Hey Yankees fans! Marc Jimenez here as today's blogger. Let's look at the starters. You have 39-year-old Mike Mussina (3-3, 4.73 ERA), who has won his last two starts, against 22-year-old Felix Hernanadez (2-1, 2.22 ERA). This should be interesting. Will Mussina baffle Seattle’s bats with his slow stuff or will Hernandez blow away the Yanks with his heater?
Feel free to share your comments anytime. By the way, another solid performance by Wang (6-0) last night. He allowed a run on three hits in six innings as the Yanks defeated the Mariners 5-1. Let’s hope Mussina can match Wang’s production. If not, Hank Steinbrenner will likely have something to say.
Top of 1st: Mussina looked good to start the first as he retired the side in order.
Bottom of 1st: The Yanks got a run after Abreu singled in Damon, who ripped a leadoff double to extend his hitting streak to seven games.. Yanks 1, Mariners 0.
Top of 2nd: Mussina is perfect through two. He got Beltre to ground out, fanned Clement and got Sexson to fly out to left.
Bottom of 2nd: Hernandez made quick work of the Yanks in the second, striking out Ensberg to end the inning on a nasty pitch. Looked like a slider or splitter.
Top of 3rd: Well, there goes Mussina’s shutout. Ichiro slapped a run-scoring single up the middle. Yanks 1, Mariners 1.
Bottom of 3rd: The Yanks retook the lead thanks to some sloppy play by the Mariners. Jeter doubled in Damon and scored on a single by Matsui. After a Giambi walk, Cabrera drove in Matsui. By the way, Damon recorded his 400th career double. Way to go! Yanks 4, Mariners 1.
Top of 4th: Mussina is looking pretty good. He worked around singles to Ibanez and Clement and got Sexson to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Bottom of 4th: Boy, the Yanks blew a chance to break this game open. With the bases loaded and one out, Matsui flied out to shallow center and Giambi grounded out.
Top of 5th: Ok, Mussina made it through five while allowing just one run. I would say that’s a good start for him. Let’s hope he can keep it up. He is at 71 pitches.
Bottom of 5th: Hernandez retired the side in order by retiring Cabrera, Cano and Ensberg.
Top of 6th: Another good inning by Mussina! He struck out the side! All swinging: Ibanez, Clement and Sexson. The only blemish was a throwing error by Ensberg.
Bottom of 6th: Damon belted a two-run homer to the upper deck in right following a single by Molina. Cha Seung Baek got Giambi to fly out to center to end the inning. Hernandez’s line: 6 runs on 12 hits and 3 walks in 5 2/3 innings. Yanks 6, Mariners 1.
Top of 7th: Mussina was done after six solid innings and Hawkins held down the fort.
Bottom of 7th: The Yanks just wasted a perfectly good leadoff double by Melky. Cano continues to struggle. He struck out and is batting .150. By the way, the Kentucky Derby is on later today. Does anyone under 40 care about horse racing?
Top of 8th: Edwar Ramirez relieved Hawkins and nearly walked the bases loaded, but he got Sexson to ground out to end the inning.
Bottom of 8th Yanks go down quietly in the inning. Abreu drew a two-out walk, but Matsui flied out to Ichiro.
Top of 9th: Jose Veras came in for Ramirez and retired the side in order. Final: Yanks 6, Mariners 1.
Comments (10)
I guess a Yankee win calms everyones nerves hence the lack of traffic on this blog??
Giambi watch-
1-19
Mussina is reinventing himself.Pitched well.Let's hope he's on a role of sorts.
Fun to see Veras who may have finally gotten over injury and command problems that have plagued him in the past.Throws in the mid to upper nineties w/ a good curveball.
The Yanks have gotten past 2 of the AL better pitchers in King Felix and Bedard.
Go Rasner! A golden opportunity has been handed to him.Fingers are crossed.
so lets see Moose now has 4 superb wins!!!
Where are the doubters now? huh where are the people the know it all's that was throwing him to the wolves?
I'm a long-time Moose fan. It's worth the price of admission just to watch him bite his tongue when Miss Kim goes through her same ridiculous list of non-questions every time. I live in hope that on his last day as a Yankee he will let loose all the sarcastic answers he's been saving up.
And yes a couple of nice wins based on good pitching and a medium number of actual hits does wonders to calm the nerves of Yankee universe... zzz...
Yes, Diane, Moose is a character worth watching (when he’s not going to pieces on the mound over one personal annoyance or another!) During his career, he’s been a very good pitcher who could have been a great one in the Maddox mold had he a more flexible temperament. I really don’t know what the Yankees have in the Moose going forward this year. I think we’ll all be happy and consider ourselves very lucky indeed if he can go something like 15 – 12. The Yanks certainly need his arm, now let’s hope he can get his head on straight, as well!
Which brings us to the youngsters, Hughes and Kennedy. I’m reading a book by Roger Kahn called “The Era.” Kahn is, in my opinion, about the best baseball writer alive today and this book is a marvel. It’s about the period from the late 40’s to the mid 50’s when the Yankees, Dodgers and Giants stood astride the baseball world. He describes what a genius that Casey Stengel was with pitchers. But in regard to youngsters, he was quite astute there as well. At one point he talked to reporters about not allowing a young player’s confidence to be destroyed, and how sending them back to the minors for a brief spell had a wonderfully restorative value when they could see themselves dominating again. He wasn’t even afraid to demote his budding superstar and next gate attraction, Mickey Mantle. We all know that story. So the question, now, is whether this is an appropriate strategy for IPK? I think that Hughes might even profit with what they could term a few rehabilitation starts in the ML when he’s ready. In fact, if both know that they’re being sent down purely to get their act together, and will certainly be back up soon if, as hoped, that’s what happens, then it could have a very beneficial effect. Meanwhile, it gives the Yankees a chance to see if there’s anything to Rasner’s own ML performance.
Finally, there remain questions about how long the Yankees hang on to Giambi, about whether it's too early to give up on Ensberg, on how they get Posada, Matsui and Damon in the lineup at the same time if Jorge can back in six weeks or so and at least hit, about whether it's time to get Cano's eyes tested?! Of course, in the end, it will be all about pitching.
Now we can all go back to sleep everyone!
Yanks61,
Good stuff. I think they need to do something with Giambi what I dont know but he should not be in the lineup. He is killing em. I think Cano will come around. And Ensberg would be on the bench if A-Rod were not hurt. When Posada and A-Rod are back in the lineup the runs will keep coming. Jeter, Damon, Abreu and Matsui are all around 300 now. And so is Melky. As bad as things seem to be or last week were. They are still at 500 in a tight division for now.
I read this morning that Farnsworth found a stuffed and mounted turkey in front of his locker. Anyone have any other details.
To anon: I'm one of the doubters for the following players, Mussina, Giambi and Damon. I'm quite pleased that Mussina and Damon are coming around. I hope for the best for I 'm a Yankee fan with different views than some of you. This is why we discuss on the blog. As far as Giambi, his situation does not appear to be going away soon. With the lineup having Cano, Giambi, Molina and Ensberg causing offensive problems. Giambi is the one to sit down. His removal altogether would open up a better offensive and defensive situation in the Bronx lineup. This may sound radical in early May but truly its been going on for a few years. Also with 4,000,000 seats sold it should not cause much concern. Since Hank is disappointed with the teams results.
Once again, I hope Moose can fool the hitters a second time through the schedule. And Damon continues to get the bat on the ball.
Lets Go Yanks.
To anon: I'm one of the doubters for the following players, Mussina, Giambi and Damon. I'm quite pleased that Mussina and Damon are coming around. I hope for the best for I 'm a Yankee fan with different views than some of you. This is why we discuss on the blog. As far as Giambi, his situation does not appear to be going away soon. With the lineup having Cano, Giambi, Molina and Ensberg causing offensive problems. Giambi is the one to sit down. His removal altogether would open up a better offensive and defensive situation in the Bronx lineup. This may sound radical in early May but truly its been going on for a few years. Also with 4,000,000 seats sold it should not cause much concern. Since Hank is disappointed with the teams results.
Once again, I hope Moose can fool the hitters a second time through the schedule. And Damon continues to get the bat on the ball.
Lets Go Yanks.
Yanks61
Maddux always had the luxury of pitching in the NL.Mussina pitched in the AL East his whole career.
Moose is a borderline potential HOF.Has definitely changed his pitching patterns since 2007.
Larry M.
Giambi is the only one of the threesome mentioned I would like to see go.I pull for Damon and Mussina to do well Giambi I've given up on.He seems to make one bad play in the field per game .Hasn't shown an ability all yr to turn on a good fastball .He'll hit his solo shot once a week or so.
Giambi
2-25 RISP
0-6 w/bases loaded
5-38 w/men on
0-15 2 outs RISP
If he were making 10 mil or less per he'd be long gone.
I do agree with Larry M. that a key factor to Moose's continuing success this season will be the adaptation factor. At present he is fooling hitters with his revised repertoire. The question is how long that can go on. One element in his favor is that it's not just a single new pitch that they have to look out for. He's always had a number of decent pitches to go to and if he's tinkered with several of them that will take longer for hitters to catch on to.
That is why I respect the post's of Larry , Ruse, Diane , Jim A Dru and especially the online "Billy Martin" Rickeeeeeeeeeeeeeey Keyes. whose energy seeps through the Key Boards, these people are human and admit when they are wrong as I do as well.