2010 MLB Season

[Dave James]

Now- I wonder if Bryce Harper will sign with the Nationals?

Steven Strasburg and the Nationals agreed to a contract last year 77 seconds before the deadline.

[ghost of miles]

Another memorable Javier Vazquez outing is in the making. Two innings pitched tonight against the Tigers; four hits, two runs, two earned runs, three walks and a home run. This guy just gets worse and worse and with Pettitte's setback over the weekend, who knows what happens from here on in. I don't see how you can justify not shutting Vazquez down completely. I know there's zip down on the farm, but it couldn't be any worse than he's been over the last month. Give someone else a chance.

One thing I do know. No hitting and lousy pitching is a lethal combination.

Javy was at 106 pitches after 4 IP, last I checked. 6 hits and 5 walks given up--it's amazing he's only surrendered two runs so far. Yes, the offense is MIA again, against yet another "hey-we've-never-faced-this-guy-before" pitcher (as documented up the thread, the Yankees over the past 10 years are the worst team in MLB against pitchers they've never seen before...hence the jokes of late that any team who wants to take the Yanks down in a series this year should call up their three best Triple A pitchers). I dunno, Dave James, I'm as hot and cold on this team's postseason chances as the bats seem to be. Hopefully Pettitte will get back in the nick of time... and Hughes will be halfway decent down the stretch. Right now I don't think Javy will be seeing much of anything but middle/long relief action in the playoffs, especially if his fastball never tops 89 again.

EDIT: Javy didn't come back for the 5th. Granderson just caught stealing, so we're still at 0 runs and 1 hit after five innings against Scherzer.

EDIT 2: I nearly forgot--Scherzer was in the Yankee system--part of the Granderson for Jackson/Coke deal. Geez, they ought to at least have a decent book on the guy... A-Rod out of the game for mysterious reasons, and now Swisher out as well.

EDIT 3: Sweeny Murti tweets

ARod tight left calf, Swisher tight right forearm. Both day to day.

Edited August 17, 2010 by ghost of miles

[papsrus]

Rays pen blows tonight.

[ghost of miles]

Rays pen blows tonight.

Maybe, but what just happened to Cliff Lee in the 8th?

[papsrus]

Rays pen blows tonight.

Maybe, but what just happened to Cliff Lee in the 8th?

Texas infield had alligator arms on a couple of balls that got through for hits.

Lee has six losses this season. Rays have given him three of them.

[papsrus]

Valverde blows, too ...

[papsrus]

This guy is a circus!

[ghost of miles]

Still held on--pretty similar to his epic near-fail against Boston a few games ago. I really thought we had a shot at it, but Jeter grounded into a double play with the bases loaded to end the game. Tie atop the AL East again! NY's 7-10 since July 29... amazing that we're even still tied with you guys, Papsrus.

[ghost of miles]

Pinstripe Alley blogger Travis G. thinks it's time to bat Brett Gardner leadoff.

[Quincy]

Pinstripe Alley blogger Travis G. thinks it's time to bat Brett Gardner leadoff.

Or to rephrase, Jeter should bat much lower vs. righties, whereas Gardner can bat leadoff effectively vs. either right or left (though more so vs. RHP). Jeter still spanks LHP, but unfortunately that's the rarer arm. Should the Yanks fail in the playoffs at least it's looking like promoting Gardner and letting fading Johnny Damon go shouldn't get the blame. I'm hoping that with the Yankees of basketball their sentimentality with the overrated Derek Fisher will be their undoing. Oops, thread stray, and sorry Noj.

[Dave James]

Pinstripe Alley blogger Travis G. thinks it's time to bat Brett Gardner leadoff.

David,

Don't look now, but Billy Gardner is leading off tonight against the Tigers. Yanks up 2-1 in the 2nd.

[ghost of miles]

I saw that, but it's supposedly because A-Rod's out of the lineup.

Yanks up 4-2 going into the bottom of the 7th, which is good, as both Tampa Bay and Boston are running away with their games tonight.

[Dan Gould]

Reason #522 Why the Red Sox Won't Make The Playoffs:

Dustin Pedroia returned to the lineup today, 53 days after breaking his left foot. Not 28 or 42 days, 11 days beyond the predicted time missed.

Edited August 18, 2010 by Dan Gould

[ghost of miles]

Please welcome back to active baseball play--JOSE CANSECO!

Canseco signs with Laredo Broncos

[ghost of miles]

This is not good:

MRI shows small but persistent groin strain for Pettitte

I think we'll be lucky to have him back by mid-September. In the meantime, Phil Hughes is about 35 IP away from hitting the limit that the Yankees have set for him. Combine that with Javy's struggles and A.J.'s Jekyll-and-Hyde performances and you have a very shaky rotation for the September schedule, let alone the playoffs.

[papsrus]

This is not good:

Depends on your POV.

These old guys, they take a bit longer to recover.

Judging by the last couple of nights, defense is Texas' Achilles heel. They're ranked something like 13th in the AL in fielding. And the starter, Hunter, was knocked around pretty good right out of the gate tonight.

Bad combination.

Garza looked great. 10 Ks, 5 hits over seven innings.

[Dan Gould]

Does Clay Buchholz, despite playing for a non-playoff team, belong in the Cy Young discussion? Usually there has to be an incredible performance to get someone like Grienke noticed, so it will probably be tough to get many votes when Price has similarly impressive stats and Sabathia will be up there in wins. But Buchholz is now 14-5 with a league leading 2.36 ERA. There have been seven team shutouts by the Red Sox. Buchholz started 5 of them, including last night's. Really shows how far he's come.

Next should be a deal like Lester's that will lock him up and hopefully give team control over one or two of his free agency years. Lester and Buchholz at the top of the rotation is an exciting prospect, especially when they are young and under team control for years to come. This is what Theo has been working toward.

And as an aside, if you didn't know, Lester was around as a top prospect so long, he was headed to Texas for A-Rod in 2003. Sometimes the best trades are the ones you don't make.

[Chalupa]

Today's attendance in Atlanta for the Nats/Braves game - 15,593. I know it's hotter than hell down there and it's the Nats but come on Braves' fans!! Your team is in the middle of a playoff race. The Phillies are going to have their 100th straight sell out tonight. At least wait until next weekend when the Braves are no longer in 1st to stop showing up.

[papsrus]

Dumb question, probably, but why is the sky dark at Fenway at 8 p.m. and there's still light in the sky here in Fla? I thought it was supposed to stay light later the farther north you go (in the summer).

Edited August 20, 2010 by papsrus

[Dan Gould]

I've never heard that James but I do know that Boston is substantially further east than Florida, and that's not even taking into account that you are on the gulf side. When I visit my parents in CT in December its darker noticeably earlier than in south Florida.

[papsrus]

I've never heard that James but I do know that Boston is substantially further east than Florida, and that's not even taking into account that you are on the gulf side. When I visit my parents in CT in December its darker noticeably earlier than in south Florida.

Yes, you're right of course. Farther east. :blush2: I knew there had to be an obvious reason.

[david weiss]

What do you guys think of the Francisco Rodriguez situation? Kicks his girlfriend father's ass in the locker room and gets suspended a mere two games for his actions.

Turns out he injured his thumb in the assault and is now out for the season so now the Mets want to void his contract.

The guy is probably an asshole but the hypocrisy of the Mets organization is a bit much to swallow.

[Quincy]

What do you guys think of the Francisco Rodriguez situation? Kicks his girlfriend father's ass in the locker room and gets suspended a mere two games for his actions.

Turns out he injured his thumb in the assault and is now out for the season so now the Mets want to void his contract.

The guy is probably an asshole but the hypocrisy of the Mets organization is a bit much to swallow.

KRod was signed pre-Madoff. When that many millions has presumably evaporated, when given the opportunity...I can't blame them. Toss in the asshole quotient & losers don't need closets - might as well try!

[PHILLYQ]

It's very difficult to suspend anyone for more than a couple of games because the player's union has quite a bit of sway. The Mets will probably not be very successful in trying to void his contract for similar reasons.

From what I understand he cursed out his baby mama in a public place and in front of her father. As any father would, he objected streuously and then K-Rod beat him up, in full view of Reyes' wife and child among others. What a jerk!!!

[Dave James]

I've never heard that James but I do know that Boston is substantially further east than Florida, and that's not even taking into account that you are on the gulf side. When I visit my parents in CT in December its darker noticeably earlier than in south Florida.

Yes, you're right of course. Farther east. :blush2: I knew there had to be an obvious reason.

That's one of those geographic anomalies that don't seem right. It's like finding out that Reno, Nevada is further west than Los Angeles.