] wait, I actually feared what Ken predicted.
damn it. I hate Thames. Not really. But he is so frustrating.
I CAN"T WATCH THE GAME. Damn. I was ready to settle in for the afternoon, and for some reason it isn't on here. Grrrrr.
well, huff has more strikeouts than cc. ; )
[15] likewise.
[17] We could watch tennis.
[16] now they're even.
[18] sharapova? ooh-la-la!
[15] yeah no game here.
[19] i think it's been a few years since sharapova deserved an ooh-la-la
[19] They're also even in pitch count, even though CC has pitched two innings.
Yeah, her. Yep. You like tennis, Dennis!
[21] really? i haven't kept up. to mine eyes, i'm sure she's still a goddess...
something to tide you over until the Yanks come up
http://www.automotivedigitalmarketing.com/video/video/show?id=1970539%3AVideo%3A200219
[22] dennis is on the cape, and i've never had a crepe.
[23] i like anna ivanovic myself, but i know you prefer blondes.
[24] Yeah, I've seen that. For some reason it rubs me the wrong way.
[25] Hey, it is, you're right! And dude, you should, they rule.
blow jays hit yet another homerun...
good pitching matchup at the fish tank later - doc halladay vs. josh joshson.
[27] yeah, i had to turn the video clip off soon after it started. the music was flipping my mood.
i'm not even sure what a crepe is! it's true - i might like it...
[26] yes, blondes. my, oh my. the 21 yr old on my gig the other night has been consuming my brain... : ~
i'd like to see cc bat. but, i really don't want him to get hurt. even the slightest tweak, swingin/runnin...
[29] I was considering explaining what a crepe is, but you've gone all these years without knowing, I don't want to ruin it.
[30] where in the hell did that come from?!
jeesh, still wiping the sleep from my eyes. i had gamecast flipped over and interleague on the brain.
actually, it's that damn blonde from the gig the other night. i can't think straight.
oy.
[31] thank you for sparing me.
i'm in enough of a daze from blonde bombshell playmate centerfold giving me her number. she'll never pick up when i call, or call back though...
Uh, Kay, watch the batter's reaction coming out of the box, he GRIMACES in pain.
Sheesh.
[34] when he still thought it would be an easy out. it did look like it changed direction off his foot though.
ugh, we're in full URP mode now.
STICK!
[36] Not.
That's more like it.
Oh, shit.
What's the injury delay???
Some of us can't watch the game. Please tell.
nice.
c'mon robbie, get both of 'em in!
[38] glad to be wrong.
uh-oh. who be it?
i'm guessing it's the pitcher based on gameday. Deflected by pitcher to right fielder?
Huff got nailed in head by A-Rod's line drive ...
My goodness...that was a direct impact on the side of his head.
Thanks, Diane.
What a relief. I mean, I wish Huff no ill will, but.
or granderson tweaked his groin from the bench.
Alex lined a ball off of what appeared to be the left temple of the pitcher's head.
Down, not moving, though talking and conscious.
EMTS are out with a neckboard.
i've never seen someone hit that bad. how is this guy alive? it was bullet line drive straight to the side of his head.
[46] [50] ouch. that is not good to hear. You never want to hear that.
oh my. i sure hope he's okay.
i bet a-rod feels awful...
[51] I'm not liking these descriptions. What a terrible thing to happen.
Seriously, if there was ever going to be a 2nd fatality in a MLB game, that had to come as close as any.
Huff gives thumbs up as he is carted off ....
i'm not sure i wanna see a replay of this later. : (
That was awful to see.
[56] Thanks.
So, concussed, but maybe not more serious than that?
the ball was hit so hard that after smashing the side of his head, it landed in short right field.
Thank god it was a little high-up on the side of head, if it had been right on the temple -- don't want to think about it.
My Gosh... I just came in from mowing the lawn, turn on the TV, and see a bunch a people around the mound with someone on the ground. A minute later they show the replay. Terrible.
I was watching the game on TV when the Red Sox Pitcher (Can't remember his name...Bryce Florie?) was hit in the cheek... and there was lots of blood. This was ugly... but that was really ugly... and career ending.
This certainly takes a bit of wind out of a possible win.
Matsui vs Blackburn was pretty awful, too.
I think I figured something out...when Javier Vazquez pitches well, the rest of the team plays poorly. But, when he doesn't do well, the rest of the team does.
[63] that was boBBy. he held his face in his hands jogging to first. what was alex's reaction?
Swisher with a very quiet .950 OPS.
Hey, Shelley. This is exciting.
[65] after running it out kind of half-heartedly, he crouched down with his hands on his head, then kept his head down like he was praying, then went into the dugout and sat alone while the doctors were out on the mound. he looked pretty shaken.
as bad as florie was, i don't remember immediately thinking "this guy is dead; there's no way he can possibly be alive right now."
Why throw FBs to frankenShelly?
[68] thank you.
i'd be a mess...
Jim Thome just tweeted "RIP Dennis Haskins". I think he might be a bit confused ....
Easy Rider vs. Saved by the Bell ... debate!
Oh, Grudzielanek.
Fuggin CC!
This game felt like a laugher...not very funny anymore. Sabathia has been throwing way too many breaking balls in this inning.
Oik.
Bad throw by Gardner.
goddamn motherfucker.
this game is completely getting away from us. : /
Maybe CC is a bit unnerved by Huff and getting hit on the foot?
[78] He just isn't pitching well.
]78] Wouldn't surprise me.
That's what he should have been doing all inning. I'll never understand how a pitcher, catcher, manager and pitching coach can sit there all inning and allow the pitcher to go completely against what he should be doing.
here is an excellent article from yesterday on pitcher head protection measures
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news?slug=sh-headinjuries052710
[81] Actually, let me take Cervelli off the hook. He wanted to throw fastballs, but CC kept shaking him off. Eiland should have had a conference much earlier in that inning.
[82] thanks. I was just wondering about that. It seems to make some sense to have some protection.
I think Kevin Russo is going to reduce Ramiro's playing time.
[65] Oh, right, it was Abreu ...
I do enjoy O'Neill in the booth ... he's a goofy guy.
Today is the 15th anniversary of Jeter's MLB debut
[87] Saw that at LoHud.
[82] yeah, thanks. i was just thinkin' about that, too...
c'mon derek. please get that lead back!
double steal!
can russo run at all?
That was a classic Jeter AB. More than all the recent hits, that walk does more to suggest Jeter is coming around than anything else.
okay, cool.
i'm glad Swish is up. do something good, Nicko!
[91] No plays. Just let them take their at bats.
Swisher missed a hanger!!
And that's a classic Siwsher AB. Now, we just need some classic Tex.
i'll take it.
Tex - we need you, buddy!!!
[95] It's just not a Swisher at bat unless it goes to 3-2!
Nick's the Walking Dude!
Well, that's one way to break your RBI drought ...
this guy has lost control eh?
injury timeout? is tex ok?
i'll take that too, as long as it didn't ouch too much.
ooh, i hope alex can shake it off and mash. not feebly ground into a dp on the 1st pitch...
Alex is just not quite on the ball yet ...
[103] He seemed to be until the Mets series, but then it left him again.
Wow...no idea how he could have missed that pitch to hit.
damnit.
Well, doesn't matter, RIPPER's gonna slash one here ...
[107] I'm coming for your crown Nostralarmis!
Way to go Robbie.
robbie and his risp - what a difference a year makes!
I don't think Laffey threw one good pitch that entire inning.
[108] man, if that young hottie comes thru, you can have my crown! gladly!!! ; )
Wow, with the bases loaded and one out I went to help my kid with the lawnmower, and when I come back it's four runs. Nice job.
Except for stinking Choke-Rod.
Way to sweep the leg Frankie!
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
The score truck is backing into the station.
*BEEP* *BEEP* *BEEP*
Frankie's back!
The RISP-monster!
BRAINS!!!
As his punishment, MLB should fly in Joe West to finish umping this game.
Hm, everyone except A-Rod got on base exactly one time that inning.
[118] Or make him pitch.
Speaking of which, did anyone see Bill Hall pull a Nick Swisher last night? Cool. I think he's third out of the pen now, behind Bard.
good job, cc. don't let that long layover affect you.
[121] i didn't "see", but yeah, that was impressive.
I didn't see either.
Okay, this is ridiculous. K, please!
[120] Against Arod.
Figures.
crap. and that doesn't help the pitch count...
dammit, cc. definitely not ace-like here in 2010...
Tom Hamilton on Indians radio broadcast is of the belief that Huff's injury is messing with CC's head.
89 pitches thru 5.
i was hoping we'd get 7 outta cc today. we'll see...
[128] it wouldn't surprise me. it would certainly affect my performance. but cc hasn't been on top of his game lately, regardless...
[129] Thing is, Marte and D-Rob can handle this one, so it's not so important to get seven out of him.
(Famous last words, I know.)
[131] yeah, let's see where we are after 6! : )
[128] i don't see how it couldn't affect you.
CC needs to figure out his problems...Yankees need the big man to be dominant again.
Brett's second walk.
That would be a very nice habit for him to get into. (As I once told a transvestite nun.)
so, DJ debuted 15 years ago today. i bet he has no clue. the media will fill him in later. and he won't care much. make some sideways comment about him being "old".
i pretty much remember exactly where i was 15 years ago. how 'bout you?
picked off? ugh. : /
[136] No. I could guess, but I really don't know.
[135] let's hope the pickoff doesn't become a habit.
i'm not touching your, um...'joke'!
DJ having good AB's today!
[139] Coward.
i really dig nick swisher
[136]
I'll have a Bantermetrics on this topic very soon.
[141] i've been called worse.
[143] about where you were 15 years ago?
Ambriz was a starter in MiLB, so maybe he goes the distance here?
[136] exactly 16 years ago? in may. hmm. i know bunches of things that happened but not sure where i was in may.
Thelarmis, there's your double digits!
[143] btw, the new Rush will be called Clockwork Angels - a play on the tune "workin' them angels" (overtime...) from Snakes & Arrows. it'll be out in 2011.
the current tour is called Time Machine. they'll be at Jones Beach in July (24).
there'll be a new cd single - they've never done this before. 2 new songs that'll be on the next record - 'Caravan' & 'BU2B'.
the documentary dvd - Rush: Beyond the Lighted Stage will drop June 29th.
[148] ah, much better!
[147] 15, but close enough. : )
[150] 15, but close enough.>/i>
As I once said to...
Nah.
Oh, crud. Backward angle bracket!
[150] lol, yeah oops
[149]
thanks much .... RUSH and the Yankees .... perfect together ...
maybe they can get Geddy to throw out the first pitch around the time of the Jones Beach concert :-)
[151/153] ooh, i don't get it! wha did i do wrong???
[154] geddy's blow jays have stroked three more homers today. 2 by overbay, who prolly read mlb trade rumors today and was pissed that they were writing him off and sending him the way of pat the bat...
GREAT news from lohud:
The CT Scan on Huff was negative. He will remain at New York-Presbyterian “for the next several hours” for additional observation.
[156] make that FOUR homers...
No more walks. None, for whatever reason.
What's wrong with CC?
I hate it when that happens.
crap. marson owns cc!
that's it for sabs.
Huh, so they won't let Ambriz just keep going.
We're going to wreck the Indians' bullpen.
Not that I'm worried, but our Win Exp has been declining precipitously. We had about a 1 in 200 chance of losing, now 1 in 20.
Oh, that out helped.
[165] That hit didn't ...
Painful.
[166] No. But it didn't hurt all that much. Still around a 1 in 20 chance of losing...
ugh. NOT good.
oof. fox just showed the huff line drive. twice. yikes.
NOW WHAT?
What the hell happened there with Robertson?
d-rob hurt?
more meat tray. what about the vegans?!
I wonder if Brian Bruney is available.
Anyone hungry? Here's the MeatTray
wow. the timmay/fuck intro to fox baseball was brutal. i'm not gonna last very long here...
[172] he is! nats released him last week...
Chad Jennings:
Yeah, Kay and O'Neill might be right ... maybe a back tweak ...
throw strikes!!!
[176] not fair. when i refreshed the lohud page, i got nuthin'...
i have a feeling we're gonna be seeing joba-mo in this 1-run game...
And there goes the MeatTray ... Vegans everywhere rejoice!
Christ, I only left for like five minutes and I missed about seven of our pitchers.
WTF? Just let somebody finish the freaking game. Marte could do it. Meat Tray could do it. Why Joba, who we might actually need tomorrow??
Cult of Basebaal ... growing ... FANGRY!
This just drives me crazy.
Where's William? I want someone to come and tell us how much Girardi sucks.
[182] Only you can help those who suffer from severe cases of Bullpen Roulette. Won't you PLEASE give now???
[185] I gave at the office. To the Stop Joe Girardi from Doing Anything Fund.
Sigh.
god fucking damn lou marson and his bullshit doubles!
i knew this would be a 1-run game. i just hope it remains in our favor. not looking very likely.
horseshit. : /
Thanks CC!
Thanks Coffee Joe!!
Thanks Joba!!!
Double sigh.
Why not Mitre?? Why not????
I'm coming around to the William view about Girardi.
It's not Girardi's fault his staff has been ineffective. No one has anything today.
At this rate, we're gonna need Swisher to finish up the 8th ...
painful
[191] Mitre faced one batter. Marte faced one batter. That's stupid.
Wow.
I have to go do something else. Getting too fangry.
joba just can't pitch
[191] Seems like Marte took care of business ...
all these crooked numbers .... make my head hurt
am I reading that correctly ... does Joba now have a 5.91 ERA?
why am i not surprised.
joba is pretty much ruined...
Mitre is Mitre, and Marte hasn't been too effective against RHB. CC struggled, Roberston's hurt, Joba struggled.
[200] Well, we'll always have 2007 ...
Christ on a crutch. The Yanks were leading 10-4 before I went out for dinner. Now they're losing? Is this Joba's doing?
[203] Joba was part of it.
I'm calling a Vulture win for Gaudin and a save for Mo and a big hit for Teix.
The Cleveland staff doesn't have much of anything either
don't get picked off!!!
but steal 2nd...
minor back strain for Robertson ... I wonder if it was related to the line drive he took up in Minnesota.
Uh, thanks Cap'n ... NOT what we needed there ...
It's just not a Swisher at bat if it doesn't go 3-2 ...
Well, *that* inning turned into crap.
Who's left to pitch?
total fucking bollocks.
[211] Gaudin, Mo and Park.
Park's gone 2 days in a row though, IIRC, so he's likely the last man.
Ca
noYES!!!Careful here Gaudin ...
Uh, that was NOT being careful, Chad ... should have just walked him.
you've gotta be kiddin' me?! : /
Let Gaudin pitch the rest?
Lefties light Gaudin up, it would've been preferable to walk Branyan.
[218] yeah. what does it matter anymore?
Teix is so frustrating to watch right now ...
Maybe Robbie should be hitting 3rd right now ...
let's see if the tribe scores for the SIXTH frame in a row.
aaarrrggghhh!!!
[223] Oooh, maybe the Indians have a Joba like pitcher themselves ...
c'mon Swish - tie this bitch up!!!
goddamn motherfucking bullshit.
i figured we'd lose by 1 run, not 2... ; )
what a horrible game. : /
[227] Figures we'd be the 2 dummies left to watch the last, painful outs.
= /
Well, tomorrow's another day and another game ...
Worst loss of the season. By far.
Was expecting to see this tabbed as a "Girardi loss," which of course would have been bull pucky, but someone must be on holiday.
This loss was about a few things in particular - having ZERO bullpen, having Robertson promptly yield a run, and then injure himself throwing a ball and then Joba HOLY &^$#@$ $%$#@#@# YOU SUCKKKKKKKK!!!!!!
Did I love Mitre throwing to one batter? No. But is there really anyone you could point to who should have been pitching to this batter or that batter, who you would actually have found more reliable in said situation? Hell no.
This is brutal. As much as I knew we were still a complete mess, at 9-3 I was starting to feel really good about things. I'd been watching from 3-3, and it felt safe to watch again. Granderson was back, and this is something I've been looking forward to more than most, I suspect. I feel very good about him being back in the lineup and out in the field.
Despite predictions of doom and gloom, and despite the fact that there are still huge problems with this team, you're thinking maybe, just maybe the schedule might be setting us up to hold on until Jorge comes back.
And then that crap.
I am so sick of Joba, it's insane. I seriously may hold a Joba Cleansing Ceremony Memorial Shirt Burning of my Chamberlain shirt. Because I'm pretty close to officially hating him.
What gives exactly?
Still not the same since the injury? Doesn't work out enough in the offseason? Jerked around too much and still lost? Too much booze?
Is it the thing I've secretly thought for years, but haven't wanted to voice - that he can't get the good stuff anymore now that Clemens isn't in the clubhouse?
Is it just mental midgetry?
Because this is the second JOBA LOSS.
And they've been the worst two losses of the season. Both have been all about Joba sucking bowling balls through garden hoses.
Dang him. Thanks for the high blood pressure, Joba. It's no consolation that the same is so obviously in your future.
Oh, great, I get to be the cap with that screed of hate. Somebody say something nicer, please.
Oh, here's one - I think Gardner was completely safe on the "pick off." YES failed to show the best angle, which showed the glove jamming in the dirt before reaching his leg. As a first baseman, those are always easy to spot.
Nice call, ump. Because it's not like that runner mattered.
None of this has anything to do with the result - all Joba - but another thing - how in hell is CB Bucknor still umping major league games?
When you can't get plays right at first (which any good softball ump can handle) and you don't have a clue with balls and strikes, you're probably not in the right line of work. That guy isn't terrible - he's unconscionable.
It's time to accept that Joba Chamberlain isn't very good. This awful bullpen in the hands of Girardi is going to be a problem all season.
I assume Joba has minor league options left?
Sounds like an awful game all around..I won't be watching that line-drive replay, that's for sure..as for Joba, I think Cashman, Eiland and Girardi should take some responsibility for jerking the kid around the last few seasons..he may need a change of scenery...
Oh well, they'll take 8 of the next 11 against the Spiders, Ripkens, Tom Henkes and JR RIchards, so I am not on the cliff..
Holy shit....
HOLY SHIT!!!!!!!!
I turn on the game to see a mob on the mound and a man on the ground. I watch until we are safely ahead 9-3, and then take a nap.
And then this. How is this possible?
This is a HISTORICALLY bad loss.
6 run lead against the worst team in the league?
200:1 odds of losing?
How is this possible?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
I can't get this out of my head.
Unbelievable.
UN-FUCKIN-BELIEVABLE!
Blame? I guess Joba is on top, but this is a team pitching loss.
UN-FUCKIN-BELIEVABLE!
This stain will stay with me a while.
[235] Jerking around or no, Joba's responsibility is to get batters out.
Jeez, did anyone see what happened to Kendry Morales? What a way to suffer an injury
Eh. That's baseball. A week or so ago, the Braves had 500:1 odds of losing in the ninth...and came back to win.
"Baseball – it’s amazing."
[237] yeah. that's ridiculous.
better yet, is the phillies game in phlorida. check it out!
(shhhhh...)
[238] i watched that ending! it was a lotta fun!
from lohud (emphasis mine):
Jeter hit his 449th career double, tying Bernie Williams for second place on the all-time franchise list behind Lou Gehrig (534).
According to Elias, Jeter has more runs (1,602) and hits (2,807) within 15 years of his debut than any other player in Major League history.
um...wow!
wow - check on the florida game.
NOT the tampon game - they're winning big. : /
shit sox up on greinke, too...
[242] Been keeping an eye on the Phillies game. Three more outs.
1 down.
2 to go...
struck him out!
that's 2 outs!
1 more!!!!
YES!!!
congrats Doc Halladay = perfecto!!!
(bows down in awe)
Perfect game. Wow.
Wow.... just saw the Kendry Morales tape. UNREAL!
OK... remember how ARod has been very careful about avoiding being in the center of gang hugs? Well lets give the dude some credit. Frankly, I'm surprised this is the first time something like this has happened.
Public announcement:
All Yankees STAY AWAY from ARod at Home plate.
Repeat: STAY AWAY FROM AROD!!!
[248] it's not - last year a mariner twisted his ankle celebrating an ichiro walk-off homer. and it's happened a coupla times in football.
but, yeah, still - be careful!!! then again, with the way we've been playing, we don't really have to worry about it...
i'm not watching, but 5-5 after 2 periods in game 1 of the stanley cup. that seems like quite a lot of scoring to me. but i have no idea about hawkey. is that some sorta record, or something?!
There have been many cases where teammates injured each other celebrating (remember Dave Dravecky?), but I don't think this is one of them. Morales injured himself, a la Grammatica celebrating that field goal. Same thing would have happened if there was nobody around him. He just landed wrong. He was already falling before anyone touched him.