Baseball 2011 (1 Viewer)

[lancer]

Good idea, Louis. Stick AJ in the back of the bullpen somewhere, deactivate him for the playoffs and go with the 5 that are left. Even Hughes looked good the other night. I would feel a little better about the NYY starting rotation if AJ weren't anywhere near it. Beginning to think that CC and 5-6 solid innings from the others could get the job done if the offense doesn't get shut down in a short series. -- Al

Nova looked really good last night in beating Chicago. That clinches it. Nova is definitely in, Burnett out. Now, where did I put Cashman's phone number?{sm3} -- Al

 

[lancer]

BIG 3 game series this weekend between the 2 best teams in the AL East, and the AL for that matter. Yanks and BoSox go at it and as both are currently tied for first place, there will be a new leader in the East come Monday. Should be a barn-burner of a series, if the Yanks can figure out how to win a game against the Sox.:rolleyes2: -- Al

 

[Louis Badolato]

Its August 5th, more than 2/3 of the way through the season, and despite both teams suffering injuries to major players throughout the season, the Yankees and the Red Sox are tied for the best record in the American League, 26 games over .500, while playing an unbalanced schedule in the toughest division in baseball. Despite the fact that the Yankees are saddled with A.J. Burnett, who last season had the worst ever win loss record and worst ever ERA of any starter in Yankee history, and is on pace this season to equal this dubious distinction. Despite the fact that the Red Sox are saddled with Lackey, who has underperformed to an epic level.

I am impressed with what these two teams have accomplished.

Think of how good the Yankees would be if they weren't 1-8 against the Red Sox.

Think of how good the Red Sox would be if they hadn't started the season 0-6.

Don't get me wrong, I hate the Red Sox with a passion, but I respect both of these organizations. The reason they have won combined seven of the last 15 World Series is that both organizations have a committment to winning that is unmatched. I find it funny when the Miami Heat or the Philadelphia Eagles are called "dream teams". The Yankees and the Red Sox run "dream teams" onto the field pretty much every season, and play out the most compelling rivalry in sports. They beat the snot out of each other 18 times every regular season, and even including the Red Sox's dominance of the Yankees this season, have played to almost exactly a .500 split over the past 15 years. To me, the best post seasons are when they get 7 more games against each other in the ALCS.

I hope like heck the Yankees sweep the Red Sox this weekend, but I hope even more that the Yankees get 7 more games against the Sox in October, and that game 7 is C.C. Sabathia vs. Beckett in Yankee Stadium, and that me and Big George are sitting next to each other with a bet on the game.

 

[maddadicus]

Louis, you make me feel like I am on the Yankee message board, where they complain after every win about some perceived team defect..The entire line up is getting hot at the same time, and we have won without ARod and Jeter on the DL . If Arod can come back with his old power stroke, this line up becomes that much more formidable..The Yankees have surprised me this year, considering their rotation was going to be CC and 4 other guys. Colon and Garcia have been better than average this year and I would not sell their veteran status short in any playoff game. In fact, I heard it reported that if the Yanks started the playoffs today, it would be CC every 3 days, Colon and Garcia. Burnett is actually not in the playoff picture at all. Nova seems to have ice water in his veins, unlike Hughes and would get any odd start. Yanks and RS are in the playoffs no matter, I will worry about the matchups when we get there. Michael

 

[Peter Reuss]

I don't think anyone at ESPN noticed, but the Brewers and Cards just had a 3 game battle for first place in the Central. The 'Crew is finally getting their act together...now let's see if we can take it on the road.

 

[lancer]

I don't think anyone at ESPN noticed, but the Brewers and Cards just had a 3 game battle for first place in the Central. The 'Crew is finally getting their act together...now let's see if we can take it on the road.

Think you are right Peter, although I did hear the name "Pujols" a couple of times.:rolleyes2: The Brewers can do it, but like you said, they need to learn how to win on the road. I wonder if anyone outside of Milwaukee knows who Ryan Braun is. He and Fielder are both having good years but are under the radar on ESPN. I like the pitching, too, as the staff, lead by Marcum, Gallardo, and Greinke, are having fine years, again unnoted. Your team could surprise some people.:wink2: -- Al

 

[theBaron]

I got to see Washington's star prospect Bryce Harper in action last night, playing for the Nationals' Double-A affiliate Harrisburg last night, against the Reading Phils. He was drafted right after high school. Harper's meteoric rise seems to have slowed a bit, as he transitions from Class A to Double A, he was only hitting .239 going into the game, though he has 4 homers. He went 2 for 3, with an RBI double and a run scored on a fielding error by Reading's Kennelly in right, on the same play. He does have good wheels, and when he made contact, he really hit the ball hard. In his second trip to the plate (he was 0-fer-1 at that point), he made contact but it was a line shot right to the first baseman, who speared it.

But if he makes it to the majors, I can say, "I saw him back when..." (just like with Robinson Cano--saw him come up through Trenton, back in the day).

Prost!
Brad

 

[lancer]

I got to see Washington's star prospect Bryce Harper in action last night, playing for the Nationals' Double-A affiliate Harrisburg last night, against the Reading Phils. He was drafted right after high school. Harper's meteoric rise seems to have slowed a bit, as he transitions from Class A to Double A, he was only hitting .239 going into the game, though he has 4 homers. He went 2 for 3, with an RBI double and a run scored on a fielding error by Reading's Kennelly in right, on the same play. He does have good wheels, and when he made contact, he really hit the ball hard. In his second trip to the plate (he was 0-fer-1 at that point), he made contact but it was a line shot right to the first baseman, who speared it.

But if he makes it to the majors, I can say, "I saw him back when..." (just like with Robinson Cano--saw him come up through Trenton, back in the day).

Prost!
Brad

Hi Brad. We are waiting for the future, down here in DC. Harper and the return of Strasburg are very eagerly awaited. The Nats are putting together a team, bit by bit. Got some decent players, especially on the pitching side. Just takes time.:smile2: -- Al

 

[Peter Reuss]

Think you are right Peter, although I did hear the name "Pujols" a couple of times.:rolleyes2: The Brewers can do it, but like you said, they need to learn how to win on the road. I wonder if anyone outside of Milwaukee knows who Ryan Braun is. He and Fielder are both having good years but are under the radar on ESPN. I like the pitching, too, as the staff, lead by Marcum, Gallardo, and Greinke, are having fine years, again unnoted. Your team could surprise some people.:wink2: -- Al

Al - you may be one of the few people able to list Marcum, Gallardo, and Greinke as Brewer's pitchers!!!

If the Brewer's ever won the World Series, the headline would be, "Yankees, Sox reflect on disappointing season."

 

[lancer]

Al - you may be one of the few people able to list Marcum, Gallardo, and Greinke as Brewer's pitchers!!!

If the Brewer's ever won the World Series, the headline would be, "Yankees, Sox reflect on disappointing season."

Gallardo won his 13th last night with 8 innings of excellent ball. Great job.:smile2: -- Al

 

[Peter Reuss]

Tomorrow night St. Louis and Milwaukee duke it out again...this time in SL. Should be an interesting few games. The last ones in Milwaukee got a bit chippy!

The Brewers finally are learning to win on the road (though a 4 game sweep of lowly Houston isn't exactly impressive). The NL Central is getting interesting...unless you're a Pirates fan.

 

[lancer]

Tomorrow night St. Louis and Milwaukee duke it out again...this time in SL. Should be an interesting few games. The last ones in Milwaukee got a bit chippy!

The Brewers finally are learning to win on the road (though a 4 game sweep of lowly Houston isn't exactly impressive). The NL Central is getting interesting...unless you're a Pirates fan.

So true. Milwaukee actually has a little breathing room and a good series against the Cards would be a real boost. Hope they stay hot. The Pirates have collapsed and have gone from 1st place to 4th about as quickly as is possible and show no signs of pulling out of the tail-spin. At least they go on the road, which is the good news, but the bad news is they have to play SF. I'm perplexed by the Pirates inability to win at home. They are two different teams. -- Al

 

[lancer]

It would seem that all the Pirates have to do to play winning baseball is to stay out of Pittsburgh! Beat SF 5-0 and broke their 10 game losing streak, in SF. Good grief. -- Al

 

[lancer]

A little concerned about Rivera's sudden slump. Blown 2 games in the last week. Could just be a down period that most relievers go through on occasion. Hope it isn't a sudden tiring because of age and use late in the season. Probably just a temporary slump as he had shown no decline prior to this last week. -- Al

 

[Warrior]

A little concerned about Rivera's sudden slump. Blown 2 games in the last week. Could just be a down period that most relievers go through on occasion. Hope it isn't a sudden tiring because of age and use late in the season. Probably just a temporary slump as he had shown no decline prior to this last week. -- Al

Mo is the greatest closer of all time, there is not a close second in that regard; that said, even the great ones lose it eventually. Mo at 80% is still better than the majority of closers out there at 100%.................

 

[Peter Reuss]

In all my Brewers talk last week, I forgot to give Randy Wolf some love! As the Crew's 4th starter, he shut down the Cards last night on 1 run over 8 innings. He's only 9-8, but has an ERA around 3.50...not bad for a #4! He's been inconsistent, but when he's on, he's on!

The Brewers now have won 5 in a row on the road and are 10-6 away from Miller Park after the All-Star break. Perhaps we can out to rest the 'Brewers can't win on the road' conversation...

 

[Louis Badolato]

I'm not worried about Mo at all. First of all, in his prime he still blew more saves against the Red Sox than all other teams combined. The Red Sox, and Fenway Park, have always had Mo's number. Plus, both the home run given up by Beckett to Nunez earlier in the game and the double given up by Mo were Fenway park specials which would have been can of corn outs at any other ball parks. Second, if Nunez knew how to play third base, and covered when Mo played the poor bunt, Scutaro would have been meat at third. So I don't see the blown save in Boston as a big deal.

He threw up a 3-2 meatball to Abreu in the second game, its that simple. I would guess he figured Abreu, who had hit only 4 homers all season prior to that game, wasn't going to hit one out. He was wrong. Life goes on.

I would still hand Mo the ball in every save situation without a moments hesitation. As George pointed out, even 80% of Mo is better than almost any other closer in the game.

One last point: If Girardi doesn't stand up to Cashman and take A.J. Burnett out of the rotation, he has no guts. Burnett is not even the 6th best option as a starter for the Yankees right now (I would rather see Nova, Hughes or even one of the killer bees start, when I see Burnett is starting I just say to myself, "well, we lose tonight"), and cannot be counted on to make a start without giving up a minimum of one horrible 4+ run inning. Ivan Nova needs to start every five days, because he is having a Petitte like rookie season, and has the stuff to be the number two starter the Yankees so desperately need. CC, Nova and Colon could be a viable playoff rotation for the Yankees. Burnett was another Cashman miistake, and frankly, I would waive him and hope some stupid team puts in a claim.

 

[lancer]

I'm not worried about Mo at all. First of all, in his prime he still blew more saves against the Red Sox than all other teams combined. The Red Sox, and Fenway Park, have always had Mo's number. Plus, both the home run given up by Beckett to Nunez earlier in the game and the double given up by Mo were Fenway park specials which would have been can of corn outs at any other ball parks. Second, if Nunez knew how to play third base, and covered when Mo played the poor bunt, Scutaro would have been meat at third. So I don't see the blown save in Boston as a big deal.

He threw up a 3-2 meatball to Abreu in the second game, its that simple. I would guess he figured Abreu, who had hit only 4 homers all season prior to that game, wasn't going to hit one out. He was wrong. Life goes on.

I would still hand Mo the ball in every save situation without a moments hesitation. As George pointed out, even 80% of Mo is better than almost any other closer in the game.

One last point: If Girardi doesn't stand up to Cashman and take A.J. Burnett out of the rotation, he has no guts. Burnett is not even the 6th best option as a starter for the Yankees right now (I would rather see Nova, Hughes or even one of the killer bees start, when I see Burnett is starting I just say to myself, "well, we lose tonight"), and cannot be counted on to make a start without giving up a minimum of one horrible 4+ run inning. Ivan Nova needs to start every five days, because he is having a Petitte like rookie season, and has the stuff to be the number two starter the Yankees so desperately need. CC, Nova and Colon could be a viable playoff rotation for the Yankees. Burnett was another Cashman miistake, and frankly, I would waive him and hope some stupid team puts in a claim.

I agree about Rivera, I was just airing frustration. I have come to believe that the NYY starters are a viable playoff staff, MINUS Burnett. Really like Nova and I think Colon and Garcia (what a job he's doing) are capable of being what the NYY will need. Also enjoying the HR and RBI contest between Tex and Grand. Still a lot of season to go for the Sox and NY and I don't see any reason this fight won't go down to the last games. Gotta love it.^&grin -- Al

 

[lancer]

Rivera saved the game against the Angels, but got tagged again in the process. Came in with 2 runners on and gave up a 3-run homer that made the score 6-5 NY, but then got the last outs to finish the game. He's been just a bit rough of late. -- Al

 

[Louis Badolato]

Rivera saved the game against the Angels, but got tagged again in the process. Came in with 2 runners on and gave up a 3-run homer that made the score 6-5 NY, but then got the last outs to finish the game. He's been just a bit rough of late. -- Al

I'm still not that worried, but that home run, on a cutter that didn't cut, was a bit unnerving.