Game 81: Fireworks

The Yankees were held scoreless by the Blue Jays in seven out of the eight innings they batted in yesterday. The good news was that they pushed across 11 runs in the third, their most productive frame in five years. Unlike Friday, when they blew an opportunity with the bases loaded and no one out, the Yanks actually packed the sacks three different times yesterday, leading to a two run double by Mark Teixeira, a grand slam by Brett Gardner and a bases-clearing "hit" by A-Rod that left fielder John McDonald just lost in the sun.

Andy Pettitte, who had given up a two run homer to Jose Bautista in the first, just put it into cruise control at that point and made the obligatory quality start of six innings and three runs, the final one coming on a sixth inning tater to Alex Gonzalez. Dustin Moseley made his Yankee debut, pitching two scoreless innings during which he gave up no baserunners and retired every batter via either strikeout or groundout.

Today we have a match up of young right-handed studs as 25 year old Brandon Morrow opposes 24 year old Phil Hughes. Morrow held the Yanks to one run over seven innings when he faced them about a month ago in Toronto but for whatever reason, he's struggled on the road so far this season.

Phil had his worst start of the year last time out, allowing seven runs in 5 2/3 IP against the Mariners, but as we said when it happened, he didn't pitch nearly that bad and it wasn't because they skipped one of his starts. Phil will be phine going phorward, and hopefully he can bounce right back today.

The violent one inning outburst that the Yanks had yesterday was fun to watch, but they didn't get a runner past second base aside from that. Runs are runs, but it would be encouraging to see a more balanced offensive display (perhaps punctuated by a nice finale).

Searchin' for that feelin', tell me where is the magic?
Let's stay together till we're ghosts
I want to witness love, I've never seen it close
Yeah, but I guess I gotta find it first
That's why I'm really goin' off, fireworks

I've missed them before, but won't miss them again
I keep having the same dream
And I think that I just realized what it means
All I see is fireworks

[Song Notes: I picked up Thank Me Later recently and Fireworks is the first track off of it. I've only listened to it all the way through once, so I don't have a great feel for it yet, but the first impression was pretty damn good.]

[Totally random note: Last year on the fourth of July, Chein-Ming Wang pitched his last game as a Yankee, a contest in which the Bombers tagged Roy Halladay for five runs and Jorge Posada won with a walkoff single in the 12th.

It's also George Steinbrenner's birthday, obviously.]

-Lineups-

Not today either, but Mr. Jennings and company will have you covered.

Riches To Rags

Yesterday we looked back at Andy Hawkins' no-hitter that wasn't. As promised, today we'll look back on a more pleasant no-no. Saturday marks the twentysixth anniversary of Dave Righetti's Indepence Day no-hitter against the Red Sox. Since we'll all be off enjoying the holiday weekend on the actual anniversary, we'll revisit the game today.

Righetti was acquired in November of 1978 as part of a ten player trade that saw the Yankees send their former closer, Sparky Lyle, to the Texas Rangers. Rags made his Major League debut as a September call-up in 1979, spent all of 1980 back in AAA, then returned in 1981 to capture the Rookie of the Year award, going 8-4 with a 1.07 WHIP and leading the league in ERA, ERA+, H/9, HR/9, and K/9. In 1982 he fell back to earth a bit, serving a brief stint in the minors and going 11-10 with an ERA just better than league average (105 ERA+). He once again led the AL in K/9, but also led the league in BB.

The July 4, 1983 game fell on a Monday, a blistering 94 degree day, the final day of play before the All-Star break. Righetti would later admit he was steamed at not being selected, and he had a good candidacy, entering his start that day at 9-3 with a 3.53 ERA and a 1.21 WHIP while holding opponents to a .248/.294/.340 batting line.

Righetti fanned Jerry Remy and Wade Boggs to begin the game, then promptly lost the perfecto by walking Jim Rice. He completed the first by whiffing Tony Armas. Rags was perfect in the second, third, and fourth, striking out two in both the second and third. He broke his string of eleven straight batters retired by issuing a one out walk to Reid Nichols in the fifth, but then promptly picked him off attempting to steal.

The Yankees supplied Righetti with some offense in the bottom of the fifth, as an Andre Robertson single scored Steve Kemp for the game's first run. Rags worked a perfect sixth, walked Rice for a second time with one out in the seventh, the erased him on a 6-4-3 double play.

After a 1-2-3 eighth, Righetti walked light-hitting catcher Jeff Newman to lead off the ninth. Newman was replaced by Glenn Hoffman on a fielder's choice, narrowly avoiding a double play. A Remy groundout moved Hoffman to second. With just one out to go, Wade Boggs stepped to the plate. Boggs entered play that day hitting .361, the same mark as his end of season average, which would win the Major League batting crown by a whopping twentytwo points. Righetti caught him looking in the first, then coaxed flyouts to center in the fourth and seventh. After peppering Boggs with fastballs to the run the count to 2-2, Rags came back with a slider. Fooled, Boggs flailed feebly at it, giving Righetti his ninth K and the first Yankee no-hitter since Don Larsen's perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

Righetti finished 1983 at 14-8 with 1.20 WHIP and 3.44 ERA (112 ERA+). Not yet 25 at season's end, Righetti was 33-23 with 117 ERA+ in his young career, projecting as a solid number two starter if not a future ace. But incumbent Yankee closer Goose Gossage departed the team after that 1983 season, and 1984 saw Righetti as the new closer. He would never start another game for the Yankees.

He spent the next seven seasons at the back of the Yankee bullpen, never saving less than 25 games in a season, including a then Major League record 46 in 1986. While Righetti was a good closer, he was never quite great. Because of things like small sample sizes and inherited runners, I prefer to use Fielding Independent Pitching (FIP) to evaluate relievers. In three of his first four years as Yankee closer ('84, '85, '87), Righetti was bettered or equaled FIP by other Yankee relievers (Jay Howell, Brian Fisher, and Tim Stoddard respectively).

Meanwhile, the Yankee teams of those years were perpetual bridesmaids and notoriously short on starting pitching. In 1985, the Yankees finished in second place, just two games behind the Blue Jays. Despite posting an ERA better than league average, Yankee starters' FIP was far worse than league average. Righetti on the other hand was 1.25 runs better than the league in FIP. His numbers may have suffered somewhat from the additional exposure of pitching in the rotation, but he assuredly would have performed better than starters like Ed Whitson. We'll never know if his presence in the rotation could have made up those two games.

In 1988, the Yankees finished 3.5 games out of first. Once again, Yankee starters were worse than the league average while Righetti out performed the league by two thirds of a run. Again, there's no telling if Righetti in the rotation would have been enough to make up the 3.5 games and four teams between the Yankees and the division crown, but he certainly would have been a better option than Rick Rhoden, Rich Dotson, or 45 year-old Tommy John.

This weekend you're sure to hear about Righetti's no-hitter. You're also likely to hear the old Joba-to-the-bullpen argument or the newer and now more-popular Hughes to the eighth inning argument. When you do, think back to what it may have cost the Yankees the last time they relegated a potential front end starter to the back end of the pen.

Happy Birthday King George III

Not that King George III; George M. Steinbrenner, III. The Boss turns 79 Saturday, but since we've declared today the Fourth at Fack Youk, we're cutting the cake now. Poor George probably wouldn't know the difference anyway.

Steinbrenner is a polarizing and fascinating figure. He purchased the Yankees more than 36 years ago. In that time the team has made the post-season eighteen times, won its division fifteen times, won ten AL pennants, and six World Series. He's twice been suspended from the game. He's been a bully and philanthropist. He's been a hero and scourge to the organization, sometimes doing whatever it takes to give the team what it needs to win, and other times incapable of staying out of his own way.

But there's never been a dull moment with Steinbrenner. I think history will judge his reign more on its unmatched successes than on its unparalleled madness. He's been a phenomenon - the rare owner who's as well known as his players, crossing into mainstream society as an SNL guest host and the inspiration for a Larry David voiced Seinfeld character.

He's been a sportsman throughout his life. He was a member of his track and field team at Williams College, served as a graduate assistant at Ohio St., as an assistant football coach at Purdue and Northwestern in the 1950s, owned a team in the American Basketball League, served for several years on the United States Olympic Committee, and has long been involved in thoroughbred horse racing.

Steinbrenner has faded from the organization and the public eye. His sons Hank, and mainly Hal, have taken control of the team. Outside of brief apperances at spring training and the All-Star Game last year, he's hardly been seen in public in recent years. It's generally accepted that he's in poor health.

But there was nothing quite like King George in heyday. So Happy Birthday George. I hope you enjoy it.

Independence Day at Fack Youk

Good morning Fackers. Here's the deal. It's July 2nd today. But it's the last day of the work week for me, and likely for you too (if it isn't, tough nuts - I feel for you). So we're celebrating the Fourth here today. Because Jay and I aren't going to be around much this weekend and face it, neither are you. Besides, technically the Continental Congress voted for independence on July 2nd, but the wording of the Declaration of Independence wasn't approved until the Fourth.

So Happy 233rd America. Here's to 233 more, unless we tax and spend and bail our way out of business first. Or if the Chinese call in their loans. But that's neither here nor there.

We'll be back with fireworks and whatnot later. For now, let's rise for the Anthem. Unfortunately our high school softball team called in sick. So you're on your own for this one. Maybe that's a good thing. Mr. Hendrix, if you'd please: