Yeah, I know it’s not Jacobs Field anymore, but I don’t care.
The Yankees trot out this lineup vs. Justin Masterson and the Indians:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Curtis Granderson, CF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Alex Rodriguez, 3B
5. Robinson Cano, 2B
6. Nick Swisher, RF
7. Jorge Posada, DH
8. Russell Martin, C
9. Brett Gardner, LF
And Phil Hughes is on the hill, making his (hopefully) triumphant return to Major League Baseball.
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61 Responses to Game Thread: Weds. 7/5: Rubber Match at the Jake
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TIQ IQ
Good luck, Phil. We’re rooting for you.
Walk, hit. Not looking good.
K, but Russell Martin threw the ball into left field on a steal attempt. Damn.
Long fly. Gardner stumbled around but got it. I think that makes the second run earned, since it would have been a sac fly if the runner was still on third.
That was an incredibly interesting route by Gardner, haha.
As Charles Schulz once put it, “a spectacular catch of a routine fly ball.”
Another hit. Officially a bad inning, and a chance to let it get out of hand here.
Did anyone see the ESPN opening segment? UGH!!! Comparing the Yanks to The Beatles and the Indians to The Who! I found it lame.
I missed it, thankfully. It sounds ghastly.
Not good overall. Some encouraging things, I suppose, including the strikeout, and some ground balls got through, but he still can’t put away guys with 2 strikes on them. How’d he look to you?
His fastballs were up.Nerves? At least he mixed in some good curve balls.
I suppose first we should worry about his health and velocity, and then go back to worrying about him learning to pitch.
don’t worry, just watch.
What?? I don’t understand. What language are you speaking?
Whoa, did you see that? Jete stabs it, and Cano throws stealth, partially straightarm 180, and comes close. Oh, Isee Cano’s throw on replay and get how he dunnit.
Whut language? Whatdsyamean?
That was Jeter’s best play of the year. Really nice.
I guess LaPorta was closed on that one!
#languagepuns
Damn that they couldn’t get at least a run back in that situation. That could be big.
A zero for Hughes in the second. So his ERA for this game is 9.00 so far, an improvement over 13.94.
Yes, he’s adopting the crafty contact pitcher approach, till he finds his stuff. Nerves are down now, it’s all about location, location, loc…
Masterson looks good, right, Professor, right Alex? Lefties were smacking it loudly at first, but quieter recently.
he doesn’t look nervous anymore. His two seam/sinker is nasty for the righties. Don’t understand why he can’t do something to the lefties with that.
Coney was saying lefties get a much better look from his sidearm style.
BryanHoch: RT @benshpigel: Hughes according to pitch f/x data a) yet to generate swing/miss on FB and b) his avg FB velo has diminished every inning
This is exactly what I was worried about. I hope this is wrong.
According to Lucas A., who tracks all this stuff, that’s something he’s always done.
That’s some good info on the velocity side, but it still doesn’t address the lack of swings and misses. He’s averaged 7.73 SO/9 over his career, but 2.61/9 this year and he struck out just 2 tonight. Again, while generating no swings and misses on the FB.
http://www.fangraphs.com/statss.aspx?playerid=7450&position=P#platediscipline
Here’s the plate discipline stuff. Off the charts this year, saw no difference tonight.
Hafner definitely wanted some.
and Phil didn’t want any of Santana’s crusher chamber (the plate).
Can you hear that echoing evil laugh? Must be from the tunnel of derision. Chris told me what Cleveland fans did to Boomer.
Two out in the fifth, bases loaded, I’d take Hughes out. He looks tired.
Gotta think that’s Phil’s last inning.
Tying run at the plate!
5 IP
6 H
2 ER
2 BB
2 SO
Phil’s final line looks OK, but I’m still not sold that he’s all the way back. You have a very pitcher friendly umpire in Marty Foster behind the plate, a middling offense in CLE and he still struggled mightily to get through the game. It was OK, but had a 2nd half 2010 feel to it. What’s going to happen the next time he’s getting squeezed facing a good team? He’ll need more than he had tonight.
One nice thing is he shaved 6 runs off that ugly ERA he had going into the game.
Are there any radar gun readings?
YES had his velocity dropping inning by inning, but he seemed to get a little extra giddy up (92s) after Rothschild’s visit gave him a rest. But he can be throwing 92-93, if the FB has no life on it hitters are going to square it up. See the link above where I replied to Mo. His contact rates are way up, his swinging strikes are way down.
Only managed to catch Hughes’ 5th inning tonight, but it sounds like he struggled somewhat. I expected that in his first start back, but at least he held them to 2.
2nd, 3rd, & 4th innings were pretty efficient. Struggled in 1st & 5th. I though his curve looked pretty good tonight. But Steve S. is right. Not a great night and he must get better…..fast.
He can’t pitch the way he did tonight and get away with it facing a better offense or if he’s getting squeezed.
If he struggles, you’ll see Nova back here or a deal made pretty fast. Phil has the month of July to make his case.
Does Hughes have options left? I would assume so, but I’m not sure.
I don’t know, but he’s been in the bigs since 2007. I think when you get 3 years of service time you have to clear waivers, but the team can pull you back. Cots has him at 3.113 in service time.
Yep, he’s out. I guess they could always make up a DL worthy injury if he struggles.
How was the fastball command? That’s always been my biggest thing with Hughes. People tend to think he has good control when he isn’t throwing balls, but he often very wild within the zone leading to problems. When he has the good fastball he can’t get away with it more, but if he is ever going to be what he and the Yankees want the fastball control is what is going to have to improve.
Tying run at the plate again. This time, do something about it, Yankees.
Warning track. Arrrrggggh.
Boy, from the sound of it, I thought Posada had the game-tier.
Chris, looks likeI need to work on my reply command:
He spotted some, but Coney demonstrated one that was intended for the high tight corner to a lefty leaked back over the middle.
I think his fastball command is way more important than his velocity. Honestly I think he could pith in the 88-91 MPH range if he had to, with the right control. He’s just always pitched with the control of someone throwing 94-96 MPH.
Yeah, it looks like command and control is all he’s got, for now, unless he was just too tight tonight.
Saw him throw a couple nice changeups. Coney said his curve was better at high-70′s than it had been 10 mph slower.
Wow, some defense Cleveland showed there.
Sergio is getting some nice strikes.
There is not a place on Earth far enough away to send Mitre. He needs to be shot into space.
They had the cannon out a some minor league ballpark. I think they were going to shoot the starter out before the game.
Well, at least Jete got a hit! 3 away! /sarcasm
Gaaaaaaaah!
One more baserunner and the tying run will be at the plate. That will be at least one interesting at bat.
Hey, nobody out. Be a fine spirit lift if they rally. Swish coming through again.
Get it going again, Brett.
ooouch, fine backdoor cutter to get ‘im! Phil got one of those, earlier.
i am an Asdrubel believer.
If Gardner gets on, Granderson will be the tying run. It’s a long shot, but it’s possible.
Gardner down looking? I’m shocked.
Not a good outing. Velocity still isn’t there and propably not coming back this year and the way Hughes pitches he can’t survive with 90-92 mph fastballs.
The curve saved him today!
I think we see a trade for a starter and Hughes goes back in to the pen or the minors.
It would have to be the pen, he can’t be sent to the minors without going through waivers.
Jesus Montero has been placed on the DL after a stiff back had him sit out a game or two. Montero thought he would be able to return to the lineup soon, but the team thought otherwise.
More on Jesus. The DL stint is retroactive to July 4th, and he will be eligible to return July 11th.