Game 56-The end of a long and winding road trip

45 Responses to Game 56-The end of a long and winding road trip

1. Duh, Innings! says:

   June 5, 2011 at 4:03 pm

   Why is Posada batting sixth when he should be batting eighth?

   I changed my mind about him. Release him now. If the Tigers can release Gary Sheffield and eat the entire $14M they owed him, the Yankees can release Posada and eat the entire $13.1M – X they’ve paid him so far.

   Posada can’t hit, play the field, or run. He’s a bad $13.1M pinch hitter masquerading as a bad full-time DH.

   I’d love the Yankees to bat Posada eighth and Jeter ninth to send them a message: you’re being paid like stars, but you’re not producing like stars. Start producing like stars again.

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   smurfy Reply:
   June 5th, 2011 at 4:29 pm

   Seventh. Swish is sixth. He sure didn’t take the news kindly the last time they said he was batting ninth, did he.

   You see it as a negative message, as he obviously does. If he is smart, as in realizing that someone has to bat ninth, and it’s a slap to Brett to say it’s beneath him, he should accept it and bat like the blazes of hell motivate him.

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   Duh, Innings! Reply:
   June 5th, 2011 at 4:54 pm

   I meant seventh. I assumed he was sixth cuz he’s so damn slow why would Girardi bat him in a slot where you’re the leadoff hitter for the bottom of the order? Oh wait, it’s Girardi, the guy I can’t make rhyme or reason with his moves half the time.

   Too bad if Posada doesn’t like batting eighth. No more inmates running the asylum.

   Gardner
   Swisher
   Teixiera
   Rodriguez
   Cano
   Granderson
   Martin
   Posada
   Jeter

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   smurfy Reply:
   June 5th, 2011 at 5:31 pm

   I would differ on the order, currently. Gardner didn’t react well to leadoff earlier this year, may feel too much pressure due to Jeter’s status. Jete has recently been performing much better, getting leadoff hits and walks to start games.

   Your other big move, to switch Grandy and Swish: both seem to react well to the second spot. Hate to mess with Grandy; might see trying lefty/righty swap, but Grandy’s doing well against lefties and he’s the better baserunner, so it would be tentative.

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   Duh, Innings! Reply:
   June 5th, 2011 at 5:42 pm

   I’d Gardner first because he’s faster with a slightly higher OBP than Jeter and steals way more bases than Jeter.

   I’d bat Swisher second because he’s done a solid job there in the past. While his BA is low, I like that his OBP is over 100 points higher. ‘Problem I have with Swisher seventh is then you’d have the three worst Yankee hitters making up the bottom of the order

   Amendment to my lineup: Martin sixth, Granderson seventh so there aren’t back to back lefthanded hitters in Cano and Granderson for a lefty reliever to come in for.

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   smurfy Reply:
   June 5th, 2011 at 6:04 pm

   I’d be happy if it were fluid, adjusted to player’s streaks and developing abilities.

   I certainly agree that it should always be the manager’s call. Nobody owns a spot.

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2. smurfy says:

   June 5, 2011 at 4:30 pm

   Somebody just lit a fire under the Angels.

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3. smurfy says:

   June 5, 2011 at 4:39 pm

   They figured something out to help them make contact. Didn’t see any change in Bartolo. Great play by Cano to stop the bleeding.

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4. Eric Schultz says:

   June 5, 2011 at 4:43 pm

   Posada on the bases…sigh

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5. Duh, Innings! says:

   June 5, 2011 at 4:44 pm

   Look at The Idiot (my new nickname for Posada) thinking he’s 25 going for 3B.

   Great job Posada. You still can’t run the bases intelligently after all these years.

   All he has to do is hit and run the bases now, he can’t even run the bases properly.

   This tie game is all on Posada.
   .
   Bench him now! Even better, release his ass.

   .

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6. Duh, Innings! says:

   June 5, 2011 at 4:47 pm

   Thanks Oakland. 0-5 vs. the Red Sox.

   The Red Sox are now 6-2 vs. the Angels, 5-0 vs. the As, 5-1 vs. the Yankees, and 3-1 vs. the Twins for 19-4, 14-22 vs. everyone else.

   Thankfully, they’re done with the Angels and have only 3 more vs. the As and the same vs.the Twins.

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7. Duh, Innings! says:

   June 5, 2011 at 5:00 pm

   Another TEIX message sent hahahaha,

   Thank some higher force the Yankees signed him!!!

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8. smurfy says:

   June 5, 2011 at 5:13 pm

   Bartolo, just like CC last night, is very careful with Bobby Abreu. The guy seems to be very quick witted with the bat.

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9. smurfy says:

   June 5, 2011 at 5:20 pm

   Yay! Jorge didn’t go for two to celebrate!

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10. Larry Koestler says:

    June 5, 2011 at 5:23 pm

    Robbie’s never met a 3-2 pitch he didn’t like.

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    Eric Schultz Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 5:25 pm

    Is it my imagination, or is Cano a lot more pull-happy in 2011 than in previous years?

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    Larry Koestler Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 5:30 pm

    Anecdotally it does feel that way. Will try to do some research when I have a chance — should be able to figure this out via Fangraphs.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 5:35 pm

    He’s had streaks, the last a couple weeks ago, in which he went with the pitch a lot.

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    Professor Longnose Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 5:39 pm

    One of the things you may be noticing is that he isn’t getting very many hits when he does go the other way:

    Pulling the ball: .431 .424 .985
    Up the middle: .281 .278 .416
    Opposite field: .233 .226 .333

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    bornwithpinstripes Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 10:12 pm

    yes he is

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11. Duh, Innings! says:

    June 5, 2011 at 5:31 pm

    Why is Girardi taking out Colon after only 90 pitches and Colon made a nice defensive play? Let the guy finish the inning so Robertson could start the seventh. Colon will have an extra day of rest with the day off tomorrow.

    Once again Girardi sticks his nose where he shouldn’t.

    One more out D-Rob : )

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    Eric Schultz Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    I’m ok with it. Colon didn’t have his best stuff today, and it’s a 1-run game. Plus, the bullpen’s fresh after last night and there’s an off-day tomorrow.

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    Duh, Innings! Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 5:47 pm

    The day off tomorrow means an extra day’s rest for Colon so I don’t see an extra 2-10 pitches killing him, but I see your thinking. I’m thinking Colon pitched a masterful complete-game shutout last start so what’s getting two more outs? True he wasn’t at his best but he’s shown he can get out of jams if you could call a man on 2B and one out a jam.

    No harm no foul. Robertson got out of the bases loaded jam he 2/3rd put himself in haha.

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    Duh, Innings! Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 6:16 pm

    Now I don’t like the move because it set up D-Rob to have a long sixth inning which doesn’t allow him to pitch all of the seventh. Now Joba has to get five outs total (thankfully he’s collected the first two with no runs given up.) I don’t like Joba’s pitch count going into the eighth (20.) Hopefully he can hold the lead, but will this damn offense OUTSIDE OF TEIXIERA score a run or two? Jeez.

    Colon 6 / Robertson 1 / Chamberlain 1 / Rivera 1 should’ve been the move.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    Surprised me, too. Maybe Joe doesn’t want the rally monkey to get loose again.

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12. Professor Longnose says:

    June 5, 2011 at 5:38 pm

    One of the things you may be noticing is that he isn’t getting very many hits when he does go the other way:

    Pulling the ball: .431 .424 .985
    Up the middle: .281 .278 .416
    Opposite field: .233 .226 .333

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13. smurfy says:

    June 5, 2011 at 5:44 pm

    They don’t call it “relief” fer nothin.’

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14. Duh, Innings! says:

    June 5, 2011 at 6:00 pm

    Can Ford please pull the plug on that “Jeter has an edge” commerical that came out in 2007-08 when he was a great player? It’s depressing. The commericial looks dated, too, with the film. Plus the woman at the end probably has 4-7 more lines in her face LOL.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 6:08 pm

    Big yeah! Sure sounds hollow when he’s not doing well.

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    Duh, Innings! Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 7:55 pm

    Seriously, the black construction dude with his “Jeter…you KNOWWW he’s got an edge!!!” makes me cringe.

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15. Professor Longnose says:

    June 5, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    8th inning runs are the holy grail of the 2011 Yankees.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 6:26 pm

    The Swish found it!

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    Professor Longnose Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 6:37 pm

    Let’s hope he remembers where he puts it.

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16. Professor Longnose says:

    June 5, 2011 at 6:38 pm

    It looked like he could have picked the ball up and thrown Gardner out.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 6:46 pm

    Sure could have, except for the risk of the throw getting tangled in the runner.

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17. smurfy says:

    June 5, 2011 at 6:43 pm

    Aybar’s foot blocking the base indicates it’s time for feet first slides.

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    Professor Longnose Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 6:50 pm

    I don’t think head-first slides help anyway.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 7:04 pm

    Grandy especially has slid past the bag to get tagged late. Like to see them try the old way some.

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18. smurfy says:

    June 5, 2011 at 6:51 pm

    Mo’s pitches are smooth and strong today. They’ll have to pull a miracle to beat him. Whoa, Aybar made a good try.

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    Professor Longnose Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 6:57 pm

    A little more nerve-racking than the usual Mo save, but I’ll take it.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 7:00 pm

    The Angels showed a lot of fight. Made it a very good win.

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19. smurfy says:

    June 5, 2011 at 6:57 pm

    Mo was setting that double play up. Nice job!

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20. Matt Imbrogno says:

    June 5, 2011 at 7:08 pm

    A 6-3 road trip that could’ve been an 8-1 road trip. I’m pumped.

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    smurfy Reply:
    June 5th, 2011 at 7:13 pm

    Yeah, they are playing well. Maybe those first two disappointments motivated them.

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21. smurfy says:

    June 5, 2011 at 7:18 pm

    I think Bartolo’s two seamer wasn’t moving as much this time. Joe mentioned that he wasn’t changing speeds as much either.

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