Friday, June 4, 2010

Yanks Win 6-3 To Finish Off Sweep Of The O's

(AP Photo/Seth Wenig)

Final123456789RHE
Baltimore001000200331
N.Y. Yankees «20300100x6121
WP: C. Sabathia (5-3) LP: K. Millwood (0-6)
SV: M. Rivera (12)

The Yankees finished off a very successful 6-1 homestand with a 6-3 win over Baltimore to complete their three-game sweep.

CC Sabathia started for the Yankees and besides two mistakes he pitched very well. In seven innings the left-hander allowed three runs on three hits, walked one, and struck out seven on his way to his fifth win of the season. The first of those two mistakes came in the top of the third with the Yankees leading 2-0, when he gave up a home run to Adam Jones. It was the first base runner CC allowed on the day, and would be his last until Jones reached on an error by Sabathia in the fifth. He then retired the next five in a row before getting into some trouble in the seventh. Ty Wigginton singled with one out and then Luke Scott hammered a Sabathia offering into the second deck in right for a two-run homer. CC would then walk Garrett Atkins before retiring the final two batters he faced. Luckily for Sabathia, the Yankees had already scored six runs at that point so he was able to leave with a relatively comfortable three run lead.

Five of the Yankees six runs came in the first three innings. Derek Jeter started the game with a walk. Nick Swisher followed with a single. Then, with Mark Teixeira batting Jeter stole third and eventually scored on a balk by O's starer Kevin Millwood. Robinson Cano then made it 2-0 with an RBI double to center. The hit extended Cano's hitting streak to 17 games.

Later in the third, Alex Rodriguez made it 4-1 Yankees with a two-run homer to right center. It was his eighth long ball of the season. Then following a walk to Cano and a single by Jorge Posada, Curtis Granderson made it 5-1 with an RBI single.

The Yankees added their sixth and final run on a Brett Gardner solo shot in the sixth.

After CC was done the Yankees turned the ball over to Joba and Mo, but unlike CC's last start they held the lead this time. Joba Chamberlain threw just ten pitches to get through a 1-2-3 eighth. Things weren't as easy for Mariano Rivera, who allowed the first two batters he faced to reach on walk and a hit batsman, but he then settled down and retired the next three batters he faced to pick up his 12th save of the season.

The Yankees did what they were supposed to do and that's beat up on the bad teams. Now they head to Toronto to face the surprising Blue Jays in a three-game set up at Rogers Centre. A.J. Burnett will take the mound in the opener against his former team, and left-hander Brett Cecil will start for the Jays. First pitch is at 7:07 p.m. and the game will be on YES.

Derek Jeter, SS4110112.302
Nick Swisher, RF4110111.318
Mark Teixeira, 1B4120112.220
Alex Rodriguez, 3B5122005.300
Robinson Cano, 2B3111112.373
Jorge Posada, DH4010021.323
Curtis Granderson, CF4021000.269
Francisco Cervelli, C3000102.294
Brett Gardner, LF4121011.304
Totals35612557

Batting
2B - Mark Teixeira (10, Millwood), Robinson Cano (17, Millwood)
HR - Alex Rodriguez (8, Millwood), Brett Gardner (3, Millwood)
RBI - Alex Rodriguez 2 (43), Robinson Cano (43), Curtis Granderson (11), Brett Gardner (18)
2-OUT RBI - Robinson Cano (13)
RISP:
4-13 (M Teixeira 0-2, C Granderson 1-1, F Cervelli 0-2, A Rodriguez 1-4, J Posada 1-2, R Cano 1-2)
SB - Derek Jeter (6, 3rd base off Millwood/Tatum), Brett Gardner (19, 2nd base off Ohman/Tatum)
Team LOB - 10
Fielding
E - CC Sabathia (1, Throwing)

CC Sabathia (W,5-3)73331724.14
Joba Chamberlain (H,12)10000005.32
Mariano Rivera (S,12)10001201.47
HBP - Wigginton (by Mariano Rivera)
Pitches-Strikes - CC Sabathia 94-60, Joba Chamberlain 10-6, Mariano Rivera 26-13
Ground Balls-Fly Balls - CC Sabathia 11-4, Joba Chamberlain 2-1, Mariano Rivera 1-0
Batters Faced - CC Sabathia 26, Joba Chamberlain 3, Mariano Rivera 5

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Alex Rodriguez
HONORABLE MENTION: Brett Gardner

Thursday, June 3, 2010

6/3 Minor League Report

================

(Triple-A)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre (31-23) lost to Durham (31-23) 11-3: Box Score - Recap

Batting:
Reegie Corona, 2B: 2-for-4, R
Reid Gorecki, DH: 2-for-4, 3B, RBI (10), R
Eduardo Nunez, SS: 1-for-4, RBI (23), R
David Winfree, RF: 1-for-4, RBI (30)
Jesus Montero, C: 1-for-3, BB - now hitting .226
Greg Golson, CF: 1-for-4

Pitching:
Tim Redding (L, 0-1): 4.1 IP, 10 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 3 K (6.00 ERA)
Jason Hirsh: 1.2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (4.42 ERA)
Mark Melancon: 2.1 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (3.56 ERA)
Kei Igawa: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 1 K (5.16 ERA)

Pitches-strikes: Redding 85-55, Hirsh 34-18, Melancon 49-32, Igawa 8-5.
Groundouts-flyouts: Redding 7-2, Hirsh 1-2, Melancon 3-1, Igawa 1-0.

(Double-A) Trenton (31-21) beat Portland (26-25) 1-0: Box Score - Recap

Batting:
Justin Christian, LF: 2-for-5, RBI (12)
Austin Krum, CF: 1-for-4, 2B, BB, R
Austin Romine, C: 0-for-5
Brandon Laird, 3B: 2-for-4, 2B, HR (11), RBI (52), BB, 2 R
Jorge Vazquez, 1B: 2-for-4, 2 2B, 2 RBI (2), BB, R
Daniel Brewer, LF: 1-for-5, HR (4), 2 RBI (24), R
Marcos Vechionacci, DH: 4-for-4, BB, 2 R
Luis Nunez, SS: 1-for-4,
Kevin Mahoney, 2B: 1-for-3, RBI (1), BB

Pitching:
Wilkin De La Rosa: 2 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, WP (5.16 ERA)
Cory Arbiso: 4 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, WP (3.38 ERA)
Grant Duff: 2 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 4 K (2.18 ERA)
Kevin Whelan (BS, 1)(L, 0-1): 0.1 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (8.10 ERA)
Wilkins Arias: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K (3.76 ERA)

Groundouts-flyouts: De La Rosa, W 2-2, Arbiso 7-2, Duff 0-2, Whelan 1-0, Arias 0-2.

(High-A)
Tampa (28-25) vs. St. Lucie (25-27) was postponed due to rain.

(Low-A) Charleston (24-30) beat Hickory (33-22) 6-2: Box Score - Recap

Batting:
Slade Heathcott, CF: 1-for-4, BB, R
JR Murphy, DH: 2-for-5, RBI (13), 2 R, SB (3)
Jimmy Paredes, SS: 0-for-3, RBI (18), BB, R
Luke Murton, 1B: 1-for-3, RBI (31), BB
Zolio Almonte, RF: 1-for-4, 2B, 2 RBI (20)
Kyle Higashioka, C: 3-for-4, R
Deangelo Mack, LF: 1-for-4
Hector Rabago, 3B: 0-for-3, RBI (5)
Kelvin Castro, 2B: 1-for-3, BB, R


Pitching:
Jario Heredia (W, 2-1): 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 6 K (5.08 ERA)
Ryan Acosta: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K (6.10 ERA)
Dickson Marquez: 1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 1 K (5.40 ERA)

Groundouts-flyouts: Heredia 4-5, Acosta, R 2-4, Marquez, D 2-2.

Joe's Instant Replay Proposal

I'm sorry, but last night's inexplicable blown call that cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game made me sick to my stomach. One of the commenters on this blog said that watching the replay is like watching a car accident over and over, and I completely agree.

Two minutes after the call was blown, MLB Network analysts were already talking about should instant replay be expanded. I believe so. It is the 21st century, Bud Selig. We need to get calls right. How many more perfect games, playoff games, World Series games, heck, REGULAR GAMES are going to have to be tainted by the so-called "human element" of the game.

I love baseball, and I believe umpires should stay a part of baseball. I love the history of baseball, and the fact that it's a pure game (although that might have been changed in the past 20 years or so). That's why in constructing my instant replay proposal over the last 20 hours, I've taken all of that into account. Here it is:

1.) Put a fifth umpire in a replay booth up on the press box level with access to all the replay angles we see daily on TV.

2.) Have the crew chief or home plate ump, just one of the umps, on the field with an earpiece that communicates with the replay umpire.

3.) Allow each manager to have 2 challenges for the first 8 innings of the game, which are allowed to be used for anything EXCEPT balls and strikes.

4.) Once the 9th inning starts, all challenges must be made by an umpire, sort of like the NFL, where only refs can review within 2 minutes of completing each half.


That's it. I know I'm going to be criticized for this, but our beloved game of baseball has a problem, and it is imperative that a solution is reached. Obviously, managers might just throw challenges for anything. Then you could make it one challenge. Make it one challenge for the whole game, 9th inning on included. This is just a quick fix to a problem that just cost one pitcher baseball immortality, and who knows? Maybe it'll cost the Yanks a world series title.

Feel free to comment or yell at me below, this is just my thinking on how it can and SHOULD be fixed.

As I said, it's the 21st century, let's get calls right.

Gauging the Defense - May Edition

Here's the April Edition.... At the end of May, the Yankees ranked 17th in the majors in UZR and 12th in DRS, a fair improvement in both systems. UZR, in particular, sees the Yankees as much improved overall, jumping from -6.1 to 1.9. Without further ado, let's see how the team stacks up on an individual basis:

Francisco Cervelli

  • UZR: N/A
  • DRS: -2

Mark Teixeira

  • UZR: -0.6
  • DRS: +1

Robinson Cano

  • UZR: -0.5
  • DRS: +8

Alex Rodriguez

  • UZR: -0.4
  • DRS: +1

Derek Jeter

  • UZR: 1.0
  • DRS: +4

Brett Gardner

  • UZR: 2.3
  • DRS: +5

Curtis Granderson

  • UZR: 2.5
  • DRS: +5

Nick Swisher

  • UZR: 1.0
  • DRS: -1

Game 54: Yankees vs. Orioles

Regular Season Game 54
Yankees vs. Orioles
Yankee Stadium - Bronx, NY
Game Time - 1:05 p.m.
TV: YES | Radio: WCBS | XM: 176


Here are the lineups:

YANKEES (33-20)
Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada DH
Curtis Granderson CF
Francisco Cervelli C
Brett Gardner LF

Pitching: LHP CC Sabathia (4-3, 4.16)

ORIOLES
(15-38)
Julio Lugo 2B
Miguel Tejada 3B
Nick Markakis RF
Ty Wigginton 1B
Luke Scott DH
Garrett Atkins 1B
Adam Jones CF
Craig Tatum C
Cesar Izturis SS

Pitching: RHP Kevin Millwood (0-5, 3.89)

News & Notes

- Robinson Cano has an 16-game hitting streak.

- The Yankees are 7-1 against the Orioles this season.

- Click on the team name for the Yankees or Orioles 2010 batting stats.

- If you can spare a few minutes don't forget to come sign up for the forums. And like always, the chat room in the forums is open.

Stick around and discuss the game
as it happens in the comments section

Joyce Speaks, More Blown Calls, & Instant Replay

Here's Jim Joyce talking about the call:


I give him credit, he admitted he was wrong, and he sounded very upset. He also went to the Tigers clubhouse to personally apologize to Galarraga.

But that wasn't the only blown call around the majors last night. There were two others; one call cost the Rays a run, and the other cost the Twins a game.

In the Rays-Blue Jays game Ben Zobrist singled and drove in Sean Rodriguez, but the Jays appealed at third, umpire Angel Hernandez said he didn't touch third and called him out. The only problem was that he did.

Later in the night, the Mariners and Twins were tied at one in the bottom of the tenth inning. Seattle had runners on first and second with two out and Ichiro at the plate. On a 2-2 pitch he hit a slow grounder towards the middle, Matt Tolbert fielded the ball and flipped it to J.J. Hardy at short. The throw beat Josh Wilson to second, but Dale Scott called him safe, and Ryan Langerhans came in to score the winning run.

Keith Olbermann, among others, believes it's time for something to be done. He wrote last night that MLB should expand the use of instant replay, and in the case of Galarraga's ruined perfecto, reverse Joyce's call.
The Commissioner should appoint an emergency committee to examine the expansion of replay on a formalized basis with set rules. And in the interim, in fairness to Armando Galarraga, in fairness to Jason Donald, in fairness to the fans, and especially in fairness to Jim Joyce, he ought to do a little ad hoc of his own: overrule Joyce's safe call and give Galarraga what he in fact accomplished, and only the arrogance of authority is denying him - the perfect game he pitched tonight in Detroit, the majors' third this season, second in five days, and fourth in the 135 days of play dating back to Mark Buehrle's job last season.

This is not the time to stick to the rules. The rules failed the sport tonight.
I have to agree with on both counts. Reversing the call would be unprecedented, but in this case it's the only fair thing to do and nobody suffers from it. Galarraga threw a perfect game and anyone with a pulse knows it. Make it official.

Two questions for you:

1) Should Selig reverse the call?
2) Should MLB expand instant replay?