Game 78: Fell On Black Days

Hosting the lowly Mariners and their punchless offsense, logic dictated that the Yankees had a relatively easy series on their hands heading into the holiday weekend. Instead, the M's put up a seven spot in both of the first two games while the Yankee offense couldn't muster a counterattack.

It's a weekday matinee as the Yanks look to avoid the sweep. CC Sabathia looks to play the role of stopper. The big lefty won all five of his June starts, posting a 2.19 ERA over 37 innings and holding opponents to a .191/.269/.252 line. He went at least seven innings in each outing and has kept the ball in the yard since June 3rd. The Yanks could use some more of that today.

The Yankee bats will take their hacks against John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt Ryan Rowland-Smith, his 6.18 ERA, 6.75 FIP, and 2 HR/9. With any luck that'll be the cure for what ails them. The Yankee bats fell on black days over the past two games. As they play in the beautiful July sunshine today, we're hopeful things will get brighter.

Whatsoever I've feared has come to life
And whatsoever I've fought off became my life
Just when every day seemed to greet me with a smile
Sunspots have faded
Now I'm doing time
Now I'm doing time
Cause I fell on black days
I fell on black days

-Lineups-

Yankees:
Brett Gardner returns to the lineup for the first time since Sunday. Jorge Posada gets his first start behind the plate this series, opening up the DH spot for A-Rod to get a half day off.

Derek Jeter SS
Nick Swisher RF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Jorge Posada C
Curtis Granderson CF
Brett Gardner LF
Ramiro Pena 3B

LHP CC Sabathia

Mariners:

Ichiro Suzuki RF
Chone Figgins 2B
Milton Bradley DH
Jose Lopez 3B
Josh Wilson SS
Ryan Langerhans LF
Josh Bard C
Michael Saunders CF

LHP Ryan Rowland-Smith

Me And My Big Mouth

On May 22nd, the Yankees were riding a nine game winning streak. It was the Friday heading into the three day Memorial Day Weekend. I wrote the game preview that night, and chose "Once" from Pearl Jam. The Yanks lost to the Phils that night.

I'm not the most superstitious person in the world, so when I chose a Pearl Jam song again tonight, with the Yankees riding a seven game streak heading into the three day Fourth of July Weekend, I didn't think there was any bad juju associated with it. My bad folks.

I'm already in full blown holiday weekend mode, so I'll make this brief. CC was not sharp. The Yanks did not capitalize on their offensive opportunities on the night. Teix had a rough night in the field. Melky did too, failing to get to a critical gapper that Brett Gardner likely would have run down. Remember when Joe Girardi said Gardner had earned more playing time? Yeah, that was Sunday.

Russell Branyan ran his consecutive K streak to seven, then drew a big walk, then BLASTED a shot off the facing of the Mohegan Sun Sports Bar in centerfield. The Yankees threatened in the ninth but couldn't put a rally together. Matsui blasted a homer. Ichiro dropped a flyball.

It was a difficult loss, but hopefully just a blip on the radar screen. We're at it again tomorrow, as the Blue Jays come to town for a four game, wrap-around, all matinee series. Check back late morning for the preview.

Game 78: State Of Love And Trust

Last Wednesday, Yankeedom was in a panic. The team had dropped consecutive series to the lowly Nationals and Marlins, and were a Luis Castillo error away from having lost to the reeling Mets as well. They also dropped the first game of the series in Atlanta. The pitching had been good, but the bats were dead wood - A-Rod in particular.

Brian Cashman arrived prior to game two of that series, and the rumor mill started working overtime. Would heads roll? Would there be a trade? Melky was in the lineup then yanked. Swisher had a closed door meeting with Cash and Girardi. Then all the hitters had a closed door meeting with Cash and Girardi.

The Yank were still listless, trailing 1-0 in the top of the sixth and getting no hit. After Brett Gardner was called out on an egregiously bad pick off call, Joe Girardi got himself tossed from the game. The Yanks put up three runs that inning. They haven't looked back since, not once trailing in a game, winning seven in a row, and posting seven runs a game while the pitching has held solid at just three runs per game. They even managed to pick up a useful bench piece in Eric Hinske.

Everything is peaches and cream right now in Yankeeland. Winning streaks have a way of doing that. Now as we head into the holiday weekend, the Yanks go for the sweep against the league's worst offense. And they do it with their ace on the mound.

In eleven career starts against the M's, CC is 4-3 with 2.95 ERA and 1.27 WHIP. More importantly, the big lefty has won six of his last seven decisions and last Friday dispelled any concerns about his biceps tendinitis by allowing just three baserunners in throwing seven innings of one run ball against the Mets.

Jason Vargas has never faced the Yanks. After bouncing from Florida to the Mets to the Mariners over the past four seasons, and not appearing in the Majors at all last year, the southpaw has surprised this year, posting an ERA+ of 112. However, his FIP is a third of a run worse than the league average, suggesting he may be getting helped by his defense, and Seattle's defense isn't that good. He gives up a lot of flyballs and a lot of homeruns, and that's bad news in Yankee Stadium, particularly with the way the lineup is swinging the lumber right now.

We've been celebrating the Fourth of July all day at Fack Youk. I can think of no better way to finish today's celebration off than a fireworks display courtesy of the Yankee bats.

We've been riffing on classic Seattle grunge all series long. Tuesday was Alice in Chains, yesterday was Nirvana, so today is Pearl Jam. Sorry Soundgarden. The never-satisfied Yankee Universe is rather content right now. Recent play has inspired a state of love and trust, and with CC on the mound tonight and a long weekend looming, there's no reason to feel any other way.



State of love and trust as I busted down the pretext
Sin still plays and preaches, but to have an empty court, uh huh
And the signs are passing, grip the wheel, can't read it
Sacrifice receiving the smell that's on my hands, hands, yeah