"A New York Treasure" --Village Voice

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim III: Blink And You’ll Miss It

It seems like little more than a hazy memory now, but the Yankees and Angels played each other six times in April, each taking two of three at home from the other. They’ll finish their season series in the next 24 hours with a two-game set that will kick off at 7:05 tonight in the Bronx and should wrap up before the end of the work day tomorrow.

Despite the departures of John Lackey and Chone Figgins, the Angels were my pre-season pick to win the American League West, but with the Rangers’ 4.5-game lead and recent acquisition of Cliff Lee, I can’t see the second place halos catching up. Obviously, I didn’t anticipate Kendry Morales’ suffering a season-ending broken leg during a walk-off celebration at home plate on May 29. Nor did I expect that third baseman Brandon Wood would be such a total bust at the plate (.168/.185/.225). The Angels appeared to solve their hot corner problem with former Giants second base prospect Kevin Frandsen, but Frandsen has hit just .136/.200/.162 since June 30 and is a far inferior fielder to Wood.

I expected better things from ex-Yankees Hideki Matsui, who is making the Bombers look bright for letting him go by hitting just .249/.329/.393 and slugging just .359 since the end of April, and Bobby Abreu, who’s .259/.351/.412 is his worst across the board since he was a rookie with the Astros last century.

I also expected better things from the Anaheim rotation, which I repeatedly described as “five deep.” Jeff Weaver, Scott Kazmir, Ervin Santana, Joe Saunders, Joel Piñeiro seemed like a solid quintet in April, but Kazmir has been awful (6.92 ERA, 1.22 K/BB) and just hit the disabled list with a bum shoulder, and Saunders has been erratic (4.83 ERA, 1.32 K/BB).

As a team, the Angels have been below average in both runs scored and runs allowed this season and, despite their 50-45 record entering this series, they have been out-scored on the season. That’s a large part of the reason that I think the AL West race is over: the Rangers are the only team in the division with a positive run differential and they just got better with the addition of Lee.

Sean O’Sullivan takes Kazmir’s spot in the rotation tonight. A 22-year-0ld righty, O’Sullivan posted a 5.92 ERA in ten starts and two relief appearances  as a rookie last year. This year, he’s made just four relief appearances in the majors (albeit with good results), and had a 4.76 ERA in 15 Triple-A starts.

O’Sullivan will face Phil Hughes, who last pitched at Angel Stadium, taking the loss in the All-Star game by giving up singles to two of the three batters he faced. Hughes ended the first half with a strong outing against the punchless Mariners (7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 0 BB, 5 K), but had just one quality start in his previous four outings (7.03 ERA). With Andy Pettitte heading to the DL with a groin injury that will keep him out until the end of August, the Yankees need Hughes to get back on track.

Pettitte officially goes on the DL tonight. Expect Jonathan Albaladejo, who has been dominating out of the Scranton pen, to take his spot for now, with another move being made Saturday to allow Sergio Mitre to be activated to take Pettitte’s place in the rotation (though I’d rather see Mitre return to the bullpen and Ivan Nova get that chance).

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

2010 Record: 50-45 (.526)
2010 Pythagorean Record: 46-49 (.484)

Manager: Mike Scioscia
General Manager: Tony Reagins

Home Ballpark: Angel Stadium

Bill James Park Indexes (2007-2009):
LH Avg-104, LH HR-94
RH Avg-102, RH HR-107

Who’s Replaced Whom:

  • Jeff Mathis (DL) has replaced Kendry Morales (DL)
  • Kevin Frandsen has replaced Brandon Wood at third base and Robb Quinlan (minors) on the roster
  • Cory Aldridge is currently the 26th man on the roster
  • Sean O’Sullivan (minors) has replaced Scott Kazmir (DL)
  • Trevor Bell (minors) has replaced Matt Palmer (DL)
  • Francisco Rodriguez and Rich Thompson (both minors) have replaced Jason Bulger and Brian Stokes (both DL)

25-man roster:

1B – Mike Napoli (R)
2B – Howie Kendrick (S)
SS – Erick Aybar (S)
3B – Kevin Frandsen (R)
C – Jeff Mathis (R)
RF – Bobby Abreu (L)
CF – Torii Hunter (R)
LF – Juan Rivera (R)
DH – Hideki Matsui (L)

Bench:

S – Maicer Izturis (IF)
S – Reggie Willits (OF)
R – Brandon Wood (IF)
L – Cory Aldridge (OF)
R – Bobby Wilson (C)

Rotation:

R – Jered Weaver
L – Joe Saunders
R – Ervin Santana
R- Trevor Bell or Sean O’Sullivan
R – Joel Piñeiro

Bullpen:

L – Brian Fuentes
R – Fernando Rodney
R – Scot Shields
R – Kevin Jepsen
R – Francisco Rodriguez
R – Rich Thompson

15-day DL:

1B – Kendry Morales (broken left leg)
LHP – Scott Kazmir (strained left shoulder)
RHP – Matt Palmer (right shoulder sprain)
RHP – Jason Bulger (strained right shoulder)
RHP – Brian Stokes (right shoulder fatigue)
RHP – Anthony Ortega (triceps tendonitis)

60-day DL:

OF – Chris Pettit (labrum surgery)

Lineup:

S – Erick Aybar (SS)
R – Howie Kendrick (2B)
L – Bobby Abreu (RF)
R – Torii Hunter (CF)
L – Hideki Matsui (DH)
R – Juan Rivera (LF)
R – Mike Napoli (1B)
R – Kevin Frandsen (3B)
R – Jeff Mathis (C)

Categories:  Cliff Corcoran  Series Preview

Share: Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via email %PRINT_TEXT

238 comments

Show/Hide Comments 1-100
1 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  Jul 20, 2010 6:19 pm

Rare televised Yankee game this season and I will miss it! Morning meeting, then some chores nearby..hope to at least get to Gameday for the last few innings..till then am multi-tasking like a Trapper Keeper, Let's Go YAN-KEES!

2 Start Spreading the News   ~  Jul 20, 2010 6:21 pm

In the meantime, Rob Neyer counsels patience on Joba:
http://espn.go.com/blog/sweetspot/post/_/id/4411/joba-will-reward-yankees-patience

3 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 6:33 pm

[2] As does Goldman.

This bit from Neyer, Doesn't mean he won't enjoy a long and productive career as a hard-throwing reliever, did make me roll my eyes a bit.

I would really like to think that we are being counseled to have patience with Joba because he can still have a long and productive career as a starter. If we are supposed to hold out for Joba-the-reliever, then let's trade him for something of immediate value.

4 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 6:37 pm

Meanwhile, I just saw that Lou Piniella is going to retire at the end of the season. Another piece of my Yankee childhood heads off into the sunset...

5 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 6:43 pm

not to knock on Piniella, but it does seem odd when you realize that he won big early in his managerial career and never even got back to the Series. Wonder if he'll turn into an Old Timer's Day fixture, it would be nice.

6 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 6:55 pm

[5] He's managed some pretty bad teams later in his career (i.e., the Rays), but the 2001 Mariners *must* have been a major disappointment.

Yeah, it would be nice to see him more visibly back in the Yankee fold.

7 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:00 pm

[6] oh I'm not holding those Rays teams against him at all, they were terrible. But to have Edgar, Griffey, Buhner, A-Rod, and Johnson and never win...

8 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:11 pm

ok Philly boy, you're 5 wins away from getting me a steak dinner...LETS DO THIS!!

9 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:20 pm

Holy crap. Swisher is just mashing these days.

10 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:20 pm

Smoked!

11 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:21 pm

I still don't think we should've given up on Betemit

12 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:25 pm

I've been thinking long and hard about this, and this is something I never could've imagined myself saying in say 2006, but I might invest in an A-Rod jersey.

13 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:25 pm

3 hard hit balls. boooooooooooooo F you Scioscia. Walking Robbie.

14 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:38 pm

Atta boy, Torii.

15 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:47 pm

36 pitches after 2 inings for Phil is no bueno.

16 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:56 pm

I HATE the Angels.

17 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 7:58 pm

Is this another case of Hughes suffering from a layoff, or the continuation of a larger trend over his last 10 starts? If the latter, maybe Cashman should be looking for another starter after all?

18 OldYanksFan   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:05 pm

To much to expect Robbie to dive, and keep that ball in the infield?

19 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:06 pm

can we officially say that letting Matsui walk, as much as we all love him, was a good idea?

20 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:10 pm

I guess the Yankees didn't get the scouting report about O'Sullivan throwing a changeup?

21 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:13 pm

George's happiest day was getting A-Rod? Somehow I can actually see that. I feel like all the times they won the overriding emotion was more relief than anything else.

22 Shaun P.   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:14 pm

[17] Or is it a case of Hughes' fielders letting him down, and so we shouldn't worry at all?

[19] I feel bad for Godzilla, but it happens. I thought that maybe his 15 games in LF were the cause of his problems, but it looks like he's only gotten a random game in the field here and there - no clear point where he went south after, say, playing 4 straight games in LF.

I do notice that he hit significantly better in June than in any other month - but that was the month were the Angels played Seattle, the A's, KC, and the NL.

I also notice that, in the small sample of 15 games when he does play LF, he's obliterating the ball: .365/.411/.654. Maybe something psychological?

23 Shaun P.   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:15 pm

[20] Well, O'Sullivan is a classic URP.

I really wonder why it is that URPs tend to hurt the Yanks so much, or if its consistently true. Could it really be as simple as not having a scouting report? That seems ludicrous in this age of easily available information.

24 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:16 pm

Granderson has been a massive disappointment.

25 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:18 pm

[19] I'd like to see what would have happened if they didn't try to play him in the field.

Also, letting him go without any kind of serious replacement for him still wasn't a good idea in my book. if it winds up working out in October, I'd call it more of a happy accident than a good idea.

26 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:19 pm

really?

27 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:19 pm

[22] No...it's a case of Hughes not pitching well for a prolonged period of time.

28 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:20 pm

Hughes really hasn't been any good for a while now.

29 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:28 pm

I'm not mad at Hughes really, he's in uncharted waters for his career and already gave more than anyone could've expected, but he's hit a wall here. I think its more of a dead-arm type of thing than anything else...but it needs to get straightened out

30 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:29 pm

90 mph fastballs with 78 mph changeups = 11 in a goddamn row. Give me break.

31 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:35 pm

[29] I am not "mad" at him either, but with him not pitching well, Pettitte injured and Burnett a huge question mark, the Yankees rotation suddenly looks very thin.

32 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:35 pm

wow, blast from the past Jorge

33 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:35 pm

There are few things more sad than one man chanting.

34 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:39 pm

[33] Juan Miranda as a starting DH comes pretty close.

35 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:44 pm

Gardner really needs to figure out a way to get a read on a pitcher quicker.

36 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:46 pm

2-1 count and Gardner isn't running? Really? Is Girardi awake?

Meanwhile, Jeter continues to look like a player beginning his decline phase. His bat speed is severely diminished.

37 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:46 pm

See?

It really annoys me that we finally have a basestealer and even then he won't run until the fourth or fifth pitch in an AB. Usually with two strikes so the hitter has too swing at everything too.

38 Diane Firstman   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:47 pm

Evening folks!

39 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:48 pm

[36] One of the many reasons why Girardi was bad in 2008 was that we never, ever ran before there were two strikes. I don't know what stat he saw that suggested that we needed to wait for two strikes, but it was infuriating.

He's gotten somewhat better over the years, so I don't know if its Girardi or Gardner that anchors Bret to first.

40 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:48 pm

[38] And to you, Ms. Diane.
What's up with Phil?

41 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:50 pm

[39] Once the count goes to 2-1 with a struggling, ground ball hitting Jeter at the plate, it's time for the hit and run. Gardner is overly cautious, which is fine, but at that point a manager with a clue puts on the hit and run.

42 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:50 pm

[36] I would imagine that Gardner has the green light to steal virtually all the time he's on base. It appears that his reads on the pitchers are lacking, and he's got to learn to steal to match his speed.

But on the optimistic side, I think the Yankees will come back and win this game.

43 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:52 pm

ya know...

44 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:52 pm

I fucking HATE the Angels.

45 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:52 pm

Let's see if Clueless Joe finally takes Hughes out now?

46 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:52 pm

Sigh.

47 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:52 pm

[42] Or maybe not...

48 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:52 pm

Jeez. Swish didn't even give that one a courtesy chase.

49 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:53 pm

[48] He did not.

50 Diane Firstman   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:53 pm

perhaps the league has formulated a book on Hughes ... or is he tipping pitches?

51 Diane Firstman   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:53 pm

Hughes has allowed 12 homers this year ... all at home.

52 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:54 pm

Three-fifths of the Yankees rotation is a pretty big question mark right now.

53 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:55 pm

did Albaladejo lose weight?

54 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:55 pm

[50] Could be...what happened to the great changeup he supposedly was going to unveil? Hughes has basically been a two pitch pitcher all season, so maybe the league has figured him out.

55 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:56 pm

It baffles me that the talking point for a team that signed *NICK JOHNSON* is that they were able to put away sentimentality and properly judge injury risk

56 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:56 pm

What an awful game...bad pitching, bad hitting and bad defense.

57 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:57 pm

Did Kay just ask if there's a difference between triple A and the Major Leagues?

58 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:58 pm

yes but are major league hitters THAT much better than AAA ones?

59 Diane Firstman   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:58 pm

The Accidental Izturis

60 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:59 pm

CUT your losses, Kay!

Let it GO!

61 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 8:59 pm

[42] We've heard that people had "a green light all the time" for three years now. Maybe we need to have an actual "steal" sign.

62 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:00 pm

Kind of funny to see Rivera try to steal a base in the inning after Gardner patiently waited for Jeter to ground into a double play.

63 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:01 pm

Randy Winn just hit a two-run homer, putting the Cards up 2-0 on the Phillies.

He hit a home run last night, too.

64 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:02 pm

Tampa is up 6-4.

65 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:05 pm

[59] Cheers to that one. : )

66 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:06 pm

[58] Is Gerald Williams still floating around AAA?

67 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:07 pm

[45] "Let’s see if Clueless Joe finally takes Hughes out now?"

How does this statement from you apply to your: "recognition of potential problems with the team. It’s great to be optimistic, but that shouldn’t preclude an honest assessment of the team" statement? Is that an honest assessment?

I am not waving a flag for Joe Girardi, but this and other posts from you are worthless and mean spirited. I guess "Clueless Joe" managed the team to a championship by luck? Like a1000 chimps would eventually write Hamlet kind of random luck?

I've looked at your blog. I've not seen these type of mean spirited, worthless statements from you there. Why here, and not on yours?

Do you listen to a lot of talk radio, both sports and the Limbaugh kind of stuff?

68 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:07 pm

[63] The last kernal of popcorn finally popping after the bag reaches the recycling center...

69 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:08 pm

The Yankees have not had a hit since the first inning against the fighting O'Sullivan. It didn't seem like it at the time, but the Yankees lost this game when Posada and Granderson swung at bad pitches in their first at bat.

70 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:09 pm

[66] If he is, I can picture a mad dash out of that pool...

71 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:10 pm

Can't believe they didn't throw him out.

72 weeping for brunnhilde   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:11 pm

Oh, never mind.

73 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:11 pm

Hope Pena knows the "don't steal" sign.

74 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:11 pm

Girardi threw his gum at the umpire as he left.

75 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:11 pm

[67] I do think Girardi is an awful game manager, but admit that my criticisms of him in game threads can often be based on emotion rather than reason. I don't think I am the only one guilty of that, but if so, I apologize, especially if such statements offend you.

76 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:19 pm

[67] I think the Yankees won the World Series because Girardi stopped managing. His bizarre management style was working in spite of itself up until game three of the ALCS

77 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:21 pm

So the Yankees are stinking it up tonight, so Sterling and Waldman have taken to mocking the Orioles for the last two innings. Completely unprofessional.

I wish the LAA feed was working, but for whatever reason i cant connect to it tonight.

78 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:22 pm

[77] Mocking the Orioles is always fun

79 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:22 pm

Albaledejo had a lot of success pitching ONE inning in the minors. I really hope the Yankees don't now try to turn him into a long man. It isn't going to help the team and it wont help Albaledejo.

80 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:22 pm

Bobby lost a step or two, huh?

81 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:23 pm

Did I pass out in my hottub?

82 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:23 pm

Why do i feel so... so sarcastic tonight and I'm not even watching the game?

[67] That's nothing, you should wait til the alkee-hall starts flowing in the later comments...

For what it's worth, when I came into being at Banter, I was somewhat aghast at some of the regular negativity from some of our personalities, but I think I'd rather see that type of vitriol articulated here as opposed to in someone's home directed at their significant other, their children or at random strangers, which always happens in New York and other places in the world. I'm not saying you get used to it, but if it does happen, I'm fairly certain the dog's hindquarters are safe from brand imprints or polish, one. You have to choose your battles carefully, I suppose. Besides, you said yourself that he doesn't do that on his own site, so you gotta figure that he's not a negative personality per se, just here more often than not... and being passionate about your favorite sports team will do that to anybody at some point. Don't take it personally and continue to be as engaging you allow yourself to be.

[/pat on back]

83 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:23 pm

Bobby Abreu used to be fast.

84 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:24 pm

78) yes, fun for you and me. Unprofessional and a bit embarrassing for the Yankees announcing team. keep it classy, Grandma and Grandpa.

85 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:26 pm

Bobby is one of those guys that when he isn't on your team you say "man, Bobby Abreu is underrated". But then when you watch him everyday for 2 1/2 years you stop saying that immediately.

and I like Bobby.

GERALDO!!!

86 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:26 pm

That Chan Ho Park is still on this roster...is he the new Lucky?

87 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:26 pm

So what did the Orioles do that was mock worthy?

88 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:27 pm

[84] Were any of their insults sponsored by anything? ; ) Good work, Chop.

89 Diane Firstman   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:27 pm

The guy to the left of Lorne Michaels looks like Frankie Brains

90 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:27 pm

well then

91 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:27 pm

[76] I kinda/sorta agree with you.

92 RagingTartabull   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:28 pm

at this point Park needs to be DFA'd for his own personal safety as much as anything else

93 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:28 pm

I leave the room for three seconds, come back and find Chan Ho Park is still Chan Ho Park.

94 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:29 pm

[82] Thanks...sniff.

Abreu giveth, and Matsui takes it away. Chan Homer Park. They should establish a permanent field for the Home Run Derby, and name it after him.

95 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:30 pm

[82] Others might be different, but I look at the game thread as more of a sounding board than a place for deep analysis. As a result, you get raw negativity, but also expressions of glee. Both aren't often profound, but they are natural responses to something you care about.

In other posts, I like to think that I am more measured in my comments because the emotions aren't raw. I realize that not everyone cares as much as others, so can understand the spectrum of attitudes.

96 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:30 pm

[76] I think that's ridiculous. Joe was guilty of overmanaging at times that year, but there was plenty done right.

But please don't think this fuck you is meant for you.

Because tonight is a night of fuck yous, though obviously not directed at any posters.

A Hearty Fuck You Goes Out To:

1. 'Dis Fucking Ump. Ten fucking pitches he called balls that were strikes. And then that pasty-assed fat shit fuckhead has the nerve to get into it with Joe.

Listen, asshole, there's a reason the Yanks were riding you all night. You gave Sullivan a number of pitches that were balls/borderline, you fucked him on almost none, and you fucked Hughes left and right.

I GUARANTEE you that Hughes walked off the mound thinking, "Fuck you, ump. Of course I gave up some home runs. Thanks to that asshole, I had no idea where to throw it. If a strike's not a strike, what else can I do but throw it down the fucking middle?

2. Granderson. Stop looking like a fucking little leaguer. I'm prone to rooting for Granderson, but my patience with him is close to used up. That misplay was ABSURD and was way more pivotal to how this game has gone than most would realize. If you can't make a fucking can of corn play in CF, your shitty hitting gets you a FUCK YOU.

3. Derek gets a Fuck You. Captain GIDP holy shit do I dread you coming to the plate these days.

4. CHAN HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! Tuning in late for a fuck you.

5. An ENORMOUS fuck you to mlb.tv for making the good part of this game unavailable to paying subscribers - seriously, what kindergarten class has been let loose to run that webiste - fuck you for your loud as fuck Gilette ad, your daytime in no time, your fucking Lady Gaga, your fucking hacky as fucking shit Frank Nicotero, and fuck fuck fuck you Clinton Sparks with your bullshit overplayed accent.

I'll stop now.

A big NON fuck you goes out to Jorge for throwing out Abreu twice.

FUCK.

Oh, and FUCK Kate Smith. What the fuck does she have to do with New York. And the version they play sucks.

97 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:30 pm

[91] I can't imagine anyone but Joe and maybe Tony LaRussa thought the frenetic pitching changes were a good idea, even when things managed to work out.

98 Evil Empire   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:30 pm

Chan Ho Park is Korean for Kei Igawa.

99 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:31 pm

I've got a lot of things to say about Chan Ho, but I guess if I can't be nice, I wont say anything at all.

100 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:32 pm

87) i think they blew a big lead, but it doesn't really matter. Instead of, you know, calling this game (as awful as it is), they started in on the O's. I truly dislike Sterling and Waldman, and i mean it when I say that i am actually embarrassed that they are what the marquee franchise in North American sports decides to put on the air.

Show/Hide Comments 101-200
101 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:33 pm

CHoP needs to be CHOPPED.

Enough is enough. Jettison his fucking ass into outer space. Whoever said they don't want to see him throw another pitch for this team, I'm with you on that.

102 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:34 pm

98) well played.

103 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:35 pm

[96] I think most of the stuff that was done right that year, with some exceptions (Hughes in the eighth, for one) were the equivalent of telling Strawberry to hit a home run. If that team was healthy, it was going to win baseball with 1000 chimps on a 1000 typewriters.

104 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:35 pm

Now mlb.tv has a green screen. No shit. The whole screen is solid green.

Are they fucking serious?

What's the business model? Abuse, annoy, harass the customer? Ay yi yi.

105 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:35 pm

[100] Ironically, Sterling and Waldman have jobs because of the "kind side" of the Boss.

106 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:36 pm

[103] Interestingly, the chimps in charge of the Yankees had failed to win a World Series every year since 2000.

107 The Hawk   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:38 pm

Hughes's ERA is scraping 4 now. So sad!

108 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:38 pm

[99] I kind of have a soft spot for old CHOP. I'm not sure why, but I can't must up the Farnsworth/Veras/Joba levels of rage with him.

109 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:38 pm

The Yankees are going to score six runs, just rub salt in the Chan Ho wounds.

110 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:40 pm

What are the Yankees going to do about Granderson?

111 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:40 pm

[106] And many of the reasons they lost were because of bizarre or pigheaded managerial decisions. I don't hold alot against Joe Torre, but I think he was a huge reason we lost in 2003 and 2004.

112 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:40 pm

106), 103), etc.

Ah, the regular the yanks won OR didn't win in 2009 OR some other year because OR despite of GIrardi OR Cashman.

I wonder what he would be arguing if Jim Dean (RIP) were still with us to banter?

113 The Hawk   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:41 pm

Granderson is such a nothing, it's pathetic. He's just some guy who comes to bat and I say "Oh there goes Granderson making another out".

114 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:41 pm

[95] That is PURE BS.

Many of us care just as much as you, and I'm just going to leave it at that.

Granderson is KILLING me.

115 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:42 pm

[95] Very well, I agree with that and I actually believe your presence is not taken for granted, at least not by me in what I apologize for seeming as a backhanded defense of such. I have few illusions about my game thread contributions, but you are after all part of what makes Banter tick (and tick off) so well. >;)

116 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:42 pm

[112] I'm not clear what you're saying.

As to the with or without, won or didn't win, I didn't start that.

117 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:43 pm

110) ideally, this season, pick up another bat to play OF, so Gardner can be shifted to CF when the team faces a lefty.

118 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:45 pm

116) I'm not saying you did. I am saying that this is a classic debate that seems to come up with a certain frequency on the Banter. I'm not complaining...just observing.

As for Jim Dean's position in t his debate, he usually blamed Cashman for every failure.

Who was Jim Dean? I'll let others provide details.

119 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:45 pm

[115] Tick off, for sure.

120 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:46 pm

[118] It sounds as though I would not have been able to survive Jim Dean.

121 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:48 pm

I want a do-over on tonight. Thanks to mlb.tv, this has sucked, from start to finish.

122 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:48 pm

118) sorry...I meant to add that my reference to Jim Dean was for the old timers on this site. I wasn't trying to confuse.

123 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:49 pm

[112] He'd be killing Cashman for depleting a championship bench and replacing it with half-dead batteries, for starters...

Funny I was thinking of him reading these comments, and I'm sure a few of us embody that spirit he had. He sure knew how to raise cain around here, much like a familiar predecessor Rob Gee and whomever was before him. Though they got banned for different reasons (and JD was allowed to return). It takes all types and I appreciate you all.

124 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:50 pm

[122] You surely don't have to apologize for that. But another constant stream of "everything is wrong because of XXX XXXX" - unless XXX XXXX = Joe Torre, that I could not have handled.

Chan Ho Park needs to be Dallas Green'd here.

If he needs to throw 200 pitches, have him throw 200 pitches and then finally cut his ass.

125 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:51 pm

[115] I hope it's not taken for granted, but sometimes it probably should be taken with a grain of salt too. I think what some people can't accept is not everyone shares the same outlook, or momentary state of rationality, at a given time.

126 Diane Firstman   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:52 pm

I'd love to get my hands on flight distances between major league teams. Its always been a curiosity of mine.

127 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:52 pm

123) actually, I don't think jim dean was banned, unless you meant that euphemistically. Rob Gee on the other hand...

128 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:52 pm

Meanwhile, I think some of what I said in my #96 was lost in all my vitriol, but I see no commentary on this anywhere else in the thread, so do the rest of the people here at the Banter realize how hard the ump fucked Hughes tonight?

It was criminal.

129 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:53 pm

126) do the Yankees fly to close cities, like Boston or Philadelphia, or do they take the train? I have a romantic notion that MLB teams still occasionally take the train.

130 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:54 pm

[118] Now, to be fair, that was during a run where almost every single thing Cashman touched turned to shit.

131 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:54 pm

128) I'm not watching in TeeVee, so I can't really comment on that.

132 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:55 pm

[126] I may have an excel file on that.

In a younger incarnation, I had a plan to travel to 30 different stadiums in 30 days and write about it.

That sort of thing hadn't been done at that point, and I know it was right before a stadium or two was rotated out of circulation.

My plan was intense. It would have ended in absolute glory or the near-certain outcome, death.

Because I didn't mention it was to be done ALL BY CAR.

I had a plan, I shit you not. It was actually do-able with only some violation of the speed limit.

So, at a time, I had a lot of info on the distances between cities.... that was my main point...

133 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:55 pm

[129] From NY, I believe the Yankees take the train to Boston and Baltimore. I know the Mets take the train to Philly.

134 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:56 pm

130) im not gonna get sucked into this one.

135 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:56 pm

[130] "Bronx Days & Aruba Nights: Baseball, Booze and Knighthood" by Sir Sidney Ponson.

I am glad I missed this game..hope to catch tomorrows...

136 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:56 pm

[131] Just check out pitch fx on this game. I hate hate hate the big fucking Boston logo - but I find it incredible that it's there to check out in pretty much real time.

[130] Guy would have been losing his mind this year. Cashman has not had a banner year - even an optimist like me would agree on that.

137 Jon DeRosa   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:56 pm

i'm tuning into that danny haren start vs the mets tomorrow night and make sure he's still throwing w/ his right arm. if so, i'm gonna sleep outside of cashman's office until i can convince him to dump the farm and go get him.

after we sign lee this winter, and with haren under control for 3 more years, we won't need a MiLB pitcher for 3 or 4 years, so what f-ing good are these prospects in AA and AAA gonna do us if not for a trade?

it will help now, help in october, and help the next 3 years. perfect solution.

138 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 9:58 pm

Jeter could have used that hit, but it was really just another ground ball.

139 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:00 pm

[137] Would you trade Montero for Haren?

140 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:00 pm

[134] I think even a neutral observer can agree than the Kyle Farnsworth/Carl Pavano/Kei Igawa era is not making the Brian Cashman Yankeeography. 05-08 (ish) were some dark days in the front office.

141 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:01 pm

137) i don't know...he Haren has a 4.60 ERA in the other league, and is leading the league in hits allowed. Age 29 after a few seasons of lots of innings...i've got a bad feeling about him.

142 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:02 pm

[140] I don't think you can pin Igawa on Cashman, but Pavano was not his finest hour. Perhaps his worst decision...although Nick Johnson ranks right up there.

143 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:03 pm

140) keep trying...i'm not going to get pulled in. Not tonight.

144 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:03 pm

[140] Glass Carl is currently the Twinkies best pitcher. (throwing up)

145 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:04 pm

[141] His K-rate is up there, so maybe he has been the victim of bad defense? Either way, I want to keep Romine and Montero.

146 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:05 pm

[129] They don't take the train. It's a PITA trying to take the train from NY to Boston. You have to make a connection in the Albany area, and the schedule is not convenient.

Baseball teams fly even for really short distances. Like in spring training, even if it's only an hour or two away, they take the team plane.

147 Jon DeRosa   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:05 pm

[141] which is why we have to make sure he's pitching w/ the correct arm.

yeah, he's having a rough year, but he's got a 133/27 k/bb ratio, he's had success in AL. i feel good about him, and i feel shitty about all our non-CC pitchers (except javy hasn't bothered me in a long time).

148 Jon DeRosa   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:06 pm

[145] perfect, arizona has a great 26 year old catcher. they need everything else.

149 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:06 pm

142) I'm not convinced that NJ was that bad of a decision. I mean, yeah, it has turned out to be a very bad decision, but the dude was pretty cheap in terms of dollars and cost nothing in terms of prospects. A reasonable gamble, in my view. That said, I would like to have seen a stronger bench given the high likelihood of injury.

Rather, i am beginning to wonder if Granderson will prove to be the worse decision, even though he generally plays a nice CF. NJ hurts for only this season, but the Granderson trade could hurt for a few years to come, and really hurt depending on how AJax pans out.

150 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:07 pm

[142] if The Yankees Years is to be believed, Igawa is a Cashman problem. And someone in that front office was excited enough to end the posting bid with the cutsie "194." If not Cashman, I wouldn't even venture a guess as to who.

151 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:07 pm

This has been about as frustrating as a game gets.

I guess I should be grateful that among ALL the other thing mlb.tv has managed to fuck up tonight, the sound on the telecast is absurdly muted.

What a monopoly. It is truly one of the shittier services I have ever paid for.

152 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:08 pm

[146] Really? Doesn't Amtrak's Acela go straight there? I know it gets to Baltimore in only two hours. When you factor in the whole airport routine, the train seems faster.

153 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:08 pm

[146] They do fly, but you can get a fast train with limited stops NY to Boston. No transfer in Albany. Acela Express.

154 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:10 pm

[149] Opportunity cost is what makes NJ a bad decision. Even though he was cheap, he precluded signing a player who would actually...play. The Yankees could have signed Damon or Vlad or a number of other players capable of staying on the field. Counting on Johnson with no bench to back him up was a poor decision, IMHO.

155 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:10 pm

[149] Signing Nick Johnson and then getting caught with your pants down when he misses the majority of the season has to be considered a bad move. We were so caught off guard when Nick Johnson of all people got hurt that we had no plan B?

156 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:10 pm

[120] I dunno JJ, I think you two would have been like brothers, for better and for worse.

[118] Everyone used to get into heated discussion at one point or another with Jim Dean, sometimes one-on-one, sometimes all vs. him. It seemed like he lived to be contrary, or at least he loved the attention, and never backed down whether he was wrong or right. Even I got into it with him at first... then I would just tease him. But he was passionate and ready for discussion, sometimes armed with a bevy of stats and sometimes just full of himself, which seemed to carry him pretty far on this site.

I got to know him better during one of the off-topic threads and grew to respect him for his passion, and as it turned out we did have a few things in common I could also respect. From thereon I would always tease him about his grumpiness (or worse), knowing that he was actually a pretty nice guy who was deeply passionate about the Yanks.

One day I wondered where he and a few other regulars were, because we hadn't seen them in a while. His wife came on with his account and told us that JD had died quietly while logged in and watching the game. 'He passed away while doing what he loved best, watching his Yankees." it was quite a shock to all of us and quietly devastating to me. I wrote a tribute piece on my blog, wondering about the strangeness of losing a friend you never met.

He was quite a character, someone you could love to hate,and I don't know about some of the others, but I could respect him. And it's one reason I don't take you guys for granted.

157 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:11 pm

[150] The Kei Igawa experience is so mindboggling that I think people don't stop to think about it enough.

It was like the El Duquecito experience on steroids.

158 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:12 pm

145) could be. Still, i get a sort of barry zito feeling about him ( though admittedly Haren's peripherals are much better than Zito's were at the same age).

159 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:12 pm

[149] Regarding your second point, yes, Granderson could wind up being a big mistake, but I look at Granderson's poor performance as somewhat of a surprise, whereas NJ was a good bet to get injured.

160 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:12 pm

So... who here thinks Derek Jeter challenges Pete Rose?

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha crying

161 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:14 pm

I did a quick search and found a few stories mentioning the Orioles and Red Sox taking a train to NY, but not the Yankees to those cities.

162 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:15 pm

[156] Perfectly said, Chyll.

[157] Indeed..guy comes to American and makes $25 million while spending most his time in AAA...couldn't a team like the Royals or Pirates at least try him out?

163 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:15 pm

154) Even though he was cheap, he precluded signing a player who would actually…play.

I don't look at the moves so much in isolation. As such, one could make the same argument about Granderson. The money they are paying Grandy could have been used to pay for a plan B for NJ, or for real OF depth, or whatever. It's the same pot of money.

164 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:15 pm

[156] Wow. He died logged in to the Banter?

Nothing, nothing at all against any of you, but please, Lord, don't let me go like that.

I guess I only post in game when I'm completely flummoxed by what I've seen, so that description really sounds like the opposite of my wish to be on a beach, sipping pina coladas, before I slip away.

165 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:16 pm

I'm upstate, north of NY, so I didn't realize the Acela went all the way to Boston.

I might try that. Flying is such a pain these days.

166 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:17 pm

[157] i think people try not to think about it

167 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:17 pm

[160] Jeter's not a gambling man.

168 Jon DeRosa   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:17 pm

[158] yeah, he's not lee or halladay. so he could be sucking for real.

but the stat guys love him because of the crazy k/bb ratio and the huge increase in BABIP and HR/FB rate seems super-fluky.

but i am curious enough to watch tomorrow night to see how he's throwing against the mets before i go nuts.

169 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:18 pm

[157] Exactly. It's the idea that what was really an epic misplay is going to end so quietly.

170 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:18 pm

C'mon, Chad! Hold 'em to single digits. You can do it!

171 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:19 pm

[160] ha

[166] It sure seems sometimes like we've all been Men in Black'd on the Kei Igawa landing.

Every now and then you remember, and then yes, I guess it's true, you immediately want to forget.

172 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:20 pm

[163] You could make the same argument about Granderson, but I don't think anyone is surprised that NJ has spent most of the year on the DL. I can give Cashman a pass on Granderson because I thought he would be good, but relying on NJ to be healthy was wishful thinking.

173 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:20 pm

Ah, Jim Dean... There's a name I hadn't heard in a while. Think William but with more tenacity and profanity :)

174 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:21 pm

[165] Acela is great, albeit a little pricy at peak hours.

175 Mattpat11   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:21 pm

[163] I think only the overly pessimistic expected this kind of season out of Granderson. It seemed like a good move, and still may be.

I can't imagine anyone but the blindly optimistic could have expected much else from Johnson

176 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:22 pm

Ugh.

I hate the Angels.

177 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:22 pm

159) he was a good bet to get injured, but he was also a good bet to get 400+ PAs, which he had done in six of nine or ten seasons. But the risk is also why he came cheap, and why the Yankees could negotiate a very team-friendly contract (short term, buy out, not a big salary).

But it would have been preferable to sign some depth especially at DH/OF' rather than fritter away money on other things.

In any case, I see NJ as cheap but risky move that didn't work out. Meanwhile, just about every stat suggested that Granderson was a real risk as well...his numbers were pretty much trending down or flatlined, with very worrisome splits. But he came far more expensive in terms of dollars, length of contract and prospects.

178 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:22 pm

Oh, a Hanging Chad? Did Gaudin play for the Marlins in 2000?

179 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:25 pm

[173] Now that's back handed! :) I don't mind any characterization really, but would like to point out that my posts rarely if ever feature profanity (which is my biggest pet peeve).

180 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:25 pm

I was under the impression that on short jaunts, the team takes the bus. At any rate, Acela makes the run up the northeast corridor along I-95 to Boston

[164] That is correct, he passed while logged in and watching the game. It was weird when his wife made the post about his passing.

I thought Igawa was a reasonable signing. He was expected to fill out the rotation, nothing more, nothing less. Pavano surprised me though. I knew he was injury prone, but I thought the Yanks would get a lot more out of him than they did.

181 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:27 pm

[180] Cashman didn't even think he was a given to do that. At the time, he called Igawa a back end of the rotation/bullpen guy. The move was clearly a knee jerk response to the Red Sox getting Dice-K.

182 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:28 pm

[179] Interesting. No wonder you and I are like peanut butter and motor oil.

183 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:28 pm

[180] I found articles saying the Mets boarded a bus to Philly. I can't imagine the Yankees taking a bus to Boston or Baltimore. The train is much faster.

184 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:29 pm

Hey li'l CC starts the 9 run rally! But Granderson flies out. Maybe not.

185 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:29 pm

[179] I guess I could've worded that better :). I guess what I meant to say is while you come across as maybe annoyed or frustrated, JD used to come across as apoplectic.

186 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:30 pm

As someone who regularly takes the bus from DC to NYC, if the Yankees take the bus to Baltimore, I would be stunned. I do not enjoy the ride.

187 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:30 pm

I hope O'neill is right about AJ because if he doesn't start pitching well, the Yankees could be in big trouble.

188 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:31 pm

Oh my God, he ends up at 2nd. This game has been pure pain.

189 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:31 pm

[174] I don't mind paying more, if it means avoiding the hassle of post-9/11 plane travel.

I'd have to take the train down to NYC first, then get on the Acela, but the airport's a bigger time sink.

190 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:31 pm

The Yanks took Amtrak to Philly last year when they played there. There was an article or two about the throw-back vibe.

191 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:32 pm

[186] Whaddayamean? Peter Pan Busways and the Baltimore Travel Plaza "food court"...ahh, those sweet college summer memories...

192 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:33 pm

[189] Even the standard Amtrak routes from NY to Baltimore beat flying/driving, and a coach seat can be as cheap as $49.

193 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:33 pm

Gardner getting doubled up there would have been the appropriate ending.

Check that - Ramiro Pena pinch hitting for Derek Jeter will do nicely.

194 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:34 pm

[191] It turns out that the farther you get away from college,the more that ride takes a toll on your back, and the more the journey seems endless.

195 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:35 pm

[183] I'm not so sure about that. I'm not sure speed makes much of a difference, but I would think that taking a chartered bus directly from the stadium to a hotel in Boston or Baltimore would be better than shuttling everyone to Penn Station, then taking the train, then hopping on another bus from either train station to the hotel.

196 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:35 pm

Thank Mo that's over. U.G.L.Y.

197 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:36 pm

The Angels still have a knack for embarassing the Yankees...except in the 2009 ALCS that is.

198 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:36 pm

[185] Ha! True...

[186] I made that trip by bus exactly once, going the opposite way. By the time I got to the station in Baltimore, I was damn near suicidal. True story.

199 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:37 pm

[192] Really? I stand corrected on [195] then. And I may look into taking the train next time I go to Baltimore. I liked my Amtrak experience, I just found it to be too expensive.

200 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:38 pm

[195] A bus from YS to Penn Station probably takes about 30 minutes, and from Penn Station Baltimore to the Inner Harbor takes 10 minutes. The Acela makes the trip in about 2 hours 20 minutes. So you are looking at about 3 hours (and I imagine the bags go before the players, so its not like you have to load and unload).

If they take the bus, it has to be more than 3 hours.

Show/Hide Comments 201-238
201 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:38 pm

[191] My nephew goes to college in Balto. He takes the "Chinatown Bus" from there to NYC for like $5.

Thank god (sadly not MO) that this game is over. William, I did not mean to throttle you, but...

Balto and Rays tied at 9 in the 10th.

202 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:39 pm

[198] I generally take the Bolt. Even with free wireless, as charming as I found the experience the first time, by the 78th time it is like a root canal.

What really makes the experience on the return is that they do the pick up in front of the sbarro's across from MSG.

I can't think of a worse place to do the pick up.

Maybe in the middle of Times Square, with everyone crawling between the Naked Cowboy's legs to board. Maybe that would be worse.

203 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:39 pm

FWIW, I've been talking the Chinatown buses to Baltimore. $35 RT, IIRC.

204 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:41 pm

[201] I so do not fuck with the "Chinatown Bus." With tickets on Bolt always circa 20 bucks, I am always going to go with the "increasing my chance of not dying" option.

205 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:41 pm

[199] I have to go to Baltimore more than I'd like, and if you go off hours, you can get a coach set for $49-67 or Business Class for $34 more. It gets more expensive during peak hours. Even the regional lines make the trip in 3-3.5 hours.

206 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:42 pm

[203] Raf, goodness, you're paying as much as you would pay with Bolt. I might switch that up, if I were you. Free internet and better odds that the bus driver isn't homicidal. It's a no-brainer.

207 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:42 pm

[201] Maybe we can all make it down in time for the end of the game! Go Os.

208 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:43 pm

Anyone take Amtrak to Florida?

I've driven down for spring training, but it's a long drive. I like having my own car once I get there, though.

I've heard you can get a train that takes cars?

209 thelarmis   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:44 pm

urp'ed.

glad i missed this one...

210 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:44 pm

[200] I'd be surprised if the trip by bus takes less than 3.5 hours, as I've done that by car.

211 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:46 pm

[208] That's a long ride...and more expensive than flying and renting a car.

212 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:48 pm

[203] I'd still rather take the train. I loved watching the scenery along the rail line. The seats weren't as comfy, but something about the rhythm of the train gliding on the rails and watching the landscape go by easily took my mind off that, even after the twelfth or so time (shuttling back and forth between home and my first college in DC). I'd do it again if the price is right, and it sounds like it is...

Plus I'm a train dude by family genes, which is ironic since I'm also a GM baby (Mom worked at the Tarrytown Plant for 35 years until they closed). I do love to drive (been doing that since I was four), but given a choice I'd take a train over anything else (except the NY subway which I have grown thoroughly out of...)

213 The Hawk   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:48 pm

what's the URL for your blog william? I never did see it

214 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:49 pm

[206] For a while the Chinatown buses were the only game in town. Actually, of all the times I've taken them, I only had one bad experience, when the bus blew a tire outside of Hartford, CT. I'll look into Bolt/Megabus.

[208] I did the Amtrak to Florida, once.

215 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:50 pm

The Florida "car-train" is for snowbirds who need their Buick in Boca during the winter months.

216 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:50 pm

Lincecum just had a ball pop out of his hand before he began to throw. It traveled about 20 feet into the air and landed halfway to home plate. Don't think he could do it again if he tried it 100 times. I would absolutely hate having to pay to go to Baltimore.

217 randym77   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:52 pm

[211] I know it's more expensive, but flying is really a hassle. The first year I went down there, Delta grounded all their flights through Atlanta due to that rivet problem. People were stuck in the airport for days. Since then, I try not to fly if I can avoid it.

If I go to spring training in Arizona, I will definitely fly, though. Even I won't drive that far.

218 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:52 pm

214) I took Amtrak from Syracuse to Florida once, but it was in the early eighties and I was a dumb teenager traveling with my family. So, I'm not sure my dim memories provide any sort of relevant info for today!

219 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:52 pm

[213] Just click on my name.

220 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:53 pm

[212] I'd rather take the train too, but the reason I switched to buses was financial and scheduling. It wasa habit borne out of going to Rochester. If I'm running solo, I take the bus. With a crew, I have my car.

221 Raf   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:54 pm

[215] IIRC the Autotrain only makes pickups in Baltimore or DC.

222 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:54 pm

[212] You've been driving since you were four? Did you put blocks on the pedals?

223 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:55 pm

[217] I hear you...I hate flying too, but spending 24 hours on a train would be rough. I wouldn't mind driving down, with stops along the way, if it was in a roadtrip-like setting.

224 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:55 pm

[208] I took a RT from NYC to Atlanta visiting a buddy back in the 90's; only cost me $208(!) then. When I got there, the air was so fresh and so clean that I caught pneumonia and had to take a sleeper back; fortunately my being sick afforded me a free upgrade and a sleeping compartment all to myself. I sure wish I could have enjoyed that ride back. It was long both ways; I can't imagine how I would have ended up if I went all the way to Florida...

225 The Hawk   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:56 pm

[219] Wow! That looks impressive.

226 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:58 pm

[207] Wouldn't that be something...the Bronx Banter Blogers on a field trip to Balto. for a game with the Yankees. Tickets would be cheaper and easier to get than at YS.

If we could survive the ride, it might be funny.

227 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:59 pm

[225] Thanks!

228 Chyll Will   ~  Jul 20, 2010 10:59 pm

[222] Nope, nor did I see over the dash very well, but being a GM baby did have its advantages >;)

229 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 11:00 pm

[214] Do NOT take megabus. I've had nothing but terrible experiences with them.

I dunno - I would love to take the train, but the DC to NYC Amtrak - even traveling off peak more often than not, is really in a different price range than the bus.

230 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 11:01 pm

[226] Why not? I can't get Yanks-Baltimore on mlb.tv, anyway...

231 williamnyy23   ~  Jul 20, 2010 11:01 pm

Come on Orioles...one more run wont kill you.

232 Just Fair   ~  Jul 20, 2010 11:01 pm

Pedro Alvarez just got interviewed by MLB. He hit 2 homers tonight. You could hear kids chanting "Pedro" while it was going on. Afterwards they showed about 20 kids next to the dugout as Alvarez signed autographs. There was no one else in sight. Pretty cool. I hope the Pirates are better before the Orioles are: that's for damn sure!

233 monkeypants   ~  Jul 20, 2010 11:51 pm

231) I'm not sure in which inning you wrote this, but your wish is their command. orioles win!

234 jjmerlock   ~  Jul 20, 2010 11:55 pm

[233] Wow, I dared not look.

What an unexpectedly pleasant cap to an otherwise horrible evening.

235 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  Jul 20, 2010 11:55 pm

[233] Really? They actually scored more than one run..will go check the box scores.

Oh, I agree about Sweet Lou retiring, had no idea he was 67 yrs old...

236 kenboyer made me cry   ~  Jul 21, 2010 12:01 am

[233] Wow, Balto came back after the Rays took the lead in the 12th, tied it and won in the 13th.
If the A's can take the Sox, todays Yankee game is washed away.

237 thelarmis   ~  Jul 21, 2010 1:40 am

sux and rays both lose in extras. tonight was not a total loss!

238 Mr. OK Jazz TOKYO   ~  Jul 21, 2010 1:48 am

[237] Just saw that!

How you doing, buddy? Keeping the grooves loose at the kit?

btw..whatever happened to Scott Proctor??

feed Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share via email
"This ain't football. We do this every day."
--Earl Weaver