Hey Everyone. Back here for tonight's game between the Yankees and Rangers at Yankee Stadium. This is the second game of a three-game set in the Bronx. Andy Pettitte (5-1, 4.10) will face Scott Feldman (4-0, 3.91). It'll be interesting to see how Pettitte's back is after it stiffened up on him during his last start. Just a note, it is raining in everywhere basically from Cincinnati, Ohio to Boston, Massachusetts right now. It'll be a miracle if the whole game is played tonight, if anything.
Some notes before the game starts:
*The Yanks have won 2 straight and 16 of their last 20 overall, including 9 of their last 11 at home.
*Derek Jeter has a 16-game hitting streak and has raised his average up to .319.
*Hideki Matsui has 3 home runs in 12 at-bats this season against the Rangers.
*Mark Teixeira was scratched from tonight's line-up with a bruised right ankle. He sustained the injury on his hard slide into 2nd last night to break up a double play. He is listed as day-to-day. For the Yankees, they better hope this is nothing major. Tex has been raking the ball lately and cannot afford to lose him in the middle of their line-up.
Back for the start of the game...if it ever does start. Will update you when I find out information on the weather and start time.
UPDATE (6:45): Swisher will hit second in the line-up with Damon hitting 3rd. Interesting there, but I assume it's because Swish was great in the #2 spot on Monday night. Also, they are apparently getting ready to take off the tarp. Might have baseball after-all. Early runs will be important I'm sure!
UPDATE (6:51): First pitch is at 7:15. Good news there. The bad: There is another big blob of green on the radar, with the east-most point at Scranton, PA right about now. I say there is about a 90-minute window before it starts raining heavy again. That could be about the 5th inning. Again, early runs will be important.
UPDATE (7:32): Underway after a 12-minute rain delay. Rough start for Andy Pettitte. Lead-off walk to Ian Kinsler, who later comes around on an infield single by Nelson Cruz. Marlon Byrd had an RBI fielder's choice, and Chris Davis had an RBI single. Could've been worse if Byrd wasn't gunned down trying for 3rd on Davis' single by a great throw from Melky in right. 3 runs, 3 hits, 2 walks in the inning. We'll see if the Yanks can respond. They lead the majors with 18 come-from-behind wins.
UPDATE (7:41): Yankees get a run back on a double by Swisher and a single by A-Rod. Pettitte needs to settle down and give his offense a chance to get the lead before the rains come.
UPDATE (7:54): Rangers get their run back as Ian Kinsler scores Elvis Andrus. Three more hits for the Rangers and a throwing error by Pettitte on a pick-off attempt. Not a good start for Pettitte. He's been good for the Yanks this year, but his stuff is not intimidating anymore.
UPDATE (8:12): WOW! Andy Pettitte gives up a lead-off walk (again) and a single. 2-on, none-out, and Marlon Byrd interferes with Posada by hitting him on the back with his backswing as the runners were stealing. Instead of 2nd and 3rd with no out, the runners have to go back, and Pettitte proceeds to strike out the side, all swinging, to end the inning. Great job by Pettitte!
UPDATE (8:31): Hard to say this with the way the Yanks come-from-behind, but this doesn't look like the Yanks' night. Feldman walks Gardner, Swisher, and Damon all in the same inning, and sure enough, A-Rod grounds into a 5-3 double play to end the inning with nothing. Bad start by Pettitte so far and lack of a big hit. The good news: It's a 3-run game, and it's the 4th inning. The bad: the rain's a-comin!
UPDATE (8:39): Another stolen base off Jorge Posada. He's got one of the best bats among catchers, but my goodness, everyone is going to steal off of him. He cannot throw anyone out. He is airmailing almost every throw to 2nd. Teams are going to start taking real notice of this. Meanwhile, Andy Pettitte NEEDS to stop walking batters. 3 of the 4 lead-off hitters have walked off him.
UPDATE (8:48): Pettitte walks three more to bring his total in the game to 6 in four innings. He does have 6 K's, but he's had to battle in every inning and has thrown 95 pitches. However, it's still a 3-run game, and the offense needs to start capitalizing against Feldman if the Yanks want this game.
UPDATE (9:00): 9 pitches is all Andy needs to get through the fifth. I was shocked he stayed out there, but he finally has an easy inning. The game is still up for grabs. It's up to the Yanks offense now.
UPDATE (9:06): Another 1-2-3 inning for Feldman. He's retired 8 in a row and has been pretty good all night aside from a few walks. It's an official game now, so if the rains come soon, Texas will have a win. Still plenty of time left, but the Yanks need to start hitting.
UPDATE (9:25): The Yankees fail to capitalize again as A-Rod strikes out and Cano grounds out with Damon on 3rd. A-Rod has left four runners on base himself. Yanks just not in it tonight offensively and seem weak without Teixeira in the line-up. Hopefully, he's not out for an extended period. Give Scott Feldman credit. He has pitched great over 6 innings.
UPDATE (9:45): Jorgie juices one to RF, a Yankee Stadium homer on a line drive to the short porch. 4-2 now in the 8th, should be an interesting finish in the Bronx. I'm surprised the rain has held off this long!
UPDATE (9:51): Brett Tomko comes out of the bullpen and throws three scoreless innings, giving up 2 hits, 0 walks, and striking out 3. The Yanks have him, Aceves, and Hughes all who can go long and be effective in the pen.
UPDATE (10:02): A-Rod strikes out again with Swisher on base. Elvis Andrus with a nice play on a chopper by Cano to end the inning. He has been great at the plate and in the field tonight. Yanks have 3 more outs to try and do something at the dish.
UPDATE (10:33): Yanks don't do anything in the 9th and lose the game 4-2. Tough loss for the Yanks who couldn't get anything going at the plate. Pettitte was shaky at the beginning but kept the team in the game. Good relief again from the Yanks. We'll see if Chien Ming Wang can be effective tomorrow.
Showing posts with label yankees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yankees. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Wang Back in Rotation; Setback for Reyes
Interesting news coming from both the Yankees and Mets this afternoon.
For the Yankees, Chien Ming Wang is back in the rotation and will start tomorrow's game against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium. To compensate, Phil Hughes will take Wang's spot in the bullpen. Obviously, Hughes has to be disappointed. While he hasn't pitched amazing since joining the rotation (3-2, 5.45 ERA), he has shown flashes of great pitching. However, Wang has given up just 2 runs in 8 innings of relief, and it appears he has regained the velocity and sink on his pitches he was lacking earlier in the season.
For the Yankees, Chien Ming Wang is back in the rotation and will start tomorrow's game against the Rangers at Yankee Stadium. To compensate, Phil Hughes will take Wang's spot in the bullpen. Obviously, Hughes has to be disappointed. While he hasn't pitched amazing since joining the rotation (3-2, 5.45 ERA), he has shown flashes of great pitching. However, Wang has given up just 2 runs in 8 innings of relief, and it appears he has regained the velocity and sink on his pitches he was lacking earlier in the season.I think the only way the Yanks will know whether or not Wang has his stuff back is if he starts again. He'll only throw 75-to-80 pitches, as per Joe Girardi, to build up some arm strength, so he won't give you much length. Give him a couple starts and see if he can pitch well again. Hughes could be as big of an asset in the bullpen as Alfredo Aceves has been lately. He can go multiple innings, and is much more valuable and reliable than Jose Veras or David Robertson.
As for the Mets, Jose Reyes was removed from an extended spring 
training game today after experiencing pain in his calf and will return to New York for further tests. This is terrible news for the Mets, as Reyes was on target for a possible return Friday. Now, the team will have to see just how severe the injury is and keep him out longer. The Mets are even thinner at short with Ramon Martinez likely going on the DL, but at least they have Alex Cora back, who will be starting and hitting lead-off tonight against the Pirates.
training game today after experiencing pain in his calf and will return to New York for further tests. This is terrible news for the Mets, as Reyes was on target for a possible return Friday. Now, the team will have to see just how severe the injury is and keep him out longer. The Mets are even thinner at short with Ramon Martinez likely going on the DL, but at least they have Alex Cora back, who will be starting and hitting lead-off tonight against the Pirates.For the Mets, they need some good news about injuries, and need some fast. I guess you can consider Carlos Beltran returning to the line-up tonight a plus, after being out since Sunday with a stomach virus. However, will he be on his game? Cora's return is good too, but they still are losing players left and right. Pagan on Sunday, Martinez yesterday, it's just too much. The team has some depth, but not enough that will allow them to compete all season long.
I'll be back later to live-blog during the Yankee game once again. I will try and do a Mets live-blog soon. I've just been focusing a lot on the Yankees at work. Catch you all in a bit!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Yanks Take Homestand Opener; Mets Drop 2nd in a Row in Steel City
For the second night in a row, the Yankees were victorious while the Mets floundered. The Yanks returned to the Bronx to open a three-game set against the Rangers and flexed their muscles in a 12-3 victory.AJ Burnett got the start and performed well aside from one rough inning. He gave up a 3-run homer in the 3rd to Nelson Cruz, and was very strong outside of that. His final line: 7.0 IP, 8 H, 3 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 110 pitches. Another solid start from a Yankee pitcher, which has been the key to their success.
Key Highlights:
*The entire Yankees 4th inning, in which they scored 7 runs off Vicente Padilla and Derek Holland. The big play in the inning: Mark Teixeira sliding into second to break up a potential inning-ending double play with A-Rod at the plate. He slid hard into Elvis Andrus, kept the inning going, and the Yanks ended up plating five more runs. The final three came off the bat of Hideki Matsui, who launched a homer into the right field bullpen. Big offensive showcase for the Yanks.
*Jorge Posada launched a bomb of his own, drilling a Warner Madrigal pitch deep into the second deck in right for a 3-run dinger. This one put the game officially away and was a mammoth bomb.
Key Stats:
*1 walk for AJ Burnett. After winning his first two starts, in which he gave up just 1 walk in each, he has given up under 2 walks in a start just once in 8 starts since. His totals: 2 twice, 3, 4 twice, 6, and 7. He walked 4 against the Rangers last week, and only one tonight. He did a much better job challenging the hitters, and trusting the defense behind him, which was great.
*E2 in the Top of the 4th inning. That would be charged to Jorge Posada when he airmailed a throw to second, trying to catch Elvis Andrus stealing. That was the Yanks' first error in 18 games, ending their record streak.
*Jeter: 3-4 at the plate, extends his hitting streak to 16 games.
*Teixeira: 0-2 at the plate, ends his hitting streak at 14 games. He was hit twice by a pitch, and showed some anger after the 2nd one, yelling at Padilla on the mound, sliding hard into second, and being overly emotional in the dugout after Matsui's home run later that inning.
As for the Mets, they were stymied by Zach Duke, and the Pirates made 3 runs of Johan Santana stand up in a 3-1 win. The Mets were once again without the services of Carlos Beltran, who is still battling a stomach virus, and apparently, an SNY Producer may have the Swine Flu. Not good news for the Mets, neither was losing a second straight game to the Pirates.Santana was solid again, pitching 6 innings. He gave up 7 hits, 3 runs, walked 1, and struck out 3. He threw just 85 pitches. All the Mets could muster was a sac fly off the bat of Luis Castillo in the 5th inning. In addition, Ramon Martinez was injured, hurting his finger, and left the game after just 2 at-bats.
Key Highlights:
*In the 5th, after the Mets took a 1-0 lead, Jason Jaramillo took Santana deep to left with one out to tie the score. Good way for the Pirates to respond and keep things close against a dominant pitcher like Johan Santana. It was his first dinger of the season.
*In the 6th, the Pirates took the lead for good. Nate McLouth and Adam LaRoche hit back-to-back, almost identical doubles to right, plating a run a piece, and giving their team a 3-1 lead. Santana was strong all night up until the 6th, and the Pirates made him pay.
Key Stats:
*0 strikeouts for Pirates pitching. Facing a tough task against Johan Santana, the Pirates pitchers needed to be just as good if not better. The combo of Duke, John Grabow, and Matt Capps threw 9 innings of 1-run ball, and didn't K one Met batter. That's impressive.
*Jeremy Reed: 3-for-3 at the plate. Reed was once again impressive at the dish. 3 hits for him after 2 hits and 2 runs scored last night. Good to see him starting to pick up on the offense, especially when the rest of his team went 5-for-27 at the plate.
That's all for tonight. Yanks and Rangers again tomorrow at 7. Andy Pettitte goes for win #6 against Scott Feldman. Mets at the Pirates also at 7. Mike Pelfrey tries for his 5th victory against former-Yankee Ross Ohlendorf, who is 5-5 for the Bucs.
Monday, June 1, 2009
Yanks Take Series from Cleveland, Mets Drop Opener to Pittsburgh
The Yankees capitalized on some wild pitching by the Indians and got great pitching from Joba Chamberlain in a 5-2 win. The win gave the Yanks 3 of the 4 games in the weekend wrap-around series with the Tribe and ended the road trip with a 5-2 record. Pretty good once again.Highlights of the Game:
*Bottom 5: With runners at 1st and 2nd with no outs in the bottom of the 5th, Kelly Shoppach popped up a bunt along the 3rd base line. Joba came out of nowhere, made a full-out dive for the ball and caught it for the out. He then immediately popped back up and fired a strike to 2nd for the double play. It will be on highlight reels for a while and stifled a potentially big rally.
*Top 6: Jeremy Sowers walked the bases loaded, and then was relieved by Greg Aquino. He proceeded to A-Rod, Posada, and Cano without giving up a run. Great job by Aquino and poor hitting by the Yanks.
*Top 7: Yanks get revenge...Aquino then walks three straight, and this time, Nick Swisher doubles off the left field wall, just missing a grand slam, and scores two. After they intentionally walk Teixeira to face A-Rod, former Yankee Luis Vizcaino gives up a 2-run single to Rodriguez as the Yanks extended the lead to 5-1
Key Stats:
*#1 has to be the line of Joba Chamberlain: 8.0 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 106 pitches, 66 strikes. For everyone who is still whining that Joba should be in the bullpen, tonight's start proves that he does have the stuff to go deep into a game and be economical. Yes, he was facing a weak Indians team without Grady Sizemore, but his stuff was nasty tonight and would've tamed any team. Fastball in the mid-90's, hard-breaking slider, and accuracy. Joba was economical, which was important, got off to a good start too, and really made just one bad pitch.
*#2 will be that Indians pitchers walked 11 batters. The Yankees showed patience at the plate and didn't bite when the Indians' pitchers were wild. Back-to-Back innings, the Yanks had the bases loaded on walks. However, the Yankees were also 3-for-16 with runners in scoring position. That's pretty bad, but they still found a way to win.
*The final key stat would be the #0. As in, 0 errors for the Yanks defense. That's the 18th straight errorless game for the Yankees, who broke the all-time record for consecutive errorless games, surpassing the 2006 Red Sox who went 17 games without an error. Nice team record to have and a big reason why the Yanks have won 15 of their last 19 games now.
Didn't catch much of the Mets game tonight, so this recap will be much shorter from what I did watch and could dictate. Either way, they blew a 5-0 lead and lost 8-5 at Pittsburgh to open their road trip. The story of this game was, once again, woeful pitching by J.J. Putz, after he struggled Sunday against the Marlins. Here's my highlights and stats:
Highlights:
*Big Met highlights would have to be the RBI Triple for Wilson Valdez in the 2nd and his 2-run double in the 4th. For a guy that isn't expected to do great things for the Mets, he plated 3 of the Mets' five runs out of the seventh-hole and ignited the Mets' offense tonight.
*For the Pirates, it would have to be their entire 8th inning. Adam LaRoche started it all with a lead-off double, trailing 5-3. After that, the Bucs put together four singles, a walk, a fielder's choice, and a sac fly to take an 8-5 lead. Great hitting by the Pirates to take advantage of bad pitching by the Mets' pen.
Key Stats:
*Biggest has to be the line of J.J. Putz, who was not effective once again in a big eighth inning role: 0.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K, 12 pitches. That is awful, and something that will not bode well with his manager, especially against the Pirates, and especially after Jerry Manuel told reporters he still will go to Putz in the 8th inning.
*The combo of Daniel Murphy, Gary Sheffield, and David Wright (hitting 3-5 in the order with Beltran missing another game with a stomach virus): 0-10, 3 walks, 1 RBI, 1 R. With Beltran out, the middle part of the line-up needs to step up, and they didn't tonight against Ian Snell and the Pirates. If the Mets are going to be successful with all of their injuries, they need to get production from these spots.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Yankees @ Indians - 5/30/09 - CC Returns
CC Sabathia will make his first ever start as a visitor at Progressive Field (formerly Jacobs Field) tonight. He spent 7 and a half years with the Indians before he was traded to the Brewers last season and then signed on with the Yanks. He'll face former teammate Fausto Carmona.
CC threw against Cleveland on Opening Day in the Bronx and wasn't economical in a 10-2 loss. Fausto Carmona was the winner in the Indians 22-4 romp of the Yanks two days later. The teams split that four-game set back in mid-April.
Some quick little tidbits:
*The Yanks have a chance to go 1.5 games up on the Red Sox, who lost again in Toronto 5-3 this afternoon.
*The Yanks are 14-11 on the road, which is the best mark in the American League and tied for third in all of baseball with the Brewers.
*The Yanks have gone 15 straight games without making an error. That is the longest stretch in franchise history and two short of the Major League record of 17 by the Red Sox in 2006. This courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
*Robinson Cano ended a streak of 54 consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout last night when he went down in the 1st.
Back with thoughts as the game begins later. 7:05 start in Cleveland.
UPDATE (6:32): Some brief medical notes I read...Pettitte is fine after hurting his back yesterday, will make his next start. Melky took swings and is planning to return Monday. Molina and Nady both played in Florida. Molina could be activated later next week.
UPDATE (7:08): According to the Yankees game notes, Jeter had picked up a hit in the first inning in the Yanks' last five games (all leading off). Sadly, it ended on the groundout to Fausto, but that's impressive.
UPDATE (7:11): Teixeira now has a hit in 12 straight games with a single to right. Amazing how he has turned it on in May since A-Rod returned. Hopefully for him, he keeps it going into June.
UPDATE (7:31): Victor Martinez fouls a ball of his leg, is down for a while, and decides to stay in after about 5 minutes on the ground. He almost fouls another ball of his foot, then grounds out to second and limps halfway to first. I doubt he stays in. It's not worth risking further injury on May 30th! 1-2-3 for CC is a good start. ...And on cue, Kelly Shoppach is into the game. I'll update if I hear what the injury is.
UPDATE (7:35): Jorgie juices one to right. Long homer for him. 2 hits and a walk last night, and now a homer in his return from the DL. Good to see from the veteran catcher! 1-0 Yanks
UPDATE (7:39): Nick Swisher launches one over the centerfield wall. Yanks showing the power in the 2nd. 2-0 NYY
UPDATE (7:48): Carl Pavano (starting tomorrow against Phil Hughes) has won 5 games in May for the Indians. He won 9 total over time in three different seasons with the Yanks. Hmmm...Anyway, CC looks good so far. Gets a double play after a 1-out walk.
UPDATE (8:22): Yes, it's been a long time, but that's because the Yanks pounded away against Carmona in the 4th, a half-inning that lasted nearly 20 minutes. Jeter knocked home two with a single that extended his hit streak to 13 games. Damon brought in another with a single to right. Then, Cano had a two-run single to left, though A-Rod was thrown out trying for 3rd. 5 runs on 4 hits, and they were helped by two errors, including a big one on a throw to second to try for a force by Garko. Yankees up 7-0
UPDATE (8:32): Meanwhile, CC continues to deal on the mound. Four strikeouts and a walk over four innings. Back to the Yanks' fourth, one play you'll notice if you look at the play-by-play is Teixeira grounding into a fielder's choice to first and Jeter getting out at home. On that play, Jeter knew he was done for, but got into a decent rundown and directed the baserunners to move them each up a base despite getting out. That great play lead to two more Yanks runs. That's the Captain for you.
UPDATE (8:40): Of course, it wasn't weird enough that the Indians finally retired the Yanks in order in the 5th. A flock of seagulls all of a sudden flew into right centerfield and appeared to be feeding on something atop the wall and on the warning track. Crazy stuff!
UPDATE (8:50): Interesting as Shin-Soo Choo grounds one up the middle that Cano tries to bare-hand and can't come up with. They rule it a hit, I say Cano might've had a chance if he gets the glove on it. That's the first one of the day for the Indians. DeRosa then grounds one into the hole on the right side, Cano stops it but can't get the out. Infield single and Choo goes to 3rd...barely. Finally, Garko gets a clean single to center to plate Choo. 7-1 Yanks
UPDATE (9:04): Sorry for the delay...Indians scratch across another on a single to left by Carroll. CC goes from 0 runs and 0 hits to 2 runs and 4 hits in one inning, all after the dribbler up the middle which did scrape CC's hand. 7-2 Yankees
UPDATE (9:06): That's what Gardner can do for you. Works a lead-off walk, then as he's stealing second, Jeter singles to left. Gardner then scores on the grounder to 1st. 8-2 Yanks
UPDATE (9:16): Grady Sizemore absolutely obliterated that one into the right centerfield bullpen. CC definitely has lost his dominance after giving up that first hit. However, his offense has given him plenty of support and he's still going to go 7 most likely. 8-3 Pinstripes
UPDATE (9:22): CC gets out of the inning with a 4-6-3 DP after a walk to Peralta. He has 94 pitches through 6. Do you bring him out for another inning or go to the pen? I say, one more, then bring on Wang for 2 or Coke/Robertson.
UPDATE (9:42): CC strikes out Asdrubal Cabrera for the 3rd time to end the 7th and most likely, his night. 7 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs (earned), 3 walks, 8 strikeouts, 113 pitches. Pretty good again for CC, who was dominant early, then limited damage while laboring late. I say with a five-run lead, let Coke and/or Robertson finish this out. Or perhaps get Wang some work.
UPDATE (9:50): And it is David Robertson on to pitch. He' s been alright so far this year, and got all five batters he faced in Texas out. Let's see if he can shut the door on this one.
UPDATE (9:57): Nice play by A-Rod ends a 1-2-3 inning. Ranging to his left, Rodriguez stabbed it and made a strong throw to 1st to get Peralta. To the 9th we go!
UPDATE (10:10): Yanks pick up some insurance. Teixeira leads off with a bloop double then comes home on a Robbie Cano single. Matsui would later double Cano home. Godzilla with 3 hits tonight, but looks awful running the bases. Don't think he has much of anything left in those knees. Either way, Jose Veras comes in to finish off the game. Yanks up 10-3
UPDATE (10:11): Even with a 7-run lead, Jose Veras gives up the required home run (solo shot to Choo) whenever he pitches. Then, he hits DeRosa. I think it's about time for Veras to go to the minors and Mark Melancon to join the team. He can't be any worse than Veras has been. 10-4 Yanks
UPDATE (10:23): Veras gives up another run on a Ben Francisco double, but strikes out Carroll and gets Cabrera to ground to short. Yankees win the game 10-5 to move a game and a half ahead of the Sox in the AL East.
Some final notes:
*The Yankees have won 3 straight, 4 of 5, and 14 of 17. They are rolling right now.
*Yanks now have not commited an error in 16 straight games...they'll look to tie the record tomorrow
*CC Sabathia improves to 5-3. That's five straight great starts by CC, and he's gone 7 innings or more, giving up 3 runs or less in all of them.
*Jose Veras needs to go, as does Angel Berroa as Berroa does nothing and Veras only makes things worse. Bring up Melancon to help the pen and bring up another bat for the bench (Shelley Duncan anyone?? He leads the International League w/ 16 homers)
That's all for tonight. Yanks and Indians go again tomorrow with Phil Hughes against Yankee Fan Favorite (NOT!) Carl Pavano. I won't be live-blogging that one, but YES will have all the action at 12:40 (odd start time).
CC threw against Cleveland on Opening Day in the Bronx and wasn't economical in a 10-2 loss. Fausto Carmona was the winner in the Indians 22-4 romp of the Yanks two days later. The teams split that four-game set back in mid-April.
Some quick little tidbits:
*The Yanks have a chance to go 1.5 games up on the Red Sox, who lost again in Toronto 5-3 this afternoon.
*The Yanks are 14-11 on the road, which is the best mark in the American League and tied for third in all of baseball with the Brewers.
*The Yanks have gone 15 straight games without making an error. That is the longest stretch in franchise history and two short of the Major League record of 17 by the Red Sox in 2006. This courtesy of the Elias Sports Bureau
*Robinson Cano ended a streak of 54 consecutive plate appearances without a strikeout last night when he went down in the 1st.
Back with thoughts as the game begins later. 7:05 start in Cleveland.
UPDATE (6:32): Some brief medical notes I read...Pettitte is fine after hurting his back yesterday, will make his next start. Melky took swings and is planning to return Monday. Molina and Nady both played in Florida. Molina could be activated later next week.
UPDATE (7:08): According to the Yankees game notes, Jeter had picked up a hit in the first inning in the Yanks' last five games (all leading off). Sadly, it ended on the groundout to Fausto, but that's impressive.
UPDATE (7:11): Teixeira now has a hit in 12 straight games with a single to right. Amazing how he has turned it on in May since A-Rod returned. Hopefully for him, he keeps it going into June.
UPDATE (7:31): Victor Martinez fouls a ball of his leg, is down for a while, and decides to stay in after about 5 minutes on the ground. He almost fouls another ball of his foot, then grounds out to second and limps halfway to first. I doubt he stays in. It's not worth risking further injury on May 30th! 1-2-3 for CC is a good start. ...And on cue, Kelly Shoppach is into the game. I'll update if I hear what the injury is.
UPDATE (7:35): Jorgie juices one to right. Long homer for him. 2 hits and a walk last night, and now a homer in his return from the DL. Good to see from the veteran catcher! 1-0 Yanks
UPDATE (7:39): Nick Swisher launches one over the centerfield wall. Yanks showing the power in the 2nd. 2-0 NYY
UPDATE (7:48): Carl Pavano (starting tomorrow against Phil Hughes) has won 5 games in May for the Indians. He won 9 total over time in three different seasons with the Yanks. Hmmm...Anyway, CC looks good so far. Gets a double play after a 1-out walk.
UPDATE (8:22): Yes, it's been a long time, but that's because the Yanks pounded away against Carmona in the 4th, a half-inning that lasted nearly 20 minutes. Jeter knocked home two with a single that extended his hit streak to 13 games. Damon brought in another with a single to right. Then, Cano had a two-run single to left, though A-Rod was thrown out trying for 3rd. 5 runs on 4 hits, and they were helped by two errors, including a big one on a throw to second to try for a force by Garko. Yankees up 7-0
UPDATE (8:32): Meanwhile, CC continues to deal on the mound. Four strikeouts and a walk over four innings. Back to the Yanks' fourth, one play you'll notice if you look at the play-by-play is Teixeira grounding into a fielder's choice to first and Jeter getting out at home. On that play, Jeter knew he was done for, but got into a decent rundown and directed the baserunners to move them each up a base despite getting out. That great play lead to two more Yanks runs. That's the Captain for you.
UPDATE (8:40): Of course, it wasn't weird enough that the Indians finally retired the Yanks in order in the 5th. A flock of seagulls all of a sudden flew into right centerfield and appeared to be feeding on something atop the wall and on the warning track. Crazy stuff!
UPDATE (8:50): Interesting as Shin-Soo Choo grounds one up the middle that Cano tries to bare-hand and can't come up with. They rule it a hit, I say Cano might've had a chance if he gets the glove on it. That's the first one of the day for the Indians. DeRosa then grounds one into the hole on the right side, Cano stops it but can't get the out. Infield single and Choo goes to 3rd...barely. Finally, Garko gets a clean single to center to plate Choo. 7-1 Yanks
UPDATE (9:04): Sorry for the delay...Indians scratch across another on a single to left by Carroll. CC goes from 0 runs and 0 hits to 2 runs and 4 hits in one inning, all after the dribbler up the middle which did scrape CC's hand. 7-2 Yankees
UPDATE (9:06): That's what Gardner can do for you. Works a lead-off walk, then as he's stealing second, Jeter singles to left. Gardner then scores on the grounder to 1st. 8-2 Yanks
UPDATE (9:16): Grady Sizemore absolutely obliterated that one into the right centerfield bullpen. CC definitely has lost his dominance after giving up that first hit. However, his offense has given him plenty of support and he's still going to go 7 most likely. 8-3 Pinstripes
UPDATE (9:22): CC gets out of the inning with a 4-6-3 DP after a walk to Peralta. He has 94 pitches through 6. Do you bring him out for another inning or go to the pen? I say, one more, then bring on Wang for 2 or Coke/Robertson.
UPDATE (9:42): CC strikes out Asdrubal Cabrera for the 3rd time to end the 7th and most likely, his night. 7 innings, 5 hits, 3 runs (earned), 3 walks, 8 strikeouts, 113 pitches. Pretty good again for CC, who was dominant early, then limited damage while laboring late. I say with a five-run lead, let Coke and/or Robertson finish this out. Or perhaps get Wang some work.
UPDATE (9:50): And it is David Robertson on to pitch. He' s been alright so far this year, and got all five batters he faced in Texas out. Let's see if he can shut the door on this one.
UPDATE (9:57): Nice play by A-Rod ends a 1-2-3 inning. Ranging to his left, Rodriguez stabbed it and made a strong throw to 1st to get Peralta. To the 9th we go!
UPDATE (10:10): Yanks pick up some insurance. Teixeira leads off with a bloop double then comes home on a Robbie Cano single. Matsui would later double Cano home. Godzilla with 3 hits tonight, but looks awful running the bases. Don't think he has much of anything left in those knees. Either way, Jose Veras comes in to finish off the game. Yanks up 10-3
UPDATE (10:11): Even with a 7-run lead, Jose Veras gives up the required home run (solo shot to Choo) whenever he pitches. Then, he hits DeRosa. I think it's about time for Veras to go to the minors and Mark Melancon to join the team. He can't be any worse than Veras has been. 10-4 Yanks
UPDATE (10:23): Veras gives up another run on a Ben Francisco double, but strikes out Carroll and gets Cabrera to ground to short. Yankees win the game 10-5 to move a game and a half ahead of the Sox in the AL East.
Some final notes:
*The Yankees have won 3 straight, 4 of 5, and 14 of 17. They are rolling right now.
*Yanks now have not commited an error in 16 straight games...they'll look to tie the record tomorrow
*CC Sabathia improves to 5-3. That's five straight great starts by CC, and he's gone 7 innings or more, giving up 3 runs or less in all of them.
*Jose Veras needs to go, as does Angel Berroa as Berroa does nothing and Veras only makes things worse. Bring up Melancon to help the pen and bring up another bat for the bench (Shelley Duncan anyone?? He leads the International League w/ 16 homers)
That's all for tonight. Yanks and Indians go again tomorrow with Phil Hughes against Yankee Fan Favorite (NOT!) Carl Pavano. I won't be live-blogging that one, but YES will have all the action at 12:40 (odd start time).
Friday, May 29, 2009
Yankees vs. Indians - 5/29/09
Hey Everyone. Back to do some live-blogging of tonight's game between the Yanks and Indians in Cleveland. It'll be Andy Pettitte pitching for the Yanks and Cliff Lee for the Tribe. Big news is that Jorge Posada will return to the line-up tonight, after being out since early May with a hamstring injury. He'll bat 6th.
The game is currently in a rain delay. Radar shows a small thunderstorm moving over the area. Should pass quickly...hopefully. Also, after looking through some other blogs, I read that the midges are back in Cleveland! For those who don't remember, these small bugs descended upon Progressive Field (then Jacob's Field) in the 2007 playoffs and were a big problem for Joba Chamberlain. He would give up the tying run and eventually, the Yanks would lose the game and the series. Good thing he's not pitching tonight.
UPDATE (7:32): Interesting fact from Kim Jones of YES...Tonight (if the game is played) would be the first time that Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Alex Rodriguez are all together in the same line-up since June 22nd of last year. This shows how much injuries have taken a toll on the major players of the Yanks.
UPDATE (7:47): Still raining in Cleveland. Some additional notes from around baseball to mention. Matt Wieters is making his ML debut for the Orioles tonight at home against the Tigers. He is highly touted and could be a major force in turning the team around. I still think they need pitching bigtime. Brett Myers could miss the rest of the season for the Phillies with a hip injury. And the Rockies fired Manager Clint Hurdle after a dismal start finds them in the basement of the NL West. Hard to believe he was in the World Series in 2007. Stay Tuned...
UPDATE (8:10): Word is that they are getting the field ready to play and first pitch will be at 8:30! There will be baseball in Cleveland tonight!
UPDATE (8:43): Underway at Progressive Field. Delay lasted 1 hour and 23 minutes. Couple hit streaks extended right away. Jeter to 12 games with a single to left-center and Teixeira to 11 with a blooper to right. Yanks load the bases for Cano and Posada and both go down swinging. Nice rebound by Cliff Lee.
UPDATE (8:51): Good start for Pettitte as all he allows is a Grady Sizemore single.
UPDATE (9:07): Hits keep coming for the Yanks, and this time, they cash in. Derek Jeter is 2-for-2 as he singles to left to bring home Swisher. Then, Teixeira knocks in Gardner on a groundout to 1st. 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk for the Yanks. A-Rod however strikes out after the Tribe elect to face him with 1st base open instead of setting up a lefty-lefty with Cano. Odd choice, but it works out.
UPDATE (9:16): Pettitte works into and out of trouble. A walk and infield single is followed up with a fly out and a 6-4-3 double play. Walking the lead-off hitter is never good, but Pettitte did a great job to get out of the jam.
UPDATE (9:26): Yanks squeak out another run. Back-to-Back infield singles to short by Cano and Posada followed by a Sac Fly off the bat of Swisher after Matsui advances them to 2nd and 3rd on a groundout. Good, fundamental baseball by the Yanks.
UPDATE (9:41): Pettitte again works into trouble by walking Martinez and Peralta to load the bases, but gets out of the jam when DeRosa grounds to second. Pettitte has been good and relatively economical (50 pitches in 3 innings), but has walked 3.
UPDATE (9:53): Quiet inning for the Yanks...3 up, 3 down. Meanwhile, it's all over in Toronto as the Red Sox lose to the Blue Jays 6-3. The win ends a 9-game losing streak for Toronto. Now, a Yankee win vaults them into sole possession of 1st place in the East. Also, Mets and Marlins are in extra innings in a 1-1 battle. Good starts from Mike Pelfrey and Sean West.
UPDATE (9:59): Pettitte allows only a single to Kelly Shoppach. Still 3-0 Yanks after 4. Pettitte should be able to go at least 6 as he has only 67 pitches. The bullpen is rested to after an off-day yesterday. Meanwhile, I found that if the Yanks do move into first, it would be the first time they'd be alone there since the last game of 2006.
UPDATE (10:08): Posada is now 2-for-3 as he doubles to right-center with 2 out, but Matsui gets caught looking on a borderline pitch.
UPDATE (10:15): Only a single to Cabrera (who's 2-for-3) and Pettitte gets through the 5th with 76 pitches. He's been solid once again. Meanwhile, Lee is at 102 but is out there for the 6th.
UPDATE (10:22): Yankees hit the ball hard, but a Nick Swisher lead-off single is wasted. Jeter and Damon both hit it hard to the corner outfielders, but both balls were caught.
UPDATE (10:30): Pettitte gets into trouble in the 6th, giving up a hit and a walk, then gets to 2-0 on Carroll before he's removed. Looks like he might have something wrong with him as Steve Donahue comes out with Girardi. Shame after such a good start. We'll see if Aceves can hold the lead.
UPDATE (10:41): Aceves comes in, walks Carroll to load the bases with no out and gives up a run on a sac fly that gets charged to Pettitte but maintains the lead...barely. Cabrera grounded out to Jeter, but he made a poor throw that Teixeira did a great job of scooping. That's why the Yanks paid the big bucks for him. 3-1 into the 7th.
Final Line on Pettitte: 5 innings, 6 hits, 1 run (earned), 5 BB, 1 K, 84 pitches, 45 strikes
Final Line on Lee: 6 innings, 9 hits, 3 runs (earned), 2 BB, 5 K, 112 pitches, 71 strikes
UPDATE (10:50): A-Rod singles, and Posada walks, but Yanks can't add to the lead. Posada has now been on base in 3 of his 4 plate appearances with 2 hits and the base-on-balls. Not a bad return at all.
UPDATE (10:53): Some other stats - Yanks are 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and have left 10 on base. Yet, they still lead. Yanks pen needs two more innings before Rivera. If Aceves gets through the 7th, the 8th will be interesting wiht the bullpen. I say, leave Aceves in or bring on Wang.
UPDATE (10:57): 1-2-3 go Sizemore, Martinez, and Peralta. Very impressive 2 innings by Alfredo Aceves. It appears like the Yanks might have found their late inning guy. Now, do they keep Aceves for the 8th or go to another guy? Wang? Coke? Veras? I say either Aceves or Wang.
UPDATE (11:05): Yanks go quiet in the 8th. Now, the big question of who pitches the 8th to try and bridge the gap to Mo. And the answer is...Alfredo Aceves. They leave him in for a 3rd inning of work. I say, Good Choice!
UPDATE (11:15): Aceves gets the job done. Gives up a hit to Francisco for the only blemish over 3 innings. 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks (it was charged to Pettitte), and 3 strikeouts. Tremendous job by him after Pettitte left. Yanks may have finally found their guy late in ballgames.
UPDATE (11:19): After reading Peter Abraham's blog, Andy Pettitte apparently has lower back stiffness. We'll see if it's anything that will keep him out, but I don't think so. At his age, though, you never know.
UPDATE (11:25): Yanks do nothing in the 9th, and now it's up to Mo to close the door. He hasn't pitched since Sunday in the Yanks 4-3 extra-inning loss to Philly.
UPDATE (11:36): Mariano comes in and after a lead-off blooper by Choo, strikes out Cabrera and Sizemore and gets Martinez to grounds to first to end it. Yanks win 3-1 and are in sole possession of first place in the AL East. Pettitte moves to 5-1 on the year. Thanks Everyone!
The game is currently in a rain delay. Radar shows a small thunderstorm moving over the area. Should pass quickly...hopefully. Also, after looking through some other blogs, I read that the midges are back in Cleveland! For those who don't remember, these small bugs descended upon Progressive Field (then Jacob's Field) in the 2007 playoffs and were a big problem for Joba Chamberlain. He would give up the tying run and eventually, the Yanks would lose the game and the series. Good thing he's not pitching tonight.
UPDATE (7:32): Interesting fact from Kim Jones of YES...Tonight (if the game is played) would be the first time that Jorge Posada, Hideki Matsui, and Alex Rodriguez are all together in the same line-up since June 22nd of last year. This shows how much injuries have taken a toll on the major players of the Yanks.
UPDATE (7:47): Still raining in Cleveland. Some additional notes from around baseball to mention. Matt Wieters is making his ML debut for the Orioles tonight at home against the Tigers. He is highly touted and could be a major force in turning the team around. I still think they need pitching bigtime. Brett Myers could miss the rest of the season for the Phillies with a hip injury. And the Rockies fired Manager Clint Hurdle after a dismal start finds them in the basement of the NL West. Hard to believe he was in the World Series in 2007. Stay Tuned...
UPDATE (8:10): Word is that they are getting the field ready to play and first pitch will be at 8:30! There will be baseball in Cleveland tonight!
UPDATE (8:43): Underway at Progressive Field. Delay lasted 1 hour and 23 minutes. Couple hit streaks extended right away. Jeter to 12 games with a single to left-center and Teixeira to 11 with a blooper to right. Yanks load the bases for Cano and Posada and both go down swinging. Nice rebound by Cliff Lee.
UPDATE (8:51): Good start for Pettitte as all he allows is a Grady Sizemore single.
UPDATE (9:07): Hits keep coming for the Yanks, and this time, they cash in. Derek Jeter is 2-for-2 as he singles to left to bring home Swisher. Then, Teixeira knocks in Gardner on a groundout to 1st. 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk for the Yanks. A-Rod however strikes out after the Tribe elect to face him with 1st base open instead of setting up a lefty-lefty with Cano. Odd choice, but it works out.
UPDATE (9:16): Pettitte works into and out of trouble. A walk and infield single is followed up with a fly out and a 6-4-3 double play. Walking the lead-off hitter is never good, but Pettitte did a great job to get out of the jam.
UPDATE (9:26): Yanks squeak out another run. Back-to-Back infield singles to short by Cano and Posada followed by a Sac Fly off the bat of Swisher after Matsui advances them to 2nd and 3rd on a groundout. Good, fundamental baseball by the Yanks.
UPDATE (9:41): Pettitte again works into trouble by walking Martinez and Peralta to load the bases, but gets out of the jam when DeRosa grounds to second. Pettitte has been good and relatively economical (50 pitches in 3 innings), but has walked 3.
UPDATE (9:53): Quiet inning for the Yanks...3 up, 3 down. Meanwhile, it's all over in Toronto as the Red Sox lose to the Blue Jays 6-3. The win ends a 9-game losing streak for Toronto. Now, a Yankee win vaults them into sole possession of 1st place in the East. Also, Mets and Marlins are in extra innings in a 1-1 battle. Good starts from Mike Pelfrey and Sean West.
UPDATE (9:59): Pettitte allows only a single to Kelly Shoppach. Still 3-0 Yanks after 4. Pettitte should be able to go at least 6 as he has only 67 pitches. The bullpen is rested to after an off-day yesterday. Meanwhile, I found that if the Yanks do move into first, it would be the first time they'd be alone there since the last game of 2006.
UPDATE (10:08): Posada is now 2-for-3 as he doubles to right-center with 2 out, but Matsui gets caught looking on a borderline pitch.
UPDATE (10:15): Only a single to Cabrera (who's 2-for-3) and Pettitte gets through the 5th with 76 pitches. He's been solid once again. Meanwhile, Lee is at 102 but is out there for the 6th.
UPDATE (10:22): Yankees hit the ball hard, but a Nick Swisher lead-off single is wasted. Jeter and Damon both hit it hard to the corner outfielders, but both balls were caught.
UPDATE (10:30): Pettitte gets into trouble in the 6th, giving up a hit and a walk, then gets to 2-0 on Carroll before he's removed. Looks like he might have something wrong with him as Steve Donahue comes out with Girardi. Shame after such a good start. We'll see if Aceves can hold the lead.
UPDATE (10:41): Aceves comes in, walks Carroll to load the bases with no out and gives up a run on a sac fly that gets charged to Pettitte but maintains the lead...barely. Cabrera grounded out to Jeter, but he made a poor throw that Teixeira did a great job of scooping. That's why the Yanks paid the big bucks for him. 3-1 into the 7th.
Final Line on Pettitte: 5 innings, 6 hits, 1 run (earned), 5 BB, 1 K, 84 pitches, 45 strikes
Final Line on Lee: 6 innings, 9 hits, 3 runs (earned), 2 BB, 5 K, 112 pitches, 71 strikes
UPDATE (10:50): A-Rod singles, and Posada walks, but Yanks can't add to the lead. Posada has now been on base in 3 of his 4 plate appearances with 2 hits and the base-on-balls. Not a bad return at all.
UPDATE (10:53): Some other stats - Yanks are 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position and have left 10 on base. Yet, they still lead. Yanks pen needs two more innings before Rivera. If Aceves gets through the 7th, the 8th will be interesting wiht the bullpen. I say, leave Aceves in or bring on Wang.
UPDATE (10:57): 1-2-3 go Sizemore, Martinez, and Peralta. Very impressive 2 innings by Alfredo Aceves. It appears like the Yanks might have found their late inning guy. Now, do they keep Aceves for the 8th or go to another guy? Wang? Coke? Veras? I say either Aceves or Wang.
UPDATE (11:05): Yanks go quiet in the 8th. Now, the big question of who pitches the 8th to try and bridge the gap to Mo. And the answer is...Alfredo Aceves. They leave him in for a 3rd inning of work. I say, Good Choice!
UPDATE (11:15): Aceves gets the job done. Gives up a hit to Francisco for the only blemish over 3 innings. 1 hit, 0 runs, 0 walks (it was charged to Pettitte), and 3 strikeouts. Tremendous job by him after Pettitte left. Yanks may have finally found their guy late in ballgames.
UPDATE (11:19): After reading Peter Abraham's blog, Andy Pettitte apparently has lower back stiffness. We'll see if it's anything that will keep him out, but I don't think so. At his age, though, you never know.
UPDATE (11:25): Yanks do nothing in the 9th, and now it's up to Mo to close the door. He hasn't pitched since Sunday in the Yanks 4-3 extra-inning loss to Philly.
UPDATE (11:36): Mariano comes in and after a lead-off blooper by Choo, strikes out Cabrera and Sizemore and gets Martinez to grounds to first to end it. Yanks win 3-1 and are in sole possession of first place in the AL East. Pettitte moves to 5-1 on the year. Thanks Everyone!
The Return
After a long time away from the blog to finish up schoolwork and get settled back at home, I have returned to revive this blog. I want to get back up and running, giving you all the best I have to offer regarding NY-area sports. For my first post, I want to look at all the of current head coaches/managers and take a look at who has done the best job. Few have been around for a while (Coughlin) while many are just getting started (Manuel, Tortorella, Gordon). However, let's take a look at what they've done so far, see who's done the best and worst job, and who has potential for future success:
Joe Girardi
Team: New York Yankees
Arrived: October 30, 2007 (hired by Yankees)
Record: 116-93
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Girardi had big shoes to fill after Joe Torre left, and has been okay so far. The Yanks didn't make the playoffs in his first season, missing out on October baseball for the first time since 1993. In '09, the Yanks have shown some signs of life and increasing chemistry. He continues to make questionable decisions but overall has done a decent job. I think he'll continue to have success, find his way back into the playoffs, and has a chance at a championship. However, he won't have the same success that Torre did.
Jerry Manuel 
Team: New York Mets
Team: New York Mets
Arrived: June 17, 2008 (replaced Willie Randolph)
Record: 72-52
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Manuel took over for Randolph midseason in '08 and helped stabilize a struggling Mets team, only to watch them collapse in September for a 2nd year in a row. The team removed his interim tag, and he's started 2009 off okay despite the team being riddled with injuries. It still seems like he has some relationship issues with players in the clubhouse, namely Jose Reyes, but overall he has held down the fort. If he's going to be successful, he needs to find a way to get the team focusing on the fundamentals of baseball (baserunning especially) and prevent another choke job late in the season. I think it's possible.
Record: 72-52
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Manuel took over for Randolph midseason in '08 and helped stabilize a struggling Mets team, only to watch them collapse in September for a 2nd year in a row. The team removed his interim tag, and he's started 2009 off okay despite the team being riddled with injuries. It still seems like he has some relationship issues with players in the clubhouse, namely Jose Reyes, but overall he has held down the fort. If he's going to be successful, he needs to find a way to get the team focusing on the fundamentals of baseball (baserunning especially) and prevent another choke job late in the season. I think it's possible.
Tom Coughlin 
Team: New York Giants
Arrived: January 6, 2004 (hired by Giants)
Record: 47-33
Playoffs: 4 times (Super Bowl Champs in 2008, lost NFC divisional game to Eagles in '09, lost NFC wild card games to Panthers and Eagles in '06 and '07, respectively)
Overall Consensus: Tom Coughlin has been around the longest among the NY sports coaches and has done a fine job. The team has made the playoffs in four out to his five seasons at the helm and has won a Super Bowl as well. Not much to complain about here. As long as he keeps the team in the playoffs, he has the talent on the roster to keep them mentioned in Super Bowl talks year after year.
Arrived: January 6, 2004 (hired by Giants)
Record: 47-33
Playoffs: 4 times (Super Bowl Champs in 2008, lost NFC divisional game to Eagles in '09, lost NFC wild card games to Panthers and Eagles in '06 and '07, respectively)
Overall Consensus: Tom Coughlin has been around the longest among the NY sports coaches and has done a fine job. The team has made the playoffs in four out to his five seasons at the helm and has won a Super Bowl as well. Not much to complain about here. As long as he keeps the team in the playoffs, he has the talent on the roster to keep them mentioned in Super Bowl talks year after year.
Rex Ryan 
Team: New York Jets
Arrived: January 21, 2009 (hired after Eric Mangini was fired)
Record: None, was with Ravens who were 5-11 in 2008
Playoffs: None, won Super Bowl in 2000 with Ravens as Defensive Line Coach
Overall Consensus: Eric Mangini didn't fulfill the dreams of Jets fans, and now, Rex Ryan has the chance to do that. He stresses defense, a major issue for the Jets last season, and brings in a lock-down package that has been lacking in recent years. He still has to figure out who will be the starting QB in 2009 (Kellen Clemens or Mark Sanchez) and who his wide receivers will be, but he has the foundation for a playoff team. He has the potential to succeed but needs to build up his offense a little more.
Team: New York Jets
Arrived: January 21, 2009 (hired after Eric Mangini was fired)
Record: None, was with Ravens who were 5-11 in 2008
Playoffs: None, won Super Bowl in 2000 with Ravens as Defensive Line Coach
Overall Consensus: Eric Mangini didn't fulfill the dreams of Jets fans, and now, Rex Ryan has the chance to do that. He stresses defense, a major issue for the Jets last season, and brings in a lock-down package that has been lacking in recent years. He still has to figure out who will be the starting QB in 2009 (Kellen Clemens or Mark Sanchez) and who his wide receivers will be, but he has the foundation for a playoff team. He has the potential to succeed but needs to build up his offense a little more.
Mike D'Antoni 
Team: New York Knicks
Arrived: May 10, 2008 (hired by Knicks)
Record: 32-50
Playoffs: None, made playoffs previous 4 seasons as Head Coach of the Suns
Overall Consensus: D'Antoni has a major, major task to try and build this Knicks team into a winner. The organization is banking on a big free agent signing in 2010 (namely, Lebron), but as of now, the team is very weak. They have some bright spots in David Lee and Nate Robinson, and showed brief success in 08-09, but not enough to warrant a playoff berth. I don't think he finishes his time in NY with an NBA title, but I do think if he's around after 2010, he can lead the team back to the playoffs.
Team: New York Knicks
Arrived: May 10, 2008 (hired by Knicks)
Record: 32-50
Playoffs: None, made playoffs previous 4 seasons as Head Coach of the Suns
Overall Consensus: D'Antoni has a major, major task to try and build this Knicks team into a winner. The organization is banking on a big free agent signing in 2010 (namely, Lebron), but as of now, the team is very weak. They have some bright spots in David Lee and Nate Robinson, and showed brief success in 08-09, but not enough to warrant a playoff berth. I don't think he finishes his time in NY with an NBA title, but I do think if he's around after 2010, he can lead the team back to the playoffs.
John Tortorella 
Team: New York Rangers
Arrived: February 23, 2009 (hired by Rangers after firing Tom Renney)
Record: 12-7-2
Playoffs: Once in 2008-09, Rangers lost to Capitals in 1st Round
Overall Consensus: He was brought in after Tom Renney was let go to lead the Rangers into the playoffs, and he accomplished that. After blowing a 3-1 series lead, it is now his job to help restructure the team to his liking and use a full season to build a team that can go deep into the playoffs. He has a good style of play that's aggressive and stresses scoring, but lacks a big-time scorer. If he can nab someone like Ilya Kovalchuk, the Rangers have a great mix of young and old talent that can lead to success. He can have a temper though, and he needs to learn to keep his cool. No more squirting water on fans behind the bench! I say he brings the Rangers back to the playoffs, but won't win a Stanley Cup during his time at The Garden.
Team: New York Rangers
Arrived: February 23, 2009 (hired by Rangers after firing Tom Renney)
Record: 12-7-2
Playoffs: Once in 2008-09, Rangers lost to Capitals in 1st Round
Overall Consensus: He was brought in after Tom Renney was let go to lead the Rangers into the playoffs, and he accomplished that. After blowing a 3-1 series lead, it is now his job to help restructure the team to his liking and use a full season to build a team that can go deep into the playoffs. He has a good style of play that's aggressive and stresses scoring, but lacks a big-time scorer. If he can nab someone like Ilya Kovalchuk, the Rangers have a great mix of young and old talent that can lead to success. He can have a temper though, and he needs to learn to keep his cool. No more squirting water on fans behind the bench! I say he brings the Rangers back to the playoffs, but won't win a Stanley Cup during his time at The Garden.
Scott Gordon 
Team: New York Islanders
Arrived: August 12, 2008 (hired by Islanders after firing Ted Nolan)
Record: 26-45-9
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Just like D'Antoni, he has a tall task to take this team of youngsters and bring them to the playoffs and beyond. The Islanders are the joke of the league and will not get any true, proven talent as long as they are playing at Nassau Coliseum. Until they get their new arena, IF they get a new arena, they will continue to struggle because simply, no one wants to play there and fans don't want to go and watch. I don't see a bright future for Gordon and the Islanders, and I think he's gone before the end of the upcoming season.
Team: New York Islanders
Arrived: August 12, 2008 (hired by Islanders after firing Ted Nolan)
Record: 26-45-9
Playoffs: None
Overall Consensus: Just like D'Antoni, he has a tall task to take this team of youngsters and bring them to the playoffs and beyond. The Islanders are the joke of the league and will not get any true, proven talent as long as they are playing at Nassau Coliseum. Until they get their new arena, IF they get a new arena, they will continue to struggle because simply, no one wants to play there and fans don't want to go and watch. I don't see a bright future for Gordon and the Islanders, and I think he's gone before the end of the upcoming season.
That does it for this debate. I left out Lawrence Frank (Nets) and Brent Sutter (Devils) since they're mostly NJ. However, Frank had some early success with the Nets but has struggled since, and Sutter has helped the Devils continue making the playoffs and will do so with the teams he keeps producing. Let me know your thoughts on all of the coaches.
In addition, since baseball is in high swing, I will try and do some liveblogging later on tonight with the Yanks at Cleveland and the Mets hosting the Marlins. I will especially be active with this when the Yanks and Mets play each other in June. Until then, I plan on being more active once again!
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Yankees Hit the Newstands with Force
When is this not the case?
However, the Yankees had a lot of headlines in the media this afternoon that are all very pertinent. First of all, Joe Girardi named CC Sabathia the official starter for both the regular season opener on April 6th at Baltimore and the Yankee Stadium home opener on April 16th. I think it was obvious he was gonna start opening day, but I like the idea of him starting the home opener. In a new stadium, the Yankees will be starting a new era for the team. CC's long-term contract makes him one of those player sof the new era, so to have him start the game is appropriate. The Yankee fans will surely cheer him loudly.
The next bit of news is that the Yankees will have a new-look line-up when they open the season...most likely. When Jorge Posada had to bat clean-up, the team moved Johnny Damon into the second hole, and he did a great job of hitting and advancing runners. Therefore, when Derek Jeter came back from the World Baseball Classic, Girardi decided to lead him off and bat Damon second.
I like this idea to start the season. While the team will tell you differently, the first few games do not matter in a 162-game season. Start off with this line-up and see if it works for you. I think both Jeter and Damon do a great job of getting on base. Damon can bunt the ball better at this point I think and could even pull of a drag bunt here and there. Jeter has a good eye to work walks and clean up the bases if the bottom of the order starts off an inning. Start the season with this new look and see where it takes you. If both struggle, switch it back.
Unfortunately, there was some sadder news. Bob Sheppard, long-time public address announcer for the Yankees, will most likely not be at the new Yankee Stadium for opening day. While he would love to be there, his stamina apparently is not at the point it needs to be yet to muster up a trip to the ballpark. Sheppard is 97 years old, and it seems like he just might not be able to continue doing what he does best. It is sad to see, but at the same time, Sheppard was Yankee Stadium. Now that the team is moving to a new park, maybe it's time for a new voice.
Finally, George Steinbrenner is planning on attending the home opener. The
78-year old Yankee owner is still struggling health-wise and is not in the best of shape for the trip up to New York. However, he does want to be there and is planning on doing so. I am glad to hear this. The new stadium was Steinbrenner's gift to the fans, and he wnated to make a place that was supreme to all others. I really think this place will be so to have him be there when it officially opens for regular season baseball is great to hear.
Let me know your thoughts on any of these pieces of news. Are you glad CC is starting both openers? Do you like the line-up change? Will Bob Sheppard ever return to the PA Booth? And are you glad George will be at the opener? Also, vote in the new poll over to the right!
However, the Yankees had a lot of headlines in the media this afternoon that are all very pertinent. First of all, Joe Girardi named CC Sabathia the official starter for both the regular season opener on April 6th at Baltimore and the Yankee Stadium home opener on April 16th. I think it was obvious he was gonna start opening day, but I like the idea of him starting the home opener. In a new stadium, the Yankees will be starting a new era for the team. CC's long-term contract makes him one of those player sof the new era, so to have him start the game is appropriate. The Yankee fans will surely cheer him loudly.The next bit of news is that the Yankees will have a new-look line-up when they open the season...most likely. When Jorge Posada had to bat clean-up, the team moved Johnny Damon into the second hole, and he did a great job of hitting and advancing runners. Therefore, when Derek Jeter came back from the World Baseball Classic, Girardi decided to lead him off and bat Damon second.
I like this idea to start the season. While the team will tell you differently, the first few games do not matter in a 162-game season. Start off with this line-up and see if it works for you. I think both Jeter and Damon do a great job of getting on base. Damon can bunt the ball better at this point I think and could even pull of a drag bunt here and there. Jeter has a good eye to work walks and clean up the bases if the bottom of the order starts off an inning. Start the season with this new look and see where it takes you. If both struggle, switch it back.
Unfortunately, there was some sadder news. Bob Sheppard, long-time public address announcer for the Yankees, will most likely not be at the new Yankee Stadium for opening day. While he would love to be there, his stamina apparently is not at the point it needs to be yet to muster up a trip to the ballpark. Sheppard is 97 years old, and it seems like he just might not be able to continue doing what he does best. It is sad to see, but at the same time, Sheppard was Yankee Stadium. Now that the team is moving to a new park, maybe it's time for a new voice.Finally, George Steinbrenner is planning on attending the home opener. The
78-year old Yankee owner is still struggling health-wise and is not in the best of shape for the trip up to New York. However, he does want to be there and is planning on doing so. I am glad to hear this. The new stadium was Steinbrenner's gift to the fans, and he wnated to make a place that was supreme to all others. I really think this place will be so to have him be there when it officially opens for regular season baseball is great to hear.Let me know your thoughts on any of these pieces of news. Are you glad CC is starting both openers? Do you like the line-up change? Will Bob Sheppard ever return to the PA Booth? And are you glad George will be at the opener? Also, vote in the new poll over to the right!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Around New York on a Wednesday in February
Hey Everyone. So today I figured I'd cover a whole mess of New York sports news considering there were so many teams in action and other news today. So, here we go:
Yankees:
Beat the Blue Jays 6-1 in their first spring training game of the season. A-Rod was booed and responded with a homer. Brett Gardner hit one as well. Very impressive to see the little guy show he has some power and on the second pitch of the game no less. I think this guy desperately wants to make the team and will have a monster spring to prove he deserves the center field spot. Pitchers threw fairly well so that's a good sign. Overall, solid start for the Yanks.
Mets:
Also started off the spring well with a 9-3 rout of the Orioles. Biggest surprises were four RBI's for Luis Castillo and three for Ryan Church. It would be huge for the Mets to have a good campaign from Castillo after a mediocre start with the team. It's also important that Church shows he can still play well after his concussion problems last year. Pitching was alright but no one very important threw. Again, good beginning.
Rangers:
In their first game under new Head Coach John Tortorella, the Rangers showed more of the same and lost in a shootout 2-1 in Toronto. The team is just incapable of scoring. They had a ton of opportunities and got more shots on net but failed to capitalize. Nice to see Wade Redden get in the goal column for the first time since the home opener on October 10th. The team looked a little more lively but continues to struggle scoring goals every game.
Knicks:
Another game that looked close at the end, but a lackluster effort at the beginning did them in. Mike D'Antoni was as irate as I've ever seen in the first half when his team failed to shoot well from the field and lacked communication on defense. It was like the Knicks just came out half asleep. The second half was much better, and I was impressed with Danilo Gallinari's shooting. However, Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox failed to impress, and the team as a whole will need to play well for 48 minutes every night if they want to get in the playoffs.
Jets:
The long relationship with Laveranues Coles is over after the Jets and the receiver parted ways. Now, he can still come back as a free agent, but I think the Jets might go after a guy like Marvin Harrison or someone else to help boost a struggling Jets offense. Coles is a great receiver, but he was never part of the Jets' prime plans last year. It would be smarter for the Jets to get someone who can be more of a primary option.
Giants:
Brandon Jacobs was locked up for four years in a deal that was important to keep the Giants running game as superb as it's been. Jacobs has had to deal with injuries, but he provides a power running game that not too many have in the NFL. Not much to say about this, but the Giants made the right move by keeping him in a blue jersey.
Yankees:
Beat the Blue Jays 6-1 in their first spring training game of the season. A-Rod was booed and responded with a homer. Brett Gardner hit one as well. Very impressive to see the little guy show he has some power and on the second pitch of the game no less. I think this guy desperately wants to make the team and will have a monster spring to prove he deserves the center field spot. Pitchers threw fairly well so that's a good sign. Overall, solid start for the Yanks.
Mets:
Also started off the spring well with a 9-3 rout of the Orioles. Biggest surprises were four RBI's for Luis Castillo and three for Ryan Church. It would be huge for the Mets to have a good campaign from Castillo after a mediocre start with the team. It's also important that Church shows he can still play well after his concussion problems last year. Pitching was alright but no one very important threw. Again, good beginning.
Rangers:
In their first game under new Head Coach John Tortorella, the Rangers showed more of the same and lost in a shootout 2-1 in Toronto. The team is just incapable of scoring. They had a ton of opportunities and got more shots on net but failed to capitalize. Nice to see Wade Redden get in the goal column for the first time since the home opener on October 10th. The team looked a little more lively but continues to struggle scoring goals every game.
Knicks:
Another game that looked close at the end, but a lackluster effort at the beginning did them in. Mike D'Antoni was as irate as I've ever seen in the first half when his team failed to shoot well from the field and lacked communication on defense. It was like the Knicks just came out half asleep. The second half was much better, and I was impressed with Danilo Gallinari's shooting. However, Larry Hughes and Chris Wilcox failed to impress, and the team as a whole will need to play well for 48 minutes every night if they want to get in the playoffs.
Jets:
The long relationship with Laveranues Coles is over after the Jets and the receiver parted ways. Now, he can still come back as a free agent, but I think the Jets might go after a guy like Marvin Harrison or someone else to help boost a struggling Jets offense. Coles is a great receiver, but he was never part of the Jets' prime plans last year. It would be smarter for the Jets to get someone who can be more of a primary option.
Giants:
Brandon Jacobs was locked up for four years in a deal that was important to keep the Giants running game as superb as it's been. Jacobs has had to deal with injuries, but he provides a power running game that not too many have in the NFL. Not much to say about this, but the Giants made the right move by keeping him in a blue jersey.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Looking at the New York Rotations
So with today being a fairly slow news day among the New York sports teams, and with pitchers and catchers reporting this week, I figured I'd take a look at the Yankees and Mets in terms of their pitchers. I will try over the course of the next week or two to look at both teams and compare where they stand as a whole.
The Yankees Projected Rotation (in my projected order):
1. C.C. Sabathia
2. Chien Ming Wang
3. A.J. Burnett
4. Andy Pettitte
5. Joba Chamberlain
Analysis: The Yankees have one of the top rotations in baseball after spending an absolute fortune to get Sabathia and Burnett. With two power arms like that, I think it would be in the Yankees' best interest to split them up and stick Wang in between. Wang can throw the ball hard, but his heavy pitch is a sinker, not a fastball. Bringing Pettitte back (finally) was a good decision to slot him into your number four spot. He will give you a lot of innings, barring injury, and can still get you about as many wins as he will losses. Who knows what can happen with him? Mike Mussina won 20 games last year when many said he was washed up. The move also allows Joba to slide down to the number five spot. The Yankees can watch his innings by easily skipping over his turn if need be and throwing Sabathia out there on short rest. He certainly had enough experience with that in Milwaukee last year.
Big Key: AVOID THE INJURY BUG! The Yankee rotation spent last season without their ace for half the season when Wang was hurt running the bases. Joba went down toward the end of the season with a shoulder problem. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy also suffered injuries early in the season and weren't really seen at all the rest of the year. If the Yankee rotation is going to be as dominant as it looks now, they are going to need to stay healthy.
The Mets Projected Rotation:
1. Johan Santana
2. John Maine
3. Mike Pelfrey
4. Oliver Perez
5. Freddy Garcia/Tim Redding/Livan Hernandez
Analysis: The Mets come in with another solid rotation, especially in the NL East for 2009. Santana is arguably the best pitcher in baseball and would have had 20 wins or more if not for his team scoring few runs or his bullpen blowing games. He'll be splendid again. John Maine and Mike Pelfrey both have shown flashes of great pitching but both are very inconsistent. Same can be said for Oliver Perez. They all have the ability to be very dominant at times. However, Maine has seemed to lose a lot of his brilliance after suffering through injuries last year. Pelfrey is still very young and inexperienced to be a number three starter in New York. Perez seems to do well in big situations but struggles against teams he should be able to beat. Garcia and Redding will compete for the number five spot. I think Garcia gets it unless he struggles coming back from shoulder surgery. Redding is just not that good. Overall, nothing amazing, but certainly solid enough in the NL East to compete with the Phillies.
Big Key: Develop consistency among starters. There is no question the Mets have the guys that can perform and have in the past. The problem is, aside from Santana, neither of the other starters have shown any consistency. For the Mets to be successful, they need to have John Maine pitch fairly well each start, keeping his team in the game or have Oliver Perez find more consistency after getting signed to a fairly large contract. If the Mets starters continue to pitch like they did last year, it will be another disappointing season for the "other" New York team.
The Yankees Projected Rotation (in my projected order):1. C.C. Sabathia
2. Chien Ming Wang
3. A.J. Burnett
4. Andy Pettitte
5. Joba Chamberlain
Analysis: The Yankees have one of the top rotations in baseball after spending an absolute fortune to get Sabathia and Burnett. With two power arms like that, I think it would be in the Yankees' best interest to split them up and stick Wang in between. Wang can throw the ball hard, but his heavy pitch is a sinker, not a fastball. Bringing Pettitte back (finally) was a good decision to slot him into your number four spot. He will give you a lot of innings, barring injury, and can still get you about as many wins as he will losses. Who knows what can happen with him? Mike Mussina won 20 games last year when many said he was washed up. The move also allows Joba to slide down to the number five spot. The Yankees can watch his innings by easily skipping over his turn if need be and throwing Sabathia out there on short rest. He certainly had enough experience with that in Milwaukee last year.
Big Key: AVOID THE INJURY BUG! The Yankee rotation spent last season without their ace for half the season when Wang was hurt running the bases. Joba went down toward the end of the season with a shoulder problem. Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy also suffered injuries early in the season and weren't really seen at all the rest of the year. If the Yankee rotation is going to be as dominant as it looks now, they are going to need to stay healthy.
The Mets Projected Rotation:1. Johan Santana
2. John Maine
3. Mike Pelfrey
4. Oliver Perez
5. Freddy Garcia/Tim Redding/Livan Hernandez
Analysis: The Mets come in with another solid rotation, especially in the NL East for 2009. Santana is arguably the best pitcher in baseball and would have had 20 wins or more if not for his team scoring few runs or his bullpen blowing games. He'll be splendid again. John Maine and Mike Pelfrey both have shown flashes of great pitching but both are very inconsistent. Same can be said for Oliver Perez. They all have the ability to be very dominant at times. However, Maine has seemed to lose a lot of his brilliance after suffering through injuries last year. Pelfrey is still very young and inexperienced to be a number three starter in New York. Perez seems to do well in big situations but struggles against teams he should be able to beat. Garcia and Redding will compete for the number five spot. I think Garcia gets it unless he struggles coming back from shoulder surgery. Redding is just not that good. Overall, nothing amazing, but certainly solid enough in the NL East to compete with the Phillies.
Big Key: Develop consistency among starters. There is no question the Mets have the guys that can perform and have in the past. The problem is, aside from Santana, neither of the other starters have shown any consistency. For the Mets to be successful, they need to have John Maine pitch fairly well each start, keeping his team in the game or have Oliver Perez find more consistency after getting signed to a fairly large contract. If the Mets starters continue to pitch like they did last year, it will be another disappointing season for the "other" New York team.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
A-Rod is A-Idiot
I never could've imagined writing this blog entry, expressing my opinions over a report that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroid use in 2003. However, here I sit, on a warm Saturday night, trying to comprehend how a player as talented as A-Rod doing something so stupid. But now, once again, a big-time Yankee is confronted with yet another steroid controversy and baseball turns again toward A-Rod and the Bronx.
First and foremost, I personally don't care that much. I've been bombarded all day by Red Sox fans telling me that A-Rod is a cheat and that this will get to his head, he's going to suck, and it's going to destroy the Yankees season. Give it a rest everyone! Is Rodriguez a cheat? Yes. Did he destroy his career? Yes. But come on, barely anyone's reported for Spring Training yet. The story's less than 24 hours old. How about we wait a few weeks when teams are getting ready to start the season or even wait until the season starts before saying A-Rod and the Yankees are done for.
Why don't I care? I've never been a fan of him. While he's a tremendous all-around athlete and one of the best ballplayers of all-time, he has failed time and time again in the clutch. That's one of my biggest factors in determining my appreciation and identification with an athlete. A-Rod, since coming to the Yankees, has done poorly with runners in scoring position and in the playoffs and has yet to obtain the respect of Yankees fans.
Now, it's hard to write a lot and give a firm opinion on everything since there haven't been many details released. I want to wait and see everything related to the situation and how nothing was said until now almost 6 years later. A-Rod has damaged his career, and honestly, probably doesn't have any reason to play if this is all true. I highly doubt he'll be voted to the Hall-of-Fame if he was in fact a steroid user. Whatever happens, he's damaged his career and brought unnecessary attention to the Yankees.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Pettitte Puts on the Pinstripes One More Time!
A deal has finally been reached on Monday afternoon and Andy Pettitte will come back to pitch one more year in pinstripes. Anyone who has followed the ongoings of this entire drama knew that he would come back to the Bronx. That's where he wanted to play, and while it looked like money was a big factor in all of it, Pettitte made sure he came back to help open the New Yankee Stadium.
Reports that I've heard are that the deal will be incentive-laden, guaranteeing $5.5 million, which is less than the previous offer of $10 million the Yankees had on the table. However, with incentives, the final figure could increase up to $12 million. That is if Pettitte remains healthy and puts up solid numbers. He will likely be the fifth starter in a rotation that as of now already includes C.C. Sabathia, Chien Ming Wang, A.J. Burnett, and Joba Chamberlain.
I think this was the right way to sign Pettitte to a deal. Let's be honest, at his age, he's not worth double-digit millions of dollars. He just simply is not that dominating despite some flashes he showed last season. In addition, at his age, who knows if he can continue to stay healthy? Giving him a decent amount of money up front with the ability to make more than was originally offered if he stays healthy and performs makes sense.
If Pettitte can remain healthy and win his fair share of ballgames, he'll be a great fifth starter for the Yanks. He brings a veteran prescence into the clubhouse to not only help continue mentor the young pitchers in the team's system but also can help in the adjustment process for newcomers C.C. and A.J. I was certain a deal was going to get done, as were many, and now that it is, Yankee fans can rest easy knowing who will more than likely be their starting five in 2009.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Yanks Front Office Moving Day
No big news today, so I'll write a short piece on the Yankees front office moving today from the Old Yankee Stadium to the New Yankee Stadium. Nothing huge, but a monumental event considering the Yanks have spent the last 85 years in one stadium and are now moving to something new.
The biggest thing was seeing employees moving World Series trophies from 1977 and 2000. Videos and photos are posted on Newsday's site as well as several others from newspapers and stations in the New York Area.
For me, while I loved the Old Stadium and called it my second home for 20 years, I certainly am excited to see the grandeur of the New Yankee Stadium and this is just another step toward the eventual opening. It's a small event, but seeing pictures updated frequently of the construction continues to impress me and get me excited. Hopefully, the new place will create just as many memories as the old one did!
The biggest thing was seeing employees moving World Series trophies from 1977 and 2000. Videos and photos are posted on Newsday's site as well as several others from newspapers and stations in the New York Area.
For me, while I loved the Old Stadium and called it my second home for 20 years, I certainly am excited to see the grandeur of the New Yankee Stadium and this is just another step toward the eventual opening. It's a small event, but seeing pictures updated frequently of the construction continues to impress me and get me excited. Hopefully, the new place will create just as many memories as the old one did!
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
DP Done...Again! And Yanks/Mets Signings
Sorry to share the news Islander fans, but goaltender Rick DiPietro, the face of the franchise, will miss the remainder of the 2008-09 season due to continuing problems with his left knee. DiPietro had surgery on the knee in June, but swelling has continued throughout the season.
According to the team, they felt it was the best decision for him considering the team is not in playoff contention. General Manager Garth Snow commented, "This will allow Rick ample time to make a full recovery for next year." With the problems he's had recovering from other injuries, the Islanders are smart to let him take all the time needed to get fully healthy.
DP was signed to a 15-year contract in 2006 and since that point has had to have four surgeries. His hip was repaired once, along with his right knee as well as left knee twice. With all these problems, even DiPietro himself knew this was the right move. "This has been one of the most frustrating situations I have ever had to deal with, but this is the right decision for me and the team," said the 27-year old goalie in a statement on Tuesday.
For the sake of Islander fans everywhere, DP and the team definitely made the right choice. The team is going nowhere higher than the bottom five teams in the league. Rather than risk further injury, let him rest and recover as best as he can and be ready for next season. Then again, who knows with DP?
-----
Briefly just wanted to note some contract signings the Yankees and Mets made today. The Bronx team agreed on a one year $6.65 million deal with Outfielder Xavier Nady, avoiding arbitration. This allows the Yanks to move him a bit easier now that he has a set salary. However, I wouldn't be shocked if both he and Swisher went to camp as Yankees. Melky Cabrera also signed late today. Not sure how much the deal was for. Report is that he asked for $1.7 million while the team offered $1.2 million. Shocking considering he made just $461,200 last year and was flat out awful. The other Yankee who went to arbitration was Brian Bruney. He apparently request $1.55 million while the team offered $1.1 million. No deal was done as of yet.
As for the Mets, they avoided arbitration with Ryan Church and Angel Pagan. Church got a one year $2.8 million deal while Pagan got $575,000 for a year. Both players suffered from injuries last year. Church played just 90 games due to a pair of concussions while Pagan appeared in only 31 before having surgery to fix a torn labrum in his left shoulder.
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