Round III in the Bronx — Ding, ding, ding! That’s right folks; tonight is game one of three between the Bombers and the Sawx. Apparently, Girardi elected to DH Jeter and start the defensively-superior other guy who plays shortstop. Other than that, it’s the same ol’ deal – two rival powerhouses fighting for first place in the standings. Here’s your open thread for the evening.
Tonight’s starting lineup:
Derek Jeter DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Russell Martin C
Nick Swisher RF
Andruw Jones LF
Eduardo Nunez SS
And on the mound:
RHP Freddy Garcia (4-4, 3.34 ERA, 4.44 FIP) vs. LHP Jon Lester (7-2, 3.94 ERA, 4.21 FIP)
If you enjoyed this article, please consider sharing it!
91 Responses to Game Thread: Red Sox vs Yankees, 6/7/2011 (7:05PM EST on MY9)
Leave a Reply
TIQ IQ
Seriously!! First freaking batter and already we’re losing. Is it too soon to be annoyed?
Shoulda waited a couple batters. Ah, we play best… out of the hole?
And it’s only Lester the Jester – no sweat,,,
Well the plan is to lull them into complacency…
3-0. How annoyed are you now?
Put it to you this way. I had to consult these:
They have got to get a few key hits with guys on base.
Oh, crap.
One run back. That’s something.
How many injuries have the Yankees suffered int he last 10 years from being hit with pitches by Red Sox pitchers?
Yay – and we got Posada hitting for Teixeira!
Teixeira should be going on the DL with that, at best he’s got a bad bruise, maybe even bone bruise, and has to stay off. If he Does, do the Yankees let Swisher start at first? Call up Vazquez to start at first? or do they let Posada start at first and call up Montero to DH?
I want to see Montero. There is no reason to keep him pinned down in AAA at this point in my opinion.
but hasn’t he been pretty funky?
I would agree if his numbers were better, but he isn’t exactly tearing the cover off the ball. Defensively the best idea is to go with Swish at first, and split Dickerson and Jones in RF. I think that’s the route the Yankees will go with first.
Good question. I guess Montero wouldn’t be a bad idea. If he doesn’t produce, they can send him back and say they only wanted him until Teixeira came back.
I’m all for giving the kid a shot. Regardless of what’s happening in AAA, he’s going to have an adjustment period in the bigs in all likelyhood. I’m not sure more AAA seasoning is going to make a difference at this point for him. Mostly though, I want another high upside bat available. And if he completely flops, you can always send him back down.
I actually think he does still have something to benefit from triple A at bats. He has shown almost no patience this season, his walk rate is a career low, and his K rate is a career high. With those kinds of numbers in the bigs he won’t help us anyway, I think he still needs to work on pitch recogintion and controling the strikezone. Two things which are harder to work on at the big league level.
I don’t like messing with the kids mind like that, if he comes up he needs to get regular at bats, for a sustained time. No reason to discourage him by bringing him up, and sending him down with out any real time to get his feet wet and work through the bigs pitching. He doesn’t have to be treated with kids gloves, but if you give him the shot, I think you have to really let him have the full look. Which may be one reason they haven’t done it already.
I hear you and agree with your point to a large extent. I guess what really determines it for me is how long the injury recovery time is expected to be. If Tex simply has a bruise and is back in a few days, then there isn’t a real need. However, say Tex is out for a month or more, do you really want to see Dickerson or Jones for an extended period of time?
I think to start with the Yankees will go the Dickerson/Jones route no matter what, and then if the injury comes back as really serious I think you could see them go after someone like Beltran in the trade market. If that didn’t work out then I could see them going to Montero, but I have a feeling they really don’t want to call him up to be the DH, and will try the other options first.
Also like I said above, he really isn’t making a case for himself to be the first option. One look at hi stat line reveals he isn’t even trending up from his numbers, he is now under .300 with his batting average, and with his low walk, and power numbers he isn’t do as well as expected. His triple slash line is .294/.336.416 with a wOBA of .329.
The only good news in his poor start is that he is currently doing better than he did last year in the first half at Scranton, and after he got read the riot act by the FO he turned it around to have a killer second half. The best scenario would be for him to get called up at some point during a second half hot streak.
Without the benefit of knowldge, allow me to opine that his heart was set on being in the bigs until Martin was signed. A big league challenge now, which is known apriori to be short-term, may let him either hit it, or readjust. But yes, it would mess with his mind.
You are right he could see it as a challenge to take the big leagues by storm and not go back, and then put up some great numbers. I would lean the other way, but honestly either is probably as likely as the other.
and I respect your points about plate discipline, which means it would likely be a learning experience (and wouldn’t help his trade value).
That’s a good point as well. I personally don’t think anyone is going to be available worth Montero, but if the Yankees know something we don’t, or are still holding out hope of trading him that certainly could be on their minds.
The silver lining in all of this is that Lester is already up to 30 pitches. Whether that makes a difference, who knows.
The way the Yankees have hit in the late innings, it hasn’t mattered much.
Thanks for raining on my parade, Longnose.
/drinkingthekoolaid
All right, all right, I’m sorry. The good news is…um……that…hell, this is the Yankees! We can kick Red Sox ass. 3 runs! Who cares! They can score 3000. It won’t do them any good.
We’re DOOMED. DOOOOOOOMED I tell ya!!! DOOOOMED!
Well, there’s that, too.
Swish has the game in his hands, difficult tho it may be.
There can be more chances, the game just opened, but that was big Mo staring him in the face.
This team is a fraud.
The Yankees needs two new starters cuz if Garcia can’t show up against the better teams including Boston, Nova can’t be carried.
I’m not even watching this game tonight cuz I expect this $200+M team to win a second game out of seven against a blood rival.
In fact, to hell with this whole overblown series. I expect the Yankees to win at least two out of three over Boston after 1-5 flopping against them.
Pathetic.
I’m not sure I am entirely clear on what your saying here.
This Yankees team needs to win at least two of three against the Red Sox to remain in sole possession of first place, and should for all the talent they have and money they’re making as individual players and as a team.
I’m not watching this series because big fucking deal if they win two of three or sweep? That’s the least they could do after 1-5 shitting the bed against Boston in the previous two three-game series.
4-1 Red Sox. Talk about choking. And they do this at home.
Just when you think the Yankees are clicking on all cylinders, they revert to shit when the stakes are highest e.g. tonight.
That’s why they are a fraud.
You gotta keep this this game in perspective. Even though it’s the Sox, it’s still a singular game in June. They could get embarassed 15-1 tonight and if they win the next two, no one cares. Hell, if they win one of three, they are still tied for first place.
If payroll promised wins, we’d be undefeated. We know though, in reality, that that’s not how it works.
Your points about winning the sries and that a loss in June can be buried in importance are both valid, but momentum, in a team pride manner, is also important, very.
I wouldn’t worry about team morale. If they are the better team, they’ll find a way to win. In 2009, they lost the first 9 or so games against the Sox and then went 10-1 in the second half. I put very little stock into things like that but that is just me.
Morale can’tbe counted, so why would you believe in it? Just that the difference in performance before and after came from somewhere. 0 – 9 ; 10 – 1 , it’s just a split season, in the end, right?
Exactly. Did the second half Yankees have more team pride? It was the same group of guys… Or was it that they were performing up to their abilty? Teams are happy in the clubhouse when their winning. Winning comes from a lot of small actions being executed correctly.
Damn right, they were. Keep on countin’.
Momentum is very important.
You lose two of three to the fucking Mariners then win the next two series against Oakland and the Angels for a 6-3 West Coast roadtrip, then you shit the bed at home against the Red Sox, well guess what? You just showed you could beat lesser teams and are in danger of showing you can’t beat the elite once again if you lose two of three to or get swept by the Red Sox.
If the Red Sox win tonight, they need only split the next two to tie for first.
When is this fucking Yankee team gonna lay the hammer down? And how ’bout a come from behind win more than once every 25 or so games hmmmm? Come back tonight. This team lets down and lays down too much as evidenced by their runs scored after the fifth, or do they always draw great bullpens???
Bah! You sound like my Dad. Throwing around ultimatums like “If they don’t win tonight…blah blah blah!” It’s a long season and there aren’t many teams who boast a lineup I’d rather have. That includes the damn Red Sox.
I never said “If they don’t win tonight…”, Son.
You’re the one with the “if” shit like this:
“Hell, if they win one of three, they are still tied for first place.”
How ’bout you set your sights a little higher than one win against the Red Sox and tied for first place with them?
How ’bout the Yankees storm back from being down 6-1 and win this game?
Btw my “if” was hardly an ultimatum. I basically said what you said in a different way. If they lose tonight, Boston needs only split the next two to tie for first.
Lol simmer down man…I didn’t mean to get you all worked up. My point was you simply remind ne ofmy father in the sense that you give off a really big it’s-all-doom vibe. When you say things like, “when is this team going to hammer down…” I can’t help but laugh a bit. They are professionals. They want to win. I don’t think they are half assing it just to piss us off. Remember they are going against one of the best lefties in the AL.
My sight is always set on one thing – getting to the postseason. Yeah I want to see them beat the Sox as much as the next fan. My point is if they get swept this series it isn’t the end of the world. It is a long season and we are not nearly far enough into the season to be worrying about ALCS performance.
The Yankees would be two games up on Boston if they took two of three, four games up if they swept.
I am aggravated that the Yankees once again cannot rise to the occasion against the Red Sox, so I’m not watching this game tonight. If the Yankees win tonight, so what? Big deal 2-5, win another game or sweep. I wanna see 3-6 or 4-5 at the end of Thursday. They have the talent to do that, or do they? Or can they only beat up on Oakland and Baltimore?
If the Yankees can’t beat the Red Sox in regular season games, how are they beating the Red Sox in the A.L.C.S. if both teams get there? And how are the Yankees even making the postseason with basically two bums in the #4 and #5 slots of the rotation? Garcia sucking like he did tonight only puts more pressure on Colon and Burnett esp.Colon and EVERY game Sabathia pitches is a must-win. You wanna tell me “Look at 2009″ well, that was then and this is now.
Dude, you make it sound like every other team that the Yanks face are complete with a dominant 1-5. We’ve missed the postseason how many times in the last 15 years? Oh and we’ve certainly had some worse rotations during that time frame. By the time the Bombers get close to the postseason, they’ll have some other players on the squad. Yes it’s a new year and what not, but don’t fool yourself. The Yanks are a good team too.
I never said other teams had a dominant 1-5, but thanks for putting words in my mouth. I don’t give a fuck about other teams. I give a fuck that this Yankees team is Colon being bad away from collapsing into 82-89 win no postseason shit. They have a barely #5 starter in Nova and a #4 starter who’s starting to look like a #5 in Garcia. They need two new starters cuz you’re delusional if you think this Yankees team is winning it all with a rotation after CC of Burnett/Colon/Garcia/Nova. They’re not.
I am not delusional. I’m simply saying the Yankees have gotten to the postseason with a rotation worse than what they have now. It wouldn’t be the first time either that they go deep into the postseason with a three man rotation.
I realize they have improvements that they can/should make. My point is every team is flawed. I know you only care about the Yanks but you should remember that other teams play the Yanks…A LOT. There is plenty of time for them to get themselves straightened out and clicking.
My point is simply to not get to over-reactionary. We as fans tend to get WAAAAAY to emotional during these games.
No break for Teixeira. Good news.
For those folks who didn’t hear…Tex’s x-rays came back negative. He’s been diagnosed with a right knee contusion. Hopefully this isn’t one of those lingering injuries that stymies him the rest of the season.
I wonder if it’s a bone bruise? The difference could mean a DL stay or not.
I don’t have any medical expertise but I believe a contusion essentially is another term for bruising. Actually, I think it is swelling, specifically. I’m not sure what’s worse though in terms of whether a bruise to the knee cap or the surrounding ligaments is “preferable.”
Painful, back leg, Tex, nope, not good.
A contusion is a bruise, but an x-ray can’t tell you if there is a bone bruise or not, you have to use a high-density MRI scan. They still swell, and become black and blue, but a bone bruise take much longer to heal, and can feel the same as a break even though the bone is intact.
Here is a medical definition:
“Human bone is made up of cortex. Cortex are interconnected fibers. These comprise of calcium and if you have meet with an accident or a trauma to the bones, fibers break apart. As the bones are interconnected by several fibers, breakage of a few fibers does not lead to fracture, but it triggers intense pain in the afflicted part. Precisely, bone bruises develop only if few fibers break. The breakage of many fibers may lead to bone fractures.”
How about Rodriguez shows some power?
He hasn’t hit fr power since his oblique injury. I say give him time, but I would like a temporary shuffle of batting order, say Cano, Tex (I wish), Alex.
Tying run at the plate. How about Granderson shows some power?
He’s been slumping some as of late, it’s going to be interesting to see how it goes. Will he slump hard, or will he break out of it quickly and continue his dominant season.
That would (will?) be outstanding, but youcan’t (and Grandy nor Alex can) turn it on like a light switch. Lester’s good, and he stands against.
I’d settle for nudging the dimmer switch up a little.
Good suggestion! You got Joe’s email?
It’s pretty negligible in the difference in the lineup, and it would cause a firestorm over why Arod had to drop. Leading to questions and distractions we don’t need at this point, for the small difference it would make.
Also Arod is getting on base at a much better clip than Cano, and Cano is only has a slightly higher SLG%, with a lower wOBA.
okay, okay, it was only a flip, because I would like to see flexibility, sometimes only because a flip can stir the ashes.
Noesi poise may be worth something.
He had a +5 PAR (poise above replacement). It reminds me of Gardner’s +6 GAR (grit above replacement).
Ha, de- hardy har, Par.
I prefer the PAP scale (Poise Above Panic).
Why Sam Rice didn’t get 3000 hits: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/701168-the-curious-case-of-sam-rice
Thanks David. Now I can watch the rest of this game with supreme confidence that the outcome will end in tears.
Hey, is this Posada’s second straight two-hit game? Is he 4 for his last 5?
This is indeed his second two hit game in a row. I just verified on B-Ref. It’s also nice to see him getting some hits off a lefty.
I’d love to see Jorge pull it out of his er, way and pick up the baton Tex has been wielding.
Nice stab by Cano.
They’re suckering me into watching the rest of this game.
And that throw by Nunez was the best play I’ve seen him make. Quite a gun.
Sliding into first, Nunez… Really?
If he was to have a chance to win the race against Gonzalez (and his plus 50 pounds, by the way) that was the only choice – or be creamed.
He should have take Gonzalez out.
yeah, at the knees. Only fitting.
We are now entering the Dead Zone. It is impossible for the Yankees to score.
I was just thinking that. It’s actually caused a very rational part of me to wish for bed so I’m not garbage for tomorrow. I can’t though. I’d rather sit through the next hour and a half of crap baseball.
At this point, I generally figure that if the Yankees can at some point get the tying run to the plate, there’ll be at least one at bat worth watching, and the whole thing won’t have been a total waste.
The problem is it’ll happen with two outs in the ninth. /cynicalbecauseit’seasy
Unfortunately, my system is a rationalization, not a health regimen.
c’est la vie!
The 9th or nothing.
One more baserunner and there will at least be an interesting at bat in the 9th.
3 hits for Posada!
And now I get my one interesting at bat. Rodriguez up as the tying run.
Very interesting, but shucks. Hell of a first inning.
Nice hitting, Jorge!
If he’s really coming around, that will be a big help.
especially helpful, too, if Joe is right about Tex being out “a couple of days.”