Posts tagged ‘Detroit tigers’

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August 23, 2010

Johnny Damon heading back to Red Sox

by Jamie Insalaco

It sounds like the Red Sox have claimed Johnny Damon off waivers from the Detroit Tigers. I guess the Red Sox don’t agree with me about their fate being sealed. The Red Sox have 6 games left with the Tampa Bay Rays and 3 left with the Yankees, and since they haven’t gained a game in… I don’t know, a month? I don’t see the Red Sox getting their act together and coming back into the race. If they sweep the Rays this weekend, they have a fighting chance. If they lose the series, I don’t see any chance for them.

You have to wonder if this makes Damon regret any recent comments about New York being the best place he ever played… Guess we’ll have to wait to see how that unfolds. In any case, the Red Sox incredible rash of injuries necessitated this move (if you believe they still have a chance, that is – again, I do not), but I don’t think it’s enough to make up for missing huge stars like Kevin Youkilis, former MVP Dustin Pedroia and even Jacoby Ellsbury and team captain Jason Varitek.

Some might argue that October in the 21st Century just isn’t the same without the Red Sox. I, for one, will manage to live through the experience.

UPDATED:  My understanding is that Johnny Damon has to agree to go back to Boston, and I don’t see any reason for him to do so – especially since I’m Tampa Bay would LOVE to have him be a Ray.  It’s the best thing for Damon; pretty sure he has a house there.

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August 20, 2010

9 spot

by Jamie Insalaco

The baseball gods giveth, yet they are cruel; why else would they let the Yankees score 9 runs in 1 inning, when no one could see it? Sure, there’s always Yankees Encore, but its just not the same. In any case, feel the power of the 6th inning:

- R. Cano doubled to left center, M. Teixeira scored
- J. Posada singled to shallow right center, R. Cano scored, N. Swisher to third
- A. Kearns doubled to deep center, N. Swisher and J. Posada scored, C. Granderson to third
- B. Gardner walked, C. Granderson scored, A. Kearns to third on passed ball
- D. Jeter tripled to deep center, A. Kearns and B. Gardner scored
- R. Cano homered to deep center, D. Jeter scored

What a woeful day for… well, everyone the Tigers used in that inning. On the other hand, Phil Hughes had a pretty good line in yesterday’s game: 6 Ks, 2 ER (home run to Miguel Cabrera, but what can you do – he’s a machine) and they took him out after the Yankees opened up the can of proverbial whoop-ass in the bottom of the 6th. If Hughes can pitch well like he did at the start of the year, it sure would be a big help as who knows when/if Andy Pettitte is coming back this year.

I tried to watch the encore last night, but I fell asleep several times; the remnants of the flu are plaguing me still. And its kind of annoying to watch a game when you already know what happened. Week Day Day Games should be outlawed.

Oh, and the Rays lost yesterday, so the Yankees are in sole possession of 1st place again. The Red Sox have drifted back to 6.5 games out again, so its time to face facts: Boston just isn’t’ coming back this year. I’ll try to celebrate your demise in a respectful, dignified manner.

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August 19, 2010

Power, Bullpen create Yankees win

by Jamie Insalaco

Jeremy Bonderman just ain’t what he used to be.

After a fairly quick inning by Dustin Moseley for the Yankees, Bonderman served up back to back bombs to Mark Teixeira (scoring Brett Gardner) and Robinson Cano, which was followed by the Miguel Cabrera show, who blasted solo jacks in the 2nd and 4th inning. The Yankees quickly responded with 3 more runs of their own: Ramiro Pena (aka Scrappy Doo) tripled and scored Austin Kearns, Gardner doubled and scored Pena, and Gardner came around to score on the throwing error by somebody… Santiago. Box Score.

Don Kelly hit a 2 run homer to make things interesting and chase Mosley from the game, but there was no stopping the Yankees. Curtis Granderson, the student of hitting coach Kevin Long, hit another homer to deep right, and in the bottom of the 7th, as much as the Tigers mixed and matched, they still payed the ultimate price as Austin Kearns doubled in 2 more runs. The Tigers managed one more run on a sacrifice fly, but it was too little, too late.

Now how about that Yankees bullpen? Moseley left after 5 IP, giving up 4 ER, and then the Yankees decided to bring the pain: Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan, Kerry Wood (I still can’t believe Brian Cashman got the Yankees Kerry Wood), Chad Guadin, David Robertson and Mariano Rivera combined for 4 IP of 1 run ball. Robertson was especially effective pitching out of a Guadin made jam, and Mo restored order to a game that was pretty wild.

So what did we learn last night? The Yankees can score runs without A-Rod – if it’s against a pitcher they’ve seen before. Their bullpen is looking pretty good, but it would be nice if Andy Pettitte could make it back by September 1st to sure up the rotation. Mosely isn’t a horrible fifth starter, but I don’t see him being on this team next year. The Yankees look like they’re starting to turn the corner again, although Derek Jeter put up another 0-4. There are a lot of ifs right now surrounding the Yankees, but they still have a better team than everybody else.

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August 18, 2010

No A-Rod? No problem!

by Jamie Insalaco

When your favorite team is facing Justin Verlander and you’re missing your clean up hitter, you’d think things were not looking good, right? Not so this time.

Former Yankees farm hand Austin Jackson led off the 1st inning with a home run off CC Sabthia, and you’re thinking, "Funk! Here we go again!" But it was not to be so. The Tigers didn’t score again until the 7th inning. Nick Swisher plated 2 runs with an RBI single in the bottom of the 1st, and the Yankees took the lead back and never rescinded it again. In the bottom of the second, my favorite struggling Yankee Curtis Granderson crushed a home run into the right field bleachers, very awesome – that guy is having some week, and his work with hitting coach Kevin Long is paying immediate dividends. Is it just me, or is Kevin Long the best coach ever? When is the last time you can remember a pitching coach or a hitting coach actually fixing somebody? Although the same can be said for Dave Eiland; the problem is, AJ Burnett just won’t stay fixed – he’s like my old car on a cold day or something – ba-doom-crash!

And look at Derek Jeter going 1-3 with a walk and an RBI single! Are all the Yankees going to come out of their slump at once? And Jeter hasn’t really been Jeter since April, as far as I can remember. On the other hand, I’m pretty sure he’s leading AL shortstops in fielding percentage – impressive.

The bottom line is Verlander just couldn’t get it done: 5 hits, 5 walks, 5 Ks, 3 ER in 5 IP. That stinks, he’s way better than that, but the Yankees didn’t let him off the hook.

How about the Paul O’Neill broadcasting? Is there any sweeter sound? What’d we learn this time? Golfing, playing games at home, he’s not on facebook, Michael Kay has a big head (knew that one already)… Paul O’Neill is awesome!

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August 17, 2010

Yankees offense continues to trickle

by Jamie Insalaco

Another game, another feeble offensive outing, another loss.

The Yankees are 6-9 during the month of August and despite the big come from behind win against Texas, are playing their worst baseball of the year. There’s not much to say about last night’s game… Javier Vazquez is a mess – again. It’s a miracle he was able to throw as many innings as he did – what was it, over 100 pitches in 4 innings? Still, the Yankees bullpen was pretty good, and its hard to complain too much about the pitching when the offense sucks this hard. Derek Jeter deserves praise for coming up with a new double play to ground into – what was that, a 5-3 double play to end the game? Impressive! Michael Kay is saying, "The Yankees will probably win the game on a gapper-" what the hell Yankees team is he watching? Certainly not the lifeless collection of offense-less stiffs I’ve been subjugated to. (OK, that’s not the best use of ‘subjugated,’ but you know what I mean) In any case, I have faith they’ll turn it around, but exactly when this’ll happen is anybody’s guess… probably when Robbie Cano does.

The brighter side: Curtis Granderson went 3-3 with a walk. I know he’s underperformed all year, but I still believe this guy is a great hitter and will have success as a Yankee.

The darker side: A-Rod and Nick Swisher both left the game with injuries. They don’t sound too serious, but I doubt either of them will play in tonight’s game.

On a more positive note (for me, anyway), the New York Giants beat the New York Jets in a meaningless preseason game. I’m just glad a team I root for scored! Looking toward the baseball off season, expect some NY Giants posts here!

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August 16, 2010

A-Bombs and Broomsticks

by Jamie Insalaco

Its disappointing for the Yankees to only split a four game series with the lowly Kansas City Royals and lose a game in the standings to the second place Tampa Bay Rays, but whatcha gonna do?

They Yankees took Thursday night’s game fairly easily (until the 9th inning) and I can’t remember much about Friday night’s game, accept that the Yankees lost. Saturday night featured a Yankees Home Run Derby, starring Alex Rodriguez, his royal A-Rod-ness. Sure, the homer hit by Posada went a long way, and the Granderson blast was also a no doubter, but A-Rod went deep three times, and the last one was the longest – all the way into the fountains! When A-Rod hit the ball on Saturday night, it staid hit.

Sunday was one of those games where the Yankees faced a starter they weren’t familiar with and got their asses handed to them. I think whats-his-name got through the first two innings by throwing maybe ten pitches. It was incredible. Meanwhile, it looked like AJ Burnett was gonna blow it, but after a shaky start, and one run given up, he held the Royals down for the rest of the afternoon, not that it mattered.

So the Yankees wander into the motor city looking for some revenge after last time. I don’t know what to expect, really… the play I saw in the two loses in Kansas kinda boggles the mind.

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