Game 122 - Yankees Hit the Batting Cages in Boston

The Yankee hitters took the Red Sox pitchers behind the woodshed and pounded them for 23 hits en route to a 20-11 victory. As great as the offense was, the Yankee pitching and defense were awful. Andy Pettitte, perhaps suffering from the effects of sitting 29 minutes while the Yanks batted in the 5th inning when they scored 6 runs, began to get tagged by Boston in the bottom of the 5th and 6th innings. He departed after 3 batters and no outs in the 6th and was charged with 7 runs, 5 of them earned. Despite Pettitte's shaky performance, he's been brilliant since the All Star break, but he only had 1 win to show for it. Tonight, he finally had support and then some.

Every Yankee in the lineup, including Johnny Damon's replacement, Eric Hinske, had a hit, scored a run and knocked in a run. Damon fouled a pitch off his knee in the top of the 1st and left the game with a deep bruise after striking out. ARod went 4-4, Hideki Matsui hit 2 HRs with 7 RBIs, Melky collected 4 hits and The Captain and Tex chipped in 3 hits apiece. In fact, everyone had at least 2 hits with the exception of the slumping Robinson Cano, who finished 1-6. They feasted on Sox starter, Brad Penny for 8 runs, highly touted rookie, Michael Bowden for a 7-spot, and reliever Ramon Ramirez for another 4. Manny Delcarmen got off cheap with 1 run and Takashi Saito was their only reliever to escape unscored upon.

The Yankee pitching didn't fare much better, they just weren't as bad as the batting practice pitchers Boston threw out there. Brian Bruney came in to relieve Pettitte in the 6th and was God-awful. Statiscally, he didn't give up any runs, but he allowed his inherited runners to score and inexplicably walked in a run with a 10-run lead. In the 7th, Joe Girardi had seen enough when Bruney loaded the bases with one out. Damaso Marte, on the DL since April, was activated before the game and got the final 2 outs of the inning and stranded all 3 runners. Sergio Mitre came on for mop up duty for the final 2 innings, and the Sox did just that - mopped him around for 4 runs in the 9th. He surrendered 2 bombs to Mike Lowell and Jason Varitek. Mercifully, the game finally ended.

The Yanks defense was a little sloppy in the blowout, too. Cano had a fielding error and his buddy, Melky, allowed a pop up to drop in the 6th inning, hastening Pettitte's departure. On one odd play, Hinske couldn't make a play on a Yoda Pedroia fly that hit the Monster. For some dumb reason, Yoda thought he could stretch a triple out of it, but Jeter played the rebound off the wall in shallow left and threw him out with the Sox down by 5 runs at the time. I don't watch the Sox much, but it seems Yoda is thrown out at least once a series against the Yanks trying to stretch a hit or steal a base. Is it possible he's a dumber runner than Posada?

With the win, the Yanks now lead the Red Sox by 7.5 games. It was the Yanks first win of the season at Fenway and their first since Mike Mussina won his 20th last season.

Yankees Record: 77-45

Game 108 - Beantown 8, Bronx 1

The Bronx Bombers pounded the Beaneaters, 13-6, unleashing 8 games of frustration against their archrivals. After dropping the first 8 games this season, the Yanks finally put 1 in the win column and increased their division lead to 3.5 games. HRs by Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Jorge Posada and Mark Teixeira paced an 18-hit attack as the Yanks smacked around future Hall-of-Famer, John Smoltz. Cabrera's 3-run blast in the 4th led an 8-run inning that put the Yanks a ahead to stay and bailed out a struggling Joba Chamberlain. The Yanks batted for 37 minutes that must have been grueling for the Boston fielders.

Joba was not sharp, giving up 4 runs, 6 hits, and 7 walks in 5 innings of work. Things looked grim early. Yoda Pedroia and Damon swapped fence scraping solo HRs to RF in the 3rd and newly acquired Casey Kotchman gave the Bosox a 3-1 lead with another new Yankee Stadium special to RF. For the game, Yankee pitchers walked an astronomical 12 Red Sox batters. Boston left an astounding 15 men on base, led by Big Fraudy Ortiz, who left 8 by himself. The immortal Anthony Cleggett made his return to the Bronx, after getting shelled in his major league debut in the Yanks embarrassing 22-4 loss to Cleveland earlier in the season. I didn't think I'd ever lay eyes on him again, but there he was in the 9th inning, performing mop-up duty. I'll say it one more time - I'll be surprised if I ever see him grace a Yankee uniform again. 1 inning, 2 walks, 2 hits, 2 runs and he lowered his career ERA by nearly 10 runs!

Damon, Tex and Posada each led the attack with 3 hits. Posada atoned for his hideous non-slide at the plate in the 2nd when he was thrown out for his lackadaisical base running on a Nick Swisher single. If he slid, he would have been clearly safe. His 3-run blast in the 4th put the exclamation point in the big inning. Every Yankee starter had at least one hit. John Smoltz looked every bit the old man who's hung around 1-year too long in what is otherwise a brilliant career. Boston sacrificed ex-Yankee, Billy Traber, in 3.2 innings of relief to save their bullpen. Well played, Terry Francona, well played.

With the win, the Yanks improved to a season-best 24 games over .500 and guarantees a division lead after this series no matter the rest of the outcome. Hopefully, the Yanks saved some runs and hits for AJ Burnett tomorrow, who goes up against Josh Beckett.

Yankees Record: 66-42

Game 105 - Yanks Salvage Series With Melky's Cycle

After blowing their second 3-0 lead in 2 days, it looked like the Yanks were going to be laughed out of Chi-town as another of their high-priced pitchers appeared to be failing miserably when the team needed him most. But Crooked Cap Sabathia hung in there after giving up 4 runs in the 3rd inning. He stuck around till 1 batter in the 8th, eventually giving up 5 runs on 10 hits, 7 of which were extra base hits, including back-to-back HRs to Jermaine Dye and Jim Thome.

Despite another subpar outing from Sabathia, Melky Cabrera saved the day with perhaps his greatest performance at the plate. He went 4-5 with 3 runs, 4 RBIs and hit for the cycle. No longer will Yankee fans see the name Tony Fernandez flashed on the YES Network as the last Yankee to hit for the cycle back in 1995 when a Yankee is threatening to hit for one. It will now read Last Yankee to Hit for a Cycle: Melky Cabrera, August 2, 2009. Melky hit a 3-run HR in the 2nd, led off the 4th with a double and scored, singled in a run in the 5th, and pulled off the cycle the hard way by leading off with a triple in the 9th. Melky's performance played a huge part in the Bombers 8-5 victory.

The Yanks pounded out 15 hits and walked 6 times and were 6-17 with RISP. That's kind of misleading though, since they started out 5-8 with RISP. They left 12 men on base, with Robinson Cano (surprise, surprise) striking out with the bases loaded with 1 out and Jorge Posada striking out with a man on 3rd and 1 out being the chief culprits. Cano left 7 men on by himself. Different game, same old story for Cano.

Phil Hughes entered the game with a runner on 2nd in the 8th. He bookended strikeouts around a Jim Thome walk. Manager Joe Girardi didn't want to take any chances at salvaging a win in the series and brought in Mariano Rivera. Mo would surrender an RBI single to Carlos Quentin, the final run charged to Sabathia, but he got the final 4 outs for his 30th save. It was the 12th time in his career and 7th straight year he's recorded at least 30 saves. With the win, the Yanks held on to their tenuous .5 game lead over Boston.

Yankees Record: 63-42

Game 54 - Melk-man Delivers Again

Chien-Ming Wang returned to the starting rotation, and what started out as promising, began to turn ugly when he departed after 4.2 innings, trailing 5-1 against Texas.  He came out firing, retiring the first 6 batters he faced, striking out 3 them.  He yielded 2 runs in the 3rd, 2 more in the 4th and was pulled after giving up a bomb to Nelson Cruz in the 5th.  

Compared to his first 3 frightening starts, Wang actually wasn't as bad as his numbers indicate.  His sinker was working, as he recorded 7 ground ball outs.  He did struggle against the lefties though, as Chris Davis laced 2 doubles off of him, knocking in 2 runs and scoring on a wild pitch.  Hank Blalock also hit a two-out single for a run.  Perhaps he ran out of steam, pitching out the bullpen recently.  In my opinion, I would love to see him return to the bullpen.  I think he has better stuff and strikes out batters at a better rate than he typically does as a starter.  

The Yankees actually had a 1-0 lead after the first, as Johnny Damon led off with a HR that just cleared the fence in right.  Their offense then went into a little lull, as they stranded Nick Swisher who hit a double after Damon's shot, and stranded Mark Teixeira who led off with a double in the 4th.  They woke up in the 5th against Texas pitcher, David McCarthy.  Swisher did what he does best, working a walk with the bases loaded.  Big Tex, by far the Yanks MVP in the first third of the season, hit a cue shot double past 3rd to clear the bases and tie the game.  ARod followed up with a single to put them up 6-5.

Alfredo Aceves, who relieved Wang, quickly let Texas tie it up on an Ian Kinsler blast that hit the upper foul pole in the 6th.  It would remain tied till the bottom of the 8th, when Melky Cabrera, who's been struggling at the plate since he lost his battle with the Cleveland centerfield fence, hit a 2-run shot that scraped the back of the left field fence.  Enter the Sandman, Mariano Rivera.  He scared some Yankee fans by giving up 2 hits and allowing the hot-hitting Nelson Cruz to come to plate representing the go-ahead run.  The Hammer of God struck out Cruz and got David Murphy to pop up to record his 12th save of the season and 494th of his career.     

Other notes:  Boston kept pace with the Yanks as they downed Detroit 6-3.  Dontrelle Willis walked 5 guys in the 3rd that led to a 6-run rally.  Yesterday, I lamented how the luck of Boston by dodging the likes of Justin Verlander and Roy Halladay.  But not only did they not faced the Tigers ace pitcher in this 3 game set, they avoided their #2 stud as well, Edwin Jackson, who's been pitching as well as anybody in baseball right now.  I'm amazed they faced Johan Santana in the Met series (thankfully, the frauds lost). 

Randy Johnson won his 300th game in front of just 16,000 people in D.C despite the fact that he may well be the last pitcher to reach that milestone for a very long time.  There's a team in D.C. because...?  It's time to start contracting teams.  If you can't economically compete year after year (Pittsburgh, anyone) or draw fans, it's time to fold shop.  Less teams would equal better talented teams.   

Yankees Record:  32-22, tied for 1st and 1/3 of the season down.  Projected win total:  96 - I'll take it.  

Game 16 - Brutal Loss

Tonight was a brutal loss to swallow for Yankee fans. Up 4-2 in the bottom of the 9th with 2 out, Mariano Rivera served up a game tying gopher ball to Jason Bay. And then to top off the evening, Kevin "Please Don't Throw at my Big Head" Youkilis won the game in the 11th with a moon shot off of Damaso Marte.

Joba Chamberlain started the game for the Yanks and apparently was visited by the ghost of Chien-Ming Wang past, using 4 double plays in 5 1/3 innings to constantly duck out of trouble and avoiding the big innings by the Bosox. He walked 4 and struck out 2, both Ks coming against the blow hard, hypocrite Big Sloppy Ortiz, who called out Joba for throwing near the Nugget Youkilis' head a couple of times. When Joba left in the 6th with one out, I must admit, I had no confidence the Yankees bullpen would be able to reach Rivera with a lead. Never in my imagination did I imagine Rivera would once again collapse against the hated Red Sox after a brilliant effort by the Yankees pen to bridge the gap to him.

Although the Red Sox had many chances early in the game to break this game open, the Yankees had just as many, if not more, and were a putrid 4-19 with runners in scoring position, blowing one opportunity after another. It seemed like they had 2 runners on base every inning, but couldn't come up with the big hit to put the game out of reach. Hopefully, this game will not carry over the rest of the weekend, however, they must face old nemesis Josh Beckett in Saturday's afternoon match.

Yankee Bomber Doghouse: Rivera. C'mon, you can't be serving up a game tying HR with 2 out in the 9th. Haven't you blown enough saves against the Sox? And of all teams, this just kills Yankee fans. Nick Swisher makes the list for failing to get in a run with the bases loaded and no outs. Different season, different players, and yet the same old results that haunted and killed this team last year - failing to get that runner in from third with less than 2 outs. Others who also failed: Cano, who hit into a miserable double play with the bases loaded in the 9th with 2-out, failing to bring in any insurance run for the Yanks. And Jeter, Teixeira and Cabrera all failed in extra innings with a runner in scoring position.

Where is Brian Bruney? Apparently, he has a cranky elbow and was sent back to NY to have it checked out. They could have used him instead of the ineffective Marte. The Yanks put the ghost of Chien-Ming Wang present on the DL with "weakness in the abductor muscles of both hips". I don't know what this is, but bravo to the Yanks for coming up with this mysterious ailment. They just can't send this guy out again till he's right. The reign of the Interstate King may have come to an end tonight. Cody Ransom was pulled from the game in the 8th for a pulled quadricep and placed on the DL after the game. The Yanks called up Dave Robertson from AAA and probably will call up Angel Berroa to replace Ransom till Arod returns. The only good thing that came out of tonight's game was watching Big Sloppy get the Golden Sombrero with 4 Ks. Time for someone to retire maybe? Or has someone's secret source dried up? Interesting.....who are those 103 other names that tested positive back in 2003? Hmmm.

Yankees Record: 9-7

Blown Wins: 2

Hey Melky - "That Just Happened"

Joe Girardi named Brett Gardner his starting CF. Thank God. I don't know what is more shocking - Melky Cabrera's shock when it was announced or my shock that Melky was shocked. I know he needs an interpreter for his interviews, but are you telling me there are no blogs or sports internet in Spanish? To quote Ricky Bobby in Talledega Nights, "That just happened." Brett Gardner came into spring training with a mission and was believed to be the odds on favorite to win the job.

I believe we have seen the full potential of Melky. Average speed, average power, average hitter, plus fielder. What this equals is a spot on the bench as a fourth/fifth OF. Sadly, it seems like he has regressed in his short career. He seemed like a much more patient hitter as a rookie. Even if he wasn't taking walks, he would work the count to his advantage. Last year, he looked lost. And he has no clue batting right handed. And obviously, no clue if he thought he had a chance to win the CF job.

Gardner, on the other hand, is not the second coming of Joe DiMaggio, The Mick, or even Bobby Murcer. But he gives the Yankees a much needed element they have lacked for years, speed. He has shown in his minor league career that he'll take a walk or lay down a bunt for a hit. He will not hit 10 Hrs. Hell, he may not hit 5. He will, however, steal 35 - 50 bases, assuming he sticks with the team the whole season and doesn't ride the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre shuttle. Girardi should give him the green light for the season. And if he's batting last, he'll need to steal bases to keep Jeter from being near the league leaders in double plays again.

I hope Girardi actually gives Gardner a chance, too. I don't want to see Gardner banished if he starts the first 2 weeks of the season hitting .150. What really disturbs me about the majors, in particular, the Yankees under the Joe Torre regime, is when teams stay with the veteran, even though he's hitting .237 and providing minimum production. If you're going to have someone routinely give you 3-4 outs a night, why not bring up a kid from the minors? Maybe you'll get lucky and the kid outperforms the veteran. I'm sure he can produce the same .237 average, but at least he's gaining some valuable major league experience. My guess is it all comes down to money. The veteran is making millions and teams are trying to minimize the young player's arbitration years.