The following is a list of things we have not seen in the last two games between the Red Sox and Yankees — and, consequently, what we are likely to see tonight:
- A batter reaching first on a strikeout.
- An unassisted triple play.
- A batter hitting for the cycle.
- A good starting pitching performance.
- A plague of midges.
- Cthulhu
So we'll hope it's Jacoby Ellsbury accomplishing the first, Dustin Pedroia doing the second, David Ortiz snapping his slump by achieving the third, and Justin Masterson doing the impossible. The last two will probably be interrelated, and while no one will be able prove that they will have been summoned by Joe Girardi as he takes the ball from Andy Pettitte, that's largely because no one sees Cthulhu and lives.
Comment away on tonight's action — while you can.
Lineups, from the Globe:
Yankees
1. Brett Gardner, CF — .232/.271/.286
2. Derek Jeter, SS — .301/.363/.521
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B — .235/.403/.451
4. Nick Swisher, LF — .305/.423/.678
5. Robinson Cano, 2B — .366/.410/.634
6. Jorge Posada, C — .298/.388/.544
7. Hideki Matsui, DH — .261/.393/.478
8. Melky Cabrera, RF — .276/.364/.690
9. Angel Berroa, 3B — .250/.250/.250
2. Derek Jeter, SS — .301/.363/.521
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B — .235/.403/.451
4. Nick Swisher, LF — .305/.423/.678
5. Robinson Cano, 2B — .366/.410/.634
6. Jorge Posada, C — .298/.388/.544
7. Hideki Matsui, DH — .261/.393/.478
8. Melky Cabrera, RF — .276/.364/.690
9. Angel Berroa, 3B — .250/.250/.250
Red Sox
1. Jacoby Ellsbury, CF — .288/.325/.370
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B — .314/.395/.443
3. David Ortiz, DH — .217/.278/.319
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B — .444/.551/.794
5. J.D. Drew, RF — .250/.381/.558
6. Jason Bay, LF — .309/.480/.655
7. Mike Lowell, 3B — .328/.368/.625
8. Jason Varitek, C — .229/.327/.542
9. Nick Green, SS — .308/.386/.513
2. Dustin Pedroia, 2B — .314/.395/.443
3. David Ortiz, DH — .217/.278/.319
4. Kevin Youkilis, 1B — .444/.551/.794
5. J.D. Drew, RF — .250/.381/.558
6. Jason Bay, LF — .309/.480/.655
7. Mike Lowell, 3B — .328/.368/.625
8. Jason Varitek, C — .229/.327/.542
9. Nick Green, SS — .308/.386/.513
Nick Green with a .900 OPS? Not even Cthulhu could top that.
106 replies on “Blocking Out the Next Eight Hours, Just in Case: Yanks-Sox Gamer III”
If I interpreted a Globe note correctly, Lugo will be activated tomorrow.
The return of Lugo… that has Cthulu’s tentacle-prints all over it.
I’ll be at Chili’s watching the game with a friend — my first game to actually see (as opposed to listen to) this season! They better freaking win… You all have fun without me.
I’ll be checking the water level in my basement between innings. Got a lot of rain in the Chicago area yesterday and this morning.
Tampa lost again in Oakland, ending a really bad road trip.
Here’s to some good baseball tonight preferably with the yanks coming out on top. Yesterday’s debacle was nothing for either team (nor the umps) to be proud of. SFs should certainly be happy though…
Crazy stat from ESPN: NYY are 446-446-4 all time in Fenway Park.
Happy only because the sox won, Sam. It was a crappy game.
Yes my point exactly Bill. Had the yankees won, id have been happy not proud!
Who is the 3rd person on the broadcast team? I missed the lead in…
Nice piece of hitting by Ellsbury. That was literally one of the first times in his entire time up that it looked to me like he recognized a pitch a bit late and went after it, as opposed to guessing right. If he’s starting to pick up pitches better that would be a huge thing.
Steve Phillips, Sam. Avert the ears. Or clog them. And then start going “lalalalalalalalala”.
Ick. Wide plate, the 1-1- pitch to Pedroia was not close at all but the classy vet who doesn’t violate rules and loves God gets the call.
Pedro solid contact, but to way too big a part of the park. One down, Ells at first.
wow the worst broadcast team in baseball got worse.
Miller said that this is Papi’s longest streak to start the season without a dinger since “2000, nine years ago” but it sounded like “two thousand and nine years ago”. Ortiz promptly lines into a double play. I am setting the over/under on Ortiz homers this year right now, at 23.
Not sure how Pedroia even got his bat on that ball – I’m 99% sure it was actually above his head.
I’m 99% sure it was actually above his head.
Which ones aren’t? Badump bump. I’ll be here all ze veek.
Had to get that one in before our YF cohorts did, too easy.
//but it sounded like “two thousand and nine years ago”.
it feels like that long since he’s hit a HR, to be frank.
Three balls hit hard, three outs. And a single mixed in. If Pettitte gets hit like that all night I like the Sox’ chances at scoring a few.
Cwap. DP.
So it is usual to have the worst batter on your team in the number three spot in baseball? In cricket that’s where you’d put your best batter!
The 2-2 pitch to Swish, which looked high, was still better than the 1-1 pitch to Pedroia.
Swisher whiffs. Good pitch from JM.
By the way, does Masterson have a nickname? Is “Bat” both too easy and also kind of wrong for a pitcher?
Good pitch eats up Cano, Cano fails to actually make any effort at legging it down to first, out on the 3u by about 88.4 feet. Way to hustle, Hollywood.
I smell Posada solid contact…
Or lazy flyball to Ells. More good work from Masterson.
Fourth ball hit hard of four, Youk laces one right to Cano.
Nice at-bat, JD! Yeesh, how about an effort?
Bay legs out a squib to Berroa, swinging bunt.
Lowell goes the other way, hit #3 on the day for the Sox. 1/2, two down.
Jeez, Varitek destroyed that ball, it’s too bad it probably hit someone near TWINS. Next pitch is a medium-solid flyball to Swisher. Inning over.
Mildly shocked that Lowell didn’t get to that, weird bounce or no.
And now Jeter reaches on a Lowell error. Ugh.
But Tex takes a monster swing on the first pitch and F9s. Oh good.
Joe Morgan basically taking credit for Pedroia, noting how he was the one who suggested that if Pedroia didn’t shorten his swing he wouldn’t succeed, and implies it was his swing advice that Pedroia took. Jeez.
Wow, late jump by Ellsbury, still safe stealing.
Pedroia grounds to third, Berroa with a terrible throw that Tex can’t dig out. Two men on.
Looks like a play that Tex should make, though it was a poor throw, but really a garden-variety shorthop for the first baseman. The vortex at the plate…
Jacoby distracting the whole Yankees infield except Jeter, according to Morgan.
Ells scores easily on a sac fly to left. Tied up!
Vortex lifts a flyball to left, Ellsbury tags up, tie ballgame. Good job by Ortiz not to try to bite off too much, goes with the pitch. It did look like a pitch he might have done better with, but a tie nonetheless.
Yeah, Tex should scoop that one, on the replay.
The sloppiness continues.
Yeah, they’re blaming it on a bad throw from Berroa, but it was playable.
Yet more fucking stupid baserunning from Pedroia? Argh.
Pedroia picked off. I honestly think Pettitte balks every single time, have for years. There are so many replays where it looks like he clearly breaks the plane, then goes to first. Have never figured out why he has established this as a legal move, but so it goes, people should know by now.
Well, it WAS a bad throw by Berroa, and definitely his error, but I bet Tex makes that scoop 8, probably 9 times out of ten.
Morgan: “Hitting 15-20 home runs does not make you a home run hitter.”
Okay.
I still can’t believe Morgan took credit for Pedroia,
Though he in no way encouraged him to try to steal bases, because after all if you are only 20/21 in that department, you cannot consider yourself a base stealer.
So far, gotta say I’m disappointed that this is the one game of the series I chose to watch. Guess there’s still time for the midges to arrive.
We also have not seen a Yanks win the last two nights.. ;)
Drew looking like crap, again. Though I’m not sure how the guys in the booth can say definitively that his mind is unfocused on the at bat.
Bay manages to steal – amazing jump there.
Whew.
“Drew looking like crap, again. Though I’m not sure how the guys in the booth can say definitively that his mind is unfocused on the at bat.”
Joe Morgan says a lot of crap he can’t substantiate.
Hah. And now they’re going on about bunting…
Pettitte running out of gas?
Another OF double for Papi.
2-1 Sox.
IBB to Youks.
Um, Nancy?
FUCKING. AWESOME.
JACOBY STEALS HOME!!!!
WOW!!!!!
Ellsbury looking very pleased with himself, as he should. I did not expect that, at all.
And Drew finally comes alive with a double.
Nice play but I disagree that it was a great (strategic) move. 2-1, bases loaded, and your #5 hitter up, cold or not.
Of course, I don’t know the percentage for successful home steals though, but I imagine it’s not a high percentage move..
We moved our daughter (2.2 yrs) out of a crib and into the same room as our son, she picked a fine time to wake up with a stuffy nose, disoriented. Just saw the replay, what a play by Ells!
Lar – yeah… I don’t care. It was awesome. :)
Lar: Jackie Robinson was, from what I can find, 19/31 stealing home, for a reference. You really need to catch someone sleeping to pull it off – just do the math of distances, pitch speed, etc.!
The best part of that home steal was Pettitte holding his fist up in full pump position as if he caught Ellsbury. Excellent.
No, I don’t disagree it was awesome, raised the energy of the stadium, etc, just that the announcers kept going on about it being a great move. It was a great _play_, but I don’t think it was wise strategy wise, even though it worked out. But it’s just my opinion anyhow, so don’t let me take away your fun!
I like Masterson a lot, and I wonder what happens to the rotation once (if?) Dice comes back, Smoltz is healthy, etc.
Oh, well I haven’t agreed with these announcers on anything tonight. :) I’m kind of curious about whose decision that play was – it doesn’t seem like it’s the team’s ‘style’, but they were oddly active on the basepaths tonight, so who knows.
I agree with SF that Masterson has been great. Any way we can bump Penny to the pen if we end up with too many SP? Not that I’m counting on that happening.
I give up. Uncle.
Okay, guys, we’re not the Angels.
when I turned on the radio (late because of my son’s soccer game), I thought Varitek was on base and couldn’t figure out why in hell he was trying to steal. Now I am wondering the same thing about Nick Green.
Nice 1-2-3 from Bowden. One thing I will agree with the announcers on – these things always end up a war of attrition. Glad we have some good spare parts!
Even quicker 1-2-3 for Melancon.
wtf? who is in right field?
Bowden is from near here, Aurora, Ill., which also is the home of Wayne Campbell.
Jesus Christ we suck…
It really feels like the 80’s again.
Hughes to pitch Tuesday in Detroit, eh?
Van Every moves into RF.
YES!!!
I’m sorry but who is Van Every? why have I never heard of this guy?
Sounds like it…I won’t be watching. This team is infuriating. I didn’t watch the game tonight, wanted to have a nice night. Just checked in a few minutes ago to see the carnage. I couldn’t stay away.
The Sox look fantastic…everything the Yankees aren’t. It’s going to be a long season again. No playoffs. I’m taking a week off from this sorry excuse for a team. They aren’t worth watching.
I don’t know that I’ve ever heard John Sterling sounding more deflated than he did after Ellsbury stole home.
Anyone who doesn’t think that was awesome probably would shrug at a triple play. C’mon, that is just about one of the coolest things you can ever see in baseball, wise move or not.
How pathetic do you have to be to have home stolen on you? Twice in the last two seasons? This team is an absolute joke.
Desperately trying not to make a joke about Jeter’s range right now…
Melancon … didn’t he used to be a goalie with the Quebec Nordiques?
Jonathan Van Every was with the Sox last year, he’s 29, originally a product of the Indians, played a few games in Boston in 08, started the year on the DL.
You’re thinking Mario Gosselin…
Krueg, the only thing anyone can say right now is that it’s early.
But there’s not much about your club to like. Nothing on the farm. The pitching basically stinks, especially the pen.
So … it’s early.
Not that you want comfort from a Sox fan.
The Yankees aren’t as bad as the Bulls-Celtics series.
Or Rollie Melanson. (however it’s spelled)
(NOTE: One of the more mind-bending comments I’ve heard yet from Sterling/Waldman came earlier in the game, when they suggested that the Sox must be regretting not getting Texeira as “protection” for Ortiz. Uhhhhmm, earth to the Yankees Radio Network: The guy behind Big Papi in the Boston lineup is hitting .439.)
Thanks for trying bro…
I don’t think I’m going to watch anymore games until ARod gets back, he’s so clutch and great that we should be fine when he gets back!!! (sarcasm)
4 months or so until football season…
Has anyone ever tried to steal home on Posada before?
Hud, I was listening to them last Saturday on XM during that, um, one game.
It was dreadful.
9-0 on the homestand. How sweep it is!
Krueg – not that this will be any comfort either, but just over a week ago the Sox were 2-7 (…ish, I’m too lazy to check) and I was ready to give up on the season. Now they look like world-beaters. Oh, and I recall about six recent seasons where the Sox killed the Yankees in April and lost the season series anyway. Baseball is funny like that.
Kreug- Step off the ledge buddy. The yanks could have easily taken 2 of these 3 games. The sox did their thing and won. They own the yankees in april over the last 15 years. The Yanks havent won a series in Fenway in april since 1995! They will hit their stride yet….
In hindsight, I wish PaulSF had ‘stealing home’ on his list.
We did get good starting pitching, at least…
I hear you Jackie…but you guys have heart, that and defense, pitching, clutch hitting etc. The Sox are superior in everyway.
Shoulda, coulda, woulda Sam, you know? It only makes it worse that they couldn’t close out the first two games in my opinion, not a positive. We always start out slow and it’s f-ing annoying. I realize we usually don’t start trying for whatever reason until June but this season feels a lot like last season already. Injuries are starting to pile up, no hitting with RISP, and horrendous pitching…I hope you are right my friend and I’m just overreacting.
In hindsight, I wish PaulSF had ‘stealing home’ on his list.
Me, too. If I had thought about it, I totally would have put it on there. Drat.
“The Sox are superior in everyway.”
I too am disappointed in the results of the past 3 games, but that’s a little extreme. I am on record as saying you never blame a season’s outcome on injuries, but let me say you blame a start or a series on injuries. Missing Nady and A-Rod are big, whether that’s easy to admit or not. A lineup that includes Berroa, Gardner AND Cabrera leaves you six viable offensive options, not the way you want to attack a good team like the Sox. Let A-Rod get back, let’s see if they make a move for another OF bat and let’s see what happens with Wang before we throw in the towel. The Yankees are a very good team, just give them some time. On paper excluding injuries they still match up very well with the Sox, let things play out first and see where we stand.
(Yes, I know the Sox are missing Lowrie/Lugo, but even with Varitek that lineup is very good and very healthy. One Nick Green does not outweigh a Cabrera/Gardner/Berroa issue.)
Yeah…but even with that being said, they have had their chances to win games and they don’t. Whether that’s because of horrible hitting with RISP or horrendous innings that blow leads or give away games early, they can’t get it together. Why can teams like the Sox get it together early but we never can?
Obviously it’s early, I know, but it feels like same old, same old.