Saturday, June 30, 2007

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!

Get this, Monday in a tie game that the Yankees absolutely needed to win Torre won't use Mariano Rivera in the 9th. BUT TONIGHT, with the Yankees down 4-0 he brings Mariano in in the 8th. Someone please, please stop this man now.

I'm too depressed to keep writing.

Wheres Mo?

"Torre couldn't do the Magic Eye posters either"

We here at 26goingon27 have unearthed a fact about baseball that Joe Torre may be interested in. Evidently, if you are the away team and the score is tied in the bottom of the 9th or any inning after that and the other team scores, you lose. You would think that as a major league manager Joe Torre would understand this, he doesn't. It is the only possible explanation for his refusal to use Mariano Rivera, aka the best reliever on the planet, in Saturday and Monday's losses. Torre already cost the Yanks a game in the 2004 World Series, remember when he went to the immortal Jeff Weaver instead of Mo, and he still hasn't learned.

Then again maybe he knows and doesn't care. After all Joe Torre also thinks Miguel Cairo should start at first base.

Friday, June 22, 2007

Another reason to hate Coors

"The Yanks, feeling the vibe of Coors, decided follow in its footsteps and end up down the toilet at the end of the night."

OUCH! Three games, three losses, a total of five runs scored and three decent pitching performances wasted. To make matters worse, the Yankees are back at .500 and Boston’s lead is once again in double digits.

There are a couple of different ways to look at this Colorado swoon, the truth is, if you weren’t giving up on the Yankees after the Mets series, there’s no need to abandon ship now. A couple of years ago I was at a Yankees – White Sox game. It was during the first few weeks of the season, and was one of Javier Vazquez’s first starts for the Yankees. I don’t recall the exact score (and am too lazy to go to Retrosheet.org right now), but in the 9th the Yanks were losing 7-4, or something like that. Most of the fans had hung around because it was a beautiful night and it was only 3 runs that needed to be made up. Tony Clark was leading off the ninth and promptly flied out, immediately the flood gates opened with fans flocking for the subway. Suddenly the guy in front of me stands and yells “OH, so Tony Clark makes an out and now everyone’s leaving!” The point is this, the Yankees were probably going to lose before Tony Clark made that first out, so if you had hope that they could come back in the 9th, there odds of doing so had only marginally decreased from what was already a tough task. The same could be said of this sweep, if you really think the Yankees are going to make the playoffs, this is only a temporary setback.

On the other hand…

The Yankees simply cannot afford to get swept by anyone. The Bombers are 10.5 behind Boston and 6.5 out of the Wild Card. The Red Sox, Tigers, and Indians are all better than the Yankees this year. Even teams that are not better than the Yankees, Angels, Atheltics and Mariners I’m looking at you, have better records. What the Yankees need is a sustained winning streak combined with a sustained losing streak by some of those teams – something that is simply not very bloody likely.

Here’s what has to happen for the Yankees to really have a chance at the Wild Card.

  1. Finish the 1st half on an positive note. This is going to require playing very well for the next 6 games, 3 against San Francisco and 3 against Baltimore, because they then play 3 against Oakland, 4 against the Twins, and 3 against the Angels.
  2. Immediately after the All-Star Break, the Yanks need to go on a tear. They open the second half with 4 against Tampa Bay, 4 against Toronto, 3 more against Tampa Bay, 4 against the Kansas City, 3 against Baltimore, 3 against Chicago, another 3 against Kansas City. This is a great stretch to make up ground, the Yankees simply must do so during this time. The end of August is nasty – 3 against Cleveland, 7 games against Detroit, another 3 against Anaheim, and 3 against Boston.
  3. Plug the hole at 1B. Look there’s a giant fucking problem when a team’s payroll is close to $200,000,000 and the manager is plugging in the following names at 1b – Doug Mientkiewdaklfjdakl;fjd; Josh Phelps, Miguel Cairo (even his supercharged form), Johnny Damon, and Andy Phillips. Sure, our anonymous poster will be excited that Doug M is coming back in the second half, but those of us who can read the back of a baseball card understand that Doug’s comeback is not a good thing. It is disgraceful how much trouble the Bombers have had filling this position. Combined with the double whammy of having Jason Giambi out, thus robbing the team of a DH as well, there are two major holes in the lineup. While I would cut off my right toe to get Mark Teixeira (though not if we have to give up Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy, or Joba Chamberlian), I just don’t see it happening. Adam Dunn on the other hand would be a substantial improvement over our anemic first sackers. (Before you post, Anonymous, I know Adam Dunn strikes out a lot, but we’ll take all those homers over Cairo’s infield singles.)
  4. Figure out what to do with Johnny Damon – he’s killing us. The guy can’t play the field and can’t swing the bat, which means he either needs to be put on the DL or released. I’m not advocating releasing him, but a nice long stay on the DL so that he can get healthy sounds appropriate. (For the record, I think it is beyond pathetic when players put themselves above the team by trying to maintain their consecutive game streak or their never having been on the DL streak. Seriously, do these guys think they’re helping the team by limping out on the field, grounding out to the pitcher and sitting down. I mean sure Lou Gehrig and Cal Ripken had some days where the manager helped them keep their streaks going, but that was Lou FREAKIN’ Gehrig and Cal Ripken! Not Johnny and Miguel Tejada. While I’m ranting, even Ripken was no Gehrig – look at the stats. If you hit like Gehrig you can play every single game and never go on the Disabled List – otherwise not a chance.)
  5. Paging Kevin Long, as hitting instructor it is your duty to explain to Melky Cabrera that pitches three feet over his head are very difficult to hit. While you’re at it Mr. Long, it might be time to teach Robinson Cano that there’s no rule in baseball that you have to swing at the first pitch.
  6. Pray Phil Hughes comes back soon.
  7. Someone other than Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and A-God needs to step up on a consistent basis. Both Bobby Abreu and Hideki Matsui are showing signs of life, but if those top three don’t hit, the Yankees lose. It would be nice if Robinson Cano, or Damon (after he returns from the DL) or Melky or the void at first base could actually contribute.
  8. Hope that Kei Igawa doesn’t implode tonight.

Monday, June 18, 2007

For $80?!?!

"Bleacher creatures and fans in the outfield, get your gloves ready...he's baaaaaaaack."

Gettin' Ready for Kei

"Ron Guidry limbers up for Kei Igawa's return to the big leagues."

Tazmiguien Devil

When asked to comment, Cairo could only mutter, "So, tired. So, very tired."

We here at 26goingon27 want to personally thank the demon that is currently possessing Miguel Cairo's body and making him resemble a major league ball player. Demon, we hope you never leave.

Monday, June 11, 2007

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test

"This is your brain"


"...This is your brain on drugs, any questions?"

Welcome Back, Bobby!

April - 91 AB/ 1 HR/13 RBI/ 2 2B/ 19 R/ .360 OBP/ .308 SLG/ .253 BA
May - 106 AB/ 1 HR/ 9 RBI/ 4 2B/ 13 R/ .267 OBP/ .274 SLG/ .208 BA
June - 38 AB/ 1 HR/ 9 RBI/ 6 2B/ 14 R/ .604 OBP/ .789 SLG/ .500 BA


The real Bobby Abreu has resurfaced in June. In 38 at bats we've seen the on base - doubles machine that we know Abreu really is. Abreu's June rate stats, OBP/SLB/BA, off the charts in June. Even better, in his first 197 at bats he hit 6 doubles, in his last 38 at bats he's hit 6 doubles. Topping that, in June he's already matched his May total for RBIs with 9. It is about time the real Bobby Abreu has shown up.

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

In an Otherwise Dismal Season

"The new faces of Yankees starting pitching"


In an otherwise dismal season, a ray of hope has been the Yankee pitching prospects. Notably, in the forms of Phil Hughes and Tyler Clippard; however, even having the Funcrusher himself Matt DeSalvo pitch is cause for optimism. Putting the team’s best arms forward, let’s consider the emergence of Hughes and Clippard. Both are under 23, have prospered in the minors, have plus stuff (Hughes clearly having plusser stuff), and have pitched well in the majors (Hughes pitching weller). (Okay, I promise, I’ll stop trying to write like Yogi Berra talks starting now).

Last night, Clippard improved his record to 3-1 against the Chicago White Sox, by throwing 5 solid innings, giving up 5 hits, 3 walks, but striking out 4 and only giving up 1 run. A pretty good case could be made that Clippard should have gone another inning because he had only thrown 89 pitches, but Joe Torre is intent on making every reliever pitch until their arms fall off. We can probably cue up Brian Bruney and Scott Proctor as the latest winners of Torre’s quest to leave no reliever’s shoulder or elbow unscarred. Still, Clippard is young and an argument can be made that he should be kept on a strict pitch count. Regardless of his usage, Clippard’s record, 3-1, and ERA, 3.60, both bode well for the future. Even when you consider that Clippard’s numbers for the year, 20 innings pitched, 18 hits, 11 walks, while striking out 14, aren’t really in line with his won/loss record. For Clippard to stick, he’s going to have to whittle those walks down, but his strikeout rate is acceptable and should get better as he matures. I don’t think it is a stretch to say that he projects as a solid 3 or 4, maybe even a number 2 pitcher down the line.

Phil Hughes of course is the anointed one and his second start indicated why. Although Hughes’ coronation has been somewhat delayed by two leg injuries, a hamstring pull and a sprained ankle, neither are cause for real concern. Hughes’ arm is fine and his leg injuries are of the flukish – one off nature, not the kind that tend to haunt a player. Perhaps the time off will be a blessing in disguise, saving his arm for the long haul.

In addition to the nearly dynamic duo of Hughes and Clippard, Matt DeSalvo also made his debut this season. Unfortunately, after two decent starts against Seattle, it became apparent that DeSalvo was not the third jewel in the Yankees pitching crown, but the Funcrusher Plus. DeSalvo never really projected as a plus prospect, he doesn’t throw hard, he was undrafted out of college, and at 27 he’s old for a prospect. To make matters worse, his pitches have the deadly (for the pitcher) combination of not causing hitters to swing while too often missing the strike zone all together or ending up as fly balls. That combination is very tough for any pitcher to overcome. However, there is an upside to learning that DeSalvo can wreck any winning streak. The upside is that the Yankees know what they have and what they’re dealing with. This knowledge is invaluable. Teams’ often overrate prospects, refusing to trade them or counting on them heavily in their future planning only to learn that they lack the ability to get major league hitters out on a consistent basis. Knowing who you cannot build around can be just as useful as learning that Clippard and Hughes can be built around.

In addition to Clippard and Hughes, there are other bright young spots in the Yankee organization. The Yanks have seen that Darrel Rasner and Jeff Karstens might just make it as 4 or 5/mop up men. Guys like Rasner and Karstens are useful; it is a lot better on the bottom line to pay them, than to pay Jaret Wright or Kei Igawa for similar or worse performances. Additionally, Ian Kennedy, the Yanks number pick last year, dominated single A ball and is already on his way to double A. While other prospects have shown promise.

Interestingly, despite all the negative attention the Yankee’s pitching has gotten this year, it is the part of the team most set for the coming years. Going into 2008, the Yankees should have Phil Hughes, Tyler Clippard and Chien Ming Wang slotted into the rotation. Additionally, it is clear that Andy Pettitte’s option is a no brainer to be picked up and Mike Mussina is solid as long as he’s not being counted on as the ace. Is it John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine circa 1996? No, but it could be one of the better staffs in baseball. Plus, with guys like Rasner and Karstens, Kennedy and the slew of young arms Brian Cashman has stockpiled, there’s depth in case of an injury. This should be the first off-season where the Yankees aren’t desperate to sign an arm. Which is a good thing, because the future of the offense is suddenly looking very shaky, but more on that another time.

Tuesday, June 5, 2007

Giambi, Sheffield, Mientkeiwicz, Phelps...

Well, with Miguel Cairo playing first nothing can go wrong.

HOLY CRAP - JOE MORGAN GOT SOMETHING RIGHT

Morgan on why the A-Rod "Ha" play was no big deal.
"The real reason is money. Public, players alike have been jealous that he got that big contract. He's been a target since that happened. I've stated before that it wasn't out of line what he did. We've seen runners hesitate when there's a grounder in front of them to distract the fielder. We have so many things that are more obvious than what A-Rod did. I said on the air the other day - if Eckstein had made that play, everyone would have said what a smart play. It was a bad play by the third baseman, he should have caught that ball."

Sunday, June 3, 2007

A Thin Ray of Hope

"What the outfield wall looks like to us and what it looks like to Bobby Abreu"

Yes, yesterday was awful. Watching the seventh inning felt like getting kicked in the groin while someone sprays lemon juice into your eyes. Oh, and Roger Clemens is hurt, that is the kick in the shins as you lay on the ground recovering from the groin shot. Oh well, at least Doug M. is out for a bit.

Despite being 13.5 games out, despite being 7 games under .500, despite being 1 game out of last, there is a thin ray of hope for the Yankees. After tonight, the Yankees schedule gets remarkably easier. Check out the rest of June (records in parenthesis):
4 games against the White Sox (25-26)
3 games against the Pirates (24-31)
3 games against the Diamondbacks (33-24)
3 games against the Mets (35-19)
3 games against the Rockies (26-30)
3 games against the Giants (26-28)
3 games against the Orioles (27-29)
3 games against the Athletics (27-27)

Thats a total of 25 games, 19 of which are against teams who are .500 or worse, and 15 of which are against National League teams.
There is no reason the Yanks can't win 17 of those 25 games, in truth, they are capable of winning 20 or more out of those 25 games. A month like that can certainly turn a season around. Of course the downside of playing like a little league team for the first two months of the season is the following: the Yanks absolutely cannot afford to win less than 17 of those games, because if they do, they'll still be below .500 going into July.
This is the real test of whether the Yanks can turn this season around. Hopefully they will.

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Scotty-P

"No one told Scott Proctor Yanks don't throw at batters."