Per Abraham:

Gardner LF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
‘Stache 1B
Posada DH
Cano 2B
Cabrera CF
Molina C
<strike>Snacks Pontoon</strike> Ponson RHP

Seems the Stache has evolved sufficiently to play 1b.  Could sportswriting be far behind?

Interesting choice to not start a 3d baseman and bat Ponson instead

Maybe it should read:
Giambi 1B
‘Stache 3B

The snack man should grow a ‘stache.  He could use all the luck he can get.

Sir Snacks is too far gone for the ‘Stache to make a difference.  The ‘Stache is not a miracle worker, ya know!

Pavano threw 30 BP pitches yesterday, which means we’re only a few short weeks away from his season-ending injury.

Maybe it should read:
Giambi 1B
‘Stache 3B

Assuming we’re going down the road of anthropomorphic facial hair in the lineup, I think we need at least a fu manchu at third, if not a handlebar. ‘Stache is better suited to first.

i hear matsui is growing a fu man chu while on the dl. Well, not really but anything to cover his face is a good thing.

GO VOTE FOR GIAMBI. I just voted for a good 20 minutes. It is really quick if you go p. abes blog. And I bought a “got stache?” shirt outside the stadium after the game yesterday

By the way, the Yanks have scored five runs for two straight games now.  Dare we hope that the offense can rescue the pitching this afternoon and salvage a winning record on the home stand?

Also, I just watched Posada being thrown out at the plate yesterday evening.  Something clearly needs to be done about Bobby Meacham.  That was absolutely ridiculous.  Gross has a great arm and Posada is slow.  What was he thinking?

Something clearly needs to be done about Bobby Meacham.

I know a guy who might be able to help.

Yankee Monkey: you should be thrilled with JoeG- another day where Brett Gradner gets the most AB’s.  Makes NO sense.  If anything hit him 2 so he can bunt runners over, put balls in play, etc.

Not only did the offense hit well yesterday, they hit a good pitcher, making good pitches. This is a second half team with reinforcements on the way (in order McCutchen, Kennedy, Pavano, Wang, Hughes) that’s 4 and a half games out of the wild card and the middle infield is waking up. I’m excited.

Pags, tell us how you really feel…

Any guess as to when Matsui and Damon will be ready?  getting them back is key as having Melkey, Gardner, and Betemit/Molina really hurts.  The other guys are also key.  We need Jeter and Cano to revert to the mean and some talented young pitcher to step up.

Something clearly needs to be done about Bobby Meacham.

I know a guy who might be able to help. cool mad

Just take out his rotator cuff—that’ll make it very tough to wave guys around.

Yankee Monkey: you should be thrilled with JoeG- another day where Brett Gradner gets the most AB’s.  Makes NO sense.  If anything hit him 2 so he can bunt runners over, put balls in play, etc.

Who will <strike>pitch the 8th???????</strike> bat lead off???????

reinforcements on the way (in order McCutchen, Kennedy, Pavano, Wang, Hughes)

One of these things is not like the others….

Conkles, you are on fire this morning.

Something clearly needs to be done about Bobby Meacham.

really?  clearly?

how many times do the yankees score on aggressive sends from Meacham yet are instantly forgotten?

we ONLY remember the outs.  there have been a few this season, but i think i would rather get thrown out a few more times per season if it comes with being more aggressive overall.

it’s like everything else in baseball, there is a cost, and there is a benefit.  over the course of an entire season, how many more or fewer runs does Meacham’s approach lead to?  i don’t know, but my gut says more. 

if he holds Posada, what are the odds he is stranded with Gardner and Melky coming up?  pretty high.  to nail a runner at home, a lot of things have to go right.  if the throw is a little off the mark, you score.

it’s a gamble. 2 outs, Garnder and Melky coming up next, already have a 5-0 lead with 3 outs to record.  i guess i just don’t see the big deal.

and sending Jeter was a no brainer earlier in the game.  i was shocked that there was even a play.  2 outs, Jeter running, looper to the OF?

ha!  i just watched the highlights of the game on mlb.com (sidenote:  the recapper keeps calling him “bobby a-brey-hoo”) and I came back here to ask SG to run the numbers on the base coach.  he’s gotta be hurting the team.

Meacham had dinner plans and the game was lagging.  It happens.

I agree that sending Jeter was a no-brainer.  Off the bat, I said to myself “that’s a run.”

That aside, I feel better about this team after yesterday’s game than I have all season.

Also, I just watched Posada being thrown out at the plate yesterday evening.  Something clearly needs to be done about Bobby Meacham.  That was absolutely ridiculous.  Gross has a great arm and Posada is slow.  What was he thinking?

I’m guessing he was being aggressive with a five run lead.  Force Tampa to make the play.  If it were a close game, he probably holds Posada (who probably would have been taken out for a pinch runner, anyway).

Matsui hit off a tee yesterday and said the knee is pain-free.  Damon is supposed to be ready to play as soon as he’s eligible.

Abraham is insinuating that Posada is hurt worse than they’re letting on because Molina is catching his fifth straight game today.  But with Damon and Matsui on the DL, who should be DHing instead of Posada?  Offense and defense combined, isn’t Posada DH, Molina C, Giambi 1B better than Posada C, Giambi DH, Betemit 1B?

I’m not convinced Betemit is an upgrade at 1B over Giambi this season.

the Yankees have been horrible all year hitting with runners in scoring position.  it’s all i hear about.

isn’t it a logical extension of this to say that holding more runners on 3B will lead to fewer runs than sending them on close plays?

it’s not like the close plays at home are always outs.  they *usually* lead to runs.

it just seems like with THIS offense, waiting for another hit is going to result in no runs more times than not.

maybe with last year’s offense, Meacham’s approach would be the wrong one.  but right now, the Yankees are playing about 3-4 automatic outs EVERY night.

the only really bad decision was sending Damon against the Mets b/c the middle of the order was up and there were no outs.

but 2 outs and the bottom third of the order coming up?  wave ‘em around.

Starting Posada at catcher vs. the Rays makes no sense.  They would run all over him.  Posada isn’t hurt worse than the Yankees are letting on.  Posada has stated clearly and publicly that he will need surgery after the season is over.  That’s hardly minimizing.  Against certain teams, Posada can catch without him hurting the team.  Against others, Molina is the better option.

Abraham is insinuating that Posada is hurt worse than they’re letting on because Molina is catching his fifth straight game today.  But with Damon and Matsui on the DL, who should be DHing instead of Posada?  Offense and defense combined, isn’t Posada DH, Molina C, Giambi 1B better than Posada C, Giambi DH, Betemit 1B?

I was thinking the same thing. With Molina throwing out runners so well, I really think Posada DH/Molina C is the best combination, especially considering the Rays lead the league in SB.

Posada isn’t hurt worse than the Yankees are letting on.

Carrying 3 catchers is sort of weird ...

I used to hate bobby meachum a lot when I was a kid.  for no other reason than he sucked.  I used to put his baseball card in the spokes of my bike just to destroy it.  I decided to let it go and accept him when he was named 3b coach this year.  I’m now back to hating him.

I don’t think sending Jeter was a no-brainer.  I think that when you’re early in a game you can afford to be less agressive, because you will have more opportunities.  AND A-rod was due up. 

When the ball was hit I thought he would score and I was surprised to see him get tagged out.  I immediately thought that he probably forgot how many outs there were and held up to see if the ball would land. (since he messed up this weekend and got doubled up off second on that liner).  But of course Yes didn’t show it and I haven’t read anything about him doing that.  Anyway, the good guys won, so its moot.

I’d rather have an emergency catcher that can play another position than continue to carry moeller.  i think Leyritz used to play a little 3b and was the 3rd/emergency C.  Having Moeller on the roster is like having a 24 man roster.  Is there anybody out there like that that can play another position?  Or at least a serviceable bat off the bench?  Moeller can’t hit.  Piazza?

JD- you need a furry animal to sleep with (see commentary from end of last nights game).  I’m off to the BX now- here’s to Varitek getting hit by a bus…and the Yankees winning!

I don’t think sending Jeter was a no-brainer.

When the ball was hit I thought he would score and I was surprised to see him get tagged out.

aren’t these two statements somewhat contradictory?

if you thought it was an easy run when the ball was hit, didn’t Meacham make the right call?

Re: #30

Is Eli Marrero still playing ball?  I traded for him on every baseball video game I ever played for a stretch of about 5 years…

When I saw the replay, it really looked like Jeter was running in slow motion.  It looked like he was trying, but just going reaaaaaaaally slowly.  Eh, whatever.  If that’s what we have to complain about after last night’s game, that’s a very good sign.

Is there anybody out there like that that can play another position?

Russell Martin?

“When the ball was hit I thought he would score and I was surprised to see him get tagged out.  I immediately thought that he probably forgot how many outs there were and held up to see if the ball would land.”

I was at the game and was shocked to see him get thrown out. He was off on the crack of the bat but upton threw a seed. Thats all there was to that.

#32 yes its contradictory, but I was thinking meacham would have seen if Jeter got a bad jump, and I didn’t have the benefit of that on tv.

#36 that settles that.

I still think I will hate meacham.  Now I just have to get my hands on a 1984 Bobby Meacham Topps card… and a huffy.

since he messed up this weekend and got doubled up off second on that liner

That ball is a DP every single time, no matter who the runner on second is.  Hell, that ball is usually a DP in slow-pitch softball, where you can’t leave the base until the pitch reaches the plate.

That Upton fella leads the majors in OF assists.  I imagine that people will just stop running on him pretty soon.

I still think I will hate meacham.  Now I just have to get my hands on a 1984 Bobby Meacham Topps card… and a huffy.

The card will set you back a pretty penny, or more accurately, a pretty dime.

I still think I will hate meacham.  Now I just have to get my hands on a 1984 Bobby Meacham Topps card… and a huffy.

fair enough.