Another good pitching match-up at the Stadium on a sunny but crisp day in New York. Our man Hiroki’s on the hill.
(And from ESPN, here’s an update on Mark Teixeira.)
1. Jeter SS
2. Suzuki LF
3. A-Rod 3B
4. Cano 2B
5. Swisher 1B
6. Granderson CF
7. Martin C
8. Ibanez RF
9. Nunez SS
Never mind the team in the rear view mirror: Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Photo Via: The Absolute Best Photography Posts]
You know, it’d be easy for us to curse those Baltimore Orioles who have won six-in-a-row and who seem to have forgotten how to lose in extra innings. However, I wonder how the Orioles–and their fans–felt last night, after having won, after seeing that the A’s went ahead by four runs in extras against the Yanks only to have the Yanks pull it out.
With more than a little bit of luck.
Reading this description by Zach Schonbrun in the Times makes me wish I’d been there:
When the game seemed over, Ichiro Suzuki led off the bottom of the 13th inning with an infield single. A misty rain had begun to fall, like the soft spray in a carwash. The low sun through the clouds covered the stadium in a strange orange glow.
The game had started just after 1 p.m., before the long September shadows had started their slow march across the infield, but by the 13th, the stadium lights were on, and the scoreboard shined, and the game took on a surreal feel.
What a wild game it was. Did I mention Steve Pearce’s diving catch? And Raul Ibanez, not only with the two homers but a hustle double that brought Paul O’Neill to mind and a tough collision at home plate to boot.
Course the O’s could win again today, Yanks could lose and we’d end the weekend on a down note. But let’s face it, this is some good shit.
The Orioles won their 16th straight game in extra innings this afternoon in Boston.
The Yanks and A’s went to extra innings again. Cut to the end of the game when Raul Ibanez was gunned down at the plate trying to score on a ground ball to second base with one out in the 12th. Derek Jeter popped out to right to end the inning, leaving the bases loaded. The Yanks had gotten through three innings of Freddy Garcia killing ’em softly (Steve Pearce made a beautiful diving catch to rescue Garcia out of one jam) but gilded the lily bringing him back for a fourth. Jonny Gomes hit a two run jack, Yoenis Cespedes hit a bomb and even after Freddy left Chris Carter crushed one too.
The Yanks had used 16 position player and eight pitchers as they went to the bottom of the 13th. Ichiro singled against Pedro Figueroa and Alex Rodriguez followed suit with a base hit of his own. Robbie Cano got ahead in the count, 3-0, took a strike and another (the second one right down Broadway), then lined a single to left to load the bases.
Pat Neshek, a side-arming righty came in for Figueroa to face Eduardo Nunez. The first ball sailed wide, about a three feet outside as rain started to fall. Nunez waved at it but it got away from the catcher and Ichiro scored. He took a ball inside and then a strike and hit one to deep center. Cespedes made the catch and threw a bullet to third keeping Cano at second while Rodriguez scored.
Ibanez got ahead 2-0, then 3-1. Ibanez walloped the next pitch into the second deck in right field and the game was tied again.
Goodness.
Russell Martin grounded out and then Curtis Granderson launched the 0-1 pitch foul. It had the distance but he got out too far ahead of it. He fouled off three more pitches on a the way to a full count before grounding out. But the game was tied.
Now, the question was: who would pitch the 14th?
The man I suspected we wouldn’t see again this year. Cory Wade. Would you believe he got two weak ground outs and a fly ball to the warning track in center to work a scoreless inning?
A giant gasoline-throwing kid named Tyson Ross, wearing number 66, came on in relief for the A’s. The ninth pitcher of the day for Oakland. Eric Chavez fouled off a number of pitches, worked the count even and singled through the right side. Melky Mesa, making his major league debut, replaced Chavez at first. Hey, no pressure, kid.
Jeter bunted the first pitch in the air but it dropped in front of Ross and the sacrifice worked. The A’s had no intention of pitching to Ichiro–who had another three hits today–which put runners on first and second for Rodriguez.
First pitch, a change up or a slider, taken for strike one. Next pitch, he lines into center. And that’s the game.! Right? Wrong. Because Mesa missed the bag at third. He put on the brakes and went back. Bases loaded.
You.
Have.
Got. To. Be.
Shitting.
Me.
Course Cano took some weak hacks, before he grounded a ball to Ross who got the force at home.
A loud Yankee Stadium was suddenly quiet.
Nunez hit a ball off the end of his bat to first. Brandon Moss reached for it and it kicked off his glove. Ichiro scored and the Yanks had their most improbable win of the year.
Excuse my French but: Fuck Yes. Grueling? Sure. But this one ended in pure elation.
Final Score: Yanks 10, A’s 9.
Boys: “Happy” The Rolling Stones
[Photo Credit: Kateopolis]
Yanks have won six straight. Do I hear seven?
1. Jeter SS
2. Suzuki CF
3. A-Rod DH
4. Cano 2B
5. Swisher RF
6. McGehee 1B
7. Nix 3B
8. Jones LF
9. Stewart C
Never mind those battlin’ A’s: Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Picture by Klaus Leidorf via Zeroing]
CC Sabathia was as good–no, he was better–than expected. He was an Ace. Going into the eighth inning he’d given up just one hit. The A’s did make solid contact a few times: Eduardo Nunez made a nice snag on a line drive, Robinson Cano fielded a sharp ground ball, Curtis Granderson caught another line drive, otherwise, this was the CC of old.
Jarrod Parker, his counterpart, was just as good, almost. Granderson waved at a pitch in the dirt in the fourth inning and lifted it into left field, good for a sacrifice fly.
Alex Rodriguez had a couple of hits and Ichiro also got two more hits, including one we’re not likely to see again, a ground ball back to Parker that the pitcher fumbled down his jersey. Ichiro ran safely to first with the ball trapped inside Parker’s shirt.
The score remained 1-0 until the eighth. With a man on first and two out came an infield single before CC hit Johnny Gomes. But he got JJ Reddick to fly out to left on one pitch to escape trouble.
Rafael Soriano was not as fortunate. He got the first out in the ninth and got pinch-hitter Brandon Moss, a lefty, to foul off a slider. Paul O’Neill, on the YES broadcast, said that was a dangerous pitch to throw to a lefty but Soriano doubled-down and the next one wasn’t low enough and Moss cranked a moon shot into the right field seats. Forget the shutout, forget a “w” for CC.
Soriano got out of the inning thanks in large part to a wonderful catch by Russell Martin next to the Oakland dugout. David Robertson pitched well in the tenth which set up one of the great moments of the season.
Russell Martin got a fastball up and over the plate and he launched the 1-0 pitch into the left field seats for a home run.
Mr. Coltrane, indeed.
Final Score: Yanks 2, A’s 1.
[Photo Credit: NewY-rk; Kathy Kmonicek/AP Photo]
CC’s on the hill tonight against a tough team. He hasn’t been great recently but he’s still the Ace and I believe in him.
1. Jeter DH
2. Swisher RF
3. Cano 2B
4. A-Rod 3B
5. Granderson CF
6. Martin C
7. Chavez 1B
8. Ichiro LF
9. Nunez SS
Never mind those upstart A’s: Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Photo Credit: eccarlson]
Over at SI.com, Chris Ballard has a short piece on Jason Giambi. Check it out.
[Photo Credit: Marcio Jose Sanchez/AP]
Coming Soon.
The Yankees announced that Andy Pettitte was coming back to the rotation on May 8th. The Yankees ripped off 31 wins against 15 losses before he got hurt. They announced he was coming back from injury on September 13th. They have gone 6-1 since then. So that’s 37-16 with the notion that Pettitte is on the staff. And 49-47 without him.
From a logical point of view, Pettitte’s presence – and quality – deepens the staff and, just as crucially, lengthens the bullpen. So we should expect the Yankees to perform better than usual when he’s healthy and effective. The rest is just dumb luck.
But given the fact that they’re playing must-win games every day for the remainder of the season, I need something more than logic and dumb luck to hold onto. Andy Pettitte’s the good luck charm that turns this ordinary team into a powerhouse. If they win it all, that’s why. If they don’t well, we know it was all foolishness anyway.
I take no pleasure in being the schmuck writer who points out that TV sports documentaries — also called “vérité sports” — have gotten really good. And not just good, but observant. TV is recording the small, telling details of an athlete’s life, capturing noisy moments and quiet moments, doing the delicate labor that sportswriters — if properly motivated — pride themselves on doing. So on behalf of writerdom, I ask: What the hell is going on?
[Photo Credit: Trent Park via Black Book]
The Yankee offense broke out for seven runs in the fourth inning against the Blue Jays tonight. Ichiro led the way. He hit a solo homer in his first at bat and then in the fourth slapped a double to put the Yanks ahead 3-2. By the end of the inning, Nick Swisher had hit a grand slam and it looked like the Yanks would finally enjoy a laugher.
Not so fast. Phil Hughes wasn’t all that good despite striking out nine hitters. He walked three and gave up four runs over five. A few innings later, Corey Wade took a dump on the mound–the poor bastard, we won’t likely see him again–giving up a home run and then allowing two more base runners, who both came around to score after Joba Chamberlain replaced Wade (infield hit, ground out). Adam Lind just got under a fastball from Joba to end the inning. If he’d squared it up the game would’ve been tied. Then again, if a frog had wings he wouldn’t bump his ass a hoppin’.
Still, the score was 10-7 and both Dave Robertson and Rafael Soriano were forced to get loose in the Yankee bullpen. What could have been a relaxing night turned into a tense one. But we’re used to that. The game moved along slowly, the elation of the fourth inning faded, boredom offset by aggravation.
It was Robertson in the ninth, the Hammer struck out the side, and the Yanks moved a full game ahead of the Orioles with thirteen remaining.
Final Score: Yanks 10, Jays 7.
[Featured Drawing by Frank Miller]
Peace to Chad Jennings for pointing out this bit of comic relief from our old pal Francisco Cervelli.
It’s Hughes and another must-win tonight for the Yanks. A win means a full game lead on the Orioles, a loss keeps them tied.
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Russell Martin C
Curtis Granderson CF
Casey McGehee 1B
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Jayson Nix 3B
Never mind the standings: Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Image Credit: ‘Giacomond’ by Quint Buchholz, 1984 via La Beaute Convulsive]
The American National Game of Baseball, 1866, Currier & Ives lithograph depicting Elysian Fields, Hoboken, New Jersey
After 14 straight losing seasons, the Baltimore Orioles finally clinched a winning campaign earlier in the week. Meanwhile, the Pittsburgh Pirates, who are sitting on 19 consecutive campaigns below .500, are desperately trying to do the same. Each team’s long run of futility has drawn a lot of attention, but on the flip side, the Yankees’ string of winning seasons has gone unnoticed.
Longest Consecutive Winning Season Streaks, By Franchise
Note: Data is as of 2011; blue bars represent NL; red bars represent AL.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Most people take the Yankees’ success for granted, but with another winning season in the bag, the team now has 20 straight years with an above .500 record. During that span, the Bronx Bombers have compiled a regular season winning percentage of nearly .600 to complement five championships, seven AL pennants, and 12 division titles. The team’s recent struggles heading down the stretch in 2012 have obscured the franchise’s impressive run, but, nonetheless, the Yankees remain in the midst of a golden age.
The Yankees’ current stretch of 20 consecutive winning seasons is the second longest streak of its kind in baseball history. However, it’s a distant second. From 1926 to 1964, the Bronx Bombers reeled off 39 straight winning campaigns, including 18 championships, 25 pennants, and a victory in over 62% of all regular season games. No wonder the Yankees easily lead the majors with the highest percentage of winning seasons.
Winning Season Rates, By Franchise
Note: Includes 2012 season as of September 18, 2012.
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Aside from the Yankees’ two winning season streaks of 39 and 20, the Baltimore Orioles boast the next longest stretch, which lasted for 18 seasons from 1968 to 1985. The best run put forth by a National League team is shared by the Atlanta Braves and St. Louis Cardinals. The Braves enjoyed 15 straight winning seasons from 1991 to 2005, while the Cardinals run lasted from 1939 to 1953.
Current Season Streaks, By Franchise
Note: Data is as of 2011
Source: Baseball-reference.com
Among active streaks, the Yankees’ 20-year run is now double the combined total of the next two closest teams because the runner-up Red Sox’ 14 seasons in a row was snapped just two years short of the franchise record. The Cardinals and Rays, who each enter today’s action with 79 victories, are working toward five straight winning seasons, while the Rangers, Giants, and Braves have already notched their fourth consecutive above .500 campaign (with the Tigers also knocking on the door). Meanwhile, should the Pirates join the Orioles on the winning side of the equation, the Royals will take over the lead for the longest streak of losing seasons with nine.
Will this be the year the Pirates finally join the ranks of the winners? How much longer can the Yankees keep their current streak intact? When each team started their current streaks in 1993, the Yankees were coming off their franchise-high fourth straight losing season, while the Pirates were riding three consecutive division titles. In other words, the fortunes of any franchise can turn suddenly, so if there’s one lesson to be learned, fans should never take their team’s achievements for granted. Diamonds may be forever, but in baseball, success on the diamond is not.
Check out Joe Posnanski’s appreciation of Miguel Cabrera over at Sports on Earth. Cabrera is in the running for the American League MVP. I don’t think he’s the best player in the league–and I generally feel the best player is the most valuable–because when you factor in base running and defense, Mike Trout is his superior.
But I think Cabrera will win the award (see 1996, Juan Gonzalez over Alex Rodriguez). He’s got the RBI and he’s been great for a long time now. This will like when Paul Newman won the Best Actor Oscar for The Color of Money, a lifetime achievement award. And even if you believe Trout is the MVP, you could do worse than Cabrera.
Whether he’s your MVP or not, he sure is a Load.
[Photo Credit: Robin Buckson/Detroit News]
A lost interview with Ali, found.
The Yankee offense was nowhere to be found again tonight. They stole seven bases yet scored two lousy runs. Fortunately, the Jays only scored one as the Yanks took the second game of today’s double header. Ichiro followed up his three hits this afternoon with four more tonight, including the biggest hit of the game, a single that was slapped to left field with two out in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Oh, yeah, he also swiped four bases in his finest day in pinstripes.
For most of the game, his performance, and an admirable job by David Phelps–as well as scoreless work from the Yankee bullpen (Logan, Eppley, Soriano)–was overshadowed by the Yankees’ inability to score runs. Alex Rodriguez had an awful night and was booed with vigor after his third strike out. His teammates didn’t receive the same rude treatment but they weren’t much better.
But none of that will be remembered. David Phelps was a star tonight–he retired 12 straight at one point–but Ichiro was the hero.
And we go to bed Heppy Kets, pulling hard for King Felix.
Final Score: Yanks 2, Jays 1.
[Photo Credit: Drew McKenzie, Sportspress Northwest]
One is never enough, especially now. But the Yanks are going to need a delivery from the Score Truck tonightski.
Pile it high and deep, boys.
Never mind the scoreboard-watching: Let’s Go Yank-ees!
[Photo Via: Pug King]
