28 replies to this topic

[terrynever]

Baltimore sends its new ace, Jason Hammel (3-0, 1.73), against off-and-on Hideki Kuroda (1-3, 3.48) in tonight's 7:05 series opener at the stadium. The Orioles (14-8) are tied for first in the AL East with Tampa (also 14-8). Yanks are 12-9.
Yanks will be starting both Andruw Jones and Raul Ibanez in the outfield tonight with Swisher's hammy hurting and Gardner not due back from the DL until Thursday. Guess they couldn't find an injury for Freddy, whom Girardi hopes to find work in the bullpen as a long reliever.
Andy Pettitte pitches tonight in Tampa for the High-A farm club. If he gets in his 85-90 pitches, the Yanks will be tempted to insert him into the rotation next time around, assuming Phil Hughes sucks again on Tuesday night. If Hughes can find his way to respectability for a night, the Yanks may keep Pettitte in the minors for one more start.
David Phelps will start Thursday's game in KC, adding another piece to the pitching puzzle. The way things are going for these guys, Phelps will suck and D.J. Mitchell will hurl four innings in relief, followed by Freddy. Actually, Phelps has been pretty good so far (17 innings, 1.08 WHIP, 3.57 ERA). Yanks could use some good news somewhere. Maybe Phelps is this year's surprise pitching story.
Kuroda is coming off a good start against Texas (2 runs in 6.2 innings, just 5 hits). He needs to establish some consistency pretty soon.
This is the last game of April, the off-Broadway stage of the season. April reveals weaknesses that need to be overcome before the pennant races heat up in July and August. This Yankee team has its share of negatives. And it has a lot of positives. Somehow, though, it's the negatives that we dwell on. Not just the fans. Management does, too.

Edited by terrynever, 30 April 2012 - 10:33 AM.

[terrynever]

Nuney in left tonight.

1. Jeter SS
2. Granderson CF
3. Rodriguez DH
4. Cano 2B
5. Teixeira 1B
6. Ibanez RF
7. Chavez 3B
8. Martin C
9. Nunez LF
Kuroda P

[TheYellowDart5]

Nunez and Ibanez in the outfield at once? Granderson might cover three miles in patrolling the OF tonight.

[terrynever]

Nunez and Ibanez in the outfield at once? Granderson might cover three miles in patrolling the OF tonight.

It's a Little League park.
Ibanez is actually better than I thought in the field. The choice was Damon, Matsui or Raul and Cashman chose the guy who can actually catch the ball if it comes near his glove.

edit: retracting last comment.

Edited by terrynever, 30 April 2012 - 06:27 PM.

[terrynever]

An explanation. Kuroda walks Jones to open the second. Weiters then hits a high fastball to the RF fence where Ibanez drifts back and just misses catching a ball that hits the top of the fence. The fan leaning over actually made a better play on the ball and he didn't even have a glove. Then the next hitter, Chris Davis, launches a long fly to left, over Nunez's head, but the kid goes back and catches the ball to avoid total disaster.

The ball will find those bad fielders, or the ones playing out of position.

1-0 O's so far.

[terrynever]

News flash: Teix got a hit and then Chavez homered. 2-1. bottom of second.

[terrynever]

Teix makes a leaping catch for first out in third, then Nunez goes to his knees to catch a sinking liner in left.

[terrynever]

33 pitches thru 3 for Kuroda.

Nunez has four putouts already.

[terrynever]

Jeter's valiant bid for yet another infield hit goes for naught. Hit the ball 15 feet, too.

[terrynever]

Martin guns down Adam Jones trying to steal second to end the fourth. Nice tag by Jeter.

[terrynever]

Leaping catch by Jeter highlights the fifth. Home plate ump giving Kuroda pitches six inches off the plate to Reynolds, who finally strikes out on a pitch a foot outside.

[terrynever]

Another strikeout for home plate ump Jerry Layne, who fans Russell Martin on a high fastball three inches above the FX zone.

[jon abbey]

The choice was Damon, Matsui or Raul and Cashman chose the guy who can actually catch the ball if it comes near his glove.

I said it then, but I can't believe that Damon isn't still better than Ibanez as a LF, I would need to see extended stretches of that with my own two eyes before accepting it. I can see an argument for Ibanez over Damon overall, but I'd be very surprised if in reality it was any better than a wash on D.

[terrynever]

I said it then, but I can't believe that Damon isn't still better than Ibanez as a LF, I would need to see extended stretches of that with my own two eyes before accepting it. I can see an argument for Ibanez over Damon overall, but I'd be very surprised if in reality it was any better than a wash on D.

Damon lost me the season where he dropped a couple balls in left field during the same game. He scared me to death after that. Having said that, I would still rather see Damon than Ibanez, just for loyalty sake (and plate discipline, too). They both suck in the field.

Edited by terrynever, 30 April 2012 - 07:35 PM.

[terrynever]

73 pitches thru 6 for Kuroda tonight. Lot of pitches at the knees. I hope Hughes is watching.

Incidentally, the YES guys said Hughes has been watching video of his relieving days in 2009 and just plans to "let it fly" tomorrow night. Sounds like Plan F.

[derekson]

73 pitches thru 6 for Kuroda tonight. Lot of pitches at the knees. I hope Hughes is watching.

Incidentally, the YES guys said Hughes has been watching video of his relieving days in 2009 and just plans to "let it fly" tomorrow night. Sounds like Plan F.

Yeah, maybe Kuroda can show Hughes how to have his line drives be hit right at infielders and have his deep fly balls stay in the park.

[ThePrideofShiner]

Wow. A huge break.

[terrynever]

Yeah, maybe Kuroda can show Hughes how to have his line drives be hit right at infielders and have his deep fly balls stay in the park.

It's a Little League park. That's what I keep hearing from critics of the park. Deep fly balls are out of this yard.

Edited by terrynever, 30 April 2012 - 09:03 PM.

[RIrooter09]

Robertson has apparently inherited the Rivera strike zone.

Edited by RIrooter09, 30 April 2012 - 08:16 PM.

[terrynever]

Robertson has apparently inherited the Rivera strike zone.

Good, because he's Rivera for the next 10 years.

[terrynever]

Jeter to his right one step, backhands hard shot, starts game-ending DP. That's all, folks!

[jon abbey]

Only saw bits and pieces of this amidst the Knicks game, but will check out the whole thing later. Good job, Terry!

[Brickowski]

Best play of the game was Kuroda's tag at home plate.

[terrynever]

Best play of the game was Kuroda's tag at home plate.

Yeah, he stuck his right leg on the plate to block Markakis's slide. Him and Martin showed their past experience together tonight. Martin is comfortable letting Kuroda throw splitters in the dirt.

D-Rob fanned side in 8th. This season, 18 Ks in 11 innings, no runs, 7 hits and 3 walks, 0.91 WHIP.

[jon abbey]

Actually I somehow saw the Chavez HR, the tag at home and the Robertson inning, just not much in between.

[jon abbey]

Robertson has apparently inherited the Rivera strike zone.

Or he is just fucking awesome, those pitches on the outside corner were all strikes.

[jon abbey]

Jesus Montero trying to help out NY with a HR in the top of the 11th off Wade Davis.

[terrynever]

I think you just described Robertson perfectly. Not sure if even the 1996 Rivera was as good as this kid has been the past year and change.

[terrynever]

Jesus Montero trying to help out NY with a HR in the top of the 11th off Wade Davis.

And the Rays just tied it back up on a BJ single.

Montero's blast to RCF, of course.