August 2010
Things Are Looking Up
Well, they were never really looking down. I mean the Yankees have been in first place for awhile now, but after tonight’s win they’re all alone at the top. Plus, most of the players’ ailing body parts are better.
Berkman’s ankle: Healed.
A-Rod’s calf: Probably fine.
Pettitte’s groin: Getting there.
Aceves’s back: Sounds okay.
Johnson’s wrist: Never mind.
Anyhow, Tex, Swisher, Posada stayed hot at the plate, and Granderson joined the party. Jeter? Am I the only one who thinks he’s not having a good time this season? He’s making the plays at short as gracefully as ever, but he’s missing that spark and I’m wondering if there’s something going on in his personal life. Or maybe he just needs a prescription for this.
As for Huuuughes, he got the “W,” thanks to his teammates’ offensive barrage, but it pains me to see him walk batters and pile up a lot of pitches. Doesn’t he remember that nibbling gets people in trouble?
Vazquez As Mop Up Man
He was good and Moseley was not, so why not use him in a game with a big lead? He was effective and held the A’s in check to get the win. Should he be put back in the rotation? I don’t know. I still don’t trust him. The person I do trust lately is Thames. My God, the guy has turned into a bona fide slugger.
Swisher and Tex had hot bats too, and while Jeter continues to look schlubby at the plate his defense sparkled tonight.
But I need to change the subject. Sure, it’s great that we won the series opener, but could we talk about the weather for a sec? I’m going to the game on Friday – my first trip to the Stadium this year. Nova will be pitching and I have nice seats, and I’m really looking forward to it. There’s just one hitch.
Earl. Category 4. Possible landfall on the East Coast on Friday. Will it land in the Bronx? Please no.
Let’s Hear It For Nova!
The kid pitched like he’s been in the majors for much longer than a week, didn’t he? I was really impressed with how he handled the White Sox today. And thanks to the good news about Pettitte’s latest bullpen session, I’m starting to feel better about the rotation. Well, a little better. We didn’t get much offense going after yesterday’s bat fest, but Thames kept on bashing the ball and Cervelli had a welcome burst of production. Even without Tex and A-Rod in the lineup, this team managed to eek out the series anyway. Clap clap clap for that.
Back to Nova, I’m wondering if the Yankees have “Nova Rules” in place, like they did for Joba and do for Huuughes, and if so what they are. Here are my guesses:
#1) Nova can’t stay out later than midnight.
#2) Nova must avoid alcoholic beverages, strip clubs and other paths of ruination.
#3) Nova has a calories limit, but the exact number isn’t being announced.
#4) Nova can watch television, but only “Yankeeographies” and ABC Family.
#5) Nova may not inject himself or anyone else with B-12 shots but is permitted to squirt people with this.
A Wild One But I’ll Take It
Sure, I would have preferred that CC had his best stuff tonight. I would have liked it if the bullpen hadn’t turned the game into an adventure, too. But the bats were flying in the Windy City.
How cool was it to see Nunez hit his first major league homer and then knock in four RBIs total? And Thames continues to batter lefties and Swisher loves showing off for his old team/manager and Posada keeps on proving he’s still the best offensive catcher around. What a turnaround from last night’s fiasco. Naturally, there had to be another injury though. Tex’s thumb? I mean, come on. It better be just a busted nail or something.
Anyhow, this was a huge win to keep us tied with the Rays, and it’ll be up to young Ivan Nova to reassure me that our starting rotation isn’t completely messed up.
Speaking of young, I spent the afternoon at my mother’s where “family day” included my little great-nephew Evan. He marched in wearing his Yankees backpack and proceeded to entertain everybody with his antics. Only when I asked him to talk about the Yanks on the She-Fan Cam did he get a little shy…like for a second.
I Tried To Help The Yankees, I Really Did.
Last night I posted that A.J. would throw a no-hitter. I was trying to be positive. I failed. Instead of a no-hitter, he threw a no-outer, as in he couldn’t last more than the blink of an eye before giving up nine runs. I didn’t see the game. I was enjoying myself at a friend’s house, having dinner and talking about things other than baseball. It was about halfway into the grilled lamb and roasted potatoes that I got up to check my phone and saw the score. I’m lucky I kept my food down.
What is there to say about the state of the Yankees’ starting rotation? It’s a mess. I don’t want to think about it, so I’m going to bed hoping I don’t have nightmares about Cashman going in search of Sidney Ponson, Chase Wright and other rejects.
Daydreaming About Tomorrow Night’s Game
With way too much time on my hands this off-day, I let my mind drift. That’s what vacations are for, right? Anyhow, I started to imagine all the excellent things that could happen during Friday night’s series opener against the White Sox. Here are a few.
So Much For That Game, Eh?
OK, so it was Vernon Wells’ turn to have a big night for the Blue Jays. Fine. Marcus Thames had one for the Yankees. The problem was Huuuughes. He just couldn’t put hitters away. With two strikes they kept fouling off his pitches and driving up his pitch count and necessitating way too many mound conferences with Posada. What a frustrating game, particularly since the Rays lost and we could have gained ground.
The larger issue is our rotation. Who’s in it? Seriously. With Huuuughes nearing his innings limit (whatever the mystery number is) and Vazquez having been banished to the pen and Andy getting his groin healed and not due back until mid-September at the earliest, are we really prepared to move forward with CC, AJ, Moseley and Nova? Is it too late to get him?
Oh, wait. He’s not in Canada anymore. And, fortunately, neither are the Yankees.
Yankees Mash
I love it when we score a lot of runs. I love it even more when it’s against the Blue Jays, who have become one of my least favorite teams. And I especially love it when we get good starting pitching as we did tonight with Moseley. What an onslaught by JoPo, Tex, Grandy, Thames, etc etc. I just hope Swisher will be OK. That foul ball off his leg hurt me almost as much as it must have hurt him.
Before the game I went roaming around in New Milford, CT, in search of Yankee fans (or at least somebody who would talk about the Yankees). My first stop was the Big Y Supermarket to get the scoop (pun intended) on Turkey Hill Yankees ice cream versus Hood Red Sox ice cream. Take a look.
Next came a trip to the Big Y Pharmacy, where I spotted a Yankees cap on a shelf – right next to a Red Sox cap. What was that about? I figured I should ask.
I can’t wait until tomorrow so I can bother more unsuspecting people on my summer vacation.
We Were Robbed!
Yes, the home plate ump had a bizarre strike zone. And yes, Morrow was very good. And yes, we only lost to the Jays by a run in a game we should have won off their bullpen. But I’m talking about getting robbed by Girardi and his quick hook.
I really wanted to see more of Ivan Nova, and Joe pulled him after only 73 pitches. I felt deprived!
Not only was the kid fun to watch (after that hairy first inning), but he showed some serious attitude in the exchange with Bautista, and I would have LOVED to see what might have happened during his next at bat.
Instead, we had to witness Bow-tista taking a six-hour bow around the bases after he homered against Robertson, not to mention his fist pump in Cervelli’s face as he crossed home plate. What a creep.
Cano = MVP
Let the campaign begin.
There was a time not too long ago (last season, as a matter of fact) when I would hide my eyes whenever Cano came up with men on base. He disappointed me a lot in those situations. Now? Not so much. His six RBIs today in the Yankees’ 10-0 thrashing of the Mariners were a snapshot of his 2010. He’s become the player everyone hoped he’d become. Why is this his year? My Top Five Reasons:
#1) Melky was shipped out of town.
#2) Hitting in the five spot behind A-Rod (or at cleanup in place of A-Rod) is a nice gig.
#3) He got a taste of winning a World Championship and liked it.
#4) He has his own bobblehead doll now.
#5) He’s just really, really good.
And to think..a few years ago I was among the chorus of fans who contemplated trading him. I should be ashamed, and I am.
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