The Yanks have played at top level the past two days, taking a pair of hard-fought, well-pitched games from the Sox’ top starters. Yesterday, Rocket gutted his way through 5 no-hit innings before David Ortiz put a definitive end to his bid with an upper-deck shot. By then the Yanks had a 3-0 lead on Josh Beckett, who was en route to giving up a career-high 13 hits, but showing his mettle by repeatedly striking his way out of trouble, and finding what he needed to keep the Sox in the game. Alex finally chased him with two outs in the seventh, with a line-shot home run to the left-field corner on a curveball falling out of the zone. It was a game outing. The Yanks got a solid inning of relief from the Viz, but Farns was up to his usual tricks, allowing a 2-run shot to Kevin Youkilis, and forcing Mo into a 4-out save. He accomplished this with apparent east, finally getting Dustin Pedroia to end the game on a comebacker, with Papi in the on-deck circle. Phew. Did we mention that Manny was dressed but sat out with a strained oblique? I’m sure that disappointed some of his hometown contingent. But it sure makes things easier. Elsewhere, the M’s lost again at the Angels, so the Yanks are in an essential tie for the WC. Tonight, the M’s play at Cleveland, and tomorrow in Toronto—that’s tough. Another promising matchup for baseball fans today in an afternoon Bronx start: Wang vs. Schilling. Yanks sure could use a sweep.
Onward & Upward
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A-Rod’s HR came with 2 outs in the 7th. Why the vaunted pen wasnt out there was beyond me but OK with me.
This would’ve been a lot sweeter if we didn’t lose 4 games last week somehow. Grumbles.
Whoops. Corrected. I think I meant after 6 2/3, and then wrote 2 out in the 6th.
this was mentioned late in last night’s game thread, but the Joba Rules might be adjusted.
http://tinyurl.com/2lhedb
hell of a game last night.
does anybody else feel a slugfest coming this afternoon?
Coming in to this I had three thoughts.
A sweep would be awesome, but no bloody likely.
Winning just one is fine by me and sort of the minimal goal.
Getting swept, although not a lot of fun, wouldn’t really bother me that much.
So all in all, I’m in the best mood I have ever been n after losing two to the Yankees.
It’s best, when calling people morons, to not write at a 2nd grade level. Friendly advice, buddy.
Some interesting stuff from Pete Abe worth mentioning, in particular a reminder that the season series is now at 7-7 with 5 to play. Game on!
Also, for all the michegas about Rocket’s salary, the team is 46-28 since his arrival. Pete notes Roger’s clubhouse presence as a factor in this, but I’d point to his stabilizing effect on the rotation. Quantifying his contribution is going to be impossible, and of course he’s got no share of detractors who will be quick to jump on his less than superstellar performance, but if the Yanks make the playoffs (and the team can take part in that cash bonanza), there’s a reasonable argument that his signing…..welll do the math. Anyway, we’re a long way from there.
Am I losing my mind, or are there only 4 left to play? Leaving the possibility of a season series tie?
Today, then the 3 in Boston? What am I missing?
“あなたのお父さんはだれであるか”
there it is.
(google + “free online translator”)
yeah… just 4 games. pete is just trying to help the bombers out. see if the sox would fall for a doubleheader… y’know… just sneak that in there on ’em.
worth a shot.
Hypothetical…
What happens if there is a dead tie between the two teams both in regular season record and season series? Does it go to runs scored? Or is do we get one of those wonderful one game playoffs for all the marbles?
i think we get a playoff.
i suggest a brawl. we’ve got farnsworth. i like our chances.
So all in all, I’m in the best mood I have ever been n after losing two to the Yankees.
So true, Lockland. I’m irritated, but not really as morose as I would have expected.
Sadly, I expect the sweep now. Last night’s matchup, on paper, was the Sox’ best chance to win.
your division lead is beyond safe. think of the 2 losses as an investment towards the (slight) possibility of an ALCS match up.
The worst thing about two Yankee wins is the trolls invade this site with force. Please don’t respond, as we’ll make sure to remove comments that are in violation of the YFSF code of conduct. It might just take us a little bit to notice.
Also, I’d urge folks to remember who our other trollish characters are and refrain from engaging them so as not to have the bitter and contentious threadjackings we’ve seen in the last few weeks.
Worm Killer Wang has averaged 5.8 IP per game with an ERA of 4.79.
– same unbiased source.
So, after teeing off on the luckiest man in baseball today, the only thing left will be looking forward to Farnsworth and Edwar Ramirez to finish it off.
Paul, you know who that is.
farnsworth shouldn’t be allowed into the stadium tonight, brad. i’d expect mr. chamberlain to make his scheduled appearance, though. maybe even to close the game out, after mo’s 2 consecutive nights of work. whether or not that inning or so will matter, well… we’ll see.
Brad are we talking still or have you given up on me in light of the babies name? LOL
I don’t get him. He throws so hard, hardest on the Yankee staff by far, and has a nasty slider. On the surface, he appears to be such a great addition to any bullpen, but in reality, he’s more harm than good. I never got it. Whatever it is, I’m pretty sure that he absolutely hates NY, which I’m sure is a mutual feeling.
I would imagine if the game required a closer for the Yanks it would be Vizcaino, but that’s just my feeling. Not sure Joe is ready to throw Joba right into that fire.
Honestly, Trisk, you deserve a hat-tip for naming your kid after your favorite player. Really, my all time favorite player was Pedro, and since I’m one thousand percent white, with another shot of whiteness, it doesn’t really work for me! ha.
Incidentally, referencing that earlier name thread, one of my best friends named his dog Damon — the very winter JD defected. I think he still has some anger issues toward that poor dog.
Meanwhile, I have a cat named Manny and a female dog named Poppy. :-D
Like I said earlier it’s a 50/50 chance, so it’s not a done deal yet, it could be a girl!
As for Farnsworth, I think his problem is that fastball. He uses it as a crutch, his slider is darn good but never throws it until he is ahead in the count. At one point last night he threw 4 fastballs in a row…even at 99 it becomes hittable when you see it that many times.
I hope, for the child’s sake, that it is born female. Really, I do. :)
Luckily I was at my most angry after the Damon single, and wisely avoided watching the game at any length after that, so that I was sad when they lost, but not angry.
I’m rather resigned to a sweep at this point myself. Oh well.
I was most angry at the “I love Roger Clemens” calls at the plate. Those high and away balls were not only balls, but were definitely not being given to the bump mate.
I hate the veteran call. It’s so stupid.
I naming my first son Kyle
hey, paul…
if you didn’t try that website i offered up here yesterday, don’t bother. the download sent off all kinds of spyware alerts. after i turned off my filters to install it (i really wanted to watch that game), i couldn’t get it to work anyway.
if you did try it, i hope your computer is alright.
sorry if i got your hopes up.
When Giambi made that grab at the start of the game, a grab that good 1st basemen some times won’t get to, let alone that big lug, I thought that the game could be trouble.
I have a Mac, YFiB, so it didn’t even come close to working… It’s OK. I wasn’t going to be able to watch much of it anyway.
Ha, Lockland.
As soon as he did that, then stood up to get to the bag, my friend Randy’s girlfriend, who knows nothing about baseball at all (other than she has to come to my house to watch it thirty or so times a year so Randy can get home afterwards) said the following:
“has he been sick? He looks like he’s lost so much weight this year” followed closely by “who freaking sweats that much?”
Judging from this site lately, any Yankee win is aided by biased strike calls. Newsflash: Yankee Stadium is a Questec stadium – the umps tend to be more, not less tight in their strike zone calls in those stadiums. Early in the season it seemed the Yankees were victimzed multiple (verifiable) times on bad calls at second (Yankees who were called out but on replay were clearly safe and opposing runners who were clearly out but called safe). These things do tend to even out. I find the strike zone complaining funny. You ahd your supposed Cy Young baby on the mound and while he pitched OK, he did not dominate by any stretch – most hits of the season for him let alone the 4 ERs – just accept it.
Balls and strikes even out over the season.
Beckett giving up 13 hits was not a product of a tighter zone, more like a high level of comfort of the yankee hitters against him.
I believe the comment that would be seen shoud a YF complain about something similar would be “Would you like some whine with that cheese?”
Agreed Sam – I wasn’t suggesting a causal link betwen the zone and the hits – just pointing out that the zone wasn’t the problem and that the real problem was that Clemens out-pitched Beckett and Francona forgot he has a bullpen. By the way, having not followed the RS much until this series, when is the last time Okajima and/or Gagne pitched? I was surprised to see neither last night and very surprised to see Beckett come back in after narrowly squeaking by the bases loaded jam in the 6th.
Supposed Cy Young baby? Really, IH? The guy has had a great year, and the fact that he gave up a slew of hits to NY, of all teams, tarnishes that to the point that you belittle him by calling him a baby?
Again, I accept the fact that he did not pitch great, but he did pitch well enough considering who he’s facing. When that lineup is hitting, as they were last night, there is no pitcher in the league who doesnt give up three or four runs to them. And, if you think Roger (and sometimes Beckett) wasn’t getting a huge zone last night, you weren’t paying attention to where the pitches were. I’m not saying that it was the reason for the game, or even an excuse for Roger pitching well, but it annoys me when it happens is all. I know full well that Roger had his best game in years last night, and kudos to him for stepping up.
I guess Beckett is only supposedly good this year since he wasn’t on last night.
“He accomplished this with apparent east…”
I’m guessing Farnsworth graded more towards the “west” end of things.
Is this some kind of ‘east side/west side’ jab?
Wrote this in the “Fair and Balanced” thread, but wanted to mention it here too: anyone see Manny could be out for about a week to 10 days? In the bostonherald.com sports section.