But-but-but I thought Jeter never hits into double plays!  Paul O’Neill told me so!

Oh, and welcome back, Phil.  We’ll be rootin’ for ya.  Remember, anything less than a complete game shutout with 15K and 95-mph fastballs is a failure.

While my expectations for Hughes have been tempered somewhat by his ineffectiveness and injury this season, I still look forward to seeing what he can do over the rest of 2008 and heading into 2009.

Mine haven’t been, at least not for the future. For tonight, if he gets a quality start, I’ll be ecstatic. All I’m really hoping for is that he misses a few bats tonight.

But-but-but I thought Jeter never hits into double plays!  Paul O’Neill told me so!

That’s because Paulie’s third on the list.  If Jeter doesn’t hit into DPs, then O’Neill didn’t either.

It’s an interesting list though, almost all good players.

It’s an interesting list though, almost all good players.

That makes sense, no?  You have to be pretty good to amass so many games…

I also find it interesting that ARod is rather high on the list, considering he’s played relatively fewer games at the Stadium compared to some others.  I don’t remember him hitting into that many DPs, aside from this August.

A-Rod does nothing but hit into DPs, how could you not notice? Plus, he fornicates, strikes out, and never hits with runners on.

I love me some Phil Hughes.

silly as the record is.

I’m not sure how “silly” it is.  May not be as impressive as highest OPS+ at the Stadium, but I’d say it is fairly signficant.  I’d also hazard that if the Yankees were 1 game up on the Rays right now, the accomplishment would seem a lot bigger.

While my expectations for Hughes have been tempered somewhat by his ineffectiveness and injury this season, I still look forward to seeing what he can do over the rest of 2008 and heading into 2009.

I’m with CP; I still expect Hughes to be a good pitcher as early as next year, and a top-of-the-rotation starter as early as 2010.  Of course, for all I know that is your “tempered” expectations; perhaps you expected him to be a top of the rotation this year, which I couldn’t blame you for.

Prediction for tonight: 5.67IP, 5H, 2BB, 7K, 2ER.

I, for one, can’t wait to see what WasWatching has to say on Phil’s start tonight, whatever the outcome, given that he already predicted that “either Phil will not pitch well, or he’ll pitch well.”  I expect more of the same hard-hitting analysis after the game.

I’ve got tix to the game tomorrow and I was hoping to see Phil, but I’m also happy to see Moose in what may be his last start in a Yankees uniform.

he already predicted that “either Phil will not pitch well, or he’ll pitch well.”

I almost hope that Hughes is mediocre tonight. Almost.

I almost hope that Hughes is mediocre tonight. Almost.

I would assume that falls into the “not pitch well” category.

I don’t know why we need to diminish Jeter’s record by calling it silly. All athletic records are silly in context of the larger global situation. Jeter has more hits at Yankee Stadium than Ruth, Gherig, Mantle, DiMaggio…good for him, he’s awesome.

I guess it’s in vogue to be cynical about Jeter, and bad rap him for not being the most perfect baseball player to ever hit the diamond, (He’s a bad defensive player!!!1111 he has no range!!!1111 He’s oVARRAATTEEED!!!111one!!) thanks, we get it, 111 but for chrissakes, can’t we enjoy the guy?

For Schteeve and PagsRags:

Over-rated! *clap-clap-clapclapclap*

I really wanted to see Humberto Sanchez last night.  He certainly wouldn’t have been any worse than Veras - who was given two gift outs and still couldn’t pitch a scoreless inning.

Speaking of which, if Sanchez proves decent - he will add to an already stocked bullpen that includes Bruney, Albaladejo, Marte, Veras, Edwar, Melancon, Robertson and Coke.

Aw, isn’t that cute.  Pete Abe is trying to quantify the underperformance of 2b and C this year going by runs scored and RBI.

I really wanted to see Humberto Sanchez last night.  He certainly wouldn’t have been any worse than Veras - who was given two gift outs and still couldn’t pitch a scoreless inning.

Tell me about it - Veras has really fallen off a cliff lately, I wonder what the reason might be.  Is he overworked?  Injured?  The league has made adjustments?

Hopefully we’ll see Sanchez tonight.  Hughes to Sanchez to Joba to Mo.  Yeah, I can live with that.

I don’t know why we need to diminish Jeter’s record by calling it silly.

Come on, you don’t think most hits in a particular building is a silly record?  Jeter has plenty of non-silly records to his credit, and will have more before he’s done.  He’s going to end up with the most hits of any Yankee player EVER.  That’s a non-silly record.

Tell me about it - Veras has really fallen off a cliff lately, I wonder what the reason might be.  Is he overworked?  Injured?  The league has made adjustments?

Well, he’s thrown 67 innings this year, the most he’s thrown as a reliever, 54 in the Majors, which are higher stress innings than the minors. I would guess he’s at a point he’s never been before and he’s tired. I think it’s a good thing that he was stretched out this year so that next year he’ll be more accustomed to the workload.

Agreed about it being exciting to see Sanchez pitch soon. Hopefully (unlikely) I’ll be sober enough to remember it by the time it happens.

Tell me about it - Veras has really fallen off a cliff lately, I wonder what the reason might be.  Is he overworked?  Injured?  The league has made adjustments?

I’ve always been skeptical of Veras’s performance because his command still isn’t very good.  Top shelf-stuff, but I think he was over his head earlier. 

First 28 games:
29.3 IP, 23 H, 8 R, 10 BB, 28 K, 3 HR, 2.45 ERA, 3.75 FIP
Next 28 games:
25 IP, 27 H, 14 R, 15 BB, 30 K, 4 HR, 5.04 ERA, 4.92 FIP

I’d expect him to be closer to a 4.25 ERA guy than a 2.75 ERA guy. That’s solid, even if it’s not setup man material.

Ideally, Melancon’s stuff translates to the bigs and he’s TEH BRIDGE TO MO next year.

I mean, I get that Jeter is no Brett Gardner and all…

When I think of silly records, I think of things like, Most Opening Day Home Runs, or Most HBP in a season. Just flukey stuff like that.

I get your point SG, i’m just sayin.

I mean, I get that Jeter is no Brett Gardner and all…

Gardner has game-changing speed, and speed never slumps.

Gardner has game-changing speed, and speed never slumps.

Plus he’s little, and gritty, and gutty!

Don’t forget balding.

Come on, you don’t think most hits in a particular building is a silly record?  Jeter has plenty of non-silly records to his credit, and will have more before he’s done.  He’s going to end up with the most hits of any Yankee player EVER.  That’s a non-silly record.

i agree 100% and i was starting to wonder if i was the only one who felt this way. 

i found kindof funny (and impressive) how much the YES network got people to care about this “record” so quickly. 

“silly” doesn’t mean it’s not impressive.  it’s a nice record. and Jeter IS a great player.

but before the season started, did you know that Gehrig held the record?  did you care?  did you know that Jeter was second?  did you care?

the YES network, Kay in particular, did a good job in giving fans something to care about during meaningless games. 

but i agree with SG, when Jeter passes Gehrig OVERALL, that will be the real time to celebrate.  he’ll be the all-time leader in Yankee hits.  first Yankee with 3000 hits will also be another great milestone.

most hits in Yankee stadium, and the record won’t carry across the street?  seems a little silly.  what if Cano finishes with 4000 hits and 2000 came at home?  it’s not a record b/c they moved stadiums?

Don’t forget balding.

Yes!  Definitely adds to his je ne sais quoi, very important.

Gardner hit a ball around 395 feet yesterday.  That certainly not a bad sign. 

As for Veras, he was hitting 97 last night on the stadium gun (which is probably closer to 95).  That doesn’t seem like someone with a tired arm.  I would guess the league is adjusting to him and, like SG pointed out, his command was never that great in the first place.

what if Cano finishes with 4000 hits and 2000 came at home?

Then we will have all been transferred into another realm.

Gardner hit a ball around 395 feet yesterday.  That certainly not a bad sign. 

isn’t the problem with Gardner that he shouldn’t be TRYING to hit HRs?  shouldn’t he just be trying to slap the ball on the ground towards the hole between SS and 3B?  kindof like Ichiro does?

he’s a guy with speed who doesn’t make enough contact and when he does, hits a lot of fly balls.

in other words, he’s been Bubba Crosby.

i know he has shown gap power and good plate discipline in the minors, but i just wonder if he can be that type of player in the bigs.  seems like he is overmatched by major league pitching and it’s because he doesn’t really have a swing that works well with his skillset.

i would love to see him adjust though and become a productive hitter b/c he has really shown some tremendous range in CF the last few games.

isn’t the problem with Gardner that he shouldn’t be TRYING to hit HRs?  shouldn’t he just be trying to slap the ball on the ground towards the hole between SS and 3B?  kindof like Ichiro does?

I admittedly did not see the game last night (wasn’t on in my area, for a change).  What Gardner should be doing - which I think Ichiro does as well - is hit the ball as hard as he can (unless he’s bunting of course).  Gardner isn’t going to be able to pull an outside-half pitch into the seats like Giambi, so yes, he should “slap” those to LF.  But if he gets a pitch he can drive into RCF, he should do it.  Why slap a single to LF when you can get a 2B or 3B to right-center?  I think for Gardner to be a starter, he’ll need a lot of triples.  That will allow him to keep his SLG above .400.

The Jeter hit *record* at the Stadium has to be one of the most meaningless records talked about in a while. Tempest in a teapot.

And thank you SG, as I posted a few weks ago, Hughes 2008 is a disaster. 2007 was better only by a hairsbreadth.

*weeks