I was going to quote Elton John’s “Sad Songs,” but damn, that song is way more depressing that I’m feeling right now!

Girardi says he think it’s just something in the muscles, claims not to be too concerned.  Pray that he’s being truthful.

Girardi also says Mo was unavailable, and neither was Veras.  So basically he was stuck with Marte, live or die.  It just didn’t work out.  Eh.

i gotta say brian you are a chipper guy. you rock.

yesterday was nyc guitar school day at the s.i. yankees game. i got to play the national anthem on the field along with some of our students. saw the switch pitcher. it was fun. next time i’ll think to give you guys some warning. it’s a damn good place to catch a game.

latroy sighting

From Joba himself: thinks shoulder is OK, stiffness in his arm developed as the game went along.

EELZ, next time make an announcement, we’ll have a RLYW party on SI!

So basically Joba will miss a start (at least). Meanwhile, IPK was seen hurriedly stowing away a Joba voodoo doll and giggling maniacally.

Now that I’ve smoked and calmed down I am going to draw a positive and say that Joba’s one missed start will force the team to call up IPK thus removing Ponson once Joba comes back. 

I’m going to go to sleep telling myself that.

Abraham has the scoop (sort of):

Joba Chamberlain will fly back to New York tomorrow for an MRI and other tests on his right shoulder.

Chamberlain said he was injured in the fifth inning while pitching. “It was something where it grabbed and popped and got stiff,” he said.

The injury appears more muscular in nature and does not involve the labrum or rotator cuff. “It doesn’t hurt in the wrong places,” Chamberlain said. “My velocity was fine.”

Joe Girardi said that at the very least, Chamberlain would miss his next start. The last time he said that about a starter was Chien-Ming Wang.

Given his age and importance to the organization, you can expect the Yankees to be very cautious with this. It’s almost certain he will go on the disabled list and he could be shut down for a while.

Well, I guess that’s one way to limit his innings so that he’s OK to go for the postseason

Playoffs?!?!?!?!

i gotta say brian you are a chipper guy. you rock.

Ha!

Thanks, but really, that wasn’t to say that I was not feeling SORTA depressed, it was more to say that that song was a lot more depressing than I recall!

Abraham has the scoop (sort of):

In his case, it is more like “the snark.”

He has to work in shots at Girardi whenever he can.

THAT SAID, while I am not knocking Girardi for it, it is true that the Yankees play injuries extremely close to the vest, so I won’t believe anything until we actually hear a doctor’s report announced (and even then, believe half of what they say ).

Playoffs?!?!?!?!

Playoffs!

sorta depressed is aight. but we live

THAT SAID, while I am not knocking Girardi for it, it is true that the Yankees play injuries extremely close to the vest, so I won’t believe anything until we actually hear a doctor’s report announced (and even then, believe half of what they say

Considering that every other team out there is looking to fleece the Yankees whenever they can, can you blame the club for not broadcasting their injury situation?  While it can be somewhat annoying at time, I’m totally on board with Belichiking injuries.  As a loyal Pats fan, Abraham should be the first in line to applaud such a policy.

Chamberlain said he was injured in the fifth inning while pitching. “It was something where it grabbed and popped and got stiff,” he said.

Popped?

stiffness in his arm developed as the game went along.

That kind of sounds scary but not joint problem scary. My bet is that it was a mild strain and he ended up with something much worse (tear) because he tried to pitch through it.

Popped?

everything feels like a pop. I had a race where I thought I blew my hammy ended up being a cramp that turned into a strain. Pops are nothing. Wait for the MRI.

Well, Joba later said that he first felt it earlier in the 5th, but then it kind of went away.  And when he felt it again is when the trainers came out.  Hopefully not a tear, that would be pretty sucky too (though still not as sucky as a shoulder going boom).

You aren’t exactly reassuring me.  But I guess I was the one who asked.

Ibanez making a bid for his second grand slam (seems to be a lot of that going around today) of the inning, instead clears the bases with some help from the Twins’ defense.

Considering that every other team out there is looking to fleece the Yankees whenever they can, can you blame the club for not broadcasting their injury situation?

Nope, hence me saying I’m not knocking Girardi for it.

these rain delays are pretty exciting

K-Rod just let in 4 runs (2 inherited) to blow the save with 2 outs in the 9th.  Heh.

What a disaster!  But at least it wasn’t poor Rambo giving up the slam again tonight.

i find reign of fire really enjoyable

So the bullpen has sucked recently, huh?

Sherrill is channeling Marte.

Yup.  Walking that little twerp Figgins with the bases loaded is a firing offense.

And by “firing” I mean “firing squad.”

The Yankee pen will be fine.  I still have a little faith left.

Joba said he first felt it in the 4th inning. And it had nothing to do with the throw by Pudge. Said it got worse in the 5th.

Wonder how many Yankees fans are drinking a 5th tonight?

All the best Joba! See ya on the mound real soon.

So basically he was stuck with Marte, live or die.

Well, up to a point.  I still think he should have gone to Robertson once Hamilton walked.  Marte was out of gas.

OTOH, I also have to say that fans’ capacity for instant hysteria over managers’ moves is rather hard to take sometimes.  Those decisions are almost always based (at least in part) on information that we aren’t privy to.  Of course, this isn’t just a Yankee fan issue.

Abraham has the scoop (sort of):

If you watch the Girardi press conference, he says Joba missing his next start is a possibility.

Abraham says at the very least Joba will miss his next start. He then names a bunch of possible candidates.

This is why there is a good chance I won’t vote. You can’t trust ‘journalists’. They all need to be brought into a room and slapped in the face until they realize their job is to report facts and not their opinions. /rant

As a loyal Pats fan, Abraham should be the first in line to applaud such a policy.

As a NY-based baseball writer, Abraham isn’t trying to get information out of Belichick.  Still, he is kind of out of control with the Girardi hate.  He must realize that this stuff isn’t likely to get him improved access in the future.  Since his ability to do his job depends on that access, he’d be a lot better off if he’d just suck it up.

This is why there is a good chance I won’t vote.

I agree with your slant on “journalists”, but you won’t vote because of them?  I mean, there are other ways to get information about the candidates than using the press…

tragic simply tragic…There are some silver linings (maybe)

Saves him innings
Kennedy is probably going to come up
No more Ponson soon?

anything sticking?

its a bad day to be a yankees fan

maybe we (I) are (am) overreacting. Perhaps SG has some numbers suggesting a Joba-less rotation might not be so worse off. If not…please lie to me.

As long as we dont get Livan Hernandez I will step off the ledge.

Well, up to a point.  I still think he should have gone to Robertson once Hamilton walked.  Marte was out of gas.

Marte was out of gas before Hamilton. Leaving him in to face him was silly, I don’t care about the platoon splits. I’m more upset about the game than Joba.

I mean, there are other ways to get information about the candidates than using the press…

Bloggers and debate chatters.

Obviously, meant as a joke, but for the latter, if anyone knows of one, - wow, where?

Well, up to a point.  I still think he should have gone to Robertson once Hamilton walked.  Marte was out of gas.

OTOH, I also have to say that fans’ capacity for instant hysteria over managers’ moves is rather hard to take sometimes.

What instant hysteria, he should have gone to Robertson.  Sure his hand was tied, but either Girardi was 100% sure Marte was going to get Hamilton and didn’t consider the alternative, or he just had brain freeze after the walk.  Robertson was warming up for a reason, the game plan probably was to bring him in.  Girardi went against the game plan for whatever reason.  And like you said, Marte was out of gas.

There are no silver linings. I just hope that MRI comes out clean.

Joba is by far my favorite player and I just want him to be healthy to have the chance to see him grow as a pitcher.

Playoffs?!?!?! In order to play in October we have to win 33 out of the final 50 games. We still have time to make a run, but it doesn’t look good and if Joba is out for the month of August I think we can kiss the season goodbye.

Singleton noted how Girardi may have been reluctant to let a rookie into that situation.  I have no idea if that is true or not, or if it is if that is a good thing.  Also, Girardi IS still learning.  I think he has made mistakes this year, but has learned from them.  Hopefully this is another one he learns from…

Marte was out of gas before Hamilton. Leaving him in to face him was silly, I don’t care about the platoon splits.

You don’t care about platoon splits, but every single major league manager does.  I’m making a distinction between agreeing with the (non-)move and understanding the reasoning behind it.  Personally, I probably would have gone to Robertson after the lead-off walk to Bradley.  Then again, like most people who haven’t actually managed at any level above Babe Ruth League, I’d probably run out of pitchers pretty often. 

Anyway, I wasn’t trying to specifically defend staying with Marte through Hamilton.  I’m just saying that after the walk to Hamilton, the last shred of a rationale for sticking with Marte was gone.

What instant hysteria…

The immediate shrill second guessing of everything managers do and don’t do in the course of every game.  That instant hysteria.  You read the chatters, don’t you?  Like I said, it’s not just Yankee fans, and my point was not that managers are smarter than fans.  Just that they often have access to data that we don’t.  People wanted Rivera in the game in the ninth last night, and that’s just one small example of what I’m talking about.

The immediate shrill second guessing of everything managers do and don’t do in the course of every game.  That instant hysteria.  You read the chatters, don’t you?

Actually, that is specifically the reason why I (and I know you’re not singling me out since I haven’t complained yet) DON’T read the game-chatters.  Unless I don’t have access to the game on TV (e.g. at work), and even then it can get painful.  Too many smart people with emotional, knee-jerk reactions that just aren’t logical.

You don’t care about platoon splits, but every single major league manager does.

A whole lot of managers know to not try to get 40+ pitches out of their single inning relievers, or at least have the instincts to know when a pitcher is gassed. Platoon splits don’t mean much when the pitcher is just throwing the ball in the direction of the plate without any idea where it’s going.

I’m making a distinction between agreeing with the (non-)move and understanding the reasoning behind it.

There is no reasoning to it or there’s lousy reasoning behind it, platoon splits are useless when a guy is that far over his normal pitch count. Girardi fucked up, he stopped thinking (the lefty will face Hamilton no matter what!) and it burned him bad.

Personally, I probably would have gone to Robertson after the lead-off walk to Bradley.  Then again, like most people who haven’t actually managed at any level above Babe Ruth League, I’d probably run out of pitchers pretty often.

Girardi has a problem with managing not to lose.

Singleton noted how Girardi may have been reluctant to let a rookie into that situation

Girardi should have cared more that Marte had a pitch count of 41, he couldn’t find the strike zone and the bases were loaded. If Robertson was going to pitch later in the game he was going to do it in a walk off situation, so I don´t get it. Relief pitchers pitch in high leverage situation, you can’t burn a veteran just because you have a rookie who you don’t want to expose to risk.

<i>I’m just saying that after the walk to Hamilton, the last shred of a rationale for sticking with Marte was gone. <?i>

Actually, consider this.  Rasner (just pitched), Giese (just pitched, AND being saved for a start), Veras (according to Joe), and Mo weren’t available.  Bruney and Ramirez already had pitched.  Marte was on the mound, so…Robertson was the LAST pitcher Girardi had in the pen.  In what was still a tie game.  Managers - even good ones - like to save that last pitcher as long as possible.  I still think it was the wrong move, but it wasn’t irrational.

Robertson was the last guy out of the pen.  There was no one else left in there.  Now, I realize that this is sort of like the kind of reasoning that let Mariano sit in the pen while Jeff Weaver was busy giving up a game winning homer to Alex flippin’ Gonzalez.  But, while it may be aggravating for us as fans, Girardi also has to look at a bigger picture.  He didn’t want to leave the game on the shoulders of a rookie, and one who just recently had some issues at that so maybe he already has confidence problems.  Put Robertson in with a bunch of people on base, he gives up a walkoff job, maybe his head gets completely screwed up. It’s annoying that they lost but Girardi’s thinking is understandable, he has to think more than one inning ahead.  This is not the World Series, there are lots of games still left to play.

Besides, let’s not forget whose fault was it that Marte threw 40-odd pitches.  It’s not like he was out there for 5 innings.  Triples and walks will run up your pitch count.  Girardi was hamstrung when Joba left the game early.  Shit happens, you move on.

Girardi has a problem with managing not to lose

I’m not getting what you’re trying to convey.  Maybe I’m just not reading it right.  Or maybe I need coffee.

Platoon splits don’t mean much when the pitcher is just throwing the ball in the direction of the plate without any idea where it’s going.

It’s the same with the experience. Doesn’t mean nothing when a pitcher is fucking burned.

I’m not getting what you’re trying to convey.  Maybe I’m just not reading it right.  Or maybe I need coffee.

Managing not to lose, rather than managing to win.

Robertson was the last guy out of the pen.  There was no one else left in there.

Bullshit. What the fuck do you have Rasner and Giese for? I don’t care if one just started or one is starting next week. This is exactly what long men and fungible AAAA pitchers are for. Ride them into the ground if you need to after Robertson comes out. Manage to win the game, don’t over expose a pitcher because you’re worried the guy after the next guy might not pitch well.

He didn’t want to leave the game on the shoulders of a rookie, and one who just recently had some issues at that so maybe he already has confidence problems.  Put Robertson in with a bunch of people on base, he gives up a walkoff job, maybe his head gets completely screwed up.

Eh, not buying it. Robertson has already proved how tough he is. He looked like he was ticked to not be put in there. And how about showing no confidence at all in Robertson by going with Marte, a guy that everyone in the stadium knew was gassed over him?

Besides, let’s not forget whose fault was it that Marte threw 40-odd pitches.

Yeah, because he didn’t have it anymore. He was walking every other batter because he wasn’t able to pitch well anymore.

Marte versus Hamilton is a bit of a moot point.

Robertson was warming up if it got passed Hamilton.  It got passed Hamilton.

As for him being the last guy in the pen.  So what?  He would have pitched next inning anyway. 

That instant hysteria.  You read the chatters, don’t you?  Like I said, it’s not just Yankee fans, and my point was not that managers are smarter than fans.  Just that they often have access to data that we don’t.  People wanted Rivera in the game in the ninth last night, and that’s just one small example of what I’m talking about.

Specifically about the chatters, what you describe I think applies much less here.  As far as I can remember, no one was clamoring for Rivera, and if a someone asked, more than a couple of people stated his probable unavailability.

Managing not to lose, rather than managing to win.

Really?  Some of the moves he made the other day like putting runners in motion late in the game wasn’t managing to win?  You’re cherry-picking certain situations to make a case.

Bullshit. What the fuck do you have Rasner and Giese for?

Rasner also has a blister which is apparently affecting his ability to pitch.  You want to throw him out there later?  Giese if they want to start the next game also means they feel Kennedy isn’t ready yet; you’re willing to possibly sacrifice the next game by throwing Giese out there this game?

I’ve mentioned before that I think he should have brought Robertson in.  BUT, I do think Girardi’s move is defensible.  I think there was solid logic to it.  I also think he’ll learn from this and move on.  It is definitely amazing though that Girardi’s bullpen management has been lauded this year, and suddenly it is being criticized because of two moves that haven’t worked out.

I asked for Rivera because I read earlier that he was available. But pulling Marte after he walked Hamilton was a no brainer, it’s not just second guessing.

Bullshit. What the fuck do you have Rasner and Giese for? I don’t care if one just started or one is starting next week. This is exactly what long men and fungible AAAA pitchers are for. Ride them into the ground if you need to after Robertson comes out. Manage to win the game, don’t over expose a pitcher because you’re worried the guy after the next guy might not pitch well.

That’s why none of us here will ever be ML managers Rasner pitched on Sunday,  I think he threw around 80 pitches.  H wasn’t available for the same reason that Veras wasn’t.  Giese threw what, 40-some?  OK, so you put him in the game.  Now you’re left with no starter for Friday.  Call up IPK?  Fine, then who takes Joba’s spot on Saturday?  Chase “back-to-back-to-back-to-back” Wright?  As much as it sucks to lose one game, it sucks even more when you lose the next three as well because you really really wanted this one.  Lose a battle to win a war, you know?

I’m not trying to sound saguine about this, I’m not.  I’m not happy Marte was left in, and I’m not happy that they lost the game.  But I can see the reasoning in what Girardi did.  Now, if he did the same thing in an elimination game of a playoff series, then you’d be perfectly justified in demanding his head on a platter.  But there are 50+ games left to play and you simply cannot manage like there’s no tomorrow.

/soapbox

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080804&content_id=3252305&vkey=news_nyy&fext;=.jsp&c_id=nyy

Giese and Rasner switch places. No Kennedy sightings yet.

Managing not to lose, rather than managing to win.

I think the difference is that it was a tied game.  Doesn’t managing not to lose apply usually for when a team is ahead?  But yeah, I agree with you otherwise.

I said (in instant hysteria) yesterday that the game was as close as must win as it gets.  With our current 4/5 pitchers, any chance to seize on a victory when one of our good starters start (and with the teams ahead of us losing) is a big game.  With the prospect of Joba missing a start, and more Rasner/Ponson goodness, the game was even more important.

Eh, there were 2 outs.  Only Robertson was left.  I’m ok with him deciding that based on WOE that Robertson would probably have to go at least two if the game was tied and that Marte had a shot of getting him to fly out somewhere.

Rasner pitched on Sunday, I think he threw around 80 pitches.  H wasn’t available for the same reason that Veras wasn’t.  Giese threw what, 40-some?  OK, so you put him in the game.  Now you’re left with no starter for Friday.

Or you just put in Giese and throw Rasner on Friday. It’s not like Giese is a surer bet to win the Friday game than Rasner. And that’s only IF the lousy Texas bullpen gets through a red hot Abreu, A-rod and Giambi in the next inning and Robertson doesn’t lose the game in the tenth. Do you really not see the problem with that kind of strategy?

But there are 50+ games left to play and you simply cannot manage like there’s no tomorrow.

You also can’t manage like it’s the middle of April.

everything feels like a pop. I had a race where I thought I blew my hammy ended up being a cramp that turned into a strain. Pops are nothing. Wait for the MRI.

Clay, this actually makes me feel better. You may not be a doctor, but you play a good one on teh internets.

Doesn’t managing not to lose apply usually for when a team is ahead?

No. Managing not to lose means being passive and conservative, in the hopes that your opponent will make a mistake or that luck or fate or whatever will give you the bounces or breaks, you can manage not to lose in a tie game, or even a game you’re losing (see Nebraska-USC last year).

CB, I can see your point, but I stand by mine, so how’s about we agree to disagree on this? 

Hopefully Good Pettitte shows up tonight and at least spares some of the pen so we don’t have to go through all the hand-wringing again!

But there are 50+ games left to play and you simply cannot manage like there’s no tomorrow.

Pulling a reliever after 41 pitches and bring a fresh arm to pitch 1 plus inning is just common sense, that’s not managing like there’e no tomorrow.

I am not too upset about the game because what happened to Joba, but Girardi did a very bad job leaving Marte there.

CB, I can see your point, but I stand by mine, so how’s about we agree to disagree on this?

Sounds like a plan.

Hopefully Good Pettitte shows up tonight and at least spares some of the pen so we don’t have to go through all the hand-wringing again!

Can’t they option Veras if he can’t be pitched? Or even Edwar since he won’t be available tonight (I would guess)? They need more pitchers right now.

Lose a battle to win a war, you know?

Robertson was going to pitch the next inning regardless.  No one would leave Marte in there after him walking the park and looking burned.  So Robertson was going to be pitching next inning.

The only question was the “rookie” thing for Robertson, as stated already.  He was warming up in case Marte couldn’t handle Hamilton.  That was the game plan.  Why Girardi went agains the plan?  he lost confidence in Robertson?  He rather have a fresh Robertson for today’s game. 

Monday’s game was a big game.  The Yankees are behind chasing teams ahead of them in the wild card and division.  They don’t have the luxury to lose battles, nor will there be many Boston and Tampa lose nights.  They don’t make up ground, they lose battle and war.

You may not be a doctor, but you play a good one on teh internets.

I don’t try to, just bring an unfortunate personal knowledge of injuries. I’m certainly not saying that Joba is fine, but hearing/feeling a pop is very misleading. There are a lot of things that can cause said “popping” some of them are massive injuries and some are absolutely nothing, the are scary though.

This start seems like a perfect time to have Pettite in there, he seems to step up when we absolutely need him to.

also, I can’t imagine it’s much fun to play in the weather their having in Texas right now. 100+ degrees and I can only imagine the humidity with the hurricane headed their way.

Can’t they option Veras if he can’t be pitched? Or even Edwar since he won’t be available tonight (I would guess)? They need more pitchers right now.

I imagine they’ll bring someone up.  But who?  Britton can’t come back yet unless Joba goes on DL, and he sucks anyhow.  Patterson just came back from pneumonia, I’m not sure that he is ready yet.  Maybe Strickland?  He’s been lights out all year.

Bring up Melancon.

I am at a loss to think of what else could go wrong aside from A-Rod getting the HIV.

You don’t care about platoon splits, but every single major league manager does.

Except Marte’s got a reverse platoon spilt, and Girardi has been using him in LOOGY-ish situations.

I’m actually thinking Sir Kei will make another brief appearance, especially if Rasner’s blister hasn’t healed

Hilarious, talking about Marte and Robertson just makes yesterday’s game feel that much worst.

Okay, fine, let’s talk about tonight’s game instead.  What’s the pen shaping up to be?  Why was Veras out, and is it okay now?

Except Marte’s got a reverse platoon spilt, and Girardi has been using him in LOOGY-ish situations.

Its a pretty even split and historically he’s done better against Lefties.  I’d attribute the difference this year to sample size.

Bring up Melancon.

Haha, good one. 

Candidates from the 40-man roster include: Traber (ugh), Patterson, Chase Wright, Jeff Marquez.  Strickland would have to be added, but they could probably transfer Wang to the 60-day DL to make room…

Why was Veras out, and is it okay now?

Girardi mentioned stiffness(?) but I wasn’t listening so might be mistaken. Didn’t he also pitch the past few days?

I don’t get the reluctance to bring up Kennedy…especially if joba will miss a start. Why not pitch kennedy 2-3 innings on his next pitching day and save him if Joba’s out? Is he really a worse option than Igawa or whoever else we could bring up?

With giese going on friday, Rasner obviously has to be the long man, and I dunno who Girardi is planning on bringing up if it’s not kennedy.

I don’t get the reluctance to bring up Kennedy…especially if joba will miss a start. Why not pitch kennedy 2-3 innings on his next pitching day and save him if Joba’s out? Is he really a worse option than Igawa or whoever else we could bring up?

With giese going on friday, Rasner obviously has to be the long man, and I dunno who Girardi is planning on bringing up if it’s not kennedy.

Jim, that link you posted above is from before the Joba injury.  Things may have changed since.  Also, apparently there was some concern that Kennedy’s velocity wasn’t yet up to his norms, so that may partly account for the reluctance to bring him up.

Rasner is out with blisters.

Can’t they option Veras if he can’t be pitched? Or even Edwar since he won’t be available tonight (I would guess)? They need more pitchers right now.

Then they can’t be called back up for 10 days unless there is an injury.  I don’t know if they are that desparate.  I think (correct me if I’m wrong) Veras wasn’t available yesterday just to not have too much work in too short a time.  He should be available today, as will Mo.  And, obviously, Robertson.  Should be good tonight.

Managing not to lose means being passive and conservative, in the hopes that your opponent will make a mistake or that luck or fate or whatever will give you the bounces or breaks

I think Girardi has done a number of things that don’t fit that description.  He may have done some others that fit that description as well.  I really don’t think you can generalize about him.  Last night I think he felt having Marte pitch to Byrd and Robertson start the 10th gave them the best chance to win.  Didn’t work.

i know people are pissed, but i can’t believe people actually think Girardi should have brought in Rasner the day after his start.

really?  do managers EVER do that? 

not 2 days after a start, THE next day.

the bullpen was short, the game was tied, and the starter got injured:  it was basically the WORST possible scenario.

but it happens.  and Girardi’s hands were kindof tied.

did he probably make a mistake?  yeah, probably.

but i certainly don’t think it’s the indefensible move some of you guys are making it out to be.

Candidates from the 40-man roster include: Traber (ugh), Patterson, Chase Wright, Jeff Marquez.  Strickland would have to be added, but they could probably transfer Wang to the 60-day DL to make room…

Patterson. Although they really ought to cut Traber if he’s blocking a potential useful pitcher like Strickland.

Girardi said that Kennedy still needs to be more consistent with his breaking stuff. But that was also before we lost Joba.

IPK will take Joba’s turn and after getting swept in Anaheim we won’t have to worry about this season anymore.

i know people are pissed, but i can’t believe people actually think Girardi should have brought in Rasner the day after his start.

Assuming that’s directed at me, I didn’t say that he should throw Rasner, I said that’s what AAAA filler like him is for. Giese should have been available to pitch. Rasner to start on Friday, and if Rasner can’t pitch on Friday, DL him and call someone else up before the game. You can’t go into any game with a 4 man bullpen.

but i certainly don’t think it’s the indefensible move some of you guys are making it out to be.

No, it really is.

i know people are pissed, but i can’t believe people actually think Girardi should have brought in Rasner the day after his start.

yup, to be fair, CP brought up Rasner or whoever as part of a doomsday scenario if it went to 13th or 14th inning.  Like I said, Robertson was going to come in the next inning regardless.  The Yankee had their best hitters coming up.  If you want to hand over the game, fine, do it at least after using Robertson and getting the 3-5 hitters up.

I’m assume the option and quick call up (bypassing the 10 days) thing with the call up won’t matter much if Joba is going to miss a start (15 day?) or if Rasner is out (15 day?).

Uh, since CP replied directly, I take back the part where I was presuming what he meant.

Uh, since CP replied directly, I take back the part where I was presuming what he meant.

Eh, you touched on part of my meaning. I tend to not think out my responses clearly when I’m being used as a straw man.

Assuming that’s directed at me, I didn’t say that he should throw Rasner

Yeah, you actually did.

Bullshit. What the fuck do you have Rasner and Giese for? I don’t care if one just started or one is starting next week.

Though you later refined it to Giese Friday and Rasner Sunday.

if Rasner can’t pitch on Friday, DL him and call someone else up before the game.

I think if they felt good about IPK or Wright starting the game on Friday, one of them would have already been scheduled to pitch.  Also since Girardi is probably also thinking about the fact that Chamberlain just came out, he has to be considering that IPK or Wright WILL be starting on Saturday anyway.

You can’t go into any game with a 4 man bullpen.

Are you serious?

Patterson

I’m not sure Patterson is off the DL yet, and I know Marquez isn’t. They have some moves they can make in order to get Strickland up if they wanted. As much as I’d support it, I doubt Melancon would be called up so soon after his promotion to AAA.

In good news for a change, things aren’t going so badly in the minors. A-Jack went 4-5 yesterday with his 30th double of the season, he’s up to .297. Montero continues to rake; he had his 29th 2B of the year last night, hitting .314. Wilkins De La Rosa is establishing himself as an intriguing lefty in Charleston, sporting a 10.96 K/9 rate and a .189 BAA, while giving up only 2 HRs in 90 innings. Yeah, he’s 23, but it’s only his 2nd season on the mound.

Hey, it’s something.

maybe we (I) are (am) overreacting. Perhaps SG has some numbers suggesting a Joba-less rotation might not be so worse off. If not…please lie to me.

Carl Pavano is a two win upgrade on Joba.

Patterson was activated this past weekend, he pitched against the PawSox.

You can’t go into any game with a 4 man bullpen.

yeah, can’t disagree with this.

i just don’t know all of the facts as far as the timing was concerned.

Rasner apparently developed a blister, when did that happen?  did i read Veras was stiff?  when did that happen?

did they think Mo was going to be OK?

sounds like they gambled with the roster and got burned big time.

i understand your argument a little better.  use Robertson for as long as you can, and THEN go to Rasner (or have Melky pitch or whoever).  yeah, that probably would have been better.

Yeah, you actually did.

What the hell.  Forfeit the freaking game after Robertson pitches his inning plus.  Pitch Robertson against Byrd. 

Kellerman criticizing Cano for lack of patience on the plate.  I thought yesterday Cano was more a function of bad luck.  He went on to mention Boggs.  Wade Boggs was a very good Yankee.

Yeah, you actually did.

How about you not tell me what I meant. That statement is plenty ambiguous, intentionally so. Not my problem you can’t read.

Though you later refined it to Giese Friday and Rasner Sunday.

No, I didn’t. I refined it to Giese last night, Rasner on Friday:

Or you just put in Giese and throw Rasner on Friday. It’s not like Giese is a surer bet to win the Friday game than Rasner.

Stop making shit up.

I think if they felt good about IPK or Wright starting the game on Friday, one of them would have already been scheduled to pitch.

If Rasner can’t pitch on Friday because of his blisters, it doesn’t really matter if they felt comfortable or not.

Are you serious?

Are you serious?

Oi, people.  Chill out, will you?

Singleton noted how Girardi may have been reluctant to let a rookie into that situation…
If Robertson was going to pitch later in the game he was going to do it in a walk off situation, so I don´t get it.

I’m guessing that Singleton’s point was about bringing Robertson into a bases loaded situation.  Obviously, he was hoping that Marte could luck or gut his way through the ninth, and that Robertson would pitch the tenth trying to protect a lead.  Still a high leverage, high pressure situation, but not necessarily a walk-off situation, and certainly not a walk-off wild pitch or walk-off HBP situation.  Anyway, that’s a defense of Singleton, not Girardi, and if Kenny said something more that’s inconsistent with what I wrote, then I take it all back.

Managing not to lose…

You’re the visiting team, the game is tied, it’s the bottom of the ninth.  Managing not to lose is pretty much all you can do right there.  That’s not a defense of Girardi either; it’s just a semi-snarky nitpick.

So is the Christian era over?  Doesn’t look like he did much?  But doesn’t look like he did much to hurt himself either.

How about you not tell me what I meant. That statement is plenty ambiguous, intentionally so. Not my problem you can’t read.

Oh, I don’t think it is that ambiguous.  It is good we’re getting to be insulting though.

No, I didn’t. I refined it to Giese last night, Rasner on Friday:

That one was my bad, I admit it.  I know I meant to say Giese last night Rasner Friday, but what I typed made no sense.

If Rasner can’t pitch on Friday because of his blisters, it doesn’t really matter if they felt comfortable or not.

Right, which is why Giese is supposed to start.  Which is why he wasn’t used yesterday.

Are you serious?

Yes I am.  Have we gotten to the point where we feel we NEED an 8-man bullpen, so that if two or three guys can’t go there are still 5-6 guys available?  Some times stuff works out that you end up a little short-handed.  It happens.  If making a move last night to have a 5th guy in the bullpen was feasible, they would have done it.  Heck, chances are by the time they decided Rivera wasn’t available (which I think was right before the game), they couldn’t have gotten anyone there in time anyway.

In good news for a change, things aren’t going so badly in the minors. A-Jack went 4-5 yesterday with his 30th double of the season, he’s up to .297. Montero continues to rake; he had his 29th 2B of the year last night, hitting .314. Wilkins De La Rosa is establishing himself as an intriguing lefty in Charleston, sporting a 10.96 K/9 rate and a .189 BAA, while giving up only 2 HRs in 90 innings. Yeah, he’s 23, but it’s only his 2nd season on the mound.

Geez, George, how can you be up on all of that and not know that Patterson pitched two innings for the save against Pawtucket on Sunday?

Giese is available for an inning of relief tonight, apparently. 

When is Moose’s throw day?  I wonder if they would use him for an inning of relief instead.  In fact, that would be pretty awesome.

You know, if Joba is DL’d for any length of time, the odds that we make the playoffs probably go from “halfway decent shot” to “once in a blue moon”. Every game is precious, yes (hence the disagreement above), but if Joba is DL’d, one game likely won’t be the difference between October Yankee baseball and not.

When is Moose’s throw day?  I wonder if they would use him for an inning of relief instead.  In fact, that would be pretty awesome.

If teams really want more bullpen depth, they’d do this a lot. Frankly, I don’t understand why every veteran starter in MLB isn’t available to pitch an inning on his throw day.  After all, it worked pretty well for Casey Stengel, among others.  I wouldn’t do it with young guys, but you’re not going to hurt a Mussina or a Pettitte by doing this.