I distinctly remember hearing the chant “Yankees suck” and disagreeing with it. Now...not so much.

To the Yankees:"Do not go gentle into that good night.”

Congratulations Larry!

Do you have enough access at the stadiums yet to nail Torre with a tranquilizer dart and then rewrite the lineup?

I don’t think i can watch today.

Bedard vs this lineup… it’s a mortal lock for loss number 39. It’ll be a very good night if they manage a single base hit this evening. This is what it’s come down to…

From the last time I saw Bedard, he’s got a tendency to try to get too fine with his pitching, and will walk a bunch of guys with two outs.

I was so worried that Torre might play Philips versus the lefty instead of my mainest man Miggy.  I mean without Arod and Miggy driving runs in where would we be?

Melky just hit a home run into the left-centerfield seats in batting practice and walked out of the cage with is arms raised like he’d just won a game.  I’m guess he doesn’t hit many BP homers…

The Cairo obsession is dumb, and bad for the team.

And what have the recent bench coaches added? As I posted three years or so ago, Zimmer may have been the brains behind the throne. Certainly Girardi, Mazzilli and Mattingly have added nothing, so it appears to me. At least Zimmer, brimming with input and ideas, crazy as many may have been, made Torre think. Does anyone get the feeling that Mattingly is regularly offering Torre options, or anything much at all, during the game? Your green tea, Joe. Thanks Donny.

Last night the Yanks were hitting a lot of line drives and grounders in BP, they seem to be hitting a lot of bombs today.  That could be a positive sign.

Larry, grasping at straws. But then we need something.

or tilting at windmills

Just ran into John Sterling.

I’ve been out of the loop the past couple of days, so maybe I missed it..  What happened to Abreu hitting #3 infront of A-Rod?  When the Yanks got hot, that is all Suzyn Waldman would talk about.  “Alex loves Abreu hitting in front of him” yadda yadda..

"I’ve been out of the loop the past couple of days, so maybe I missed it..  What happened to Abreu hitting #3 infront of A-Rod?”

I think that bunt (if you missed it, Abreu bunted in an extra innings tie game with a runner on first and no one out, the lead runner got nailed, Yanks didn’t score, and eventually lost) really pissed Joe off.

I can’t believe they’re paying me to watch Roger Clemens pitch.  This is awesome.

Well, Clemens and Bedard are in the outfield warming up, so I’m out.  I’ll be back if there’s a rain delay.

Good luck, Larry.

OK, Melky and Cano are playing long toss down the third base line.  Cano is standing 30 feet behind home plate, Cabrera is standing on the warning track.

They’re hitting each other on the fly.

Amazing.

I really need to learn how to throw.  Damon’s arm makes mine look like a slinky.  I’m confident in having strength to be above softball-league average throwing, but my performance is terrible.

Well, gameday’s pretty cool - plenty of data.

What do they do when the pitch is miscalled by the umpire?  Put the pitch on the nearest point on the strike zone?

4 outs 4 ks for the Bombers

from Rob Neyer’s Blog:

“I’m 100 percent sure that Joe Torre is trying to win.

Well, maybe 99 percent sure. I know just enough about quantum physics to know I can’t be 100 percent sure about anything.

But I’m 99 percent sure that Torre is trying to win. After all, someday he’s going to be elected to the Hall of Fame as a manager, and there aren’t many Hall of Fame managers who weren’t really, really trying to win.

You had to wonder last night, though. You had to wonder, while watching Scott Proctor walk home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, with Mariano Rivera never having thrown a single pitch in the game.

As a friend wrote me last night, a few seconds after Corey Patterson trotted home with that winning run:

‘It’s just insane. There is no logical reason why, facing a situation WHERE YOU CANNOT GIVE UP A RUN, OR YOU LOSE (and fall two games under .500), you would choose Proctor over Rivera. This is managing to a statistic—the save—rather than to win. According to Torre’s logic, you use Proctor when you simply can’t give up a run, and you use Rivera when you can. Absurd.’

Indeed. I’ve been harping on this since (at least) Game 4 of the 2003 World Series, when the Yankees lost a 12-inning game and Rivera never left the bullpen. But Torre keeps making the same mistake, over and over and over again.

Last Saturday in San Francisco, the Yankees lost a 13-inning game. Rivera never left the bullpen. In fact, every relief pitcher pitched except the Yankees’ best relief pitcher.

Granted, Rivera had thrown 20 pitches the night before. So we’ll cut Torre some slack there. But last night? Rivera hadn’t pitched at all since that 20-pitch outing last Friday. Last night he was as well-rested as you’d ever want your closer to be. No slack on this one.

In Torre’s autobiography he wrote, “I’m more concerned about winning the game than trying to cover my butt.”

Really, Joe? Next time you’re on the road and the game’s tied in the ninth, prove it.”

What are the chances that Pettite gets so pissed off this year that he doesn’t exercise his option to pitch next year and walks?

Pretty agile for a fat old guy.

"What are the chances that Pettite gets so pissed off this year that he doesn’t exercise his option to pitch next year and walks?”

The chances are big

Cano swung and missed to the first 2 pitches off the strike zone and stared at strike 3.

Cairo should take 3 pitches when the count is 3-0

Damon sucks. The HR last night was a fluke.

The gameday pic of Clemens makes him look like he needs more fiber in his diet.

If a pitch is called a strike, we mark it in the zone.  If it’s a ball, it’s out of the zone.

We don’t show up the umps.  Ever.

Francona went to Paplebon with one out in the bottom of the ninth with the game tied because there were runners on the corners.  It seems he understands.

Does MASN have an interview every inning?  I don’t give a fuck about hearing the cliches their manager is going to give them, so why the hell do they force us to listen to a couple bimbos blather on the whole half inning?

the fucking sox have a manager.

"We don’t show up the umps.  Ever.”

I guess that’s the spirit of the game.

So it seems like every out A-Rod makes is a K or a groundout to third (or a deep fly, but ok).  Is there any significance to the latter?

I dunno, I mean, weren’t we asking Torre to go to Rivera to START the ninth?

So it’s not like Francona didn’t start the inning without using his best reliever.

He just was smarter than Torre in WHEN to go to his best reliever.

Man, Bedard is really sneaky with those.... fastballs down the middle? Are you fucking kidding me?

That was down the pipe Jorge

I meant to say “smarter than Torre in that he actually WENT to his best reliever after initially screwing up and not doing so.”

Meanwhile, the Yankees are just absolutely excrutiating to watch right now.

It’s funny, I honestly enjoyed it more when they could hit but couldn’t pitch, as the pitching problems at least made sense (rookies and injuries).

There is no reason, even with the Giambi and Damon injury, that the Yankees can’t score more runs.

Rivera has pitched so little this season, and the Yankees’ situation is so desperate that it makes Torre’s usage pattern all the more inexcusable.

So… if Matsui didn’t break his wrist on that play last year, then he probably dives for that, right?

A real left fielder catches that one.

^ Yes.

Most likely, j, yeah.

Why is Andy Phillips on this roster? In what situation does he play?

My yes was in response to #41.

Melky gave Abreu the finger on that to make sure he stayed away.

Phillips was probably called up because they knew Torre was going to foolishly never play Phelps, so they thought that Phillips, who is a good defender at first, would sort of force Torre to use his better bat than Cairo, because if Cairo is not the only good defender at first, then there’s no reason to start him over the better hitter, right?

However logical that seems, Torre determined that he still likes Cairo better.

So lame.

Melky is the CF we should have caught that ball yesterady. Wasn’t Abreu’s fault at all.

By the way, almost all of us understood that Giambi’s absence had NOTHING to do with the win streak.

However, a lot of the media types did, so they better effin’ not use “there’s no Giambi” as an excuse for the Yankees’ crappy hitting.

Clemens is on pace to pitch 8 scoreless innings. WE NEED IT ROCKET!

Matsuzaka is pitching like an ace now.

It’s hilarious that giving up A RUN for a Yankee pitcher is “oh fuck, we’re screwed.”

Ree-donk-you-lus.

WHAT??? REALLY???

Cano walks.. oh my god.

In Joe’s defense, he gave Phillips one full game to hit and he didn’t. I mean, what do you want from him?

Did Cano really just work a walk after being down 0-2?  Way to clear the pitcher’s spot!

I love this idiot out of town announcers who know why the Yankees are struggling.

“With Giambi out, Cairo has had to take over at 1B.”

In Joe’s defense, he gave Phillips one full game to hit and he didn’t. I mean, what do you want from him?

And, hilariously enough, that is almost certainly how Torre looks at it.

“I GAVE him a shot! He’s now dead to me!”

The Sox dropped their 3rd straight.

Now MASN is interviewing Daniel Cabrera and had to cut away from this game to give us highlights of his fucking AB in interleague.  This is the worst channel I’ve had to watch a game on.  By far.

highlights of his fucking AB

Which weren’t even highlights.. they were shots of him looking at strike 3.

You know, as bad as the Yankees lineup is, I’m looking at teams like the Mariners or the Orioles or the Athletics - the Yankees should be scoring more runs than these teams!

John Sterling just said, I swear to God, that Shea Hillenbrand would be a good addition to the Yankees because he’s had a great OBP “always.”

*boggle*

Clemens is going to K this chump, the Yanks are going to score 10 runs in the 6th and we’re going to go on to win the division. You heard it hear first!

Is the new Die Hard movie out yet?

Wishful thinking

John Sterling just said, I swear to God, that Shea Hillenbrand would be a good addition to the Yankees because he’s had a great OBP “always.”

patterson gets some cheapass hits. why can’t we do that?

Sox lose.

John Sterling just said, I swear to God, that Shea Hillenbrand would be a good addition to the Yankees because he’s had a great OBP “always.”

*boggle*

I just checked. Did you remember that Hillenbrand has played in TWO freakin’ All-Star games?!?!

Talk about boggling the mind.

I wish to note that, while I don’t dig the guy that much, Clemens is amazing.

To pitch this well at his age...it is staggering.

And the Yankees can’t give him any fucking run support.

Ree-dunk-you-lus.

I want Damon to take 3 strikes on 3-0

Take the payoff John

You know what I’d like, if Abreu isn’t going to bat third?

Just move everyone up one spot.

How cool would it be to have A-Rod bat behind Jeter and before Posada?

The team’s three good hitters {GASP!} batting back-to-back-to-back!?!? NONSENSE!

At least Bedard has 88 pitches now.

ITS FUCKING UNBELIEVABLE THAT MATSUI GOT A GREEN LIGHT ON 3-0.

TORRE MUST BE FIRED.

Brian, I was thinking the same thing. It seems like Torre is still holding out for the real Matsui and Abreu to show up. The Jeter-ARod-Posada-Matsui combo should be able to score some runs.

Okay, this obviously pisses me off, but I get a SLIGHT tinge of happiness of seeing how devastated Sterling is by all this.

HOW THE FUCK CAN YOU GIVE MATSUI THE GREEN LIGHT ON 3-0 AHEAD OF AROD!! DIE YOU FUCKERS

91 pitches

haha, dakranker and I with eerily similar posts.

When Matsui POPPED UP on a 3-0 pitch, with only the best hitter in baseball on deck, you could just tell that Sterling was sooo disgusted. It was awesome.

oh jesus fucking christ, now what?

Melky almost did his inside the park homerun thing..

It would be great if the yanks could put up 20 or 30 runs in the next inning.

WHERE THE FUCK WAS THAT PITCH?

Melky almost did his inside the park homerun thing..

If he was a mortal kombat character, that would be his special move.

Melky deffense hasn’t been good lately. He has no value anymore.

THERE GOES THE SEASON.

Cement Shoes advertised by Jeter

Game over.

Ah, one run. An insurmountable lead.

I can only imagine what Clemens must be thinking. And I bet it is unpleasant.

Guidry sort of sucks as a pitching coach.

AWESOME!

i was thinking in the beginning of the game that huff’s stats suck, but it just made him seem all the more due

That is pretty hilariously awful.

Anything good on TV tonight?

Cutter, mind if I cut in on the liveblog? I’m listening to this monstrosity anyhow....

Ron “White Flag” Villone warming.

It’s interesting to note how much run support can really affect pitchers.

To wit, with run support - would Clemens even still be in the game to give up that home run?

Same with Pettitte’s meltdown in Colorado last week. If the Yanks had scored runs for Pettitte, no way would he be in to self-destruct in the late innings.

It just seems so unfair for these guys to be losing these games because they don’t want to leave the game with the Yankees not scoring (this game is probably the worst example, though, as Clemens really ought to give them at least six).

It probably balances out over the long haul, so I’m most likely just letting my anecdotal evidence totally trick myself, but it does seem like a factor.

i don’t even feel that usual anger or need to blame or anything. it’s just very sad.. i want to watch fun baseball. i feel sad for these shmoes. they are making themselves look so silly. roger gives up a bunch of dribblers and then that. but i think if we get on the board he probably hunkers down a little more. what a shame.

Tabata and Jackson homered for Tampa.  That’s good.

And Jeter almost fucks up another routine groundball.  It’s bad enough he’s a statue out there, this year he’s sucked on errors, too.

It’s unbelievable how bad this team can play. How did this team win 9 in a row?

Anyone else notice that Loney is on fire? I’d like him rather than Teixiera.

Cutter, mind if I cut in on the liveblog? I’m listening to this monstrosity anyhow....

Of course not.  Go ahead. I’m already working on something witty and derisive for tomorrow’s post…

Okay, this is weird—this entry isn’t showing up under “Most Recent Weblog Entries.” *confused*

Anyone else notice that Loney is on fire? I’d like him rather than Teixiera.

But the Dodgers aren’t selling.  They have a shot at October.

Abraham:

UPDATE, 8:56 p.m.: Could help be on the way? The Angels told Shea Hillenbrand tonight that he will be DFA’d on Friday. He could be a Yankee by the weekend.

what a fucking doodie pie.

bedard with a grand slam lead is even more of a pain in the ass.

It’s absurd it took LA so long to make Loney their everyday first baseman.

If the Yankees had him, though, Torre would still start Cairo.

Okay, this is weird—this entry isn’t showing up under “Most Recent Weblog Entries.” *confused*

Hold on....lemme see wuzzup.

I think Abraham is using the term “help” extreeeeeeeeemely loosely.

What’s up with Bradley? I see that a deal to the Royals fell through because he was hurt. He would fit in well with the Yankees. He and Damon could take turns at being the hurt CF playing DH!

This team will be suck to watch even more if we get Hillenbrand.  It’s bad enough that he sucks, but he’s one of the biggest jackasses in the game.  I’d rather start Enrique Wilson at 1B.

Try now, Keith.

Got it.

Yup, Hillenbrand’s arrival would not reflect well on Cashman.

I cant believe the Red Sox got swept by Seattle and the Yankees aren’t even going to gain any ground. Well, I guess they gained a half game on Monday. bleh

Yup, Hillenbrand’s arrival would not reflect well on Cashman.

I’m not a believer, but how the hell can we play Cairo at 1B, be interested in Hillenbrand, call Phillips back up to the majors, and not even consider Shelley Duncan?  He most likely does suck, but the first two guys have proven they do and Phillips didn’t do anything to change that opinion last year.  It’s not like Teixeira is just going to fall in our laps.  Might as well see if you can get a Spencer ‘98 or something out of Duncan.

Bruney is good when he throws strikes.

I’m not a believer, but how the hell can we play Cairo at 1B, be interested in Hillenbrand, call Phillips back up to the majors, and not even consider Shelley Duncan?  He most likely does suck, but the first two guys have proven they do and Phillips didn’t do anything to change that opinion last year.  It’s not like Teixeira is just going to fall in our laps.  Might as well see if you can get a Spencer ‘98 or something out of Duncan.

And Britton and Ramirez have pitched effectively at SWB, but can’t get a shot even though several members of the pen have ineffective.

Something is terribly wrong.

I am no Hillenbrand fan.. but would you rather keep running Cairo out there? Hillenbrand will provide more offense than Cairo.

Ah, one run. An insurmountable lead.

Never mind a one run lead. A 0-0 game against a good pitcher seems insurmountable these days. I’m genuinely surprised when they score.

As for Hillenbrand, could it be any more of a “who cares” type of move? It makes me sick thinking of that guy wearing pinstripes...then again it’s no less appetizing than Abreu at this point.

At least the Yankees will get a crack at Chris “Walk Off Homer” Ray.

I am no Hillenbrand fan.. but would you rather keep running Cairo out there? Hillenbrand will provide more offense than Cairo.

Ignoring his personality, I’d prefer him.  But I’d also prefer Phillips or Duncan get the chance to prove they suck while we see what else becomes available.

Hillenbrand will provide more offense than Cairo.

There are amoeba on Saturn who can provide more offense than Cairo. That’s hardly saying anything…

If Torre doesn’t pinch hit for Cairo coming up, then what the hell.  I mean, at least give Phillips that shot you were talking about a little while ago.

As someone who considers consistently playing Cairo at first base a good enough reason to fire any manager in the game, I would rather have Cairo at first then Shea on the team.

Why do you suck Cano

That looked gone off the bat. This game sucks ass.

What a bunch of eunuchs.

Keith, fix the title.

Whoops. Fixed. Stupid Firefox.

Too bad. If Phillips ball had gone out at least the 9th would be worth watching. What an embarrassment the Yankees are.

I sure am glad Mo was saved for this game.

This is lunacy. Whoever said Mo would pitch if the Yanks were up big or down big was right.  He’s too precious to pitch in the 9th last night but he can throw tonight?

Torre is senile. Seriously.

w00t!! MO IN FOR THE HIGH LEVERAGE APPEARANCE!

Fire Torre now. Fire him now.

I seem to remember someone writing that Mo would get in the game today with the Yanks either up or down 5 runs.  Dead wrong.  It’s only 4.

Yeah, this is much better use of Mo.  Brilliant.

Jesus, just let me manage the Yankees for christ’s sake.

CF Melky
SS Jeter
3B ARod
C Posada
LF Bradley
DH Matsui
RF Abreu
2B Cano
1B Phillips

That line up is better offensively and defensively than what we’re running out there now.  DL Damon and hope that he and Giambi come back with a vengeance.

That was far more useful to have in today’s game that it would have been in yesterday’s game.

And if the Yankees sign Hillenbrand, I will actively root for them to lose every game he plays in.  I can’t stand him, and he sucks.

Isn’t the definition of insanity doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time?

Baserunners…

Alright let’s fucking go. make this interesting at least, douches

Matsui should bunt here.

"That line up is better offensively and defensively than what we’re running out there now.”

If we’re going to do crazy things like maximize efficiency in the Yankee lineup, might as well put Cairo at SS and Jeter at first.

BTW, in case anyone hasn’t read the latest on Giambi. From Rotoworld:

“Foot specialist Dr. William Hamilton examined Jason Giambi last week and said there wasn’t any change in the torn tendon in his left foot.

“He didn’t have any tests and he is still in the boot,” general manager Brian Cashman said.”

I believe it’s taken from the Post a few days ago.

Sounds to me like Giambi’s done for the year.

Please Jorge.. PLEASE

hey chad, balk for a second will ya?

Ouch.

Posada was walking back to the dugout before that pitch hit the glove. Dammit.

"true yankee” time baby!

Abreu walks. Cano homers.

It could happen.

I wouldn’t pick up Abreu’s option even if he didn’t make another out this season.

This just in… we suck.

it’s annoying that they’re gonna show the matsui yankeeography now, with all the highlights and whatnots. it’ll just make me more angry and confused at our present state. they should replace 2/3rds of this roster with snowmen made of shit.

When the Yanks had their nine game winning streak, every said it was only because they were playing bad teams.  Now they’re playing bad teams and they can’t even win.

They’re looking at a 1-8 road trip against three crappy teams.

"they should replace 2/3rds of this roster with snowmen made of shit.”

Best suggestion I have seen all season.

I wouldn’t pick up Abreu’s option even if he didn’t make another out this season.

Me either.  Even if you stick Kevin Thompson out there, the difference between him and Abreu isn’t $16 million.

As awful as this is, they’re still 8 out in the Wild Card.

Would anyone REALLY count them out if that was 5 at the All-Star Break?

That’s why I am willing to stick with them until it’s 10 out in the Wild Card (unless, of course, however unlikely, they hit 10 out in the Wild Card at the same time they are under 10 in the division).

They’re 8 out in the wild card, but they’re behind a lot of teams that are going to be playing each other. 

The problem with that is, you aren’t going to be able to pick up ground that easily, because when one team ahead of you loses, it likely means another one wins.

I guess it’s time for another playoff odds projection.

To be fair, from my perspective, Bedard was incredibly nasty tonight.  The only thing I can really blame them about was that they started to become less patient after the first couple of innings, even though it was still 0-0.  If they’d worked the pitch count a little more, they could have gotten into the bullpen earlier—and Baltimore’s bullpen will give up runs if you face them enough.

that’s agreed larry. i just wonder, because cabrera can also be incredibly nasty, and even if he walks someone every inning, i just don’t have confidence they can necessarily score those guys. he almost no hit us last year.

let’s hope he goes down with some gout and bruce chen has to fill in.

has anybody seen the lottery ad where the shmo buys and starts playing for the baseball team and the manager’s taking questions from the press? is joe starting to remind anybody else of that guy?

Torre: “There are no pieces that we are going to replace out there. The guys who are out there are going to have to get it done.”

Cairo can’t be replaced? WTF?

Why Hillenbrand?
1B with .275 OBP and 3HR? He really sucks

Said last off season that I would not pick up Abreu’s option for 2008.

i would really consider playing phillips more for awhile. he’s got solid D, more power when he makes contact and most of all- well you couldn’t do much worse now could you? give his crippled mom something to smile about. in fact… have HER replace cairo

Said last off season that I would not pick up Abreu’s option for 2008.

NOone wanted them to pick up Abreu’s option before first seeing what kind of year he had in 2007, Don.

I mean, if you had said something like “We shouldn’t trade Sheffield. He is bound to have a great year next year, and we will need a DH because someone is bound to get hurt,” then sure, I’d praise the heck out of your precognition.

But Abreu’s 2008 option? That’s a bit of a reach.

And SG, there is no doubt that the Yankees are in huge trouble, playoff-wise, even if they cut the Wild Card lead, due to all the teams ahead of them.

Just saying that with the (relatively) reasonable lead at the moment, I am not ready to count them out just yet.

You’re darn tootin’ I’m just about ready to, though!

Brian -173- What the heck are you yammering about? Abreu cannot play the OF, his numbers were already declining when he came to the Yankees. See, some guys want to be right later on, I wasn’t afraid to say no to Abreu early on. That’s all. Thanks, Brian, for adding nothing. And for telling us that even the WC is slipping away. Duh!

Don, you’re asking for people to give you credit for saying you wanted to decline Abreu’s 2008 option last year.

That is a silly thing to ask for credit for, as there were a great number of people saying they wanted to decline Abreu’s 2008 option.

It would be akin to asking for credit for saying last year, “Hey, I think the Yankees should try to get A-Rod to agree to an extension!”

Generally, if you ask for credit for making a prediction, it helps if the prediction you made was something unique, or else, why bother asking for the credit?

"Would anyone REALLY count them out if that was 5 at the All-Star Break?”

Yes.