The Bombers skated to an 8-3 victory in the third installment of a four game series with the Royals in Kansas City on Saturday. All-star third baseman, Alex Rodriguez, ripped three homeruns to back another solid performance by pitcher, Phil Hughes. Hughes tossed six innings and allowed all three Kansas City runs to notch his 14th win of the season. The Yankees improved to 72-44 and lead the majors in wins. Rodriguez has 604 career long balls.
Rodriguez stepped to the plate five times and connected for hits on four appearances. After former Bomber, Wilson Betemit, provided the home team with a 1-0 lead in the first inning, the Yankees tied the game in the fifth and took the lead for good in the sixth. The Yankees used some big swings, but it was ARod who carried the team. Rodriguez took Sean O’Sullivan deep on a 1-2 offering in the fifth for his first homer of the game. Jorge Posada went long on a full count and Curtis Granderson contributed a solo shot to put New York ahead by three. O’Sullivan yielded four runs on eight hits through 5 1/3 frames and was dealt the loss for Kansas City.
Betemit went 3-for-4 with two RBIs. The shortstop planted his fifth homerun of the year into the stands during the sixth frame to draw Kansas City one run closer. The Royals added a tally on Chris Getz’s groundout but wouldn’t plate another runner during the contest. The Bombers’ offense beyond the seventh came courtesy of their star clean-up hitter. Batting DH, ARod smoked a pair of two-run homers in the seventh and ninth frames to give the Yankees a five run cushion. His second tater of the game came off Kanekoa Texeira and Greg Holland was the victim of the third. It was the fourth time in Rodriguez’s career he went long three times in one game. Joba Chamberlain induced three consecutive groundouts in the home half of the seventh for New York. Boone Logan and David Robertson combined to throw a scoreless eighth as the Bombers’ bullpen looks more and more efficient through August. Sergio Mitre faced the minimum in the ninth to seal the deal for the Yankees.
Parting Points: The RichRod interrogations have begun. I sure can’t wait for college football season.
Song for Sunday- “Addicted” by Simple Plan
Showing posts with label Alex Rodriguez. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alex Rodriguez. Show all posts
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Si Si Sabathia
A pulverizing pinstriped-pitcher silenced the Los Angeles Angels in his second stint this American League Division Series. Left-handed stud, C.C. Sabathia built on his post-season tear by tossing eight innings of one-hit ball in California Tuesday night. He did so with seriousness and austerity. C.C. is a real professional whenever he takes the mound. The New York Yankees are now just one win away from the World Series after hanging ten against the Halos in 10-1 game four final. Manager Joe Girardi didn’t have to make any abrupt advances to tax the bullpen this game. Sabathia was too good to come out and never skipped a beat as this game unfolded.
Sabathia outlasted southpaw newcomer, Scott Kazmir, in the arms department. Kazmir crumbled in his second post-season showing for the Angels posting four walks and barely making it through as many innings. Sabathia was the hurler going on three days’ rest, but Kazmir looked the more exhausted and tired arm. The Angels’ starter worked slowly and kept the Yankees scoreless through three innings. Kazmir fired a wild pitch in the top of the third but struck out Mark Teixeria to end the inning. Teixeria has really been struggling at the plate for New York. Aside from his homerun against Minnesota in the ALCS, he hasn’t been particularly productive at the plate. It’s a good thing the All-star first baseman makes up for it in the field. Teixeria’s defense is truly second to none.
Kazmir yielded a single to Alex Rodriguez in the top of the fourth. Bomber backstop, Jorge Posada, then laced a double off the lefty. Posada reached third on a failed fielder’s choice, and Rodriguez scored. ARod slid safely underneath Howie Kendrick’s high throw to the plate. Posada recorded the Yankees’ second run on Melky Cabrera’s slap to left field. Cano also scored on the play to give the Bombers a three run edge. Cabrera finally broke out of his hitting slump in game four. Melky had three hits in four trips to the dish to carry the bottom of the paltry-this-post-season New York order.
Rodriguez mystified the home crowd in California with another deep drive in game four. ARod nailed a two-run fifth inning long ball to make it three straight games with a homerun. Rodriguez was so in the zone, scoring three runs and unchaining three hits. Jason Bulger was the reliever on the receiving end of ARod’s smack. The MVP went yard on just the second pitch thrown by the 30 year old Angel. The Yankees put up a two spot in the eighth inning off Matt Palmer. The raw reliever surrendered a homerun to the more polished slugger, outfielder Johnny Damon. Damon is starting to swing at his capabilities too. The whole New York lineup had much better at-bats than in the previous three games. Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher were the only two Bombers not credited with one of the team’s 13 hits Tuesday. Four Yankees clubbed doubles and two hitters stole bases. However, two runners were also caught stealing. In fact, the Yankees used poor judgment on the base paths last night, but caught a lucky break. The umpiring was horrendous last night and has been an issue all season in my opinion. Even the baserunning this year has been ridiculously bad. Tim McClelland and Dale Scott blew three calls in game four. Scott errantly called Swisher safe on a pickoff play at second base. Nick was clearly tagged on the hands. Replays showed McClelland was wrong for calling Swisher out for leaving third base early later in the game. The umpire definitely took away a Bomber run with that oversight, but his largest lapse occurred when he awarded Cano third base when he was blatantly standing off the bag and was tagged out. It’s a good thing last night’s miscues didn’t occur at a pivotal point. The bad play calling became moot because the Bombers owned the Halos. The Angels scattered five hits. Their only run came off Sabathia’s solo mistake in allowing a solo shot by Kendry Morales. The hefty hurler faced thirty batters and was replaced by Chad Gaudin in the ninth. Gaudin shut down all three batters he faced to give the Yankees a two game lead in this ALDS.
Rodriguez is hitting .407 this post-season and is tied with Lou Gehrig and Ryan Howard for the longest post-season RBI streak, with eight. ARod has not gone more than seven at-bats in the playoffs without a homerun. The All-star has already planted himself in Yankee lore and earned that essential mystique necessary to be considered one of the franchise greats. Should the Yankees win Friday night and advance to the Fall Classic, it’s safe to say ARod is a shoo-in for MVP. That’s if the Angels don’t extend this to a seven-game series. In that case, Sabathia’s turn in the rotation will come around for a third time. And that will be something to Si Si.
Parting Points: I’m listening to some Stevie Wonder with a little Take That thrown in.
There are some very interesting stories about Terrelle Pryor in the news. Perhaps I will get to the matter tomorrow.
Sabathia outlasted southpaw newcomer, Scott Kazmir, in the arms department. Kazmir crumbled in his second post-season showing for the Angels posting four walks and barely making it through as many innings. Sabathia was the hurler going on three days’ rest, but Kazmir looked the more exhausted and tired arm. The Angels’ starter worked slowly and kept the Yankees scoreless through three innings. Kazmir fired a wild pitch in the top of the third but struck out Mark Teixeria to end the inning. Teixeria has really been struggling at the plate for New York. Aside from his homerun against Minnesota in the ALCS, he hasn’t been particularly productive at the plate. It’s a good thing the All-star first baseman makes up for it in the field. Teixeria’s defense is truly second to none.
Kazmir yielded a single to Alex Rodriguez in the top of the fourth. Bomber backstop, Jorge Posada, then laced a double off the lefty. Posada reached third on a failed fielder’s choice, and Rodriguez scored. ARod slid safely underneath Howie Kendrick’s high throw to the plate. Posada recorded the Yankees’ second run on Melky Cabrera’s slap to left field. Cano also scored on the play to give the Bombers a three run edge. Cabrera finally broke out of his hitting slump in game four. Melky had three hits in four trips to the dish to carry the bottom of the paltry-this-post-season New York order.
Rodriguez mystified the home crowd in California with another deep drive in game four. ARod nailed a two-run fifth inning long ball to make it three straight games with a homerun. Rodriguez was so in the zone, scoring three runs and unchaining three hits. Jason Bulger was the reliever on the receiving end of ARod’s smack. The MVP went yard on just the second pitch thrown by the 30 year old Angel. The Yankees put up a two spot in the eighth inning off Matt Palmer. The raw reliever surrendered a homerun to the more polished slugger, outfielder Johnny Damon. Damon is starting to swing at his capabilities too. The whole New York lineup had much better at-bats than in the previous three games. Hideki Matsui and Nick Swisher were the only two Bombers not credited with one of the team’s 13 hits Tuesday. Four Yankees clubbed doubles and two hitters stole bases. However, two runners were also caught stealing. In fact, the Yankees used poor judgment on the base paths last night, but caught a lucky break. The umpiring was horrendous last night and has been an issue all season in my opinion. Even the baserunning this year has been ridiculously bad. Tim McClelland and Dale Scott blew three calls in game four. Scott errantly called Swisher safe on a pickoff play at second base. Nick was clearly tagged on the hands. Replays showed McClelland was wrong for calling Swisher out for leaving third base early later in the game. The umpire definitely took away a Bomber run with that oversight, but his largest lapse occurred when he awarded Cano third base when he was blatantly standing off the bag and was tagged out. It’s a good thing last night’s miscues didn’t occur at a pivotal point. The bad play calling became moot because the Bombers owned the Halos. The Angels scattered five hits. Their only run came off Sabathia’s solo mistake in allowing a solo shot by Kendry Morales. The hefty hurler faced thirty batters and was replaced by Chad Gaudin in the ninth. Gaudin shut down all three batters he faced to give the Yankees a two game lead in this ALDS.
Rodriguez is hitting .407 this post-season and is tied with Lou Gehrig and Ryan Howard for the longest post-season RBI streak, with eight. ARod has not gone more than seven at-bats in the playoffs without a homerun. The All-star has already planted himself in Yankee lore and earned that essential mystique necessary to be considered one of the franchise greats. Should the Yankees win Friday night and advance to the Fall Classic, it’s safe to say ARod is a shoo-in for MVP. That’s if the Angels don’t extend this to a seven-game series. In that case, Sabathia’s turn in the rotation will come around for a third time. And that will be something to Si Si.
Parting Points: I’m listening to some Stevie Wonder with a little Take That thrown in.
There are some very interesting stories about Terrelle Pryor in the news. Perhaps I will get to the matter tomorrow.
Sunday, October 18, 2009
ARod Angels Assassin
I normally refrain from posting about the same subject two days in a row. When I finally retired to bed at 1:11am this morning, I realized I would be making an exception. The New York Yankees defeated the Los Angeles Angels 4-3 in an excruciating 13 inning epic saga. The game featured blown umpire calls, plenty of missed opportunities for both teams and soaking rain in the extra session. If I had to guess, this was one of the most difficult losses the Angels have ever endured in the playoffs. I’d love to hear from L.A. fans who argue otherwise. The AL West champions were, for the second consecutive night, their own worst enemy. They couldn’t buy themselves a new life in this seven game series. Alex Rodriguez had a lot to do with their defeat, but the game was there for their taking. Rodriguez creamed a game tying homerun in the bottom of the 11th. ARod’s blast wasn’t as dramatic or surprising as Aaron Boone’s game-winner against the Red Sox, but it was just as massive, considering the Bombers needed at least a run to stay in the game. The situation could not have been scripted more perfectly by Hollywood.
Baseball is a game that defies logic. Bench player, Jerry Hairston, Jr. wasn’t supposed to score the deciding run. Angels infielder, Maicer Izturis should have easily made a routine ground out, but errantly threw wide to first base. The classic battle of Game two ended on a miscue. But I guess this is why we have the post-season. Any minor mistake can cost a team a game. Every intangible setback creates a tangible opportunity for the other club. How ironic it was Izturis who reached base safely in the eighth on a Derek Jeter error. I guess maybe it does make sense to have Hairston as the hero. The utility man has been in the game 12 seasons without being a part of playoff magic. It is the role players that sometimes define October. Hairston didn’t see a pitch until game two was already five hours old. He did his job by starting a rally as the leadoff hitter in the 13th frame. By the time Hairston touched the plate again, outfield slugger Melky Cabrera was celebrating a pass Izturis misfired. The little-known Yankee acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline was no longer an after-thought. He definitely would still be one if not for his clutch-clubbing teammate, Rodriguez.
New York is accustomed from getting contributions from the entire lineup. You can’t deny it was ARod carrying the team on his back last night. Even with the L.A. blunders, New York would not be up two games without their All-star third baseman. The Bombers stranded 12 runners on base. It was still better than the 16 Los Angeles left hanging. The Halos committed two errors. The Yankees weren’t flawless in the field on this October night either. Robinson Cano struggled on both sides of the ball, even with an RBI triple. The stud second baseman couldn’t capitalize on a 7th inning opportunity at the dish. Speedy pinch-runner, Freddie Guzman, was inserted into the game to score from third base when Cano dug in to hit. The .207 batter with runners in scoring position this post-season, Cano hit a weak dribbler to the catcher to end the threat. Cano was charged with an error in the soggy top of the 13th on Eric Aybar’s roller to second. It was a déjà vu scenario for the Bomber, who slipped up in the seventh via the same hitter. Chone Figgins’ sixth inning gaffe allowed Mark Teixeira on base. Figgins made up for his fielding at the plate with the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th. Both Teixeira and Figgins are straining with the sticks this series. Figgins snapped an 0-for-19 post-season hitless streak dating back to 2008 with one swing. Figgins’ RBI single also broke a 2-2 tie.
Mariano Rivera threw 2 1/3 shutout frames, and the Yankees utilized all but one of their relievers in the 13 inning contest. The Bomber bullpen was mighty effective until The Angels closer, Brian Fuentes, failed to protect his team’s lead in the bottom of the 11th. Soft-throwing, but accurate Fuentes, served up the game-tying launch to Rodriguez to even the score at 3-3. The Bomber bullpen was mighty effective until Alfredo Aceves walked Gary Matthews, Jr. to lead off the 11th. They say never walk to leadoff hitter. This time, the Angels made Aceves and the Yankees pay for it. David Robertson continued to impress on the mound in New York relief. He earned the win after appearing in what probably seemed like the longest night of his career. It was even longer for Ervin Santana and the Angels. Santana took the loss for L.A. in what was the longest ever post-season game in franchise history. The Angels managed just eight hits and didn’t do much with runners-in-scoring position. They did present some imposing relief pitching. It was a wasted effort in the end. Their perilous closer crumbled and cost them dearly after a solid showing. The stout pair of Kevin Jepsen and former Yankee, Darren Oliver tossed a combined three scoreless frames. They were matched by the trio from New York, Phil Hugues, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Coke. Both starting pitchers fared well also. Lefty, Joe Saunders, lasted seven innings, allowing six hits. He surrendered two runs and was surrounded by screaming pinstripe-fans when Jeter took him deep in the third. Yankee starter, A.J. Burnett, was knocked out after 6 1/3 innings. The righty yielded a stellar three hits and two runs. Burnett toyed with wildness again, however. His wild pitch to Vladimir Guerrero allowed Aybar to score the tying run.
The Angels and Yankees play again on Monday. Los Angeles could see their season end Tuesday if the Bombers have their way in California. Unless the Angels go back to their baseball basics, they won’t survive the more powerful visiting team from New York. It’s not enough to play lackadaisical and limp against the AL’s finest offense. They cannot afford to let a dialed-in Rodriguez beat them, and it seems eminently palpable the three-time MVP arrived prepared to play this post-season.
Parting points: Song spinning on my stereo- “I Will Buy You a New Life”- Everclear
It's time for the New York Giants to prove themselves down in New Orleans today.
Baseball is a game that defies logic. Bench player, Jerry Hairston, Jr. wasn’t supposed to score the deciding run. Angels infielder, Maicer Izturis should have easily made a routine ground out, but errantly threw wide to first base. The classic battle of Game two ended on a miscue. But I guess this is why we have the post-season. Any minor mistake can cost a team a game. Every intangible setback creates a tangible opportunity for the other club. How ironic it was Izturis who reached base safely in the eighth on a Derek Jeter error. I guess maybe it does make sense to have Hairston as the hero. The utility man has been in the game 12 seasons without being a part of playoff magic. It is the role players that sometimes define October. Hairston didn’t see a pitch until game two was already five hours old. He did his job by starting a rally as the leadoff hitter in the 13th frame. By the time Hairston touched the plate again, outfield slugger Melky Cabrera was celebrating a pass Izturis misfired. The little-known Yankee acquired from Cincinnati at the trade deadline was no longer an after-thought. He definitely would still be one if not for his clutch-clubbing teammate, Rodriguez.
New York is accustomed from getting contributions from the entire lineup. You can’t deny it was ARod carrying the team on his back last night. Even with the L.A. blunders, New York would not be up two games without their All-star third baseman. The Bombers stranded 12 runners on base. It was still better than the 16 Los Angeles left hanging. The Halos committed two errors. The Yankees weren’t flawless in the field on this October night either. Robinson Cano struggled on both sides of the ball, even with an RBI triple. The stud second baseman couldn’t capitalize on a 7th inning opportunity at the dish. Speedy pinch-runner, Freddie Guzman, was inserted into the game to score from third base when Cano dug in to hit. The .207 batter with runners in scoring position this post-season, Cano hit a weak dribbler to the catcher to end the threat. Cano was charged with an error in the soggy top of the 13th on Eric Aybar’s roller to second. It was a déjà vu scenario for the Bomber, who slipped up in the seventh via the same hitter. Chone Figgins’ sixth inning gaffe allowed Mark Teixeira on base. Figgins made up for his fielding at the plate with the go-ahead run in the top of the 11th. Both Teixeira and Figgins are straining with the sticks this series. Figgins snapped an 0-for-19 post-season hitless streak dating back to 2008 with one swing. Figgins’ RBI single also broke a 2-2 tie.
Mariano Rivera threw 2 1/3 shutout frames, and the Yankees utilized all but one of their relievers in the 13 inning contest. The Bomber bullpen was mighty effective until The Angels closer, Brian Fuentes, failed to protect his team’s lead in the bottom of the 11th. Soft-throwing, but accurate Fuentes, served up the game-tying launch to Rodriguez to even the score at 3-3. The Bomber bullpen was mighty effective until Alfredo Aceves walked Gary Matthews, Jr. to lead off the 11th. They say never walk to leadoff hitter. This time, the Angels made Aceves and the Yankees pay for it. David Robertson continued to impress on the mound in New York relief. He earned the win after appearing in what probably seemed like the longest night of his career. It was even longer for Ervin Santana and the Angels. Santana took the loss for L.A. in what was the longest ever post-season game in franchise history. The Angels managed just eight hits and didn’t do much with runners-in-scoring position. They did present some imposing relief pitching. It was a wasted effort in the end. Their perilous closer crumbled and cost them dearly after a solid showing. The stout pair of Kevin Jepsen and former Yankee, Darren Oliver tossed a combined three scoreless frames. They were matched by the trio from New York, Phil Hugues, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Coke. Both starting pitchers fared well also. Lefty, Joe Saunders, lasted seven innings, allowing six hits. He surrendered two runs and was surrounded by screaming pinstripe-fans when Jeter took him deep in the third. Yankee starter, A.J. Burnett, was knocked out after 6 1/3 innings. The righty yielded a stellar three hits and two runs. Burnett toyed with wildness again, however. His wild pitch to Vladimir Guerrero allowed Aybar to score the tying run.
The Angels and Yankees play again on Monday. Los Angeles could see their season end Tuesday if the Bombers have their way in California. Unless the Angels go back to their baseball basics, they won’t survive the more powerful visiting team from New York. It’s not enough to play lackadaisical and limp against the AL’s finest offense. They cannot afford to let a dialed-in Rodriguez beat them, and it seems eminently palpable the three-time MVP arrived prepared to play this post-season.
Parting points: Song spinning on my stereo- “I Will Buy You a New Life”- Everclear
It's time for the New York Giants to prove themselves down in New Orleans today.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Southern State Sampling
The 2003 World Series was the last time the Florida Marlins hosted the New York Yankees. It didn’t end well for the visiting team that year. Alex Rodriguez was not in pinstripes that Fall Classic. The MVP was missing in action last night in his first chance to play for New York against his hometown team. The 33 year old Yankees third baseman, sat out Friday night’s game with fatigue, but New York still handled the Marlins in a 5-1 final. A flurry of fanatics filled and flooded the Florida stands to fire up a slumping Bombers bunch and Andy Pettitte earned his seventh win of the season.
Manager, Joe Girardi, benched Arod for the first two games against the Florida team he once managed, starting last night. He was plucked from the lineup after being mired in a 13-of-74 slump and batting just .212. Arod is batting a tumultuous .145 this month. Rodriguez agreed the rest would be beneficial in the long run. I think Girardi should have rested his ailing All-star earlier. Why not sit him down during the homestand against the Nationals? I understand playing him with the Red Sox and Mets on tap, but his bat could be grounded for a stretch against Washington. It’s not easy to assess Arod’s weaknesses but he cannot be 100% healthy and hitting .212. Doctors suggested him taking off 4-5 days during the first 45 of his return from hip surgery, but the superstar slugger hadn’t sat out a day until Friday. Rodriguez missed the first 28 games of the season and has just 26 RBIs and 9 homeruns since returning to the team. Alex, back in his hometown of Miami, is available for pinch hitting if the Yankees need his bat against the Fish.
The Yankees bounded back from losing a series to the lowly Washington Nationals. Hats off to Garret Anderson and the Braves who clobbered and bounced the BoSox yesterday. Boston leads the AL East by two games and the Yankees still have time to regroup after their woeful week of inconsistency. Derek Jeter returned to the lineup after being sidelined for two games with a sore left ankle. He collected two hits for the Bombers, while Melky Cabrera clubbed his seventh round-tripper of the year. Jeter’s leadoff ground-rule double in the first tied him for fourth most in Yankees history with Babe Ruth. The captain and the Bambino both have 423 career double baggers. Mark Teixeiria moved Jeter to third on a base hit. Jorge Posada was the catcher Friday, and with National League rules in place, cannot be the designated hitter. The only plate time Posada will see will be in games he is also behind the plate defensively. Posada juiced a single off Sean West to right field after Teixeira and Jeter also capitalized in the first inning. The scrappy single scored Jeter to put New York on the board. It is a tough decision for Girardi to make with Posada and Francisco Cervelli on the roster and facing National League clubs. The word around the Yankees clubhouse is pitchers prefer Cervelli because he manages the game and is better defensively. Posada has the hotter bat but obviously cannot provide steam if he can’t catch.
Pettitte was the snazzy, scintillating southpaw we all now and love on the mound, but he helped his own cause with a rare, remarkable at-bat. His plate appearance resulted in a second-inning RBI double. It was the lefty’s first double since July 2006. Andy’s act highlighted a five hit, three run inning for the Yankees. Friday fill-in, Angel Berroa, doubled to left to score Cano for the third run. Berroa reached home on Pettite’s double, also to left field. Jeter and Pettitte came around to score on Johnny Damon’s ensuing single. The Fish took another plunge in the third on Cabrera’s 3-1 blast. Florida trailed New York by five runs in the bottom of the third. The Marlins only answer against Pettitte and two Bomber relievers was Cody Ross’ solo shot in that inning.
Pettitte improved to 7-3 on the season, tossing seven strong innings and striking out seven Marlins. He didn’t allow a walk and yielded just a run on three hits. Pettitte is 4-1 in six road starts this season. Brian Bruney and Brett Tomko pitched two hitless innings in relief for New York. The Yankees didn’t have to waste their bullpen because Petttitte gave them length. West was chased early as the Yankees were able to slice balls and scatter hits throughout the Florida ballpark. Every Yankee starter had at least one hit by the fifth inning. West took the loss and gave up ten runs in four innings. He fanned seven in his first appearance against the Yankees. The hurler was unable to shutdown New York even without their number four hitter, and the Yankees took the opener of the three-game interleague set. Renyel Pinto, a recently-activated reliever for the Marlins, threw a scoreless inning from the bullpen.
It was nice to see the Yankees win a game after dropping some with bad showings. I was unimpressed by the Bombers’ efforts this entire week. It cooled my marrow to see the deplorable and depleted Yankees. But they got off their schnide with an incredulous effort against the middling Marlins Friday. The residue and reminders of repulsive play was forgotten, at least for a day. Today’s Game 2 pits Josh Johnson against A.J. Burnett.
Here is a sampling of other statistics from Friday night:
3 Marlins struck out two times and Florida left three men on base
The Yankees stranded 11 runners. That’s seven more than the Marlins, but considering how often Florida reached base, that number makes sense. Nick Swisher is a big culprit here. It’s either feast or famine with him, despite him being patient in the box. Swisher, while greatly improved, is not an everyday player
Jeter committed his third error of the season
The Marlins converted three double plays. This seems to be an issue with the Bombers offensively. They have to cut down on the number of double plays they hit into
The Yankees went a second game without hitting a homerun. They did deck four doubles
Pettitte threw 108 pitches, 66 for strikes in one of the best outings of the season for him
Parting points: Rafael Nadal won’t be able to defend his Wimbledon crown. He won’t compete this year, due to a knee injury.
Ohio State hoops news: Evan Turner was the most impressive player at the national team trials. The 6 ft.7 forward should be an NBA lottery pick next Spring.
Two songs for today- “South Central Rain”- R.E.M.
“Take Me Home Tonight”- Eddie Money
Manager, Joe Girardi, benched Arod for the first two games against the Florida team he once managed, starting last night. He was plucked from the lineup after being mired in a 13-of-74 slump and batting just .212. Arod is batting a tumultuous .145 this month. Rodriguez agreed the rest would be beneficial in the long run. I think Girardi should have rested his ailing All-star earlier. Why not sit him down during the homestand against the Nationals? I understand playing him with the Red Sox and Mets on tap, but his bat could be grounded for a stretch against Washington. It’s not easy to assess Arod’s weaknesses but he cannot be 100% healthy and hitting .212. Doctors suggested him taking off 4-5 days during the first 45 of his return from hip surgery, but the superstar slugger hadn’t sat out a day until Friday. Rodriguez missed the first 28 games of the season and has just 26 RBIs and 9 homeruns since returning to the team. Alex, back in his hometown of Miami, is available for pinch hitting if the Yankees need his bat against the Fish.
The Yankees bounded back from losing a series to the lowly Washington Nationals. Hats off to Garret Anderson and the Braves who clobbered and bounced the BoSox yesterday. Boston leads the AL East by two games and the Yankees still have time to regroup after their woeful week of inconsistency. Derek Jeter returned to the lineup after being sidelined for two games with a sore left ankle. He collected two hits for the Bombers, while Melky Cabrera clubbed his seventh round-tripper of the year. Jeter’s leadoff ground-rule double in the first tied him for fourth most in Yankees history with Babe Ruth. The captain and the Bambino both have 423 career double baggers. Mark Teixeiria moved Jeter to third on a base hit. Jorge Posada was the catcher Friday, and with National League rules in place, cannot be the designated hitter. The only plate time Posada will see will be in games he is also behind the plate defensively. Posada juiced a single off Sean West to right field after Teixeira and Jeter also capitalized in the first inning. The scrappy single scored Jeter to put New York on the board. It is a tough decision for Girardi to make with Posada and Francisco Cervelli on the roster and facing National League clubs. The word around the Yankees clubhouse is pitchers prefer Cervelli because he manages the game and is better defensively. Posada has the hotter bat but obviously cannot provide steam if he can’t catch.
Pettitte was the snazzy, scintillating southpaw we all now and love on the mound, but he helped his own cause with a rare, remarkable at-bat. His plate appearance resulted in a second-inning RBI double. It was the lefty’s first double since July 2006. Andy’s act highlighted a five hit, three run inning for the Yankees. Friday fill-in, Angel Berroa, doubled to left to score Cano for the third run. Berroa reached home on Pettite’s double, also to left field. Jeter and Pettitte came around to score on Johnny Damon’s ensuing single. The Fish took another plunge in the third on Cabrera’s 3-1 blast. Florida trailed New York by five runs in the bottom of the third. The Marlins only answer against Pettitte and two Bomber relievers was Cody Ross’ solo shot in that inning.
Pettitte improved to 7-3 on the season, tossing seven strong innings and striking out seven Marlins. He didn’t allow a walk and yielded just a run on three hits. Pettitte is 4-1 in six road starts this season. Brian Bruney and Brett Tomko pitched two hitless innings in relief for New York. The Yankees didn’t have to waste their bullpen because Petttitte gave them length. West was chased early as the Yankees were able to slice balls and scatter hits throughout the Florida ballpark. Every Yankee starter had at least one hit by the fifth inning. West took the loss and gave up ten runs in four innings. He fanned seven in his first appearance against the Yankees. The hurler was unable to shutdown New York even without their number four hitter, and the Yankees took the opener of the three-game interleague set. Renyel Pinto, a recently-activated reliever for the Marlins, threw a scoreless inning from the bullpen.
It was nice to see the Yankees win a game after dropping some with bad showings. I was unimpressed by the Bombers’ efforts this entire week. It cooled my marrow to see the deplorable and depleted Yankees. But they got off their schnide with an incredulous effort against the middling Marlins Friday. The residue and reminders of repulsive play was forgotten, at least for a day. Today’s Game 2 pits Josh Johnson against A.J. Burnett.
Here is a sampling of other statistics from Friday night:
3 Marlins struck out two times and Florida left three men on base
The Yankees stranded 11 runners. That’s seven more than the Marlins, but considering how often Florida reached base, that number makes sense. Nick Swisher is a big culprit here. It’s either feast or famine with him, despite him being patient in the box. Swisher, while greatly improved, is not an everyday player
Jeter committed his third error of the season
The Marlins converted three double plays. This seems to be an issue with the Bombers offensively. They have to cut down on the number of double plays they hit into
The Yankees went a second game without hitting a homerun. They did deck four doubles
Pettitte threw 108 pitches, 66 for strikes in one of the best outings of the season for him
Parting points: Rafael Nadal won’t be able to defend his Wimbledon crown. He won’t compete this year, due to a knee injury.
Ohio State hoops news: Evan Turner was the most impressive player at the national team trials. The 6 ft.7 forward should be an NBA lottery pick next Spring.
Two songs for today- “South Central Rain”- R.E.M.
“Take Me Home Tonight”- Eddie Money
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Arod Accused
I don’t know why I’m surprised, but I am. This morning, reports came out that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for anabolic steroids in 2003. The arrogant ARod always acted as if he could never be associated with steroid use, and I was foolish enough to believe him. It is so disappointing to hear another player I respected for his talent to be a cheater. Besides Alex, Derek Jeter is the only other player I never would have suspected succumbed to steroids.
Rodriguez earned the MVP in 2003 while he slugged his way through the American League as a Texas Ranger. The fallout from these reports are going to be enormous. Arod has had hard enough a time playing for the Yankees and is one of the most hated players in baseball. This will only add to the hatred and he is sure to hear more boos than he has in the past. Not only is this bad news for the Yankees, but it’s bad publicity for Major League Baseball. One of the game’s biggest stars and most talented athlete is a cheater and a liar. Steroid use during this era has ruined baseball for everybody. I considered Alex a true player with God given ability. His workout regime and daily grind in the gym was admirable. No one could ever knock Alex for his work ethic. Only now can we see he is really a fraud and a fake. Steroid use, however little or much, is wrong. I am against any type of performance-enhancing substance in any sport. If you need an edge to get ahead, you should not be playing the game.
I am not sure how often he used or to what extend he abused steroids, but it doesn’t matter. Arod might shatter a number of baseball records and he is already a future Hall of Famer. Of course there were no penalties for steroid use in 2003, this morning’s report about the Yankee third baseman is still damaging. Alex hasn’t made any comments yet. He only stated to the press that he has nothing to say about the matter. I would advice him to be honest right away before this issue progresses into a massive mess. Alex should learn from Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro. The repressions are going to be a distraction all season for the Yankees, and that is what concerns me most. It’s one thing for Rodriguez to under perform. It’s entirely different for him to be considered a liar. Who is going to trust the man now that he’s been linked to the never-ending steroid abusers.
Today I learned my lesson. You cannot put your faith and trust in anyone. I know nobody is perfect, but I really believed Alex to be a clean player. The joke’s on me and I am sure hundreds of other former Arod supporters.
Parting points: “Nightswimming” by R.E.M. in my CD player and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” by Charles Dickens on my bookshelf.
Rodriguez earned the MVP in 2003 while he slugged his way through the American League as a Texas Ranger. The fallout from these reports are going to be enormous. Arod has had hard enough a time playing for the Yankees and is one of the most hated players in baseball. This will only add to the hatred and he is sure to hear more boos than he has in the past. Not only is this bad news for the Yankees, but it’s bad publicity for Major League Baseball. One of the game’s biggest stars and most talented athlete is a cheater and a liar. Steroid use during this era has ruined baseball for everybody. I considered Alex a true player with God given ability. His workout regime and daily grind in the gym was admirable. No one could ever knock Alex for his work ethic. Only now can we see he is really a fraud and a fake. Steroid use, however little or much, is wrong. I am against any type of performance-enhancing substance in any sport. If you need an edge to get ahead, you should not be playing the game.
I am not sure how often he used or to what extend he abused steroids, but it doesn’t matter. Arod might shatter a number of baseball records and he is already a future Hall of Famer. Of course there were no penalties for steroid use in 2003, this morning’s report about the Yankee third baseman is still damaging. Alex hasn’t made any comments yet. He only stated to the press that he has nothing to say about the matter. I would advice him to be honest right away before this issue progresses into a massive mess. Alex should learn from Mark McGwire and Barry Bonds and Rafael Palmeiro. The repressions are going to be a distraction all season for the Yankees, and that is what concerns me most. It’s one thing for Rodriguez to under perform. It’s entirely different for him to be considered a liar. Who is going to trust the man now that he’s been linked to the never-ending steroid abusers.
Today I learned my lesson. You cannot put your faith and trust in anyone. I know nobody is perfect, but I really believed Alex to be a clean player. The joke’s on me and I am sure hundreds of other former Arod supporters.
Parting points: “Nightswimming” by R.E.M. in my CD player and “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” by Charles Dickens on my bookshelf.
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