2011 MLB Season

[ghost of miles]

Let's just see the MFY lose so I won't have to stress quite so much about tonight's game against David Price. I have a feeling that this one will end up about 12-11 unless the Rangers manage to pitch or the Yankee bats are just too tired to keep hitting balls all over the place.

Yeah, I have absolutely NO idea what to expect from Gordon. 5-0 with a 1.14 ERA in triple-A is great, but welcome to the big leagues and all that. Haven't tracked Texas enough, so I don't know how well Wilson's been pitching of late.

[JSngry]

This has all the makings of a Dan/Goodie flame war.

Oh damn it looks like they made up already.

Hey man, I love David, for real. Sorry that he thinks this is something personal, it's really not. It's the message that makes me sick, definitely not the messenger.

So, oh well, ya' know? Life goes on, that message (or what I see as the message) will always be out there, it will always make me sick, and I'll voice my displeasure, and somebody will always voice their displeasure about my displeasure (or about my seeing the message when it's REALLY NOT THERE or some such). Lather, rinse, repeat. The repetitiveness of life is the key to both its beauty and its ugliness, I suppose.

Haven't tracked Texas enough, so I don't know how well Wilson's been pitching of late.

Well. But they all have been, until this last go-through and you see how that's gone.

Kinsler swinging at the first pitch. I hate swinging at the first pitch, especially against an unfamiliar pitcher.

[ghost of miles]

Not exactly NY's finest hour in baserunning just now. A bad season for NY in that regard so far... you want to really see a study in abominations, watch Jorge Posada try to stretch out any hit (on the rare occasions when he gets one, though that's been improving of late).

[Dan Gould]

Dammit Darren Didn't Blow It!

Whoda thunk it, and can the Rangers come through after that gift?

[JSngry]

A welcome deviation from the norm, but I don't think so.

If CJ Wilson's guts were Rangers' bats with RISP, this game would be over by now.

Alas. And alack.

As in a lack.

And just as I type that, Beltre extends the agony.

If only he would resolve it...

Edited June 16, 2011 by JSngry

[Dan Gould]

Yankees have used their best relievers - it ought to be anyone's game with Neftali as the potential difference-maker.

Unfortunately, this season its been a negative difference.

[JSngry]

Tell me about it...

[ghost of miles]

Phew...that was epic!

[JSngry]

Woulda felt better about losing this one if that HBP would have been real....somebody must''ve had a plane to catch...

Oh well...guts aplenty for the Rangers pitching today. Kudos, and hopefully it takes with the others.

Those bats, though, geez...get the goddamned notes right.

[Dan Gould]

So the Yankees go through a stretch that looked very tough three weeks ago, and slice through the Indians and Rangers like hot knife through butter and only the Red Sox manage to frustrate them. Are we really that sure the Yankees are headed downhill? They are like 21 games over .500 against all teams not named the Red Sox.

[BERIGAN]

Nice story about an Angels fan ending up in the wrong suite...

http://espn.go.com/los-angeles/video/clip?id=6668428

[JSngry]

So the Yankees go through a stretch that looked very tough three weeks ago, and slice through the Indians and Rangers like hot knife through butter and only the Red Sox manage to frustrate them. Are we really that sure the Yankees are headed downhill? They are like 21 games over .500 against all teams not named the Red Sox.

Looks like the Indians are starting to meet expectations, with the Rangers not meeting expectations, and the Yankees exceeding expectations. To this point.

Me, I think they're fine, second best team in the AL right now, not as fine as the Red Sox but definitely in better shape than everybody else. Veteran crew, well-entrenched & effective corporate culture, plenty of room for newbies to grow into the existing model rather than have to create it (and speaking as somebody who's watching that happen, or try to happen, now in Texas, do not underestimate the advantage of having that winning culture firmly ensconced at every level). And if they don't, hey, there's plenty money to get somebody who will. Rumors of their demise are greatly exaggerated.

Possibly worth considering, though - they've already played 40 games at home, only 27 on the road. At the break, it'll be 50 at home, 39 on the road, so the second half (and where else can you have a second half of a season that's less than 50% of the games scheduled), that'll be 31-42 home/road. Especially from 8/15 on...27 out of 41 on the road. Of course, the opposition ain't that tough, based on current performances. But the White Sox (4 games) , Twins (3 games), & to a lesser extent, the Royals 3 games) can all get fiesty at any given time, so if there's going to be any serious weaknesses come out, I'd look for it there.

Don't know how/if that'll be a factor, but those are the numbers. Can't be any worse than that 20 games in 20 days stretch we had earlier, or the 3 home games out of 20 stretch we're playing now.

Why does the number 20 hate Texas this year?

[Neal Pomea]

Sweep the Cardinals, vacate last place (that's the Marlins), and talk smack to Baltimore coming into town for our inter-league series. What a night!

Columbian District on an upswing for a rare moment!

[Chalupa]

How about the Mess?? Leading the Braves by 2 runs going into the bottom of the 9th and Atlanta ties it. Then in the 10 the Braves win the game on a walk off BALK.

Marlins managed 2 hits today off of Cliff Lee. They have now lost 17 out of 19. Cliff has been awesome his last 3 starts w/ an 0.38 ERA.

From ESPN...

Cliff Lee is 3-0 with a 0.38 ERA, holding hitters to a .160 batting average over his last three starts, all of which have been at Citizens Bank Park. His success at home this season is even more staggering when compared to his struggles on the road.

Cliff Lee's Home and Road Splits

HOME ROAD

W-L 6-1 1-4

ERA 1.88 5.35

K/BB 72/12 39/12

9-3, 2.10 ERA (24 ER / 102.2 IP) in 14 career starts at Citizens Bank Park

[Dan Gould]

Interesting Red Sox stats:

• 
  
  
• Since starting 0-7 on the road, they have improved all the way to a major-league best 22-14.
  
  
• They've won 11 straight against lefty starters and have the best record against lefties in the majors. Which is extra impressive since the conventional wisdom was that they would be succeptible to lefties with so many of them lined up in the middle of the order - Gonzalez, Ortiz, Crawford, Drew.
  

Of course at the end of the month they'll get to see how they do against the really tough lefties on the Phills. And they'll have to do it without Ortiz in the middle of the lineup

[JSngry]

Not exactly a...crisp performance by the Rangers, but hell, after the felonious beat-downs they've endured the last five games, a little wobbliness is to be expected. It's a win!

Kind of a psycho performance from the (hopefully) Inner Mounting Colby Lewis, looks unhittable for long stretches, loses it completely, and then gets it right back. All's well that wins well, but this guy's been wack (and whacked) all year. Hopefully when the wheel stops spinning it'll land on Good Colby. Good Colby is good.

Also good to see a totally in-form Feliz close out. We'll need more of that.

Harrison goes tomorrow, Ogando on Sunday. Both lost it before they had it the last time out, & Ogando is in uncharted waters for season's innings pitched. We might end up knocked right back on our asses.

But that's things to come. Have a look at what happened tonight! an honest-to-god SWEEP!

Edited June 18, 2011 by JSngry

[Quincy]

Cool sweep there!

The kid who was drafted after Strasburg got in his first game for the M's. Dustin Ackley now at 2nd and if things work out he'll likely bat 2nd as well. It's too bad Jamie Moyer isn't healthy to pitch vs. his old team (not that he could crack the current rotation.)

[Chalupa]

Marlins lose again last night. That's 8 in a row, 1-16 for June and they have lost 18 of their last 20 games. New manager by Monday?

[Chalupa]

The kid who was drafted after Strasburg got in his first game for the M's. Dustin Ackley now at 2nd and if things work out he'll likely bat 2nd as well. It's too bad Jamie Moyer isn't healthy to pitch vs. his old team (not that he could crack the current rotation.)

Ackley turned an amazing DP last night.

Edited June 18, 2011 by J.H. Deeley

[Dave James]

The Yankees beat the Cubbies today by a run. Nice outing from A.J. Burnett, although he continues to be maddeningly inconsistent. A win is a win, though, and I'll take it. Nonetheless, I'm starting to have some negative noodlings about Mo. He got the save today, but it was the same sort of struggle he's been having over the last few weeks. I'm hoping that this is just a fluctuation and not a trend, but with the team's well-documented bullpen pitching woes, they can ill afford any chinks in the Rivera armor.

Edited June 19, 2011 by Dave James

[ghost of miles]

The Yankees beat the Cubbies today by a run. Nice outing from A.J. Burnett, although he continues to be maddeningly inconsistent. A win is a win, though, and I'll take it. Nonetheless, I'm starting to have some negative noodlings about Mo. He got the save today, but it was the same sort of struggle he's been having over the last few weeks. I'm hoping that this is just a fluctuation and not a trend, but with the team's well-documented bullpen pitching woes, they can ill afford any chinks in the Rivera armor.

I don't think Mo is quite the indomitable closeout guy he used to be. Dave James, yes on Burnett, though he's actually been throwing well lately, iirc--the only time he's gotten roughed up recently was by the Red Sox, and they're pounding everybody of late. I think this spring's conventional wisdom about a Boston-Philly WS is still a good bet, and it would be a great matchup to see the Bosox bats against the Phillies' staff. I can hold out hope that NY will somehow (1) nail down the wild-card and (2) ride a hot streak through the postseason, but now that the bad-mojo dust of Boston's early season-start has settled, they're clearly looking like the best team in the American League. And if they have Lester and Beckett potentially hurling 4 games in a 7-game series, they're going to be very difficult for anybody to take down.

As for today's win against the Cubs, nice play by Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner. The Yankee pitching staff should thank the baseball gods that we've got him in left field and Granderson in center.

Edited June 19, 2011 by ghost of miles

[ghost of miles]

New York Times article about Alexi Ogando and how he came to be a Ranger.

[Chalupa]

Marlins lose again last night. That's 8 in a row, 1-16 for June and they have lost 18 of their last 20 games. New manager by Monday?

Make that 9 in a row, 1 for 17 in June, and lost 19 out of 21.

Ouch.

[JSngry]

Man, we needed that win today!

Caught a big break from an umpiring snafu on that double (s/b an on-the-yellow-line HR), but maybe that's kosmic leveling of the blatant UFU (umpiring fuck up, and is it just me, or do the umpires as a whole not look so good these days?) on the Cano "H"BP from Thursday.

Either way...if not for the obvious legal fallout or overwhelming moral wrongitude of committing the act, I sould so so SO slit Dammit Darren Oliver's throat and drink his blood and then puke it back into his open throat wound right now. Damn straight I would.

Yes, it is that bad!

Otherwise, if and when this team finds it's soul and holds on to it, I think it will be Adrian Beltre who defines it. His numbers don't look so great right now, but I tell you - he is one of the grittiest SOBs I've ever seen. Him & Michael Young pretty much carried this team by themselves while Hamilton & Cruz were out, and now that they're back (Josh in a kind of Zen-Jesus zone where his bad plays and the good ones all provoke the same reaction, Nellie...still kinda lost more often than not, c'mon dude, feel the love!), it is still Beltre who never lets up, even after a screw-up, who always lays it on the line, and who survives to deliver a key contribution at a key time, as he did today. This team is still not yet "centered" (and really with a bullpen as unpredictable as this, how can they be?). But Beltre grits up, gets down, and then smiles and acts like an angel when he gets it done. On a team that may well have the best smiles in baseball, anything to bring them out more often is appreciated here!

Ogando tomorrow, and this will be a real test for him, I think. The Yankees pretty much reamed him up the arse last time out, and time before that (against Detroit), he took a little while to setlle in. Every outing from here on out is uncharted territory for him in terms of single-season innings pitched, so...who knows?

Go Phils!!!

[Dave James]

As for today's win against the Cubs, nice play by Gritty Gutty Brett Gardner. The Yankee pitching staff should thank the baseball gods that we've got him in left field and Granderson in center.

Wow, nice play all around. Gardner isn't known for his arm, but that throw was money. Having his momentum going towards the infield helped him along, but you still have to be on target. Nice, gutsy, stand-up-and-take-it play from Russell Martin too. He's a tough nut.