Kicking the soft underbelly of the National League over the weekend was a boost to the spirits, but now the Yankees will face a much more potent test from the senior circuit as Cy Young-winner Brandon Webb (6-3, 92 I, 3.13 ERA, 1.261 WHIP) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (37-27, 1st place NL West) battle with the Bombers tonight at The Stadium. It’s sinkerball city as the Yankees, who look to reach .500 for the first time since May 9th, entrust their fortunes to Chien-Ming Wang (5-4, 62.7 I, 3.73 ERA, 1.229 WHIP). Wang threw the first and only complete game of the season by a Yankee pitcher so far in his last start, a one-run, five-hit, four-k, one-walk gem against the White Sox. The snakes are 10-3 in games that Webb has started, and he’s won his last three starts, striking out an average of slightly better than one batter per inning while allowing only two runs over those 22 innings.
Bobby Abreu has 19 hits and 10 walks in 48 plate appearances since June 1st.
Lineups:
| Arizona Diamondbacks | |
| Chris Young, cf | .216/.303/.344 |
| Stephen Drew, ss | .240/.302/.346 |
| Orlando Hudson, 2b | .291/.372/.462 |
| Eric Byrnes, lf | .319/.379/.518 |
| Chad Tracy, dh | .299/.384/.486 |
| Tony Clark, 1b | .226/.287/.500 |
| Mark Reynolds, 3b | .318/.379/.576 |
| Carlos Quentin, rf | .217/.305/.375 |
| Chris Snyder, c | .216/.303/.344 |
| Brandon Webb, rhp | 6-3, 3.13 |
| New York Yankees | |
| Johnny Damon, dh | .264/.358/.363 |
| Derek Jeter, ss | .329/.407/.451 |
| Bobby Abreu, rf | .272/.364/.370 |
| Alex Rodriguez, 3b | .304/.407/.674 |
| Jorge Posada, c | .358/.413/.567 |
| Hideki Matsui, lf | .282/.364/.459 |
| Robinson Cano, 2b | .269/.308/.419 |
| Melky Cabrrera, cf | .257/.319/.363 |
| Miguel Cairo, 1b | .225/.273/.250 |
| Chien-Ming Wang, rhp | 5-4, 3.73 |
Yikes, it’s like the Dbacks have Lugo-Coco hitting 1-2…
I know Miggy’s made a few impressive plays in the field, and, yeah, a couple of hits, but i don’t know how this team can live with .225/.273/.250 at first base. Cash has to be able to do better than that.
Except Young and Drew actually get on base more than 30 percent of the time…
snakes hate rain.
looks like at least another hour of rain on the radar.
Boy this team is going to be good for a long time to come.
As for the Yankees, let’s keep it going boys. It’s going to be a tough week!
I was referring to the D’Backs. Sorry. Quentin, Young, Drew, Reynolds, Jackson, that’s a pretty impressive core group all kids!
I agree with you John, the DBacks look tough in a bunch of different ways. A resurgent Randy really pisses me off too, for no particularly rational reason. At least he helped out with the Sox.
John, you’re right about the D-Backs. They’re just such a well-run organization right now and there’s a lot in the pipeline. Kind of wished we got more for the Big Unit at this point.
Ugh, it is _pouring_ in the city. Rivers flowing down streets, literally.
Stopped raining here in Jersey.
I can’t stand Big Unit, I am going to the game tomorrow night and hoped he would be on the hill. I had my THANKS FOR NOTHING UNIT sign all set to go. Come to find out he didn’t even make the trip to NY, shocker. Only Kevin Brown could get me more angry in his return. Uggh those two make my blood boil.
Kevin Brown = He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. Ugh.
I think rain might be slowing up here (upper east side)…hopefully game start is not far behind!
Whee, baseball about to commence!!
Tarp’s off. Game on. Johnny got a hair cut. Looks like a Jake Ryan, Sixteen Candles sort of ‘do. And that’s your report from this week’s edition of 80’s TigerBeat.
I’m so bored.
Not on dad duty tonight, Gerb?
Wang starts with a fastball strike.
Not at the moment. This is one of two nights a week where I’m sort of free, as much as you can be as a pop.
Young singles to right. I really thought Wang had his number in that AB.
DBacks make me nervous. Maybe I’m still traumatized over ’01…
Me too, YM. Me too. Mother-@&%*$)# snakes.
Uh oh.
A generous plate on the 1-0 yields a wide strike to Hudson after a pop to right from Drew (Stephen, not Slug). Wang’s holding Young close to the sack. A foul makes it 1-2. The next pitch is chopped foul behind first. Another 1-2: inside. Deuces: Young is running; Hudson grounds it up the third base line and Young is on third after the single. Trouble early.
Sorry, but the D’backs road unis look like they all work table service at a rib-joint chain. I like mine Memphis style, please.
I want my diamondback diamondback diamondback….ribs.
Mmm. Ribs.
All hail Wormkiller Wang!!
After a pop behind the plate to put away Byrnes, Wang finally finds the groundball he’s been looking for as Tracy grounds out 4-3 to end the top of one. No score. *whew*
Where all the YFs at? Jumping off the bandwagon already?
Damon groundball.. he’s on first after the E4 (throw).
Gamers have been lonely lately, YM. Unfortunately, I’ve got to go soon.
I am sure everyone will come back once the Yankees are in sniffing distance.
We deserted our game threads last September. Lost causes aren’t fun to liveblog. Luckily for YFs, the Yankees fell miles behind early enough to come back.
Webb is coming inside on Jeter, setting him up for the sinker. The 3-0 is called a strike. Looked borderline in low. The 3-1 is grounded to left for a single; Drew was moving towards second as Damon was running, otherwise DP; Damon’s on third for Abreu with no outs.
BOBBY!!!
Bobby takes the first pitch for a strike on the inside high corner, and then launches the next pitch into the right-field seats to give the Yankees a 3-0 lead. Wow.
Webb pwns ARod for the first out.
You’re probably right, SF. But the Sox gamers have been quieter than usual too….maybe the nice weather is driving folks away from computers? The horror…
Jorge grounds out 53 on a high throw from Reynolds that Clark brings back down.
Tony Clark looks like the sort of guy you could vote for.
VERY wide plate to ring up Matsui looking. Don’t like that call much. No sir.
End of 1: Snakes 0, Jacksons 3.
Lucky for the Snakes that Tony is so tall…That throw would’ve headed into the 10th row otherwise.
Sorry fellas I am back, I didn’t fall off the bandwagon.
Wang needs to be conservative with the pitches this inning.
ym: yes, he’s had to field a couple of really awkward throws already.
YF’s, any interest in Dunn for 1B? Apparently he’s on the market and has played a little 1B in the past. (Not a fan myself, but wanted to see what you guys thought)
Gameday says it was a strike, Gerb. As long as our guy gets the same K-zone, it’s OK by me.
John, well that’s good. Now you won’t have to turn in your secret decoder ring.
Wang gives up a single to Reynolds, who strokes one to center on a 1-2. Speaking of conservative, he’s been getting ahead on batters and then giving up singles when ahead. I’m worried.
His pitch selection with 2 strikes needs to improve, you are 100% right AG.
No score after 2, but man, Wang’s pitch count is soaring. He’s gotta settle down, otherwise he’s not long for this game. I’m also worried about the Yankee offense – after the Abreu HR, they’ve gone down on something like 12 pitches.
Melky tries to bonk himself with an awkward bat toss. Funny.
Trisk, I’m not a huge fan of Dunn but he sure beats having Cairo out there every day. Depends on what the asking price is, I guess.
Justin Verlander with a no-no into the 7th in Detroit.
Where is O’Neill these two are killing me!
I’m also worried about the Yankee offense – after the Abreu HR, they’ve gone down on something like 12 pitches.
Take what you can get. You could be watching the Sox’ offense…
I’m a Leiter fan myself, but yeah Kay+Flaherty=painful. I miss Jim Kaat.
Michael Kay could force a 27 year old into retirement, he’s so painful.
I think the Reds GM is Wayne Krivsky right? After all those awful trades he has made, we should low ball him and see what happens. I know they want pitching. Maybe Matt DeSalvo and Chase Wright for Dunn. That deal I would sign up for! LOL.
Tru dat, SF. Wake looks awesome though.
Flash is too dry for me. I don’t mind Kay. I like Leiter and O’Neill.
Regarding Dunn: He’s durable, he’s relatively agile, strikeout king, he knocks the snot out of the ball. Interesting idea. I would have to look up some stuff.
Wow: _great_ stab by Miggy.
Wow, nice snag by Cairo.
Honestly (and I’m in the minority on this, I know) I kinda liked Minky at 1B…and yes, I know he’s a sucky hitter. I can’t help it!
As long as they keep winning YM I wouldn’t care if Posh Spice or Sporty Spice were our 1st baseman!
John: you don’t mind Kay? OMF WTF. sorry. I just watched a tmobile ad and was in that mindset after your post. :) IF he had insight, I *might* get over the fact he has one of the most grating voices I’ve heard, _ever_ on play-by-play.
I do like Leiter and O’Neill.
Well, you are in a minority of at least two, YM, because I loved the way Doug covered his corner, and I can specifically remember three plays where he saved an error with his (legit) golden glove. Maybe it’s because I feel deprived of watching a *real* fielder play the bag at first for so long regarding the Yanks.
Singleton, O’Neill, Leiter. I would take tht every night. But if Kay has to be in the threesome or twosome, then so be it. He is annoying, but there are worse. (See Joe Morgan, Tim McCarver, Joe Buck and Jon Miller)
You and me, Gerb. We should start a Dougie M. fanclub or something.
Tie game in Boston. Me likey. 1-2-3 inning for Webb. Me no likey.
But Miller is the only one you named out of those four that calls the game instead of providing commentary.
Miggy fields an off throw from Jeter on a routine grounder and saves an E6 with a sweep tag. Doug who? Miggy hits better, as hard as that is to believe. gerbil shifts his mindset.
The best game to watch for me was against the O’s when Singleton somehow ended up having to do the game by himself. Makes me dream of VIn Scully.
Whoa, what a moonshot by Tracy. Solo job, thankfully.
I just get the feeling from Miller that he is high and mighty. I remember he used to call him Ruuu-Ben Sierra, used to drive me crazy. Maybe I have the issue, LOL.
> Vin Scully
I imagine a day when the Yanks fork dollars to draw Costas to do play by play. I still have a dream.
Okay, gotta ride my bike. Enjoy the game folks.
I like Miller, but the way he over-dramatizes every play is sort of annoying.
Have fun, Gerb!
Verlander facing Hardy with two down in the ninth.
First pitch is a strike.
Second pitch is a strike, foul ball.
Third pitch is fouled off.
Fourth pitch is hit to Ordonez, NONO for Verlander!!!
Verlander no-hits the Brew Crew. Niiiiice.
SF: jinx!
That should disprove the jinx. I alerted our readership to the no-hitter (and called it a “no-no”) in the seventh.
I think the jinx only works if it involves a team you root for/against.
Yes, but I was rooting for the Tigers. They are the first line of defense against the Yankees.
Or, rather, the second line of defense.
Good point, SF…Good point. Although I’d say they’re more like 3rd line of defense, second being the (Hell’s) Angels, of course.
Come on, guy with a girl’s name for a last name…
CMW definitely settled down after the rough early innings. Unfortunately, so has Webb.
This is so annoying, why couldn’t you guys just keep sucking? I mean, I know it was a tall order, a little too much to expect considering the roster you have, but still, it would have been nice.
Hahahaha. There’s still plenty of time in this game. Like, for example, ARod getting picked off. Blargh.
Time for a Wang special (DP, nothing dirty).
I miss Tony Clark…
;-)
Why does Snyder get first base on that HBP? He made NO effort to get out of the way, in fact, it seemed the opposite. This is undercalled, as far as I am concerned.
Solid play by Jeter (somehow turned “outstanding” by Michael Kay) saves a run and a bigger rally. Tough break for Young.
No DP, but Wang gets out of it with a couple of lazy flyballs and a line drive caught by DJ, sandwiched around a single and a HBP. And sure, it was a nice leap-n’-grab by Jeter, but outstanding? I think not.
SF,
The only time I remember it being called recently was when Minky almost lost a kneecap and didn’t get the HBP even though he made more of an effort than Snyder, for sure – was it in a Sox game?
SF: TOTALLY agree. And to expand on that, I truly, madly, deeply miss the days when a brush-back was considered a potent part of a pitcher’s arsenal, not an invitation to riot. It sometimes makes me angry, and occasionally makes me furious that the inside pitch has been gradually removed from the game. I like to look at that HBP like I did when Don Baylor would crowd and take one off the arm regularly without complaint, and I really enjoy reminiscing Pedro buzzing guys and genuinely installing FEAR, but I look at what happened to the Cubs with Ted Lilly and that PATHETIC ejection when he hit Renteria on the hands on Sunday and despair. http://www.firejimwolf.com; I should snag that URL
Wow, what a fantastic play by Hudson…and awful baserunning by the Yankees, but Matsui scores to make it 4-1.
Gerb, may I suggest snagging http://www.firebudselig.com and going from there?…
Oh dear God. It’s Farnsworth in for Wang.
Farns gives up a double on a really tough pitch to hit, low away.
Like I was saying…
Farns’ velocity is down this year. I wonder why? And it’s not like he’s got better command now….in fact it’s worse. I hope Cashman can unload him at the deadline.
Whew. Abreu took a weird route to Clark’s flyball, but it’s good for the 3rd out. Farns strands 2.
Yanks go quietly in their half of the 8th. On to the 9th and Mo.
Ah, yet another flashback to the DBacks pulling it out against Mariano in ’01. Must they keep replaying it?
Wheeee, .500 at last!!! Welcome to mediocrity, folks! Now, let’s just pretend the first third of the season never happened and put the pedal to the metal.
sf, that was better than a “solid” play by jeter…kay didn’t oversell it…you’re flashing your jeter-hate again…
any list of nominees for bad announcers have to include dandy don orsillo, and tom caron [really not an announcer, i think he’s referred to as a “studio host”]…geez, between caron’s shameless homerism and orsillo’s giddy school-girl giggling, they are unwatchable…thank God for remy….
.500 indeed. and upward.
Eh, it was hit right at Jeter. That’s a play he SHOULD make.
Lucky for Wang all those hard-hit balls were hard-hit right at guys.