41 replies to this topic

[jon abbey]

OK, I admit it. Much like the Yankees the past 10 days, I've been slacking off a bit. Real world intrusions, the start of football season, the healthy division lead, playing out the string without much to play for, all of these made me a bit complacent.

But tonight, much like the Yankees, I'm back in full effect. I'm hoping that NY has been looking forward to this series for the last week or so, and that's part of the reason for their lackluster play. They were embarrassed in the series here in July, and I'm sure they've been gearing up for this one for a while.

[TheYellowDart5]

A Yankees win or a Rangers loss (at Oakland) guarantees the Yankees a playoff spot, for what that's worth.

Be interesting to see if there's any rust for Pettitte after a 10-day layoff.

[jon abbey]

Matsui sitting against the lefty, Posada DHing, Molina catching to try to slow down the Angels' running attack:

Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Swisher RF
Posada DH
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C

[aichtal]

sigh, and here we go with this LAAAAA stadium nonsense. Yankees refuse to take the run the angels tried to give them in the top of the inning and Pettitte gives one up in the bottom half.

edit: 2 and counting.

Edited by aichtal, 21 September 2009 - 09:34 PM.

[aichtal]

Should have pulled a Josha the c Beckett and thrown at the batter who called time there.

[glennhoffmania]

I think that Andy still has a shoulder booboo.

[Zen]

I think that Andy still has a shoulder booboo.

His velocity's fine. Probably just a bit rusty. Looked good in the second.

[SemperFidelisSox]

7 in a row since the Hunter double in the 1st inning.

I thought that shoulder fatigue stuff was bullshit anyway. A classic case of a team with a big lead looking to give an older pitcher a little breather before the playoffs.

[Zen]

<br />7 in a row since the Hunter double in the 1st inning.<br /><br />I thought that shoulder fatigue stuff was bullshit anyway. A classic case of a team with a big lead looking to give an older pitcher a little breather before the playoffs.<br />

<br /><br /><br />
I don't know if it was bullshit as in a complete lie... but Pettitte said he would've pitched on regular rest if it were a closer race. They were just being careful, because they could afford to.

[TheYellowDart5]

Man, the Yankees better hope the Angels don't win their first-round series. They couldn't win a game in Los Angeles if their lives depended on it.

[God's Cop]

I hate Bruney, so I take great satisfaction when he acted all cocky because he made a fluke kick-save on a ball that should have been a base hit and him saying "I like that, I like that".... then the next batter hits a monumental HR off of him.
Douche.

[nycdoc999]

Bruney won't be on the post-season roster....

[SemperFidelisSox]

It's going to be really interesting to see what happens with Matsui in the offseason.

[jon abbey]

It's going to be really interesting to see what happens with Matsui in the offseason.

I don't see how NY can keep him, he's a 130 game a year fulltime DH. At least Damon can play the outfield part time if they keep him.

It would be nice if Girardi noticed Matsui was leading the league in HR/PA against lefties, though.

[SemperFidelisSox]

Oh, the Yankees are definitely not bringing him back next season. That's a given. I just meant with the season he's had, it will be interesting to see if he gets any offers from other AL clubs and if it would be enough to convince him to stay in the US another year.

Edited by SemperFidelisSox, 21 September 2009 - 11:28 PM.

[nycdoc999]

Wonder if Damon will take an incentive-laden 1 year deal with a team option for the 2nd. I can't see how the Yankees go multi-year guarantee to him.

A 3-year deal for Holliday with a high AAV (allowing him to become a FA when he's still relatively young and probably when the ecomonic situation changes) would be better than a 2 year guarantee for Damon.

[TheYellowDart5]

The ballwashing that Kay and Singleton just gave Scioscia for not ripping Juan Rivera a new one in the dugout was absolutely nauseating.

"Oh, he knows the camera's on him, that's why he didn't lay into Rivera!" "Players know that that camera is trained on the dugout."

Jesus, enough already. Shut up you idiots.

Meanwhile, Joe Saunders shoving it up New York's ass. Well, everyone but A-Rod.

[nycdoc999]

8 3-ball counts for the Yankees, and they're 0-8 in those at-bats. How lucky can Saunders get?

[jon abbey]

Oh, the Yankees are definitely not bringing him back next season. That's a given. I just meant with the season he's had, it will be interesting to see if he gets any offers from other AL clubs and if it would be enough to convince him to stay in the US another year.

He's in a really unique position as a Japanese icon, and so I don't think you can apply normal logic to his situation. In the eyes of the Japanese public, Matsui going to almost any other team would be a step down in prestige. Boston would probably be an exception (mostly because of Dice-K), but that's not happening with Ortiz around. Seattle would be an obvious fit, he'd be a nice upgrade on Griffey/Sweeney, but as I've written here before, I'm pretty sure Ichiro and Matsui have some personal issues, which wouldn't normally matter so much, except that Seattle has a Japanese owner who would be quite sensitive to something like that.

If the main Japanese league (I forget the name) used the DH, I'd be sure he'd go back there, but they don't, only the second best league uses it. I think he's going to retire.

[TheYellowDart5]

Is there a hurricane blowing in from left right now? Both Rivera and Swisher hit absolute bombs that only get to the wall.

[Sprowl]

Fuentes continues to live dangerously. Has there ever been a less impressive 40-save closer?

[jon abbey]

This is not NY's night.

[jon abbey]

Fuentes continues to live dangerously. Has there ever been a less impressive 40-save closer?

Did Borowski ever get 40?

[ronald47]

Seriously, I'd rather blow another 3-0 lead to you guys than even get within 100 miles of this team come playoff time.

I hate the Angels so much.

[E5 Yaz]

This is not NY's night.

Good thing the Red Sox game was meaningless

[strek1]

Fuentes is a scary fucker. I wouldn't feel real confident with this guy going into Playoff action.

[jon abbey]

Thank you, Royals. Go Greinke!

[nycdoc999]

Why didn't Girardi play this as a meaningful game?

No Matsui, Swisher hitting 5th, Bruney and Albaladejo in the 7th and 8th when the game was still within reach, etc?


Doesn't he realize that his team needs to win a few? Can't he give guys a rest in the last week of the season AFTER beating teams they might face in the playoffs?

[nycdoc999]

Good thing the Red Sox game was meaningless

I'm just happy Tito decided to play his game as meaningless as well, leaving Wakefield out there when he had nothing and pitching MDC - otherwise we'd be looking at 3 in the loss column with 2 more in LA.

[SemperFidelisSox]

Fuentes is a scary fucker. I wouldn't feel real confident with this guy going into Playoff action.

The Red Sox, Yankees and Cardinals are probably the only three playoff teams who don't have issues or questions about their closers heading into the postseason. Fuentes? Rodney? Broxton? And I don't even know who the Phillies closer is these days now that Lidge has not lost the job. That's why I can't see anyone else but those three (Bos, NY, St. Louis) winning this.

[TheYellowDart5]

Fuentes is blowing at least one game in the playoffs. How Swisher's ball didn't go out I'll never know.

[jon abbey]

Why didn't Girardi play this as a meaningful game?

...Swisher hitting 5th...

Girardi always slots Swisher into the place in the lineup of the guy who's sitting. So if Damon sits, Swisher hits second, Tex sits, Swisher hits third. Presumably this is so that most people hit in their normal spot, but I did think it was a mistake to not have Posada 5th and Swisher 6th today.

[Gambler7]

I'm just happy Tito decided to play his game as meaningless as well, leaving Wakefield out there when he had nothing and pitching MDC - otherwise we'd be looking at 3 in the loss column with 2 more in LA.

Why wouldn't he? Honestly I can't believe people are paying any attention to the division like it still means something. What is the sense of going all-out to try for the slim chance to have an extra game at home? You possibly do a lot more damage to your team that way. Now is the time to get your starters out early, give guys, days off, etc. Not to try to win some really meaningless title.

This is how they have done business for the past 6 years. Look at 2007 when the Yankees got within a few games, they didn't change their strategy (still using Gagne late to see what he had, etc) because whether they held on to the division or not they still would have been in the playoffs.

[glennhoffmania]

Wonder if Damon will take an incentive-laden 1 year deal with a team option for the 2nd. I can't see how the Yankees go multi-year guarantee to him.

A 3-year deal for Holliday with a high AAV (allowing him to become a FA when he's still relatively young and probably when the ecomonic situation changes) would be better than a 2 year guarantee for Damon.

Why in the world would Holliday take a 3 year deal? I don't care what the AAV is.

[judyb]

Plus, that shit is so ridiculous coming from Yankee fans, 3 year deal, right. If the Yankees really want Holliday, they'll give him at least 6 years and well over $100M. Hell, even if they don't want him, they'll offer 4-5 just to make sure he doesn't go too cheap. You guys don't even seem to know what's in your own team's best interest, but they sure do.

[God's Cop]

Bruney is a fucking idiot. Changing his number to 99 midseason. What a half-wit.

[nycdoc999]

Plus, that shit is so ridiculous coming from Yankee fans, 3 year deal, right. If the Yankees really want Holliday, they'll give him at least 6 years and well over $100M. Hell, even if they don't want him, they'll offer 4-5 just to make sure he doesn't go too cheap. You guys don't even seem to know what's in your own team's best interest, but they sure do.

Well thanks for being such a bitch about it....

[Al Zarilla]

The Red Sox, Yankees and Cardinals are probably the only three playoff teams who don't have issues or questions about their closers heading into the postseason. Fuentes? Rodney? Broxton? And I don't even know who the Phillies closer is these days now that Lidge has not lost the job. That's why I can't see anyone else but those three (Bos, NY, St. Louis) winning this.

Broxton hasn't given up an earned run since August 15th. Over that span, in 18 appearances: 18 2/3 innings, 10 hits, 31 Ks, 5 walks. Fireman of the year? Well, he does have 5 blown saves, mostly earlier in the year.

[judyb]

Well thanks for being such a bitch about it....

You know what? You're right, I was feeling bitchy and I took it on you for no good reason, so I apologize.

[Max Power]

Broxton hasn't given up an earned run since August 15th. Over that span, in 18 appearances: 18 2/3 innings, 10 hits, 31 Ks, 5 walks. Fireman of the year? Well, he does have 5 blown saves, mostly earlier in the year.

They were actually right around the trade deadline. He developed a foot problem that he managed to pitch through poorly, but he seems to be long past it now. Still, when you're 300 pounds and throw 100 MPH, a misstep can quickly reaggravate things.

[ronald47]

Why wouldn't he? Honestly I can't believe people are paying any attention to the division like it still means something. What is the sense of going all-out to try for the slim chance to have an extra game at home? You possibly do a lot more damage to your team that way. Now is the time to get your starters out early, give guys, days off, etc. Not to try to win some really meaningless title.

This is how they have done business for the past 6 years. Look at 2007 when the Yankees got within a few games, they didn't change their strategy (still using Gagne late to see what he had, etc) because whether they held on to the division or not they still would have been in the playoffs.

Just as a personal clarification, any fear of losing the division comes 99% from the fact that the wild card will have to face the Angels, and Yankees-Angels in the first round is an automatic exit until proven otherwise.

[nycdoc999]

You know what? You're right, I was feeling bitchy and I took it on you for no good reason, so I apologize.

No worries - appreciate the apology.

It's happened to all of us at one point or another on this site.

FWIW, your point was a good one - it probably was wishful thinking on my part.