Results tagged ‘ Jorge Posada ’
Eat Pray Yankees
Dinner, a movie and baseball. Not a bad triple header for me tonight. Started off at a cute Italian place called Lucia in New Milford, CT, where the spaghetti bolognese looked very much like the meal Julia Roberts kept having in “Eat Pray Love.”
Next came the movie itself. I didn’t love it (the book was way better), but the shots of pasta, pizza and Javier Bardem were enough to keep me interested.
I made it out of the theater and back to the house just in time for the last three innings. Very happy we won, naturally, but so relieved that AJ pitched well. Eight strikeouts! Only two walks! Does this mean September is his month? Or was tonight an anomaly? I guess we’ll find out when he makes his next start. Meanwhile, the bullpen continued to roll and Mo was his athletic self, snaring that grounder and making a perfect throw to first. Jorge didn’t need to get tossed, but at least we had Moeller as backup.
Personally, I love when JoPo loses it. No, not in that situation – it was dumb – but I do get a kick out of his fiery personality.
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?
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.
Never Mind What I Said Yesterday
Today’s game reminded me why baseball can be so frustrating. Way too many if only’s. Way too many missed opportunities. Way too many of these.
Huuuughes was great after a shaky start, but Lester was better. Still, the Yankees were in it until the bitter end and could have/should have launched a come-from-behind victory.
In the “if only” category:
Marcus Thames’ ball that almost went over the wall for a homer.
Austin Kearns’ screamer that went foul.
Gardner’s failure to steal after being inserted as a pinch runner for A-Rod.
In the “missed opportunities” category:
Granderson’s K with bases loaded.
Swisher’s three Ks.
Berkman’s pop-up as a pinch hitter. (Back came the boos.)
An overall 0-for-9 with RISP.
In the just-plain “suckitude” category:
Posada’s throws to second base. Can he please not catch three games in a row?
Was there good news today? Sure. The pitching was stellar, even if Joba did get slider happy in the ninth. And Swisher and Kearns made terrific catches. But mostly, I turned off the TV and felt like cleaning the house, just to blow off steam.
Speaking of blowing off steam, did everyone read about the Jet Blue flight attendant who flipped out at JFK?
I’m flying Jet Blue into Kennedy on Friday night for the start of my vacation back east. If that guy had been on my flight, I would have whipped out the She-Fan Cam, gotten him on video and posted it here. But not to worry. I’ll be bringing the Cam with me, just in case.
Singing in the Rain
It wasn’t raining here in Santa Barbara, but I sang while it rained in the Bronx. Why?
* Because the Yanks jumped out to a 4-0 lead over the Royals in the first.
* Because A.J. threw five shutout innings before the storm blew in.
* Because Cano is so damn good this year with runners on base.
* Because Jorge knocked in his 1,000th career RBI.
* Because A-Rod, while unable to hit #600, helped the team anyway.
* Because Colin Curtis got the start in right field.
* Because we won the game and only had to use Chad and Alby in relief.
* Because Swisher claims he hurt his Achilles while he slept, and there has to be more to that story.
* Because when we play the Royals there’s always a chance that I’ll see Farnsy again.
Tonight’s Game: Weird But Entertaining
Q: How often does CC get pounded with singles?
A: Hardly ever.
Q: How many times has Jeter hit an inside-the-parker?
A: Only once before.
Q: Did I expect to see Wilson Betemit be a candidate for “Player of the Game?”
A: Not in my lifetime.
Q: Did Posada make two bonehead throws tonight?
A: Uh-huh.
Q: Did Dave Robertson perform another Houdini act?
A: He did.
Q: Did Joba load the bases and give fans another heart attack?
A: He did.
Q: Did the Yankees score 10 runs for the second day in a row?
A: They did.
Q: Did A-Rod inch closer to #600?
A: He did.
Q: Did the umpires make some bizarre calls?
A: What else is new.
I could go on, but the main thing is the Yankees won the series opener against the Royals. And speaking of the umpiring, did anyone see clips from the O’s-Twins game? The hapless O’s got a raw deal on a call at first, and Ty Wigginton went so nuts his manager had to choke him.
And could someone explain how Carl Pavano and his porn star mustache have 12 wins? And is there any way the Yankees could ask for their money back?
This Was a Game Even Yankee Haters Could Love (Maybe)
I mean, seriously. Talk about a happy ending. After memorable tributes to Steinbrenner and Sheppard (such a nice touch dispensing with the player introductions), the Yankees somehow found a way to win one for The Boss. It just took awhile. The Rays had the lead. Then the Yankees tied it up. Then the Rays got the lead back. Then the Yankees tied it up. The script was practically written for Jeter to send the winning run home in the bottom of the ninth, but it was Swisher who played the hero and it was Granderson’s nifty slide at the plate that made a winner of Mo and took CC off the hook for the loss. What more could George ask for – his boys snuffed out the Rays at home in a tight contest.
There were some funky moments though – from A-Rod’s error and subsequent near decapitation by that splintered bat, to Swisher’s adventure in right field after Upton and Kapler had made incredible catches. And CC wasn’t at his sharpest. But high points included the back-to-back homers by Cano and Posada when it finally looked like Shields was tiring, and an outstanding relief performance by Robertson. Oh, and there was Mo’s pickoff of Upton; he made it look effortless. Somewhere, George is smiling.
At the Break: My State of the Universe Address
On the eve of the All Star break, I thought it was the perfect time to assess the state of the Yankees Universe and discuss what needs to be done to insure a successful second half. Here goes…
“With the best record in baseball, the Yankees are already on a pace to win it all – again.”
“Our starting rotation is strong, Cliff Lee or no Cliff Lee.”
“The Captain is perking up at the plate. He just has to stop swinging at first pitches.”
“Swisher is a better #2 than Nick Johnson ever would have been.”
“Tex is finally heating up – for real – and his defense has been outstanding.”
“A-Rod keeps knocking in runs. And HR #600 will quickly lead to #601, #602, #603, etc.”
“Is there really anything Robinson Cano can’t do this season?”
“Having Posada healthy means that Cervelli can go back to being a good backup.”
“Granderson has been somewhat disappointing so far at the plate. More productivity would go a long way toward making people stop wishing AJax would suddenly re-appear.”
“Marcus Thames isn’t useless after all. It turns out he’s a decent DH/pinch hitter.”
“Brett Gardner is the most exciting Yankee in years. He has to keep getting on base though.”
“Mo is Mo – a precious asset never to be taken for granted.”
“Dave Robertson has pitched better lately, but more consistency would be helpful.”
“Chan Ho Park is OK for one inning maybe – but that is all.”
“Damaso Marte doesn’t scare me as much as he did early in the season.”
“Joba….Well, if Joe keeps running him out there in the 8th I’ll need a defibrillator. He must be fixed or I won’t make it through the rest of the season.”
“Chad Gaudin is not Alfredo Aceves. Alfredo Aceves is no longer Alfredo Aceves. Therefore, we need a better long man.”
“We need another reliable arm out of the pen, period – someone not named Jonathan Albaladejo.”
“We need a bat off the bench. I love Ramiro Pena and Colin Curtis, but are they the players I want to see pinch hitting in a big game? Nah.”
“We need better communication between the Yankees and the media when it comes to player injuries. No more ‘Yes, he’s hurt. No, he’s not hurt.’ Just tell us.”
“It’s not necessary to have the grounds crew dance to ‘YMCA’ anymore. It really isn’t.”
“Where’s Hank Steinbrenner? And why isn’t he firing off Steinbrennerisms this year?”
“Why can’t YES re-hire David Cone and phase out John ‘the Snooze’ Flaherty?”
“We need to keep Dave Eiland from ever leaving the team again.”
“And finally, there should be more Yankees merchandise for she-fans – from Yankees lipstick to Yankees nail polish (the same color Jorge wears) and especially Yankees hair products. I mean, who wouldn’t want pinstriped hair?”
That concludes my address. God Bless America and God Bless the New York Yankees.
Thanks, Sun
For the second day in a row, a Jays outfielder lost a ball in the sun and the Yankees benefitted in a big way. The official scorer ruled that Gardner’s shot to center that deflected off Wise’s glove was an inside-the-park homer, which didn’t make sense but was fine with me. What really cheered me was that we tied the score at 5-5 on a day when Huuuughes didn’t have it. Whew.
I had a feeling we’d win this one, despite the roller-coaster nature of it. Even after three Yankees were thrown out at the plate, even after Mo blew the save (I hate typing those words), even after Dave Robertson gave up a hit and two walks, I sensed victory. What I didn’t expect was that the hero would be Marcus Thames, literally fresh off the DL.
The Yankees haven’t had a lot of walkoffs this season, but Thames has seen his share of shaving cream. Don’t you love the pleasure A.J. seems to take in smearing his victims?
What I don’t love is that Posada got hurt again. I don’t remember a season when so many players either fouled a ball off their feet/legs or catchers got nailed in the hand/fingers. All I can say is get well soon, Jorge, because we already DFA-ed Chad Moeller.
P.S. Here are a couple of photos from today’s game, sent to me by Friend of the Blog John, also known as ooaooa. First up is John, his wife, his cousin and Michael Kay. Second one is a shot of the championship trophies that were on display in honor of Steinbrenner’s birthday. If anyone else is at a game and wants to contribute pics, by all means send them along.
CC Keeps Rolling
The Mariners had their aces for the first two games in this series. Today we had ours out there for the finale. CC didn’t pitch a completo (who needs that – we have Mo), but he went eight innings and looked dominant for most of them. Not sure where Posada’s head was during that passed ball.
But A-Rod picked his teammates up with the homer. What a difference between the un-clutchy Al and the Al who’s emerged in the last year to come up in big situations and either tie the game or put the team ahead. Whatever it was that turned things around for him, I hope it continues. Nice win, boys.
mlblogsjaneheller
Recent Comments