Thursday, May 15, 2008
NY Daily News: Mike Mussina, Robinson Cano lead Yanks to win after Hank’s rip
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. - Can scathing comments from an owner or a closed-door meeting called by the manager spur a team to victory?
When that team gets a performance like the Yankees did from Mike Mussina Wednesday night against the Rays, it certainly makes things much easier.
The Bombers’ struggling bats didn’t do much in support of their starter, but the two runs they scratched out against Tampa Bay’s James Shields proved to be enough to put the Yankees back in the win column with a 2-1 decision over the first-place Rays.
“We needed one really bad,” Mussina said. “We haven’t played very well, we didn’t look very good in Detroit and we haven’t really looked very good here to say the least.”
Joe Girardi held the first closed-door meeting of his pinstriped tenure, spending about 35 minutes with his players before batting practice. Mussina described the session as “just a bunch of guys sitting around,” adding that he has been involved in “much more intense” meetings during his lengthy career.
Neither the manager nor his players revealed details but the message was believed to stress the concept of team above the individual, hustling on every play and having the look of a winning club - subjects that address the team’s sluggish performance of late.
...
The win moved the Yankees within a game of .500 at 20-21. Despite their record, the Yankees stand just 31/2 games behind first-place Tampa Bay in the American League East.
Robinson Cano finally passed The Mendoza Line and Moose pitched another great game, lowering his ERA on the season to 3.99.
Cano is hitting .350/.381/.550 in 42 May plate appearances.
Moose is 5-0 with a 2.76 ERA over his last five starts.
Tough draw tonight with Scott Kazmir facing Ian Kennedy, who did well in his brief minor league demotion. A split after losing the first two games would be huge if the Yankees can pull it off.
Comments
Kennedy had his best start of the year against Tampa Bay. I’m not sure whether that bodes well or not. Kazmir is bound to be a bit rusty, but he is a lefty. On the other hand, he usually throws a lot of pitches and the Yanks can probably get him out of the game in the 5th or 6th inning. Can IPK throw 6 and give up 2-3 runs? Can the Yanks offense muster 3-4 runs? Those are the big questions.
They’re going to need to let Kazmir throw a lot of pitches, even with Cano awake, they just can’t hit lefties.
The Mets broadcast the other day was drooling about having Yankees face 2 lefties. Yuck.
Post hoc ergo propter hoc!
QED
From George King in today’s game wrap up:
“...Joba Chamberlain showed Steinbrenner why he never should leave the bullpen by fanning three of four batters in the eighth [sic]”
Blergh. Why do I still read this shit?
Why do I still read this shit?
Good question.
I will never take the argument that Joba should remain in the bullpen seriously until someone can explain to me why Josh Beckett, Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, Scott Kazmir, Erik Bedard, John Lackey, Roy Halladay, Johan Santana, Jake Peavy, Brandon Webb, and every other awesome starting pitcher in baseball should not be in the bullpen. Does anyone really think that those guys would not be as awesome or awesomer than Joba in that role? It boggles the mind that people don’t see this.
Also, when Joba gives up a three run home run, does that prove that he should be moved out of that role and sent down to AAA? Of course not. So how does one successful performance work in the opposite direction.
Thanks, ym. Now I’m all worked up.
I’m sorry, John. Pissed me off pretty good, too.
John Lunch- I think there’s a grand conspiracy going on. I don’t know who’s behind it, but I’m guessing it’s Council of Foreign Relations and the people who killed JFK.
John Lunch
Yeah, that’s never happened before… 
I will never take the argument that Joba should remain in the bullpen seriously until someone can explain to me why Josh Beckett, Justin Verlander, C.C. Sabathia, Scott Kazmir, Erik Bedard, John Lackey, Roy Halladay, Johan Santana, Jake Peavy, Brandon Webb, and every other awesome starting pitcher in baseball should not be in the bullpen. Does anyone really think that those guys would not be as awesome or awesomer than Joba in that role? It boggles the mind that people don’t see this.
Indeed. Every pitcher should be in the bullpen. Use nine guys to pitch one inning each every day. Three or four guys get a day off every day. They should all be dominant every time out. No one will ever score a run in major league baseball ever again!
Umm, wait a second… that means that every game will go into extra innings. We’re going to need to carry more pitchers.
I’ve always assumed keeping Joba in the pen was a conspiracy run by the same people who convinced the Yankees to sign Igawa
I hope Cano is starting to silence those who want him in AAA or traded. Glad to see his bat is waking up a bit.
Joba’s future is in the rotation. Everyone in the Yankee organization agrees. Just because some media hacks say different shouldn’t get you all hot and bothered.
I hope Cano is starting to silence those who want him in AAA or traded.
WTF? Are you serious? Where do you find these people?
Just because some media hacks say different shouldn’t get you all hot and bothered.
I know. Can’t help it.
WTF? Are you serious? Where do you find these people?
unfortunately this is true.
SG and others set the bar pretty high around here, so if you don’t frequent too many other blogs, you might not realize just how many dumb yankee fans there are.
poke around Abraham’s blog if you don’t think these fans exist.
here is a comment from yesterday on River Ave Blues (which is generally a good blog, i don’t mean to let a few of their readers taint thir work):
They need a spark plug on top of the lineup I’m all for moving Melky to #1 hole and Damon to #3 even when Arod comes back, just dont think Johnny is a numb3r #1 anymore? I also would think about moving Jeter to #5 or #6 whom you place @2 …..? right now I’d say Abreu nd ask him to take more walks!!!! What this team doesn’;t do enough but the Great “90’s” teams did!!!!!
I know Abreu isn’t the ideal numb3r #2 …but this lineup needs a shake up and even “Jeter” isn’t untouchable @ this point!
And I would start taking offers for Cano, I dont care how great he will be he?
His mental lapnesses and ineptitude sometimes makes him a player no matter his potential I dont care to have!
We’ve WON before with the likes of Mariano Duncan and stop gaps @ 2nd before!
this is a real comment, verbatim. and this guy has his own blog. just what the world needed.
Yeah, see, I read Abraham and RAB (actually, those are the only other Yankee blogs I read), but I never bother with the comments there. Scary. I also hang around BTF, but, again, the bar is generally much higher there than other places.
Also: punctuation. More than just a good idea. I weep for the English language. *sigh*
Some guy called up Michael Kay’s radio show yesterday and criticized the Yankees for not trying to trade WANG and CANO (I’m dead serious) this offseason. His logic? The Orioles traded Bedard and Tejada and now the Orioles are younger and have more energy. This is no joke.
poke around Abraham’s blog
Reading Pete’s posts is fine, but reading the comments will cost you billions of cerebral neurons. If your goal is to get stupider in a hurry, you’re far better off just drinking heavily.
OTOH, I think I’m going to try to work “lapnesses” into conversation as often as possible.
If your goal is to get stupider in a hurry, you’re far better off just drinking heavily.
A far more enjoyable option, too.
OTOH, I think I’m going to try to work “lapnesses” into conversation as often as possible.
I really should not be reading these things at work. Now my boss is looking at me funny for bursting into laughter out of the blue. Yikes.
When Posado isn’t demonstrating his prowess, would that be lapnesses?
Reading Pete’s posts is fine, but reading the comments will cost you billions of cerebral neurons.
yup, and even Pete is full of shit from time to time.
OTOH, I think I’m going to try to work “lapnesses” into conversation as often as possible.
sounds like something you’d pay good money for at a strip club
even Pete is full of shit from time to time
I’ve been pretty hard on him in the past, but I try to cut him some slack because:
1. He has to deal with commenters like the one above,
2. He reports news quickly and accurately and,
3. When he’s not just snarkily reacting to an event, his analysis is usually fine.
Naturally, reason #2 is why I read him. He’s a fantastic resource.
I think Abraham does his job as a reporter very well. If I had to deal with some of the dolts that post there I can’t imagine I’d handle it any better than he does.
If I had to deal with some of the dolts that post there I can’t imagine I’d handle it any better than he does.
Brian Cashman sucks!!!11!!!1 Trade Wang and Cano for Bronson Arroyo! Jeter wuz robbed of at least 2 GGs! Brian Cashman sucks!!11!!!111! Trade Hughes for Jamie Moyer! Joba to the bullpen 4ever!!11!!!!one!! Brian Cashman sucks!11!!!!111
How’s that?
It also probably impacts his analysis that he has to maintain a cordial relationship with the players. Access has it’s downsides.
Today they’re talking about trading David Roberston for Conor Jackson......
Posters have mentioned how Jeter’s slugging is down. So far this season he is slugging .393 which is .68 below is lifetime average of .461. This could be a small sample aberration but equally as troubling he’s on pace to have his fewest number of walks in a season ever. He’s walked only 6 times in 35 games or 1 every 5 1/2 games, whereas in his previous worst year he walked 46 times in 154 games or a walk every 3.3 games. Is it possible that if he’s swinging at too many pitches, he’s also swinging at pitches he can’t drive which is driving his power numbers down?
Courtesy of the aforementioned Mr. Abraham, today’s lineup:
Damon LF
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Giambi DH
Duncan RF
Ensberg 1B
Cano 2B
Gonzalez 3B
Molina C
No Matsui. No Abreu. I understand we’re facing a lefty, but…
We aren’t scoring today. Our only hope is to take so many pitches that Kazmir can only go five. Then if they have to bring in a righty, we can make the necessary subs and go to town.
Is it possible that if he’s swinging at too many pitches, he’s also swinging at pitches he can’t drive which is driving his power numbers down?
So first you have to ask if he’s swinging at too many pitches. According to fangraphs, his total swing % is up only slightly, and his swing % on pitches out of the strike zone is about the same as last year (although last year was higher than previous years). The number that is up by a lot, as I’ve noted before, is the percentage of time that he makes contact on pitches out of the zone.
It’s also worth noting that he’s tripled his BBs and almost doubled his XBHs since May 1. He hit .303/.351 in March/April and .382/.471 so far in May.
How’s that?
Close, but it’s more effective when you make your posting name the same as what you intend your post to say.
30. Posted at 12:54:33 pm on Thursday, May 15, 2008 by HOW TO MAKE THE YANKEES WORLD CHAMPS!!!111!
Why would Arizona trade Conor Jackson? He’s 26, cheap and can hit. Who is talking about it?
As for the lineup, I’d rather see Matsui as the DH than Giambi. In any case, let’s hope Shelley can run into one.
It seems silly to have Cano batting behind Ensburg.
You already have the righty splitting the lefties up - why two righties back to back?
If the idea is to get Kamir’s pitch count up, then Giambi starting is justifiable.
The idea is probably that Abreu will pinch hit for Duncan once Kazmir is out.
If the idea is to get Kamir’s pitch count up, then Giambi starting is justifiable.
I think if ARod were healthy Giambi may not be in this game either. Use the opportunity to DH ARod and give him a half day off. Also, Giambi has been swinging a hot-bat lately, so go with him instead of Matsui.
We aren’t scoring today
They’re going to score 3 runs today. I think they’re working on a Fibonacci sequence (good news going into the Mets series!).
Matsui takes pitches as well and he’s the better hitter right now. In any event, it’s not a glaring error to have Giambi in the lineup, but I believe a stronger case can be made for conjugal Godzilla.
"If the idea is to get Kamir’s pitch count up, then Giambi starting is justifiable.”
What’s Giambi’s pitches seen/out vs Matsui? (Note, not P/AB).
Matsui has seen 601 pitches and made 95 outs (6.3 p/o). Giambi has seen 516 pitches and made 85 outs (6.1 p/o).
Is Shelley Duncan a better choice than Matsui, even against a tough lefty? Duncan is pretty brutal.
Girardi probably feels that if he’s going to use Duncan at all, this is the sort of situation where he might be useful.
Awesome info, MC, thanks. (That I guess does not include GIDPs.)
if he’s going to use Duncan at all
And there’s the problem…
What is the question that Shelley Duncan is the answer to? Is it worth asking?
Is it worth asking?
No.
Kenny Rogers’ suckitude knows no bounds, yet the Yankee offense failed to hit him in two opportunities. Just shows you how bad the Yankees suck once they see a left-handed pitcher.
more reason to love aaron boone
Tim Wakefield is a righty, no?
(boone just broke up a met no hitter)
There is something indescribably unattractive about Mike Pelfrey. It could be that ugly-ass mouth guard of his.
Wow, Reyes is an idiot.
Kenny Rogers’ suckitude knows no bounds
Come now, be fair. Sometimes you just run into a group of sluggers like the 2008 Royals and can’t help but give up 5 ER in 2 IP.
Close, but it’s more effective when you make your posting name the same as what you intend your post to say.
lol.
How the fuck did Reyes get thrown out at 3rd after a single and a sac bunt?!
Awesome info, MC, thanks.
Don’t thank me, fangraphs rocks. My contribution was limited to simple arithmetic.
And yes, GIDP are counted as one out, just as they would be for BA or OBP.
Random question, are you still the pitcher of record if you get pinch-hit for at the top of an inning? I’d assume so, but there are quirkier things in the rules.
I believe so, yes.
Yes, you get the win if your team scores the go-ahead run in the inning you’re pinch-hit for.
Assuming that they hold the lead of course. Also assuming that you aren’t a starter who failed to go five.
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