Game 92: 46 Days

For some odd reason, even though the Yankees got a late start after the All-Star Break and weren't doing any traveling after the three game series against the Rays, yesterday was an off day for them. It doesn't really matter now, but that rest probably could have come in handy sometime during the next 46 days, during which the Yankees are scheduled to play 44 games.

Tonight, Phil Hughes takes the mound for the first time since taking the loss in the All-Star Game. Fortunately he'll be facing the relatively marginal Angels' lineup instead of the best players in the National League and the opposing pitcher will be 22 year old right hander Sean O'Sullivan, who has only 58 MLB innings under his belt and a relatively uninspiring Minor League career backing that up.

The Yanks have a two and a half game lead over the Rays at the moment and perhaps there isn't much reason for concern, as Joe from River Ave. Blues said this morning. But as they begin this tough stretch, most of which they will likely have to navigate without Andy Pettitte, it would be nice if Hughes and the offense can get them off on the right foot against the Halos.

Leigh Fordham sold me out,
46 days and the coal ran out,
Please come round here another day,
Sit yourself down when you're ready to stay.

She dug down when they took the town,
Lookin' for clues but they couldn't be found,
Leigh found out she was ready to roam,
47 days and the coal came home.

Taste the fear,
For the devil's drawing near.

[Song Notes: There's a few numerical coincidences here, with 46 being Andy Pettitte's number as well as half of 92. This is a relatively new Phish tune, off of the album Round Room, which they released in 2002.]

-Lineup(s)-

Yankees: Jonathan Albaladejo, who has been doing excellent work this season as Scranton's closer (46.2 IP, 0.96 ERA and a club record 31 saves already) has been called up to take Andy Pettitte's roster spot. The Yanks have passed over him for guys like Mark Melancon, Ivan Nova, Romulo Sanchez and (repeatedly) Boone Logan this season, but Albie is finally joining the Big League club for the first time in 2010 tonight.

He doesn't have to eat up batters (4.8 Hs, 2.4 BBs & 11.8 Ks per 9) like he has been doing in the minors to be valuable to the team. He just has to be better than he has in the parts of three seasons he's spent in the Majors or just more effective than fucking Joba, neither of which is asking a whole lot.

As for the lineup, Jorge Posada will be behind the plate while Curtis Granderson hits 7th and Juan Miranda DH's and bats 8th against the righty O'Sullivan.

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

Game 96: Nebraska

When the Yankees last saw Brett Anderson, he was a rookie with two Big League starts under his belt, and a record of 0-2. They touched him up for 5 runs over 5 1/3 in the game against Sabathia we mentioned in yesterday's preview and left him with a 5.89 ERA.

Since then, the 21 year old right hander has made 14 more starts, lowered his ERA to 4.25 and gone on a tear as of late. He hasn't allowed a run in his last three starts, starting with a complete game shutout in Boston on July 6th, and leaving off with 8 scoreless innings against the Angels last Sunday. I'm sure Brett's a nice kid, but it would be nice to bring him back to Earth.

Heading into the All-Star break Joba Chamberlain was coming off of three dreadful outings against the Mariners, Blue Jays and Angels. The one against the Halos was the most frustrating because he not only blew a seemingly comfortable four run run lead but did so by following up a fielding error by A-Rod by allowing a 3 run shot to Kendry Morales. However, he came out of the All-Star break strong with 6 2/3 innings of one run ball against the Tigers and earned himself his fifth victory on the season.

It's only one start, but Joe Girardi thinks the break might have helped Joba:

Girardi thought that the biggest difference in Chamberlain's return from his time in Nebraska -- when he said he spent most of the time chasing his 3-year-old son, Karter, around the family backyard -- was that he was able to repeat his delivery more consistently and get out of jams.

"I just got back to being myself," Chamberlain said. "It was fun to get away from baseball for four days. I think that was the best -- to get those four days to get my mind right and get back to having fun and the confidence and attitude I know I have."

We took a much-needed hiatus during the break, so I can kind of see where Joba is coming from. Hopefully he can carry that confidence into tonight's game and keep the Yanks rolling. In any event, look on the bright side, Joba. You're not in Nebraska anymore.

And Nebraska's so flat that I don't care,
I'll never use this map, have I made it clear,
I don't know jack, but I stay sincere,
Woah-oh my navigator's here.

And just because it's Friday (and it's in black & white), here is the Springsteen version, which Matt most likely would have chose had he wrote this post:

Midday Linkaround

Sorry Fackers, it's a slow day in terms of news and a busy one for both Matt and me. Here are a couple of items of interest to get you through the afternoon.

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I hardly watched any of the Home Run Derby last night because in the process of drinking three beers at the bar, I saw a grand total of 11 home runs hit, thanks mostly to Brandon Inge's impressive display. How's that for action?!?! Didn't exactly entice me to turn it on when I got home, you know? Craig from Shysterball didn't watch much more, but he did jot more of his thoughts down.

Joel Sherman has three suggestions to improve the Derby. I like the first two, and even though third sounds like a good idea, it feels really dirty.

Sherman also posted three things he thinks about the Yanks at this point in the season. One of the items is a positive look at A-Rod. He's got 17HRs and 50RBIs despite missing the first 5 weeks of the season. Not too shabby, all things considered.

Looking at this post from Jason made me realize that A-Rod is still on pace to exceed Nate Silver's infamous projection, which I offered an alternative to back in February. Nate said 33, I said 42 and if A-Rod holds his pace of homering every 3.41 games he plays in, he'll end up with 39.

The average All-Star makes less than the average Yankee. Does that bother any of you?

Mike from River Ave. Blues takes an in-depth look at the development of Austin Jackson. It's something we've attempted to do here in the past but Mike really knocks this one out of the park (even if Jackson has struggled to do so).

Also at RAB, Joe weighs the possibily of adding a veteran starter.

Josh has something in common with Andrew Bailey, but I have something in common with Mariano Rivera.

Remember when fan clubs were just for the Backstreet Boys and the Red Sox? Not anymore...

/hangs head in shame

And last but not least, allow me to offer a friendly travel tip: If you are going to smuggle cocaine in your golfing equipment, you might want to brush up on the basics of the game.

Swept Away

Well, at least the Yankees found a different way to lose today. Rather than squandering a four run lead, they squandered a one run lead. Rather than imploding in the fifth inning, they gave up four in the fourth. Rather than having to go to the pen in fifth, CC pitched into the seventh - not a great start, but better that what we saw in the first two games of the season. Rather than the bullpen pouring gas on the fire as they did in the first two games, the offense squandered golden opportunities in the seventh and eighth, loading the bases with no one out in both innings and scoring only two runs between those two situations.

I didn't watch today, but listened to most of it on the radio, adding to the torture. As such, I can't say for sure that the team mailed it in with the All-Star break looming. It sure seemed like it in the early innings, but they did claw their way back into position in the seventh and eighth. It wasn't to be. You could blame Teix for whiffing and A-Rod for his GIDP and the seventh, but Swish got robbed on a liner back up the middle to end the eighth. That's just the way this series went: failure to execute and failure to catch a break.

Like a hangover you just can't shake, the bad taste of this weekend will linger in our mouths until Friday, as the All-Star break takes over for the next three days followed by the Thursday off day. Hopefully the team comes back well rested, and ready to make a charge in the second half. Meanwhile, tomorrow you get to listen to Bufoon Berman find new and creative ways to scream "Back-Back-Back... GONE!". Lucky you.

Yankees Broadcasts Creeping Dangerously Close To Respectability

Last night's game was fairly long (3:17), and after the Yanks jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second inning, the game was never in doubt. But that doesn't even begin to explain this:



No "Thuh Yankees Win... Thuuuuuuh. Yannnnnnnkkkkeeessss. Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiinnnnnn"?!?!??

What's next? Are they going to forget to play New York, New York after they win at home?

H/T of course goes to IT IS HIGH, IT IS FAR, IT IS... caught, which Sterling allegedly didn't even do on A-Rod's near grand slam that was robbed by Carlos Gomez?

Sterling's apparent jet lag/heavy medication, coupled with the fact that Michael Kay is on vacation until after the All-Star Break has made both the radio and TV broadcasts damn near tolerable. Now if they could just jettison Suzyn Waldman...