Bait & Switch?

This morning I got an email from the Yankees, informing me of the possibility of $5 tickets to the Oakland series in selected areas of the Grandstand, Terrace and Bleachers. They can't all be obstructed view, one would assume, so I decided to check it out.


I clicked through and was taken to a page with the following on it:


I selected the 4/21 game against Oakland.


Here's the problem, though:

There is no option for $5 seats anywhere. I tried to get regular bleacher seats and they were entirely sold out. They didn't offer any promotional code to enter either. I think you just can't buy them online, which is perfect, considering they are advertising their availability via electronic mail.

Not one to just give up on a bargain, I bit the bullet and called the Ticketmaster phone number listed above. You have to listen to a computerized woman's voice count down every price range "Two, thousand... six, hundred and twenty, five... dollars, to... six, hundred... and, twenty, five, dollars" and obviously the $5 seats were at the very bottom. Unfortunately, me shouting "representative" or "operator" did not get me on the phone with an actual person.

Every step in the process was a giant pain in the ass, including having to verbally spell out my first and last name and billing address. I did get the tickets, though, and they are in Section 306, where presumably myself and whoever I go with will be straddling the foul pole.

Not to fear, it's only $5 a pop, and we'll probably just chill near the Bleachers Cafe or see what other sections we can finagle ourselves into. The $5 tickets are a pretty awesome deal, but you'd think that if they really wanted to sell them, they'd make them easier to buy. The shitty part is that the fact that something involving tickets and the New Stadium was annoying and poorly organized just isn't surprising anymore.

I Think We Can Drop The "Maybe"

It turns out it's not only Yankee fans that aren't huge fans of Dustin Pedrioa. He made some disparaging remarks about his hometown of Woodland, California in a Boston Magazine article, which not only resulted in this awkwardly configured but still hilarious sign, but something a lot more serious:

The Woodland Democrat reported that 47-year-old Kenneth Samuels allegedly made multiple phone calls to the Pedroia family business and threatened to shoot and kill the men of the Pedroia family. Those calls were traced and Samuels was subsequently arrested. The reason why Samuels allegedly threatened the Pedroias was not stated by the Woodland police.

Well at least he only threatened the men, right? Wow.

Some friendly advice: If you are going to insult a town/city, go for a bigger one where people won't take it so personally. Observe: FUCK BOSTON! In addition, you'll be less likely to offend a gun owning whack-job who is going to threaten to kill your family.

The Jackson Report: 4/13

The Weekly Austin "Action" Jackson Report

Not a bad first week in Scranton for the CF of the Future:

Games: 4
AB: 17
Hits: 8
Average: .471
OBP: .524
SLG: .588
OPS: 1.112
Runs: 3
HR: 0
RBI: 5
Triples: 1
SO: 5
BB: 3

Watch out Brett Gardner...

Game 6: Change Of The Guard

Today, Joba Chamberlain takes the hill while the Yankees look to sweep the Royals in Kansas City.

Not too long ago it seemed that Phil Hughes was the one in the Yankees system who was destined for the top of the rotation. As Hughes was regressing, Joba made the transition from electrifying reliever to a major league starter which culminated with a sparkling performance under the lights at Fenway during which he struck out 9, and gave up only 4 baserunners in 7 innings.

Of course, two starts later in Texas he left the mound clutching his shoulder and took any remaining hope that the Yanks would sneak it to the postseason with him.

I'd love to think that Joba can handle the workload of a starting pitcher for a full Major League season, but it's one of those things you can't believe until you see it. Will Joba be just another tantalizing tease so fantastically talented that he just can't stay healthy, or will the Yankees have two bona fide aces in him and Sabathia?

Only time will tell, but I can tell you what I'm hoping today's start represents:

If you listen you can hear it,
It's the laughter in the street,
It's the motion in the music,
And the fire beneath your feet,
All the signs are right this time,
You don't have to try so very hard,
If you live in this world,
You're feelin' the change of the guard.

Game 5: Redemption Song

Tonight, the Big CCheese is back on the hill and he's got one more chance to put up a solid start before coming back to the New Yankee Stadium, where at least some of the inhabitants might be slightly less understanding of his shortcomings. Sabathia is looking to right the ship after his shaky start down and Baltimore and maybe, you know, record a strikeout this time. Fellow lefty Andy Pettitte certainly had his way with the Royals last night, throwing seven innings, striking out six and only allowing three hits and a walk, if you like to read into that kind of stuff.

On the mound for the Royals is yet another lefty, Horacio Ramirez. He faced the Yankees twice in 2007, once throwing six and a third innings of one run ball while I was driving back to the city, listening on the radio thinking to myself "who the fuck is this guy again?". The next time, he gave up three runs in 5 2/3, which is pretty much what you would expect from a dude with a 4.59 career ERA.

Due to the magic of scheduling posts, I'm probably still on the golf course right now, and won't be around to drum up any action for a game thread. So, just chill out, listen to the words of encouragement Bob Marley has for our starter tonight, and enjoy the contest:

Some Sensitive Subjects

[For those familiar with the site, I am dropping the typical weekend morning header, for reasons that will be very apparent in about two seconds]

Almost every other blog I read that covers baseball had something on the passing of Nick Adenhart. We would have put a post up as well, but it didn't seem right. None of us knew him and he wasn't on any of our teams. That didn't stop so many others from doing so, and I think that speaks volumes about the sports blogging community and about human nature in general. No one had to send out an email and tell people they should put something up. Most just took it upon themselves to pay tribute to a incredibly talented kid who caught the worst break possible. It kind of destroyed that whole "blogs are mean spirited" cliche.

Most of us never would have met Nick. More than likely, the only way we would have laid eyes on him was when he the Angels came to town and he toed the rubber. But yet, there was still an overwhelming outpouring of support for those who did actually know him. As heartbreaking and painful as death is, it unites people. At every wake or funeral, a few people who had relatively brief or just passing encounters with the departed usually show up and pay their respects.

I think when we saw the headline Thursday morning, we all had the same emotions and reactions. Shock, sorrow, disbelief, empathy, a frog in your throat? Maybe I'm just soft, but there was one in mine. I don't care how much you hate Scott Boras, if watching him try to speak at that press conference wasn't a humanizing moment, you have no soul.

I can't decide if this is a good or bad thing, but the reason that so many people were touched by this was that, in some sense, he was a celebrity. If you are a baseball fan, he was a minor character in your life. He even had a tragic sounding name that could have been plucked from a Shakespearean play. There were two other people who died in that car, but many of the articles didn't even mention their names. If you read what Matt Clapp at Sharipova's Thigh wrote, you would know one of them.

Matt delivered a heartfelt tribute to his best friend, Henry Pearson, who was also killed that night. If you haven't yet, click through and give it a read. It will make you think about your own best friend and realize how unique your relationship is. I found myself hoping that if I ever have to write a piece like that, it won't be for a very long time.

The way it happened almost isn't important anymore, but it's worth noting that they were hit by a car that ran a red light. What the fuck are the odds of two vehicles traveling at a fairly high rate of speed meeting at an intersection in such a forceful collision? If someone forgot their cell phone before they left or some other random thing, it never would have happened.

Of course if the other driver hadn't been drunk it almost certainly wouldn't have happened either. Living in Manhattan, thankfully drunk driving doesn't even enter the equation. It used to though, when I lived in a place where people couldn't just hop in the next cab and give the driver their cross streets. The same goes for Joba Chamberlain, one would imagine.

While watching that video on the Smoking Gun, the one thing that absolutely astonished me was that he had an open bottle of Crown Royal sitting on the passenger's seat. If that had come out when the intial reports of his arrest were published, I'm guessing there would have been a far greater public outcry. There's a difference between drinking and driving and drinking while driving.

Even the staunchest opponents to drunk driving would agree that after having one beer at a backyard BBQ or two glasses of wine at a fundraiser, it's okay to drive. The point being that .08 BAC (or whatever it is in your state) is an arbitrary number. There is some gray area. Most people have probably been in the car with someone who was technically over the limit, but you still trusted implicitly that they did not have their ability to operate the vehicle impaired.

No matter how many tragic drunk driving stories there are out there, people are still going to roll the dice. The fact of the matter is that are some people who, if they think they are capable of driving, are going to get behind the wheel no matter how stiff the consequences are. I'm not saying that is okay, but it's just one of those things you can't legislate. Alcohol impairs your judgement long before it impairs your ability to drive.

Me saying "don't drink and drive" isn't going to change what happens at 1:30AM tomorrow morning when one of you is trying to rationalize getting behind the wheel. The only thing I can say is "think about it". If you get in an accident, it may or may not involve someone else, but it fucking surely will involve you.

[As the headline implies, these are issues that hit close to home for a lot of people. As always, my email is on the side of the site, and I will reply.]

Game 4: Fat Sid Gets His

It's payback time.

Sidney Ponson has appeared in 21 games for the Yankees (18 starts), made it through 96.1 innings and gave up 71 runs for an ERA of 6.66 (MARK OF THE BEAST). The message is clear. Sidney Ponson must be the sacrficial lamb today.

The Yankees players have had to stand idly by while he got ripped for 7 runs against his former team at the Stadium last year, again against the Red Sox in Fenway, and one more time against the Blue Jays in Toronto.

-----

I turned to the only place I know to go for real raw, revenge music... Mobb Deep. They also enlisted Big Noyd and Ghostface to make sure Sid gets the message:

[For some reason it doesn't start up 'til 0:16]

What you gonna do when my whole crew is blazing at you?
Wit macs and tecs to lend to get your dome crush,
You thought that you could come around my way, you big stupid fuck,
What the hell you smoking, what the fuck possessed you,
To come out your face, now I have to wet you,
Throw on my tims, black mask and black serpent,
Twist a n---a cap, then jump in the J-30.

Which One? Or None?

At the beginning of last year, I very nearly bought an authentic Robinson Cano home jersey. I'm pretty happy with my decision. Robby put up a .305 on-base last year and had an OPS+ of 86, making him hardly the guy whose number you wanted on your back. I sort of have the itch to buy a jersey again this year. Never had an authentic baseball jersey. Never asked for one when I was a kid and I've never got around to buying one for myself.

There aren't too many jerseys I'd even consider. Obviously not A-Rod, still don't really like AJ Burnett, Sabathia isn't really my style (or maybe I'm a racist), everyone has a Jeter jersey, it sounds like the Yanks might trade Chein Ming Wang, about 8 years too late on Posada, ditto for Andy Pettitte, Matsui doesn't seem right, Nady and Damon are in contract years...

So who does that leave? Mariano falls under the Pettitte and Posada category. Love the guy, but it's a little late. Swisher? I like the guy but I'm don't trust him enough quite yet. Brett Gardner... Fuck no, I'd rather inviest in Bear Stearns. It's just Teixeira, Cano and Joba. Let's break them down:

#62 Joba Chamberlain: Two years ago this would have been the choice. When Joba shot through the minors and became the most electric set-up guy the Yankees have probably ever had, that was the time to do it. When everyone else was still figuring out whether it was "Joe-bah" or "Jah-bah". Then, not now.

#24 Robinson Cano: I'm glad I didn't buy it last year, or when he was #22, because that is not the number you want on your back anymore. I never liked Clemens, but you'd be better off putting a "69" on the back of your jersey. People would probably respect your judgement more than if you had #22.

Anyway, now seems like a good time to grab a #24. He's coming off a bad year, and although the price isn't going to reflect it, you feel like you are buying low.

#25 Mark Teixeira: Big Teix. I'm not going to lie, the fact that Baltimore fans boo him makes me like the guy even more. He's with the Yanks for 8 years pretty much no matter what. He's well rounded, making sick defensive plays and can mash behind the plate. This is the one I'm leaning towards. (If you bought an authentic Giambi jersey, you really lucked out)

-----

What say you, fair commenters? Cano or Teixeira? Pinstripes or Road Grays? Should I even buy a jersey? Ladies, is it pathetic for a 24+ year old dude (hope to have it for a while) to wear a baseball jersey to a game? I need your help!

Watch Every Yankees Game! (Unless Of Course You Can't)

I got an email from the Yankees yesterday, informing me that I could "Watch every Yankees game on MLB.tv Premium":

You don't say!

They use lots of fonts and fades and flashy graphics, but tucked away in the fine print just underneath the bright green buttons where you can buy the service, it says "Blackout and other Restrictions Apply".

Hey Yankees, guess where probably 90% of the people on this email list live? In your fucking broadcast territory! It's not that the headline is misleading, it's the exact opposite of the truth for the vast majority of the recipients of this blast. Is that not a little disingenuous?

The people out of the market have probably looked into how they would be able to watch the games, don't you think? I'm not breaking new ground here, nor is this going to make a difference, but they should just stream the commercials through the feeds and dump the ridiculous blackout restrictions. It's bullshit. They have customers who are willing to pay for the service and I'm sure any of those cable networks would be open to having their viewing audiences increased if the viewers were shown the ads. Work it out. I blame Bud Selig.

And in the interest of full disclosure, they should probably be more up front with what the blackout restrictions entail. The price is high enough where the customer deserves to be made aware that if they are in their home market, they are going to be dropping $110 for everyone else's games and their team's radio feed.

Brilliant Insights Into Blogging (From Two People Who Know Nothing About It)

[I know what you're thinking. You are looking over at the scroll bar and saying "Wow, this post is long". It is, but don't let that scare you away. There is an escape hatch about 500 words in]

I must admit, when I dropped some podcast recommendations on Wednesday, I hadn't yet listened to the B.S. Report with special guest Rick Reilly. I read a couple accounts of the interview and didn't think there was anything too objectionable within. I also knew I was going to be busy and work and wanted to leave something substantive up there for the afternoon.

Well, I finally got around to listening to it, and I wholeheartedly retract my lukewarm recommendation.

In lieu our FJM Simmons feature* which comes around every two weeks when ESPN the Magazine ends up jammed in my mailbox, I'm going to transcribe the portion of the BS Report where Bill and Rick talk about blogs. I think it was necessary to put it down in writing to eliminate the ambiguity of trying to remember six minutes of conversation. It took forever, but it should be basically word for word, after stripping out some of their verbal tics.

[*Also because the column in the magazine was quite excellent and there was basically nothing to take issue with]

Reilly is the one who really comes across like an idiot here. Simmons is in interview mode, but Reilly makes almost the exact same cliched, uninformed points that Buzz Bissinger did on Costas Now about a year ago, but in the typical hokey, yuk yuk fashion so brilliantly mocked by Fake Rick Reilly on Twitter.

It only takes a few minutes to listen to the relevant part (24:30-30:00, give or take), so if you are interested, that would be the easiest thing to do. I've transcribed that portion (with a few parts omitted) and I'm going to make my comments in footnote form. That should save the 3 or 4 of you who might find this interesting some reading.

For those who aren't interested in reading the 800 word transcription and 12 subsequent footnotes, I'll sum it up in one paragraph:

Reilly claims the supposed feud between him and Simmons was made up by bloggers, ignoring the fact that ESPN brought him in at roughly four times Simmons salary when he produces a fraction of the content. It might be a one way feud, but it's certainly not made up. They agree that the internet is mean-spirited and say that sometimes bloggers only go for traffic over good content/accuracy (which ironically is pretty inaccurate). Reilly says that he doesn't want to hear some one's criticism if he's never met them before, inadvertently compares himself to a "poor 7th grade girl" and ends with a flourish about why his opinion is more important than that of a person who doesn't have the access that he does.

To which I would like to pose this question: What have you done that was so great with your access, Rick, beside deliver 800 word blowjobs to the people that you got paid to spend time with? Rick Reilly is the epitome of why access doesn't mean a fucking thing. A beat writer? Yes. He needs access. But the only good stuff Reilly has ever done did not result from the ridiculous celebrity-level entree he has been given into the sports world.

You are free to go, the rest of this post is extra credit.

-----

The first twenty minutes consist mostly of the breathless name-dropping and star-fucking that you have come to know Rick Reilly for. That is egregious in it's on right, but the part I really took issue with came a little later.

At right about the 24:30 mark, BS & RR are talking about the difference between their writing styles (mainly column lengths) and how that is a function of Simmons coming up online and Reilly doing so through newspapers and magazines, which leads to this:

Reilly: What I don't get is why people think that there is this feud between us. Because, obviously, we are two completely different styles. But what I dont get is, why can't there be both? What can't I be old school and why can't you be new school? I mean why do they have to fake this whole, "they hate each other"?

Simmons: [deep breath] Aaaaahhh, I don't have an answer for that one... (1)

RR: I think you do, because you understand, like some of these guys, it seems like the only way to get attention in a blog, and I'm not saying all blogs are like this, but a lot of them, it seems like the only way to get attention is to rip.

BS: Right...

RR: Is to just rip, rip, rip. There's nothing added, it's all just... the joy of destruction sometimes and I think that's how you get picked up on the blogosphere is by ripping, or coming up with a fake rumor about two people who actually like each other! (2)

BS: Yeah, you know what, I've found that, the biggest issue I have with the bloggers is that sometimes they'll do anything for traffic. (3)

BS: And I do think you should have to have some sort of guidelines to it. You know, for instance, there was a blogger who, after I went on a radio station in Boston... they asked me about you, I talk to you on email about it, and I said some comment like "he touches my soul" or whatever. And the blog: "Simmons Rips Reilly!" In print it didn't capture that it was like this totally joking exchange I had with these guys. and it seemed like it was the goal of the blogger was to get picked up by Deadspin and some of these other blogs, so they would subsequently get the traffic. So they didn't care if they were being accurate or not, they just wanted the traffic. And I think that's when you can get into danger. Is when you are going for traffic over actual accuracy. (4)

...

BS: Well do you actually check out the blogs, or no?

RR: We'll I just get people who seem to think that you want to see everything written about you and I really don't, because I understand criticism, I get criticized, I criticize other people, I know that's part of the game. But I don't really want to read people that have never met me. Or some guy that's an actuarial by day and at night is trying to do this blog and is pissed that he never got hired as a sports writer. And so he's gonna take it out on me and other people that are hired. You know, I don't really need to head his gripes, you know? (5)

...

RR: To me it's a lot like 7th grade girls. Because in the old days, when I was in 7th grade, 7th grade girls all gossiped about each other, right? But the poor girl didn't have to hear it. (6) But now, cause I had a 7th grade girl, they put it on blogs, and they start websites like "I Hate Amber". You know?

...

BS: ...There is a mean-spiritedness that's come up, I guess it's like a snarkyness, and I don't know if I've helped to contribute to that or not, but I hope not. (7)

RR: But generally they LOVE you, you're part of that new school! (8) You can imagine what they say about me. Because I didn't come up with that world. And I just don't see the value of a guy who never goes to a game, never meets the athlete, I don't particularly want to hear his opinion. (9)

RR: I've been doing this 31 years, for a living, I feel like I go out there, I'm in the locker rooms, I'm in the clubhouses, I'm meeting these guys, I'm hearing what they are saying, whatever. It seems to me a guy like that has a little more valued opinion than some schmo who, as I say, is holding down couch springs on his mom's basement. (10)

RR: Having said that though, there are some really funny guys who I know have no access, that are really funny, and good, and I read them. (11) I think that kind of, you are the leader of those guys who don't want access because you kind of want to be part of that world where you get to just shoot from the hip and you never have to see the guy, the 6'8" 280 pound guy that you totally ripped the day before. (12)

1. /raises hand... I do, I do, I do, I do!!! It's because ESPN gave Rick Reilly $17M when Bill Simmons was already their top writer/personality and he gets paid about a quarter of that to write about 4 times as much.
   
   
2. Yeah, a total fabrication. Bill Simmons loves the fact that you get paid over $4M a year to write 800 words every two weeks.
   
   
3. Simply not true. I wrote a post a while back (actually concerning Simmons and Max Kellerman) make some erroneous assumptions and taken to task in the comments for it. I had to write a follow-up post to set things straight. I would take it back in a second. You think those 2,500 visits mean a thing if what the people are reading is garbage? The end goal is developing a readership and if what you are writing is inaccurate, who is going to come back to the site?
   
   
4. See above. Traffic means nothing for building a readership if the content isn't good.
   
   
5. No, Rick, I don't know. You don't want to read criticism from people you've never met? You are a writer. Why does someone have to know you as a person to criticize the things you write?
   
   
6. It's funny, because I don't think he set out to make himself the poor 7th grade girl who was getting picked on in that analogy, but that's sure where he ended up.
   
   
7. Yeah, there is some snarkyness, because you can find plenty of fluff pieces like the the shit Reilly writes in the mainstream media. The internet didn't beget snark. It was always around, it just took a long time for society to circumvent traditional media outlets to connect on that level. Even the meanest drivel written on the shittiest blogs represents, on some level, what people were already saying to each other in bars and in their living rooms. Is some of it repulsive, even to me? Yes. But it's easy to steer clear of it: Don't go on SEC message boards.
   
   
8. Except Simmons isn't part of the new school, as far as anyone in the new school should be concerned. He made his way on the internet, but it was before it was cluttered with a trillion blogs. It's not like he's writing three blog posts a day.
   
   
9. Why does having access make you a real journalist? Rick Reilly is the least objective writer I've ever had the displeasure of reading. He fawns over athletes like he's an US Weekly intern as evidenced by the first half of the podcast.
   
   
10. "As I say". I didn't know Rick Reilly invented the "Mom's basement" cliche... Or maybe he was just taking credit for the "holding down the springs" part. That's creative, Rick. I like what you did there.
    
    
11. I'm sure they would be thrilled to hear what you said about them 8 seconds before that.
    
    
12. Ex-fucking-actly. Bloggers don't have to be afraid that someone is going to kick their ass for telling the truth. They don't have an agenda to push. They don't have people to answer to. Sometimes that's a bad thing, because there are no editors to catch our every typo and maybe we miss some stuff while watching the game at home. But at the same time, I think we do a great job of relating to other fans. The reason why old media types hate blogs is they are not the target audience. Personally, I could give a shit what Murray Chass or Rick Reilly or Mike Lupica thinks about this site. There seem to people some like-minded people out there that find it mildly interesting, and that's good enough for me.
    

Michael Kay Says FU to CGs

On Monday's YES broadcast, Michael Kay was discussing CC Sabathia's 2008 numbers. These numbers include 10 Complete Games (CGs). Kay then discounted these CGs by Sabathia by saying that these numbers would be remarkable in yesteryear, but "Not in an era where complete games aren't important anymore given the role of the bullpen."

Really, Michael? Complete games aren't important?

Given the increased role of the bullpen, wouldn't complete games be more important? Such would save the bullpen for when they are truly needed. A fresh bullpen usually is an effective bullpen.

True, complete games may increase the risk of an injury to some pitchers based on the fact that usually more pitches are needed to accomplish the feat. But if you have a 6'7", 290LB horse like a Sabathia who can accomplish them without injury risk why wouldn't they be important? What about a guy like Roy Halliday (9 CG last year) who Michael consistenly fawns over?

Also, a pitcher who throws complete games means that he is effective. Effective pitchers aren't important I guess... Find me a big league manager or GM who says CGs aren't important. I bet you a large reason why the Yankees gave Sabathia $161MM was his ability to pitch a full 9 frames.

Come on man, you are making my job too easy. In accordance with your annoying shtick of asking big leaguers in the booth next to you questions that tee ballers could answer, shouldn't you just have asked Kenny Singleton if complete games are important?

Game 3: Aint No Wastin' Time No More

Before this year, as a Yankee fan, I really never thought that I would be depending on A.J. Burnett for anything. I used to hate him. Everything about the guy, from his angry sneer to his demonstrative asshole presence on the mound. His freakish gifts and his inconsistent performances. He was an easy target.

No more.

Burnett will be donning the Road Grays today and trying to salvage at least some semblance of dignity from what has been a very disappointing start to the season. Win today and the Yankees are one game from .500, lose and they'll need to sweep the Royals to get back there.

You can use this as a game thread if you have a way of following the game at work. See you in the comments section.

You don't need no gypsy to tell you why,
You can't let one precious day slip by,
Look inside yourself, and if you don't see what you want,
Maybe sometimes then you don't,
But leave your mind alone and just get high.

TEH SKY IS FALLIGN!1!!!!!!

I didn't follow the game on LoHud last night because I was writing our game recap, but luckily our resident IT Manager & Internet Researcher, Cliff did. He was kind enough to mine out some of the most hysterical overreactions to last night's game from the comment section for your viewing pleasure (everyone together: Thanks, Cliff!). I would love make fun of each of them individually, but I don't have time and there's really no point.

Without further adeiu, I present, in conjuction with LoHud Enterprises, A Fack Youk Production:

Game Two: Overreactions In Orioledom

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Matt April 8th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
I miss Jose Molina behind the plate. All the memories of Posada calling for a pitcher’s 3rd best pitch with runners on base and serving up extra base hits are rushing back.

KO April 8th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
leave it to the Yankees, with huge expectations and brand new stars, to come out flat against a last place team in their own division. so far these two games look like a reprint of 2008. they have absolutely no clue at the plate. no plan of action. way too many times already have they taken a fat pitch right down the middle on the 1st pitch or early in the count and they’re falling behind, then chasing. everyone seems like they are pressing already and a bunch of scrubs are whipping them…. Wang no more runs bro…

KO April 8th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
LOL GREGG ZAUN JUST MASHED A DOUBLE I AM OFFICIALLY TURNING IT OFF

Pat April 8th, 2009 at 8:37 pm
Wang is awful. He’s a #4 starter at best

Every Day Phil Coke April 8th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
The Hank watch is on. The Dave Eiland watch is on.

ZZ April 8th, 2009 at 8:38 pm
Awesome. Already destroying our bullpen only two games into the season.
Great job of Girardi not bringing a long man into the rotation.

Hank April 8th, 2009 at 8:40 pm
Great job not taking a long man Girardi. He’s fired by May.

Global Warming April 8th, 2009 at 8:42 pm
Where is the “these games don’t matter” crowd? When this team decides to show up let me know. Ridiculous.

ron April 8th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
same old bums….. no f….k..g balls…. they should line this team and just shoot them…..

ugh April 8th, 2009 at 8:43 pm
What a pathetic joke. It’s like this team enjoys embarassing themselves.

Dan April 8th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
Tex is a headcase. This is unacceptable.
Why can’t we ever acquire players with guts? We always go get players who have been losers on other teams.

7 UP April 8th, 2009 at 9:26 pm
Go acquire Matt Holliday and put him in CF
Trade Melky, Shelly Duncan, and Dan Giese to OAK for him. We cannot watch our season go down the drain because of this pathetic offense.

[Cliff Note: 1) Oakland just claimed Giese off waivers 2) Holliday would be a disaster in CF 3) I'm sure OAK would love a 32 year old minor league pitcher, a 29 year old minor league journeyman, and a fringe bench player who had a 68 OPS+ last year in exchange for the best available OF on the trade market]

Ryan April 8th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Give Swisher the start at first tomorrow. Maybe being benched will piss Teixeira off a little, or at least keep his o-fer out of the 3 spot.

kelvin April 8th, 2009 at 9:33 pm
Tex will go 0-26 to start the season. Mark that down.

Carl April 8th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
Need to re-shape the lineupSwisher needs to play 1st, Melky in CF, Pena at SS, Molina at C. Get some spark into the lineup.

Edwards April 8th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
eerily similar to last year—unable to beat the bottom feeders of the league and play inconsistent baseball. Teixeria is NOT worth $180 million, he is not worthy of being the 3rd highest paid player in baseball.

RC 61 April 8th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
The problem is that Cashman didn’t get any players with fortitude. He should have signed proven winners like Lowe and Manny who are clutch and unfazed by pressure and know how to win. You think Lowe gives up 7 runs tonight??

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Aaaaand Scene.


For good measure, here is one voice of reason, from the most unlikely of places:

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ray (sox fan) April 8th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
“Teixeria is NOT worth $180 million, he is not worthy of being the 3rd highest paid player in baseball.”

Hey, I’m a Sox fan, but even I have to ask how does one come up with this conclusion after a grand total of two games?

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Thank you, Ray. Stop by anytime.