Am I the only one who found Joe Girardi’s ejection routine extremely satisfying? It felt right: emphatic, exaggerated, and earnest, yet still not quite a Lou Pinella or Phil Wellman level of silliness. I enjoyed it thoroughly.

Not as thoroughly as the win though. I’m still feeling the glow from that one. Awesome.

Big game tonight.  The M’s have a big pitching advantage tomorrow with Felix vs. Moose, and tonight I feel like Bedard will be stingy.  He only gave up 1 ER, but 3 runs total last time, against an ARodless lineup.  Hopefully Pettitte can snap out of his funk, playing the M’s seemed to do good by a lot of the tigers’ pitchers.

Every game will feel big to me until we can be “safely” over .500. Obviously, since we’re still below .500, that’s gonna take a while.

King Felix hasn’t been pitching well of late.  And the Mariners can’t really hit, so Mussina should be able to take care of business.

I’m thinking 2 of 3 from the Mariners should be expected.  If Pettitte runs into trouble, they can “extend” Joba to put out any fires.

Maybe I’m in a minority, but I find manager/umpire on-field arguments completely idiotic, almost scripted like professional wrestling.  I can’t imagine why managers do that.  Umps aren’t going to change their calls.  And if that’s what you need to motivate players making untold millions, then maybe baseball needs non-guaranteed contracts like the NFL.

I’m a big fan of the Lou Pinella commercial airing right now where he storms onto the field and starts yelling “That was a fantastic call!  Well done!  I’m just expected to come out here and start yelling and kicking!” and whatnot.  It makes me laugh.

Joba is scheduled to pitch Saturday, with Moose starting that day. He is going to be strectched to 45 pitches. They’re starting Moose on short rest because of his very short outing last time up and also because Wang is kind of injured, so they’re giving him one more day to rest.

Yatt - I agree that manager arguments are totally scripted and pointless from an in-game POV. I guess that’s why I judge them on style as opposed to efficacy. I don’t like them to occur frequently, but I do think that sometimes a manager sees something (like last night) that he basically has to argue until he gets thrown out, if only to keep his team thinking that he’s the leader. And when that happens, I want it to be done right.

I hope we win 2 out of 3 this weekend. The pitching matchup tonight favors to Seattle as well as Saturday’s matchup. If we win one of those two game he could take the series with Wang on Sunday.

John - I started laughing out loud watching Joe last night.  It was like he was trying too hard.  He needs acting lessons.

I do see how/why Joe would blow up, that was an odd call, especially if the ump doesn’t give a satisfying reason.

Yatt - Yeah, I had the volume down, which may have made it even funnier since all I could see was Girardi’s gesturing. I definitely laughed.

By the way, did the ball actually hit the bat? Even if the process was dodgy, was the call at least correct? I never found out what the deal was.

The call was correct

There was vague flicking sound that seemed to indicate the ball nicked the bat.  Giambi, not surprisingly, claimed the ball did not hit the bat - which may be why Girardi went nuts.  In any event, all’s well that ends well.

I agree.  I think that call was correct.  Just one of those odd situations where the correct call just seems so unjust. 

Was that the first time Giardi has been tossed this season?

There was vague flicking sound that seemed to indicate the ball nicked the bat.

Really?  I didn’t hear anything.  Neither did the Orioles’ announcers.  I also didn’t see any visual evidence that the ball changed trajectory, but that doesn’t mean much.  As for the argument that Giambi didn’t react as though the ball had hit his hand, he didn’t react as though the ball had hit the knob of the bat either.  I have no idea whether the call was correct.  What I do know is that the catcher, not the umpire, made the call.  And that’s kind of bush.  That’s also what set Girardi off—apparently Guccione’s explanation of the call was that Hernandez caught the ball funny.  In other words, he didn’t claim to have seen or heard the ball hit the bat.

I think it was a crap call, but I wasn’t close to sober, so I can’t say for sure.

And yes, that was Girardi’s first ejection as Yankee manager.

the call wasn’t egregious.  it MAY have hit the bat, i thought i heard something.

but Girardi went nuts b/c the ump waited a good 3 seconds and IT APPEARED that he only called him out after Hernandez told him to.

and that is unacceptable.

but i agree with Yatt, he definitely was trying a little too hard to get kicked out.

I think the ball *may* have hit the bat, but definitely inconclusive.  For sure, the thing that Girardi was angriest about was that the ump didn’t make the call until the catcher told him to. 

As for managers arguing…sometimes if the player is really angry, the manager will come out and “fight for him”, so that the player doesn’t get tossed, but still feels like he got his say.  Sometimes the fight may not be because he expects the call to be changed, but works for the future.  Maybe (maybe not) get the umpire thinking next time, “boy if he was that mad about it, maybe I did miss it”.  However, usually - and which I think was the case last night - it is just a matter of frustration boiling over and now the manager/coach has a good outlet to vent.

I think the manager knows before he leaves the dugout every time if he’s going to get ejected or not. As a manager, you know what gets you thrown out and what doesn’t. The only time I think that they’re surprised is when they get thrown out for comments from the dugout, and then not even all the time.

So what I’m saying is, I don’t think there’s a difference between trying hard to get kicked out and getting kicked out. Guys know what they’re doing.

Mike - A would also add that I do think that a manager has to argue every now and then to maintain some credibility with his players. It’s a very public message to the players that I care as much as you do. I don’t think that sparks them in anyway to play harder or what have you, but I do think that it may help nip clubhouse problems in the bud.

but i agree with Yatt, he definitely was trying a little too hard to get kicked out.

Just for once, if a manager is trying to get kicked out, I want the skip to just walk up to the ump and say “go f**k yourself, douchebag.” 

I’m sure that’s enough to get him kicked out and would probably get the attention of everyone more than the usual staged histrionics.

I have no problem with Girardi arguing, but much of this is 20/20 hindsight - i.e., the manager has a fit and five minutes later the team is inspired to win.  If the Yanks lose in 14 innings, everyone would say Girardi tried to fire up the team but they’re not responding - most likely because they are veterans and only “kids” respond to such tactics.

Why does nobody talk about football coaches arguing?  They are MUCH WORSE than baseball managers, they do it just about every play, and they are incredibly foul and abusive.

Oh wait, nobody cares because football is stupid.

Except college football.  Fight on!  That’s for Hoadley…I think he goes to UCLA.

They are MUCH WORSE than baseball managers, they do it just about every play, and they are incredibly foul and abusive.

Probably because the game doesn’t stop for them to argue.  Ref misses a play?  Unless the coach throws the challenge flag, his team has 40 seconds (or less) to get to the line of scrimage and be ready to run a play.  Doesn’t give the coaches a chance to really work up something demonstrative.

That said, I’m sure a few people here will point out examples where the coaches WERE demonstrative.  At the very least, I’m sure their team got a 15yd penalty, and additionally the coach was probably fined.

Not inluding the two games against the Mets is a neat trick. But the Mets have lost seven of eight in between sweeping the Yankees. And they are [now] a sub .500 team.

fgas, wrong. guess again. Anyways, I enjoy watching football but barely follow it.

Umm…Loyola?

IE - I agree that people trying to attribute specific outcomes to a manager’s tantrum is foolish. I wouldn’t ever do that, unless, of course, he actually got a call overturned. Any positive effects that come from a manager’s argument are going to be much more related to interpersonal relationships on the team than anything else. The effect is going to be much more diffuse than people would like it to be for writing an interesting baseball narrative (if there is an effect at all).

Not inluding the two games against the Mets is a neat trick.

Please read the post in question.  The Mets weren’t on the ‘easy’ schedule then, why would I add them back in retroactively?

At the very least, I’m sure their team got a 15yd penalty, and additionally the coach was probably fined.

Not really.  In fact, I can’t recall ever seeing an NFL coach get an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, although I can’t say that I pay much attention to the NFL any more.  You’re right about the game not stopping for the arguments, though, and that is the key difference.  I’ve seen some footage of coaches arguing a play with a sideline official for what seems like the better part of a quarter.  He’ll argue, stop, call the next play, and then start the argument again as soon as the play is over and the official is back to his spot.  Repeat this 8-12 times, and it’s pretty hilarious, but you don’t see any of it while the game is actually being played.

Occidental. I have a friend from home that goes to Loyola though.

Oh, my side of town.  I’m in Glendale.  Isn’t Oxy in the NAIA?

nope, used to be in the 70s though.

“used to be in the 70s”

I guess I don’t know shit about Occidental.  Except that you have a big rivalry with Oriental.

Because you fixed it that way SG. And they [Mets] should have been.

Anybody see the post on Baseball Musings- was Kennedy just lucky? His peripherals were still pretty bad.

Personally, I’ll take any progress we can get.

I hear Occidential is a fine school.  One of my thesis advisers used to be a professor there.

its pretty good, I wish the film department were a bit better, but its improving, so hopefully my degree will accrue value.

As for Kennedy, he was indeed lucky but so was Burris.  Early in the game, the Yanks hit the ball hard of him and Markakis bailed him out a few times.  The one area where Kennedy has improved the last few starts, however, is economy of pitches.  Before, he would easily be around 100 after five innings.  He’s been under 20 per frame the last two times out.  On the whole, Joba will be an upgrade on Kennedy once he’s ready to start.  If Rasner (speaking of luck) also continues to pitch well, I wouldn’t mind using Kennedy as a long man - especially as he’ll learn more in that role than he will dominating AAA hitters.

Also, Chris Garcia had a nice outing yesterday for Tampa.  He struck out 10 in six innings, giving up two hits and a walk.  He’s another high ceiling guy returning from TJ surgery.  Once upon a time, he was touted as having better stuff than Phil Hughes.

Yeah, I wonder if the Yankees are going to devote this year to him recovering or if he continues to dominate promote him to work on his development as well.

He’s already overpowering hitters at the A+ level.  I’m sure the Yanks will want him to pitch in Trenton once the weather warms up in these parts.

Anyone wonder if Jeter is having problems with his hand since getting hit?  It’s interesting that the last time I recall he had as bad a situation was when another Baltimore pitcher (Lopez) did it to him I think in June of 06. He was in a slump for some time thereafter after returning and arguably that period may have cost him the MVP. He’s hitless of course since the injury.  I thought he had some good hacks last weekend both on Saturday and Sunday. At least I’m grateful he didn’t break a bone. I went to see him in KC and he was out and I hope to see him playing next weekend in Minny.

Was this Burres a sought after low round guy or is he a sleeper for Baltimore? I assume he’s effective due to change of speeds.  I agree that last night the offensive lack of luck in the first innings gave him a boost but he’s been hard on the Yanks several times now. I wonder how he’s fared against the Sox?

The impressive thing about Burris for me was how easily he handled A-Rod.  On the other hand, Matsui really seems to have his number.  Even the outs he made were on hard hit balls.  The DH role really seems to suit him.  It suits me as well because I can’t stand seeing him misplay fly balls into doubles in left field.

Before, he would easily be around 100 after five innings.

And last night he threw 97 in six.  Pretty sad what gets us excited these days, isn’t it?

Was this Burres a sought after low round guy or is he a sleeper for Baltimore?

They got him off waivers from the Giants, who drafted him in the 31st round of the 2000 amateur draft.

The line between acceptable and unacceptable starting pitching must be drawn somewhere, and a six inning stint belongs to the former by any estimate.  I’m not saying that’s necessarily exciting in the jumping up and down sense, it’s just a way in which Kennedy has improved from his earlier wretched outings. 

As for late draft picks, Jorge Posada was taken in the 24th round.

I’ll definitely take that performance any time.  Clearly on the right side of “acceptable.”  But I was only talking about the pitch count.  Not sure whether that’s on the right side of “efficient.”

Don Mattingly was a 19th round draft selection.  And of course, Mike Piazza was picked in a round that doesn’t exist any more.