On the Yankees beat

You would think that for a million dollars every six innings or so and access to the best medical care on this planet that a blister on the foot wouldn't be such a problem.

Can you see this man in the Bataan Death March?

Also known in Japanese as

バターン死の行進

How can a blister on your foot hurt your elbow? Pop the blisters, treat them and bandage them. What's the problem? Did he change his motion or arm angle? What happened exactly?

I onced hiked 176 miles in 12 straight days when my feet were (eventually) actually bleeding.

My elbow never hurt.

I just don't understand the correlation with Clemens foot blisters and then needed a cortisone shot in his elbow. It sounds nutty.

Anyway, I hope he gets better. Add this injury to Pulsipher's depression and Izzy's Tuberculosis ... as the strangest of injuries.

Anything that happens to the lower body of a power pitcher (like Clemens, who gets his power from his legs) affects his stance at the plate and the position of his shoulder, arm, elbow, etc. Physics and physiology dictate that, when he throws, the altered position sends all that torque at the wrong angle through his elbow. Et voila.

Elbow problems develop from foot problems sometimes.

My bad. I typed 'at the plate' instead of 'on the mound' in my 12:52 post.

The same thing can happen at the plate, though. Things that happen to one part of the body have ripple effects all over.

Whether it's a young pitcher like Kennedy, or an "old timer" like Clemens, pitchers are like glass. The day is coming when teams will designate 2 pitchers per game, and pitch each guy 4\5 innings. 2 other pitchers would be your permanent "bridge" and "closer" when needed. To allow a pitcher to throw 200+ innings is just too risky. Not only does a team risk a pitcher getting hurt either short or long term, but the money being paid to pitchers on the DL is getting ridiculous.

is there a rain delay?

Yes, there is a rain delay. I haven't heard anything yet about an expected start time.

Sully: I couldn't see the Yanks picking anyone up via trade; it just wouldn't make sense. Not with Clippard, DeSalvo, & Wright all on the roster. It would be bad for the psyche of all of those pitches (I won't even mention Igawa). With all the Yanks are doing to get these kids ready (bringing in the four I mentioned previously for a few days), it would be foolish to get a guy for one start.

I'd rather take a shot with someone who could be on the post-season roster, especially if Kennedy/Clemens injuries end up more serious. Give one of these kids another shot and the possible roster spot.

I don't think they'd do any worse than anything we could get in a trade this late and it's not like we're in a "must-win" situation anymore. The way we've played the past 103 games (67-36) has earned us this chance.

With the rain, the unexpected start, and his third outing against Toronto, I'm nervous for my boy Hughes today. I could see him giving up 4 today...hopefully the bats will do something, because as nice as last night's rally was, the bats only hit for one inning. Yeah, Halladay is a stud, but what about the bullpen? They shut it down too.

Joba isn't available today and Viz probably isn't either. Farnsworth is the bridge to Mo...dun dun dun.

HYD,
It might settle Hughes down knowing he has faced these guys before, and he might show us his A game today. Plus, after the pitching we faced yesterday, I think, even though Marcum has good stuff, we should be able to handle him a little better because of the drop-off. Hopin' anyway. We gotta get this one today.

Maybe Torre will do what he should have done yesterday after Vizcaino, use Ohlendorff (instead of Senor Walk).

It's funny Mike, because Ohlendorf's season long track record is not good. In the minors, he was throwing gas and not getting guys out. His ERA was high and seemed a bit confused.

He got called up and he's been successful so far, but in VERY limited action. I don't know why everyone seems to be so high on him right now when he hasn't really shown me anything yet. If he keeps it up, great, but right now, he is what he is and I'd say he's two years away from being a reliable reliever, but should be able to give us Proctor, year 1, like results next year. I didn't really like Proctor at his best though, so a year 1 Proctor isn't exactly me singing praise. I think Ohlendorf has a much higher ceiling and maybe he's benefitting from working with real catches instead of the guys we currently have in Scranton. He needs more seasoning though; that's for sure. The real problem was, that Torre used his best guys, but used them poorly. Mo threw 10 pitches and was pulled. He should've pitched the 11th too.

Then, if Joba has to come in, pitch him for two innings too. While last night's game didn't start as a "must win", once you've invested that much into the game, it does become a "must win". When you use your three best relievers and your "ace", you have to win. You just have to.

I always think Hughes could one day turn the corner, but the rain makes me nervous for him. He won't plant/drive well and won't be able to go long into the game. 5 innings, 6 max.

Mike: Did you catch my minor league link yesterday? If not, I'll post it again; I think you'd enjoy some of that reading. They have a big league affiliate through the same site with some good articles here and there too.

By "turn the corner" on Hughes, I mean that he'll be truly at full strength and back to early season form. I still say the kid is going to be a 1 or 1A.

Game just got started...

Hughes Your Daddy,
Looks like you and I are the only ones here today. So what's up? What do you think is going to happen in the AL East? I think the Yankees will catch the Red Sox on the last day and with the division on the head-to-head tie-breaker. I agree with your assessment of Hughes. Sometimes we all forget he's 21. How many guys are rotation starters when they're that young? You might have to give him a year or two or three to get to 1 or 1A status. It takes time.

Huhes will keep getting nothing but better each time out as he gets stronger & shakes off he rust from his layoff.

What really shocks me is Edwar. In following the Yankees for over 50 years I don't think I've ever seen anyone with as Jekyl & Hyde performances as him, all the the same outing! So far this year 18&2/3 Innings
6 HOME RUNS
29 STRIKEOUTS. SO dominant & so vulnerable almost very time out. No wonder he has bounced around. I just don't trust him for the post season. No way we can afford a reliever who gives up a home run every three innings, no matter how many he strikes out!

We need Hideki & A-Rod to get locked in again soon. If A-Rod goes into the post season cold, with all the extra pressure he will face I think he will be tormented by the last 2 years postseason demons & succomb again.

If Cano had one more brain cell he'd be dangerous.

The "good thing" about Edwar is that he's such a change of pace kind of pitcher compared to the "flame throwers", but he's nothing special, it's true.

I like Britton more than I like Edwar. I'd like to see Igawa used as a situational lefty as a test-run. See how that works out.

I don't know why Bruney was out there last night. I thought it should've been one of the "starters", read Clippard, Igawa, DeSalvo, or Wright. Someone that could've eaten innings. Once you get to that many innings, with an afternoon game the next day, you have to be smarter.

NSH,

You're right. I've often thought that if 'Nuke' the Bull Durham pitcher had been reincarnated as a position player he would have been Robinson Cano.

I'm sorry Marianne, but KyleFarnsworth IS Nuke LaLoosh!

I don't know, Sully, it may be a girl thing, but I've never seen anything remotely lovable about Farnsworth, and I don't think Susan Sarandon would have made him her seasonal pick either.

Yankees are going to get swept by the Blue Jays, who just relish in playing the spolier role.

Yankees will most likely miss the playoffs by a game with the Tigers getting in.

Peace.

The moron is back...HOORAY!

Hughes=bust

So this is Hughes just getting better and stronger each time out. Okay.

I'm finding it harder to fathom the unrelenting antagonism from redsox fans when we are the only team in the league they can not beat.

Beckett Shilling Dice K and their bullpen all get lit up when ever they play us yet these idiots continue to spout off like idiots.

I guess it would be in the "Nation"s best interest to hope we do somehow lose the next 8 games and miss the play-offs but the non-stop crowing has become silly.

I said Hughes would have a rough outing. He was preparing to pitch Sunday and had to get bumped up; plus the weather wasn't going to help as well as Toronto's third time seeing him. This was expected, so if the Sox fan moron would like to think for even a second, he'd understand. The kid is 21 and will more than likely outshine Bucholtz long term, so enjoy a few innings of pride, since the Sox have given you NOTHING to be proud of in almost two weeks. Small accomplishments appease those with limited potential...those with unlimited potential focus on bigger things.

So, dumbass 1 and dumbass 2, find a new hobby, for your kind is unbetrothed here.

I figure it should take you a while to look up all of the "big" words, so I don't anticipate a response any time soon.

I wonder if Met fans are doing the same thing on Phillies blogs...

Can't take it when the guy you ID with bombs?

Think it's only RS fans who'll challenge your little idol?

Desert

What are you talking about?

Bombs? Think about that: 21 years old; playing in the majors; pitching in a pennant race; coming off two injuries; giving up 3 runs in 5 innings...I've never known 3 runs in 5 innings to be "bombing", but clearly you don't know anything about baseball anyway, so I'm not too concerned...your retort was similar to what I expected, utter ignorance of fact and circumstance...every other teams' fans will make remarks about the Yanks' prospects out of jealousy and hatred.

Think about it; cry about it if you need to.

HYD,
Don't sweat the idiots. They always come out when the Yanks lose a game and they try to get under your skins. It's like they don't really even like any team, they just like to see the Yankees lose for reasons they don't even know. They're probably little kids who think it's cool to "rebel" and be different from everyone else. You know the type, they like a certain kind of music until other people start liking it, then they suddenly don't like it anymore....whatever. They're just zits on the ass of life and they'll pop if you sit on 'em.
I love how they go away when the Yanks win...how stupid they must have felt when they were talking trash before the Yankees tied that game up but lo and behold they came back after they lost. Way cool!

Matsui = 100 RBIs

I know Jim, I know...but it's fun putting these people in their place. I surely will defend Phil Hughes. He's a good guy. I've met most of the Trenton regulars the past couple of years through someone at work whose husband used to work for them. His friends still do. That pitcher that died in the drunk driving accident earlier in the year, from St. Louis, they used to drink with him.

Aside from the personal side of it, the kid is just so talented that I find a need to defend him, especially when he's performing the EXACT way I predicted he would before the game started.

That's cool that you got to meet these guys before they forget about us "little people". I tend to root harder for the ones who don't forget what it was like before they were stars.
I suspect Hughes will be very good, but I am a little worried about him as his velocity appears to be down somewhat from earlier this season. I wondered if he's still not 100% or if his mechanics are out of whack. I'd like to see Scranton's pitching coach hang out with him for a while.

He'll light up spring training and everyone will know HE'S BACK!; no worries.

I spew logic + Yanks pull within a run = idiots silented

I don't know about the Blue Jays but Roy Halladay and John Gibbons really do think this is the world series.

Phucker!
'Sup bro?

Hello Jim.

I've not been on recently how have you been?

The Blue Jay Bullpen is STACKED!!

Last night was torture. ONe guy after another all sub 3 ERA's

Pretty good Michael. I've been on here less than before as well. It was a really busy summer but now that it's over I should be able to check in more often. Let's hope our boys can pull this game out.

MVP!!

What Slump?

Since the All Star break, the whole Toronto team has pitched great...sub 4.00 era as a team! Let's get 'em!

Maybe they're still pissed about the infamous "HA" moment and have a vendetta for us...

They're goes your sweep asshole.

HAH

Sorry for the profanity but I hate that guy.

...Also

I meant "There" goes your sweep A...hole

Where is Desert now?

Here we go I had to shoot my mouth off and now I see Edwar warming up!!

Veras will get out of this...he struck him out as I was typing...

The Scary Thought:

With Joba & Viz pitching last night, Farns gets the 8th...

2 wild pitches does not help...

Farns is "unavailable" according to Kim Jones...

Damn MATSUI!

Have I asked, "What's not to love" lately?

Marianne,

Not to be arguementative but it has to be more than blisters. I mean, they are just blisters. Karstens tried to pitch with a broken fibula or tibia or whatever.

Clemens is tough ... who knows what is really going on. I know he was rude to at least one Newsday reporter, maybe he doesn't want to say what's really going on.

I hope he is ok ... and comes back and throws well ...

What's going on with the game today.

It is sunny and nice here ... Indian Summer actually, 92 or so.

Kinesiology and Biomechanics 101.

The hamstring is actually three separate muscles with all come together. I wonder which of the three or any combo of which Clemens tweaked.

Strange, we started the season with a bunch of ill times injuries to the pitchers and that is how we are ending the season ... it's like a perfect synergy.

But the team has depth. With Wright, DeSalvo and Igawa, who needs Clemens or Ian.

Just kidding ...

Those who have been around for a while realize without my saying so that when I say, "What's not to love" I mean "other than Farnsworth", because they remember that I was the one who offered in one game to go to the Stadium and stop him at gunpoint from going to the mound.

I thought he wasn't available or I would have made the same offer today.

Michael PTRS,

Good point, the Blue Jays have a roster of amazing arms, starters and the pen ... with BJ Ryan out and AJ missing much of the season they could not challenge for a playoff spot.

Also their uniforms are weird.

And they play in that country, what's it called?

Acidrainia or something like that ...

Stop Igawa first ...

Of course Roy Hallady wanted to pitch like it was the World Series. After one game this year they had to rush him to the hospital for surgery ... that guy can flat out pitch and he wants to be on the mound.

Period.

Pitching vs. the Yanks at the Stadium must have been a real "up" experience for him ... he did very well and as fans we should be proud of him ...

It was a good warmup for facing Carmona, Lackey, E. Santana and Escobar ... hard throwing righties who can get in your kitchen, where Marianne is baking her ginger and mince pies so to speak.

Question ...

Would you trade A Rod and Jeter straight up for the 3B and SS on the Marlins?

If you were the Yanks?

If you were the Marlins?

Consider, age, talent, salary ...

You're assigning an essay so you can leave the room for the rest of the period?

This is going to be a strange box score ...

Seriously, if this wasn't September, I'd be worried with all of the arms that have been used the past two games. Maybe if this game goes long, Torre will be smart and use one of the "starters" like he should have last night.

Who knows though.

Does anyone know if Igawa will win the Cy Young, or Beckett?

Thanks in advance.

I wouldn't mind if Becket won the Cy as long as he keeps losing against the Yankees.

Anyone think Giambi and Farnsworth share a cab tonight?

If there's common sense, both played themselves off the post-season roster today. Neither one has any business in pinstripes.

If Giambi doesn't get a hit in the bottom of rhe 10th, he'll probably come up with another mystery injury anyway and end his season.

I said it before the game, that my concern was Farnsworth as a bridge tonight and that the bullpen was tired, that Phil wouldn't go more than 5 or 6...but, if Farnsworth isn't on the postseason roster, who is?

Giambi is a pinch hitter and I'm ok with that.

8 4 2 What a relay!

Yankees, please win!!!!!!!!

Damnit Betemit

I LOVE LECHE!!!

Where is Desert?

Jesus that was excruciating!!!

YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS

Now we need the Red Sox to do their part.

And if not Farnsworth, who? HAM SANDWICH, baby! Seriously, I'd rather see Karstens than The Farns.

Finally!!! Enough free baseball...

I'm celebrating with pecan pie.

Hallefuckinglujah

Great win.

Hey, Blue Jays, take it easy on us. Jeez!

Marianne are you always cooking?

HYD,

The Grillmeister and I share the cooking, but we each specialize. Pies are on my list.

Did anyone on this blog get a call from Guidry to "Warm Up?"

Guidry reminded me tonight of some of my Southern relatives, who can express incredulity and despair in polite silence, with one eyebrow and a judicious movement of the shoulders.

I bet he was barfing in the clubhouse. I know I was ill just watching that nonsense.

No, but I think Leiter left the broadcast booth a little early today...

That is a Spring Training pitching box score

BUT you don't get style points for wins or losses!

Weird that there was no HR's in that game.
Gotta love Melky's arm, it really makes a difference.

It does indeed. And Cano's relay almost erased my memory of his bellywhopping Mientkiewitz to the ground. (But I'm sure the footage is around and will be shown with relish again and again.)

Leave Cano alone! That error was harmless as no runs were scored.

Why should I leave him or anyone else alone? He is a Yankee, this is a Yankees blog, he is up for discussion just like everybody else.

Meaning, don't give him a hard time about the error.

I'm sure he'll get a lot worse razzing from his teammates than I would dish out, and will remain completely unfazed.

But back to compliments. Not all the pitching was puke-worthy. How about Karstens? I was wondering if he was all the way back from that leg fracture and was glad to see he seems quite recovered -- as he did not seem to be the first time he came back up.