Traveling Again

We'll be traveling again for the next two days, so there won't be much posting. The Yankees trail 3-2, what else is new, right now to Seattle. We know there's no playoff hope, but it would still be nice to win some games. Bobby Abreu and Jason Giambi have hit solo home runs.

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Pardon me, have you seen my swing?

After Friday night's Seattle slumber party, things looked much more promising after the Yankees solid win on Saturday. Then came Sunday, which practically looked like a mirror image of Friday night's loss. The 2007 season is one step forward and two steps back.

Saturday night was a feel good story. Matt DeSalvo, who had a miserable 2006 season, both on and off the field, picked up his 1st major league win with 6 2-3 solid innings. It remains to be seen how he'll handle the rest of the league, but DeSalvo owns the Mariners, having allowed 1 run in 13 2-3 innings over 2 starts. If not for the Yankee's leaky pen, he would be 2-0.

Even better than the game was his on-field interview with Kim Jones of the YES network. After he mentioned that he thought he had to hit in his next start (assumed he was facing the Mets), Jones informed him that in fact he was facing the White Sox on Thursday. His innocent response of "I am?" was the perfect example of a young player's love for the game.

Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, and Jorge Posada had 3 hits each as the Yankees pounded M's starter Miguel Batista en route to a 7-2 win. Then came Sunday.

Jarrod Washburn is a seasoned, World Series champion pitcher. So when he beats ya, it is at least somewhat respectable. But when Horacio Ramirez stomps ya, you need to start re-evaluating your season. Ramirez dominated the Yankees over 8 innings as a member of the Braves in 2006. This time he allowed just a run on 5 hits in 6 1-3 innings. Jeter, who seems to be the only guy hitting consistently with men in scoring position, drove in the only run.

Andy Pettitte allowed 2 runs in 7 plus innings, but must feel like he's got the weak hitting Astros lineup behind him. Pettitte's been a victim of no run support and a shoddy bullpen in most of his starts.

The Yankees had one last chance in the 9th when Hideki Matsui doubled off of M's closer J.J. Putz. But Putz, who had already struck out Jason Giambi to start the inning, K'ed Posada and Doug Mientkiewicz to preserve the win.

~~~

The Yankees finished the season 3-4 against the Mariners, who pulled a game over .500 with the win.

With the Red Sox rallying from a 5-0 deficit to beat Baltimore on Sunday, the Yankees dropped to 8 games back of 1st place.

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Sleepful in Seattle

Sleepful

sleep·ful

1. Able to easily nod off while watching the Yankees play in Seattle.
2. Going through the motions. Uninspired while playing the Mariners.
3. A condition caused by a manager that no longer inspires his team.

You've probably surmised by now that last night's Yankees-Mariners game was a borefest. The game took just 2:19 to play since the Yankees did absolutely nothing at the plate. Was that Jarrod Washburn or Sandy Koufax on the mound for the Mariners? That's how ridiculous the Yankees looked in getting blanked 3-0 nothing. Consider that 2 of their 6 hits were bloop shots by Jorge Posada that barely made it out of the infield. Josh Phelps and Alex Rodriguez had the only 2 good shots all night and only one of them was a hit.

The key to the Yankee's success is working the count, but time and time again last night they swung at the 1st pitch. Some players you expect to show no selectivity - i.e. Robinson Cano, but when Bobby Abreu hasn't walked in 12 games, you know that things are not going smoothly.

Right now the majority of the team does not have a plan when they go up to the plate. Just look at the individual batting averages other than Jeter, Giambi, Posada, and A-Rod. Whether that falls on Joe Torre, Kevin Long, the individual players themselves, or a combination of all of the above, something has to change soon. This team's pitching staff has proven not to be good on its own to win ball games. That situation gets exacerbated when the team doesn't hit. And let's not forget they're not the greatest fielding team in the world either.

The climb back to .500 continues again tonight with another 10:00 start.

~~~

Darrell Rasner was quite ordinary in his 2 innings of work as he struggled with his command. Kenji Johjima blasted a 2-run HR off of him to completely ruin his evening.

Scott Proctor and Brian Bruney combined for 3 scoreless innings out of the pen.

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Emerald City Preview

Yankees vs. Seattle

The Yankees and Mariners split a 4 game series that ran last weekend into Monday. The M's took the bookends, with the Yankees taking Saturday and Sunday.

Pitching Match Ups

Tonight - Darrell Rasner vs. Jarrod Washburn
A rematch of last Sunday's 5-0 Yankees win. With Lou Piniella no longer at the helm, there is less of a likelihood of last Sunday's blad blood carrying over into this series.

Saturday - Matt DeSalvo vs. Miguel Batista
A rematch of Monday's 3-2 Mariners come from behind win. Hopefully Gerry Davis isn't on the umpiring crew. Who is the idiot that scheduled this for 10:00 EDT on a Saturday?

Sunday - Andy Pettitte vs. Horacia Ramirez
Ramirez came over from the Braves for Rafael Soriano this past winter. He beat the Yankees the only time he faced them (8 IP 1 unearned run) in June, '06.

~~~

Jason Giambi is expected back in the lineup tonight, but Johnny Damon will most likely sit out with his sore right calf.

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Slip Sliding Away

Yankee Stadium was still abuzz last night from the announced return of Roger Clemens and the great effort being put in by rookie starting pitcher Matt DeSalvo. But one of the worst umpiring decisions in a long time put an abrupt end to all the good feelings.

The Yankees lead 2-1 after 7 thanks to a magnificent 3-hit performance turned in by DeSalvo. Don Mattingly, filling in for the suspended Joe Torre, went to Kyle Farnsworth to start the 8th. With 2 out and none on, Jose Vidro reached on a broken bat infield single. Mike Hargrove sent in Willie Bloomquist to pinch-run and the game turned on a dime when Bloomquist tried to steal 2nd.

Jorge Posada's throw was off-line to the 1st base side, but Robinson Cano brought the tag down quickly on Bloomquist's behind, well short of 2nd base. Except 2nd base ump, Gerry Davis, didn't see it that way. Bloomquist was called safe and scored moments later on a bloop single to right field by Kenji Johjima to tie the game. 1 inning later Mariano Rivera surrendered a solo HR to Adrian Beltre and the Yankees were done.

To make matters more annoying, Davis admitted after the game that he blew the call. Since neither Cano or Derek Jeter, who was backing up on the play, put up any argument, Mattingly, who can't see from the dugout, didn't come out to protest the call.

DeSalvo allowed a run on 2 hits in the 1st inning, and then allowed just one more hit after that. He kept the M's off balance with a mixture of a low 90s fastball, and breaking and off-speed pitches.

Bobby Abreu drove in a run with a ground out in the 1st, but failed to come through in the 5th (grounding out with 2 on, 2 out), 7th (grounding out with 2 on, 1 out), and in the 9th (struck out looking to end the game with the tying run at 2nd).

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Sky Rockets in Flight

Afternoon Delight

Darrell Rasner gave the Yankees a boost Sunday with when he shut the Mariners down for 5 plus innings. But the crowd was a huge lift by Roger Clemens in the 7th inning. No he isn't the new set up man out of the pen, but the Rocket is back in pinstripes. Yankee's PA announcer Bob Sheppard asked fans to direct their attention to the owner's box during the 7th innings stretch. It was there that Clemens, speaking over the PA system, announced he was returning to the Bronx for another season in pinstripes.


Needless to say the capacity crowd was sent into a complete frenzy. Suddenly the inept Yankees starting rotation looks a bit more formidable. Now if we can get Boomer Wells back we'll have the 2002-2003 rotation (and yes I am definitely kidding). Clemens will get a pro-rated deal of $28 million depending on when he joins the big club. He inked a minor league deal in the meantime as he prepares for a late May/early June return. Clemens wasting no time in getting used to the feel of the uniform as he threw in the outfield after the game, wearing a pair of uni pants and a Yankees cap.

Brian Cashman looked like the cat who ate the canary as he stood near Clemens. He realizes that the Rocket could be the player to help turn the Yankee's season around, and quite possibly, save his job.
The announcement was the perfect capper to a wild afternoon in the Bronx. One day after Chien-Ming Wang nearly threw a perfect game, Rasner,Scott Proctor, Sean Henn, Kyle Farnsworth, and Brian Bruney combined to put another 9 goose eggs. The Yankees may not have gone with, what seems like the prerequisite, 5 pitchers, but Proctor threw behind the Mariner's Yuniesky Betancourt in the top of the 7th. While a scoring a run earlier in the game, Josh Phelps had gone out of his way to knock over M's catcher Kenji Johjima. Mariner's starter Jarrod Washburn sent a message the next Phelps batted, by plunking him in the side. Proctor than retaliated, sending both benches and bulpens on to the field before order was restored. Since both sides had been warned after Phelps had been hit, both Proctor and Torre were tossed from the game.

Bobby Abreu had his 2nd multiple hit game in the last 3 games and drove in a pair of runs. Derek Jeter, Hideki Matsui, and Miguel Cairo, give Robinson Cano a day off, each had two hits as well. Matsui passed 2,000 hits in his Japanese and American careers, giving him a place in Japan's Golden Player's Club. A player must have 2,000, 200 wins or 250 saves for entry.

It was originally thought that Rasner would be sent down after the game to make room for Monday's starter, Matt DeSalvo, but Torre said the team would wait until Monday before making that decision.

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A Nearly Perfect Wang

Wang's come in all shapes and sizes, but yesterday Chien-Ming Wang was nearly perfect. A packed Stadium crowd watched as Wang retired the Mariners in order, inning after inning. So transfixed was the Fox broadcast, that Joe Buck didn't bring up the Yankee's payroll until the 8th inning.

22 up and 22 down. 1 out in the 8th and 1st Baseman Ben Broussard up. Broussard will never be confused for Don Mattingly, but he's not as bad a hitter as his sub .200 average indicates. Jorge Posada called for a change up and told reporters afterwards that he regretted as soon as Wang let go of the baseball. The perfect game, no-hitter, and shut out were all gone in one fell swoop as Broussard sent Wang's pitch into the bleachers for a solo HR.

An appreciative crowd gave Wang a huge ovation, not only for his near perfection, but because he became the 1st Yankees pitcher this season to enter the 8th inning (he also finished it).

Former Yankee Jeff Weaver was on the hill for the M's and despite having a horrible season, limited the Bombers to 1 run over 5 innings. But Weaver returned to form in the 6th and the Yankees took advantage. Singles by Bobby Abreu (on a bunt) and A-Rod, and a walk to Jason Giambi loaded the bases. Weaver than hit Hideki Matsui to force in a run. Jorge Posada's single plated another as the bases remained loaded. But after retiring Robinson Cano and Doug Mientkiewicz, Weaver walked Melky Cabrera to force in another run. In a surprise move, Mike Hargrove left Weaver in the game. At least for one more batter. Derek Jeter singled home two more for a 6-0 lead and leaving Mariners fans second guessing their manager.

The rest of the day belonged to the hero of Taiwan and Chien-Ming Wang didn't let his countrymen down.

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How to Ruin a Perfectly Good Friday Night

Friday wasn't a bad day. Everyone was relaxed at work, enjoying the fine weather. We all enjoyed a shared lunch and some drinks and the afternoon shot by. It was time to go home and get ready to nestle into the couch and watch some Rangers hockey and Yankees baseball.

If you had said before the evening started the Rangers would be up 1-0 over the Sabres with 7.7 seconds left, and the Yankees would be leading the Mariners 5-0 after the 1st inning, I'd be quite ecstatic and ready for a fun filled sports evening. But alas we're all too old for fairy tales.

While the Ranger's loss came quickly and painfully (a tying goal with 7.7 seconds left and a winning goal in the 1st overtime), the Yankee's would be a more slow, exhaustive process.

Yes, the Yankees did jump out to that 5-0 lead in the first, sending 10 men to the plate in batting around Cha Seung Baek. But it wasn't a good night for pitchers from the Pacific rim. Kei Igawa, fresh off his incredible 6 inning relief stint against the Red Sox, went back to being the Igawa we all love to hate (is there another Igawa?).

There was a Kenji Johjima solo HR in the 2nd. An Adrian Beltre 2-run blast in the 3rd. Hideki Matsui countered for the Yankees with a solo shot of his own in the home half of the 3rd. Still holding a 6-3 lead in the 4th, Igawa gave it all away with the long ball. Yuniesky Betancourt hit a solo shot and then Jose Lopez sent the 2-run game tying shot into the seats in left.

The Yankees would take the lead once more in the 4th on an A-Rod 2-run double, but the Yankees pitching stinks.

Igawa gave up a pair of hits to start the 5th, forcing Joe Torre to finally remove him. Torre went with Colter Bean, who has no business being in the major leagues. He promptly walked Richie Sexson and Jose Guillen to force in a run. Johjima followed with an RBI single and Betancourt doubled in 2 more. A 5-0 lead was no a 10-8 deficit, and for all intents and purposes, the Yankees were done. Luiz Vizcaino, who is looking more like garbage every day, gave up a pair of RBI singles, and Mike Myers allowed 1 more, as the M's built a 15-8 lead. Some credit does go to Myers, who is a My Pinstripes whipping boy, for going 4 innings and not further burning out the bullpen.

Johnny Damon gave the Yankees one last chance to get back in it with a 3-run HR in the 7th, but in a fitting move for the Yankees, re-injured his calf when he popped out in the 9th.

Friday night - 2 thumbs down...way down.

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Yankees vs. Mariners Preview

The Yankees and Mariners open a 4 game set at the Stadium tonight as the Yankees prepare to juggle their rotation once again.

Tonight it's the Far East match up with Korea's Cha Seung Baek vs. Japan's Kei Igawa. Igawa is trying to build off his marvelous 6 shutout inning outings against the Dead Sox.

Saturday has former Yankee Jeff Weaver, who has had a horrendous start in Seattle against Chien-Ming Wang (is this the UN?).

Sunday's match up will be lefty Jarrod Washburn against Darrell Rasner, who will be up from Scranton for the game, and then most likely sent back down to make room for Monday's starter, Matt DeSalvo.

Monday has the M's sending out Miguel Batista, while the Yankees counter with another rookie in DeSalvo. The left-hander was making his way up the Yankees system quite nicely, before a divorce and the surrounding off-field issues, lead to an awful 2006 performance. But he impressed the Yankees this spring and has a 1.50 ERA at Scranton this season. He'll probably get at least one more start after this one.

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