Matt Williams is coaching first. Mark Grace is one of the Snakes' announcers. Luis Gonzalez has a front office job.

Oh, and Chad Moeller was the third-string catcher, but I guess he's not around anymore, either.

[1] Inexplicably, Craig Counsell is still bouncing around the league.

[2] Yup. Councell, Rod Barajas, Moeller, Miguel Batista . . . is Russ Springer still on a roster somewhere? Lyle Overbay and Jack Cust made their MLB debuts with that team, but made just five plate appearances between them. That's about it. That was an old team.

Tonight's lineup, as posted by SG at RLYW:
=================================
Derek Jeter, SS (.280/.337/.419, 0.9 WAR)
Nick Swisher, RF (.296/.378/.510, 1.5 WAR)
Doug Mientkiewicz, 1B (.225/.342/.406, 0.3 WAR)
Alex Rodriguez, 3B (.276/.348/.459, 1.6 WAR)
Robinson Cano, 2B (.365/.414/.602, 3.6 WAR)
Jorge Posada, C (.287/.398/.538, 1.7 WAR)
Curtis Granderson, CF (.234/.315/.430, 1.2 WAR)
Brett Gardner, LF (.324/.404/.428, 1.8 WAR)
Andy Pettitte, LHP (.000/.000/.000, 0.0 WAR)
Lineup Total: .259/.332/.430, 12.6 WAR

This Doc Halladay Song is funny. Thelarmis, it's particularly for you; you'll see why.

Gawd, I remember that game like it was yesterday. The absolute worst, except the one after it.

I didn't know Pettitte was tipping his pitches, though. What was he doing?

Well, seems like those last 2 at bats last night were a bit of a harbinger ...

i can't believe that only just got out. it looked like he crushed it.

Yay-Rod!

nice to be the team that hits a hr in the first inning.

nice swing alex.

Evening, gang. Looks like I logged in at the right time.

The Red Sox are going to have a hard time scoring runs against a right handed pitcher in an NL park. No Papi (rule problem), no Drew (injury problem), no firepower from the left side of the plate.

[12] The who?

[13] No, they have only a drug problem.

gorgeous!

[14] I think *that* was more of a "had", not "have", neh?

[16] Wait, did somebody teleport us into an Abbott and Costello routine?

Good work, Andrew... as usual.

that's a lot of movement

where did po think that pitch was?

What was supposed to be wrong with that pitch?

TB losing to SD 2-1 in the 9th.

c'mon brett let's get the pitcher up this inning.

ole wally bell has a pretty high zone.

[22] Whoops.

Bah.

[21] If that score holds, TB will be 12-17 since that 2-game series when they ran the Yankees out of New York.

Haren strikes out the side: 16 pitches.
Previous inning gives up two runs: 12 pitches.

Let's not run up his pitch count after all, lads.

Only the United States of America could have a game show where the consumption is so conspicuous that they destroy the prizes by dropping them off a ten story building if the contestant doesn't answer correctly in time.

We are great, but we are humble.

[21] And Heath Bell walks the lead-off batter.

Do the Yankees often stay in hotels without pools?

[29] Guess George Costanza is still making the arrangements.

TB loses (again)!
Their offense is really doing poorly.

Sean Rodriguez in as a pinch runner, caught stealing.
The genius of Joe Maddon strikes again!

[32] Shhhhhh!

If you say that three times, you know what will happen!

Hell yes.
It's a good evening for Caught Stealing.

Ah, and the Rockies score off Lestah...

[33] Okay, only once more tonight, I promise. (But the conjuring trick only works when the Yankees are losing, right? Or at least apparently in the process of blowing a lead?)

[32] Doesn't he know you're supposed to put in the pinch runner and then do nothing?

Crap. Gardy had him!

damn nice play all around by gardner - thought he was going to get him.

Ooph.
Wow, that CS was huge.

Time for Michael Kay to break out the "fallacy of the predetermined outcome" lecture.

[36] I know. He gave up an out, but at least he put on a play. That's the important thing. Winning is secondary.

[40] he seems off his game on the wc.

Hello... my name is OldYanksFan.
And I REALLY like watching Brett Gardner play.

We are great, but we are humble.

I am rich, but I am poor, for I am a river to my people ...

Is Arizona's pitching really that terrible? Because this is a solid lineup. They have no business being 15 games under .500.

damnit snyder go down.

[45] Hell, even the pitcher is hitting!

Impressive.

Too bad Andy didn't just nail him with the first pitch!

[47] hopefully not this ab.

[41] I need more facts. Was a Randy Winn type up, where it only made sense for everyone to stand around and wait for the inevitable three run homer?

cripes

Jesus Christ.

I hate this fucking ballpark.

Miserable building.

Grrrrrrrrr.

Cult, your fault.

[49] Sorry, that must have been my fault there ...

why was teixeira so far off the bag?

[55] Well, yes, but if you throw somebody hitting .425 the same damn pitch 3 times, chances are he's going to put a decent swing on it ...

[57] Especially with the way they were pitching him that at bat.

[50] BJ Upton was up. Is he a Randy Winn type?
They were a run down, so playing for one run was stupid. Joe Maddon (like many people) tends to forget that when you tell a pinch runner to steal, he sometimes gets thrown out, so that made it worse. Still, it was more entertaining than Pena just standing on first, so the fans got their money's worth.

[60] If Joe Maddon was managing the Yankees, he'd have had the DH pitch yesterday instead of AJ. You can't just waste good players on the bench.

Evening, Team!
Why don't they shift for Teix?

[60] I don't think Pena standing on first is less entertaining. I don't understand why he is deemed more adept at standing on first base than the man he replaced, however.

I'm also not sure banking on three or four straight hits is any more sound that trying to steal a base.

Nice hit, Alex.

Another solid swing, Alex. I like it.

The Yankees HAVE to DL Arod. Their hesitancy to do what needs to be done is just KILLING them. They're REALLY in trouble if he can't play.

[61] It could only have been an improvement.

[63] Oh, no, he was the guy replaced (Pena was).
If you're looking for two runs, you need exactly as many hits to score them with a man on second as with a man on first. On the other hand, if you give away your man on first, then you need another hit, and you have one fewer out to spend to get it.

[66] Okay, now was that one of the three, or is it a separate accounting system?

[68] Yeah, you're right, that probably should count as #2!

;-)

Fun fact: Through 70 games last year, the Yankees were 38-32, in the middle of that ugly Florida-Atlanta swing. For all the issues they've had this year, this year's team is 5 games ahead of their 2009 pace.

Oh boy. Big Papi pinch hitting for Lester with two down and the bases loaded.

[70] Shhhhhhhh!

I might have to count that as #2.5!

Perspective???

We don't need no steenkin' perspective.

[67] I'm sorry. I thought you were talking about perennial pinch stand there Ramiro Pena.

I assume you mean exactly as my hits if the batter hits a HR

Hi gang .... just popping in to say hello ... can't stay too long.

[71] The Rox bring in a lefty to face Ortiz. Joe Beimel.

[73] To score two runs, you need exactly as many hits, whether the runner is on first or second. Homer, double plus single, whatever. Right?

anyone catch michael kay telling kim jones to jump into the pool a couple innings ago?

We'll need D-Rob today, huh? Thank god CHoP is NA.

[70] We're also in a three way race this year instead of Yankees/Red Sox last year

[75] Papi grounds out to second. 1-0 Rockies into the bottom of the 7th.

Oh, and hi, Diane!

Ah.... Papi grounds out to second. And he really hustled down the line! (Not.)

[79] Are you watching it? I can't resist.

[78] rays were 2 games behind the yanks this day last year.

[81] God bless the MLB Network.

The Mets/Tigers game has featured pitchers named Niese, Nieve and Ni.

Somewhere out there, Eric Idle is smiling,

Ha, the YES trivia question was comment #3 in this thread.

Kay can make any story boring

Robinson Cano, ladies and gentlemen.

[86] Hehehehh.

[86] "I was bron in Clifton, NJ..which was not a federal offence at that time.."

Enjoyable game, Banterers?

[86] i'm having trouble even following he's dragging on so long. of course, this wasn't the most exciting story to begin with.

[89] Yes, except for the bottom of the second, when Dan Haren got two RBI.

[89] Did you wear an onion on your belt, which was the style at the time?

I'm going to cry for a year the day Andy retires.

[90] I think the original point of the story was that this building also has bad memories for Girardi, even though he wasn't on the '01 team. But that seemed like a really nice story, getting his 1,100th hit and all.

Kay really is off his game out here.

[91] I love me that NL baseball!

[93] Wait, how can you cry for a year on a day?

i'm pretty sure andy just asked the ump where that 0-2 pitch was

[94] Kay really is off his game out here.

I don't even want to image Kay *off* his game.

Dandy!

Ha! Take that.

Good hands there, Andy!

No don't get hurt!

Petitte running the bases = William freaking out.

Colorado retires the Sox in the 8th. Still 1-0.

Uh oh, Cult, I think monkeypants just completed the spell.

(mp, see [32] [33] et seq.)

[103] See [12].

[104] Shhhhh. He said Betelguese, Betelguese.

Just because it's a homonym, doesn't complete the summoning!

I was just looking at the Yankee schedule for the next couple weeks. So after the Dodgers series, they come home for 6, and then they have to go BACK to the West Coast? Lame.

Dammit, they're STILL going away.

They've pitched Haren TERRIBLY tonite.

In Colorado, Marco "run prevention" Scutaro can't handle a bad hop and the Rockies add another run, still threatening. 2-0.

[96] Hahhahah. I'll figure out a way, for Andy!

Oh, that was beautiful.

Helton singles off the RF scoreboard (a homer in YS), then Carlos Gonzales's pop fly drops among the LF, CF, and SS, and finally a grounder bounces over Marco Scutaro's head. 2-0 Rox.

Is Micah Owings still in baseball?

Hawpe punched out on a called strike that was maybe eight inches outside. Two outs in the bottom of the eighth, two on. New pitcher.

RI -

[5] i think i'm in love.

you know, i'm gonna be in philly this weekend. i'll buy her plane ticket. i've got a hotel room w/ a kingsized bed. that queen is more than welcome to sing me to sleep...!!! ; )

[113] Reds.

[112] RIYank, did you see that called third strike on the next Rox player? That was outside even by Eric Gregg standards.

[113] yeah. he's on the reds.

[116] damn you. i'm still flustered from the musical hottie. : ~

[115] Yeah, I knew you'd like that. (Hell, I watched it three times.)

[117] Nothing will ever beat that called third strike on Matsui to end a game against the Dodgers a few years back

Delcarmen surprisingly gets his man. They go to the ninth!

[117] Heh, yeah, see [114].

[120] yeah man, thanks for posting. i'm wireless right now and the last 30 seconds got cut off. i'm a-gonna watch it again and hope to catch the whole thing. there might be another vid of hers their...

i'm a sucker for musician chicks. some of my friends are adamant about not dating girls that are musicians and in the same field. i find that i essentially have to, for a multitude of reasons...

[119] Here's not only some hottie blonde action, but *also* some metal humor!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHv3qO_Y8kk&feature=PlayList&p=EFAF114ADECC6E6E&playnext_from=PL&playnext=1&index=8

You can thank me later ...

RI - why isn't corpas pitching the 9th???

[123] Oh, there is another, yes. It's basketball-related, but I think you won't mind.

Uh oh -- Beltre has a lead-off double. That insurance run looks big now!

Beltre leads off the 9th with a double. Boy wonder Daniel Nava up next.

Well struck, Robbie. Well struck.

Hello. I'm still new here and learning. Is he around?
Belisle pitching to Beltre gives up a double to start the sox in the 9th.
Can we please clone mo?

[125] Ummmm.
Because he sucks?
(I really don't know the D-Backs, sorry.)

One out single for Mike Cameron, and the tying run is on...

1-out single from Cameron scoring Beltre. 2-1.

[131] Damn, that ridiculous third strike call is looming large right now.

Too damn slow, pucci, too damn slow!

Calcintinas Rojos score a run. Man at first one out. 2-1

[130] you mean the rox. corpas has been closing for street who's recently back but not in the closers role yet. i figured the announcers might say why tracy didn't go to his closer. perhaps he's pitched too much lately, or something...

[136] Yes, I did mean the Rox. Bax, Rox. Teams named after states instead of cities. Unreal teams.

Nope, as far as I noticed Remy didn't mention any reason. (Can't say I've been riveted to his voice.)

The LaLOB!!!

[136] Sombrero! Robert DeNiro!!!

Sox lose 2-1.

Full count to Lowell, tying run aboard with two out...

Hard grounder in the hole, diving stop, throw to first, one hop... in time!

Belisle finishes the job. Whew!

Mike Lowell is real slow.

Rox Beat Sox. Sounds like a Rochembeau,

cult - you'll be pleased to know i've been listening to the Dio era Rainbow cd's, in tribute to the elf's passing. great great stuff!

[142] Man, he really is. He's Posada slow.

I don't like trying to get two non Mo innings out of this bullpen

In the words of the great Auda Abu Tayi, "you trouble me like women."

I'd have to be a Sox fan to sit around and hyperventilate about another team's scores like y'all do ...

cult - how do you say danzig in spanish? hilarious!

[146] Yeah, there's going to be some nervous moments before bedtime.

[148] Glad you liked it! It's been in my head all day today ...

well, andy's at 99 pitches. shouldn't we send him out to start the 7th...

Oh well done Brett.
It would be kind of nice to knock Haren out now -- he's due up in the bottom, but we could make them burn an arm now.

GODDAMMIT.

1st you steal Gardner ... THEN you bunt Pettitte.

How FUCKING hard is this?

[151] Wow, you're right! We were all assuming he'd be yanked for a PH.

Does anyone really care what the Blue Jays did?

[153] But there's one out already, so what's your point?

Well, looked safe to me, but the throw sorta beat him ...

Drew had the base blocked.

[157] On teevee he looked safe to me too. The hand got in. Just for shits and giggles, I'd like to see the slo mo.

Michael Kay sucks

I kind of like big ballparks right now.

Come on, Andy! Uno mas!

[149] Honestly, I'm not a big fan out of one inning for Farnsworth, but that seems unavoidable.

Dandy, just DANDY!!

NICE!

I love Andy Pettitte. Just adore him.

andy is a golden god.

Take a bow, Andy.

The worst part about Kay is you know he prepares an "Andy did bad" statement and an "Andy did good statement" starting with "so on the mound where he had his worst moment..." and just filled in the relevant stats

I'll take a two hit night for Jeter

Looks like the score truck might make a much-needed stop here.

I'd like to see Joe pick Andy to start the All Star game this year. Particularly if he continues to pitch well the next couple of weeks. Sure there will be cries of favoritism, but as the AL manager Girardi has that right. Andy has pitch so well this year and I believe he deserves this honor for what he's accomplished in his career, particularly in the post season.

That was a nice hit, but damn, dude is HELL BENT on pulling EVERYFUCKINGTHING!

He comes the flat bed from Winslow!

boBBy just hit a game-tying 3-run homer in the freeway series...

[172] I think it's David Price's start to lose, but if he stumbles a bit, it probably will be Andy.

Goddam.
That was cathartic.

TEX!

keep it movin' fellas. lotsa geico runs here...

Williamesque!

ooops that was for [173]

[173] This. That pitch should have been one-hopped off the LCF wall.

Still not there yet.

[172] on the days (or nights) the golden god pitches, you should change your screen name to:

YankInAndrewEugene

: )

Oh, yum.
Walk Alex to load the bases for Rob.
That's not quite as good as walking Teix to load 'em for A-Rod, but it's still happifying.

mmmm, bases juiced, no one out.

[rubbing hands together]

muwuhahahaha!!!

calling SLASHER here ...

[185] eh, good enough!

Starting to approach Joba-proof

Beautiful hit, Robbie.

Beautiful.

AAAAHHHHHH.

More catharsis.

i'll take it.

let this train roll all night long!

[187] that just crossed my mind too.

[180] Hehheheh! But it's true! Did you see how far outside that pitch was?

[185] Half way. Good call, though -- he did smack an outside pitch.

[186] if it's not pulled or to oppo field, whaddya call him then?!

Hate to say it, but Clay Buchholz is pitching as well as anyone. The top 5 ERA guys are all withing 0.10 of each other.

[187] Just a grand slam away, I'd say.

[182] Nice :)

I thought that would be close.

[194] There's the rub, aye? Haven't come up with one for that yet

[195] Also Lester. Dude threw 7 innings, one run, and got tagged with the L. (Of course, I called it at [12]. Just sayin'.)