Gameday Live 78: Yankees at Pirates
Well, its hard to believe it could get any worse for the Yankees today after a dreadful performance at PNC Park last night. It's Darren Sands again live with you as Joba Chamberlain takes the mound on double duty -- to both right the Yankees ship and get his first win as a starter.
It'll be interesting to see how Justin Christian, batting eighth, responds to a second straight day in the lineup. He fit in very nicely yesterday, going 2-for-4 with that huge two-run double. According to our Kat O'Brien, Johnny Damon thinks he'll be ready to go tomorrow. But, y'know, should Christian perform well again today, one wonders how necessary it'll be to rush him back. We'll be here with updates, so stay tuned.
Top 1st -- Derek Jeter off to a nice start. After Zach Duke retires Melky Cabrera, Jeter rocks a double to left-center swinging on the first pitch. (Jeter has got to be on the quietest 13-game hitting streak ever). Alas, after loading the bases, Duke induces a double-play ball to Giambi, but a good, hard slide by A-Rod forces a bad throw by Jack Wilson. Abreu and Jeter score. These are the mistakes a team like Pittsburgh will make, the type of breaks the Yankees did not get last night.
Bottom 1st -- Joba sets Pittsburgh's formidable 1-2-3 batters down in order. And he hits third in the top of the second.
Top 2nd -- Joba taking some nice cuts in his at-bat, and clearly a few of Joba's teammates got a kick out of it, namely Jeter and Posada. Duke missed on a breaking ball and walked Joba. Luckily he just jogged into second for the force out to end the inning. Back to the mound, where he's much more comfortable. Yanks lead, 2-0.
Bottom 2nd -- Despite putting two runners on, Joba gets out of the inning as Abreu nails Doumit at the plate, and the score stays at 2-0.
Top 3rd -- Yanks bats come alive in the third. But what is going on with A-Rod? A Jeter ground-out turns into an error by the shortstop, Abreu advances Jeter from second to third. A-Rod pops up against the lefty (who he should be spraying balls all over the field against). Giambi pulls a nice single to left and scores Jeter to make the score 3-0. Abreu advancing Jeter to third all of a sudden looks very nice. Giambi to third on a single by Posada. Cano grounds out for last out of the inning.
Bottom 3rd -- Yet another 1-2-3 inning for Joba. He's rolling, and at this point I wouldn't think it impossible for him to pitch into the seventh. Good news, too, because the Yankees bullpen is shot.
Top 4th Justin Christian continues to contribute, laying down a nice bunt-base hit. Joba has the small-ball going too, advancing Christian to second. Whereas the Yankees seemed to want to rip everything out of the park yesterday, they seem content with just manufacturing runs National-league style. Also helps that they haven't given up a run, too. Christian scores on another rocket by Jeter, this time to left center, to give the Yankees a 4-0 lead. Abreu can't get in on the fun, grounding out again to end the inning.
Bottom 4th -- Joba with only 12 pitches that inning. J-0-0-0-0-B-A. Haha!
Top 5th -- A-Rod retired again, leading off Duke's first 1-2-3 inning. Joba is in the mid-sixties in his pitch count. He may make it into the eighth, set the stage for Mariano like the (not so) old days.
Bottom 5th -- Finally, a little adversity for Joba. He gave up his first walk of the game, and hit Jack Wilson with a pitch. That was the call anyway. With runners on first and second and one out, Joba induces a ground ball, and then strikes out Morgan on a close check swing. Got out of the inning, not unlike when he was a reliever. No one is warming up in the Yankees bullpen, they likely asked Joba how he feels.
Top 6th -- Robbie Cano hits a bomb deep into the Pittsburgh night, extending the Yanks lead to 5-0. Joba lines one to right, but it was caught by Morgan -- bet he wanted that one. With two outs, Bobby Abreu launches a three-run home run deep to right field. Yankees lead, 8-0. A-Rod finally gets a base hit in the series.
Bottom 6th -- Doumit gets a double off Joba after he retires the first two batters of the inning on hard hit, long fly balls. He strikes out Jason Michaels with a 98 m.p.h fastball. Still throwing gas, though it's likely he's seen his last action. Excellent start out of Joba. Just what the Yankees needed.
Top 7th -- Christian grounds into double play to end the inning.
Bottom 7th -- As Joba's pitch count crept well above 100, he struggled to retire the fiesty Doug Mientkiewicz. Mientkiewicz lined a single to the left, effectively ending his night. Six and two-thirds, no runs. Very nice. Ross Ohlendorf comes on in relief and gets the out. Everything rolling for the Yankees.
Top 8th -- Abreu is on fire, hits an RBI double to extend the Yankees lead to 9-0. Abreu really can hit, and he's just a triple away from the cycle, apparently. Looking toward tomorrow, Mussina has a shot to help the Yankees take two of three from Pirates. That's music to the ears of fans who saw their team hit rock bottom yesterday. Rasner had nothing. They couldn't advance the runners they had on. Girardi saying, "We stunk." Tough stuff to swallow from the Skipper. Now, all of a sudden, things are looking up.
Bottom 8th -- Ohlendorf sets down the Pirates in order -- looking good. If they're gonna do anything over the next few weeks against the Sox, Rays and Mets, he's going to have to be sharp. All those teams have solid offenses, that work pitchers deep into counts. So far, so food for Mr. Ohlendorf.
Top 9th -- Grabow loads the bases with no outs, but Betemit hit into a 5-2 double play. Melky gets an RBI-base hit, and this is all gravy, baby. Pirates will have Michaels, LaRoche and Bautista in the last of the ninth.
Bottom 9th -- Veras retires the Pirates in the last of the ninth. Nice win for the Yankees. Joba was fantastic, and obviously, the bats came alive for the Yankees. Mike Mussina gets the ball tomrorrow against a good Pittsburgh line up. Good night all!
Yankees win, 10-0.
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Comments (32)
Michael K. Joe Giradi is the Yankee manager not Joe Torre. It is time you got it right
Hey Bronx Bomber and the rest of the Mike and the Mad Dog groupies that were all up in arms about moving Joba out of the 8th inning......how you doin???
= )
He looked good DRU
No doubt about it
And if Veras et al pitch well maybe it will work
As one of those who said they were nuts to take him out of the pen, I am stunned and eating a tiny bit of crow in terms of his transition to starting.
But I till think he has the stuff to be a great closer
However after the injury to Wang, there is no choice but to start him now.
I maintained the stupidity of how Joba was handled wasn't necessarily moving him from the pen
There were valid arguments on both sides.
DRU was clearly a "start him" guy
I think he is the heir to Mariano
What I thought was stupid was they made the decision in season and turned the Yankees season to Joba's personal spring training.
I picked the Yankees to make the playoffs this year and I still think they will
I also think the 8th inning will raise its ugly head... but with a rotation that now includes Rasner and Ponson... I'll swallow some crow and say "Maybe he should start THIS year"
Sully, I think that one of the points that make you such a welcome member of this blog (speaking, at least, as one who reads it a lot but contributes infrequently) is that you are always fair in your assessments and willing to admit mistakes.
Frankly, we can't be sure how well Joba is going to do, long term, as a starter, but it's looking more and more like he's the Real McCoy (as a number of astute observers such as Viper, DRU and Chip, amongst others, had predicted, or had, a the very least, advocated giving him a chance to start.)
By the way, I've been bouncing around so much that I've lost track of a few things. Can anyone tell me where this Justin Christian came from? I don't recall him being mentioned before as a prospect (?!)
I am just fine and I been ate crow regarding Joba long ago thank you.
However between the 3 "Prospects" how many wins between them in their starts?
Exactly
Justin Christian is a decendant of Fletcher Christian Cpt Bligh's nemesis....Mr. Christian !
He obviously knows how to bunt.
Watching Joba pitch and hit last night was a lesson in confidence to our other youngsters like Hughes and Kennedy. But, he has the tools to show off this feeling called confidence. Maybe when Kennedy and Hughes return, this feeling of confidence will be instilled by watching their team mate perform. It would be nice to have all in place for the last two months getting some experience.
one of BC's under the radar prospects.
his speed is incredible watching him run around the bases with that grace reminds me of Bernie ONCE he is one the basepaths running however Justin is more explosive out the box
Christian isn't exactly a prospect. He's 28 years old. His game is speed and defense. Christian has stolen 235 bases in his Minor League career and has been caught just 39 times. He's the speedy pinch runner/4th outfielder that we've been looking for, and the Yankees won't mind him not playing everyday the way they would mind if it was Gardner sitting on the bench.
On another note, as long as we're bringing back troubled pitchers from the Yankee past - after throwing GM Ed Wade to the ground Cash could probably get Shawn Chacon pretty cheap (joking)
Oh BXBomber, you're so jaded.
Obviously one start against the Pirates doesnt mean he's the next Whitey Ford, but its a start. There will no doubt be a couple games this year where he loses the strikezone and gets bombed. Sully, I agree that there will also be games where the 8th inning guys get hammered and lose games for us, Im willing to take the good with the bad until some of the young RP studs make their way up to the show. Still, I love watching Joba pitch deep into games. He has much to work on like throwing his changeup for strikes, he also needs to cut down on his walks. His curve is excellent though and is a great complement to his fastball / slider combo. I think Phil needs to rediscover his slider, which was his best pitch before Nardi scraped it for the curve. Like Larry said, it'll be nice to see all three in the rotation at the end of the year..if they can all make it back healthy of course. Really if Joba keeps progressing like he has, he will be the #1 the Yanks have yearned for over the past several years. That would really take pressure off of Phil and Ian once they come back. Going into next season we would have everyone slotted into their natural roles.
Joba
Wang
Phil
Ian
As much as I would love getting that big fat lefty in the Bronx, I think the Yanks #1 need going into next year is Mark Teixera. Not only for his switch hitting bat in the middle of the lineup, but for his stellar D at 1st. As much as I love Giambi's bat right now, he has no range at all. If the ball isnt hit within 2 feet of him, he just gives up on it. I will give him credit for his scoops in the dirt, but there is a lot of room for improvement at that position. I would prefer Teix and Ben Sheets over CC and a lesser 1B. I highly doubt we would sign both Teix and CC in the same year, both will command close to $200M, contracts and be the #1 and #2 FA's in the offseason. Its just not realistic to think we can get both. No matter how many times BB says "Hey we're the Yankees, we can get however we want! We print money in the Bronx"..YYYAAAWWWWNNNNN.
I was on the "Joba the starter" bandwagon before he threw his pitch pitch in the big leagues so this transformation is not really all that shocking to me.
Joba is going to take his lumps, but he is the real deal - which is why I was so adamant for months about him starting.
At any rate, I'm not giving up on Hughes or Kennedy. Take a look at Edinson Volquez's career before you give up on these kids.
Obviously, Kennedy does have the ceiling that Volquez does, but that doesn't mean he can't be a quality major league pitcher.
Just give them time before you call them busts.
Dru,
Add Pettitte to that rotation because he's made it no secret that he wants to come back and pitch in the new yard if his elbow holds up.
There's no doubt in my mind the Yanks are going to want him back, so that's that.
I'm still not so sure that they will pony up the money for Sabathia over the offseason, but that would be a very formidable rotation next season if they do.
Viper - I don't think anyone is giving up on Hughes or Kennedy (or at least they shouldn't) In the end though I don't see Kennedy having a long run in the Bronx. Between Brackman, Horne, Betances, Sanchez, McCallister, Pope, and Bliech (I'm leaving Cole out because I think they're going to make him a reliever) I think all those guys have bigger upside than Ian and will wind up pushing him to the back of the rotation, if not out of it entirely.
Also wouldn't shock me if Kennedy were moved this winter as part of a deal to bring in a bat for the OF to replace Abreu (given the injury problems of Matsui I don't think his productivity can be counted on either). That's why I advocated possibly moving Kennedy and Melky for Jason Bay this coming winter.
Viper, couldnt have said it better! Volquez's stats in the minors were noting spectacular
3.74 ERA
1.24 WHIP
3.42 BB/9
When the Rangers called him up in 05 ( at age 22 ), he got ROCKED!
12 in
25 hits
10 BB
14.21 ERA
At age 23, more of the same
33 in
52 hits
17 BB
15 K
7.29 ERA
2.07 WHIP
HORRIBLE #'s
At age 24, he showed some improvement
34 in
34 hits
15 BB
29 K
4.50 ERA
Now at the ripe age of 25, he is ranked as the #1 SP in the entire league! Most on this board would have advocated trading him back in 05, and I cant imaging what would have been said in 06 after he got rocked! Not every SP is going to come up and be Tim Lincecum, Josh Beckett or Joba from the get go. Those SP's all have fastballs in the upper 90's, meaning that their mistakes are popped up instead of jacked out of the park. The rest of the 95% of SP's have to do it the hard way, by getting hammered and figuring it out. Ive stated this point in nauseam about being patient with young players, especially young SP's, back in the winter. Nobody can say for sure how good Phil and Ian will be until they pitch a couple FULL seasons in the bigs, then we can label them as hits or busts. Until then...try and enjoy the process.
FYI - we may have a decent back end lefty in the system after all........this is from yesterday.
Phil Coke was great in 7 innings of work. The lefty allowed 1 run on 4 hits and 2 walks, and struck out 10 to lower his ERA to 3.21.
Not bad, lets track his progress.
Chip, interesting trade proposal. Im a big Jay Bay fan. Its not a no doubt HR, but a line drive in the gap so to speak.
Viper,
I've always been a fan of Andy but it's going to take an impressive FULL season for me to consider it a sure thing that he's brought back next year.
I think the Yankees front office is annoyed that he jumped on the $16 mil days before the Mitchell Report came out.
PTI correction..usually I could care less about my mistakes, this one was just weird though.
I cant imaging = I cant imagine.
sorry guys...lol
Chip,
I wouldn't rule out a trade of Kennedy because of the pitching depth in the minor leagues as you mentioned. But that's also a big part of the reason why I'm not so sure they'll pony up the cash for Sabathia. I think Cashman would much prefer an all homegrown Yankee rotation.
I'm counting on Pettitte having a strong second-half because he always does. He's done it throughout his career and I have no reason to believe he won't do it again. Players who have been around as long as Pettitte usually pitch to the back of their baseball card. If his elbow holds up, I think he’ll do exactly that.
Also, a Pettitte deal would be a one-year contract and I don't think Cashman will think twice about doing it, especially due to the fact that several of those young arms you named won’t be ready to contribute next season. Out of that group you mentioned, I think Sanchez will be in the pen and Horne is the only guy who could help out in the rotation.
I don’t think Brackman will help this team next season because it’s too soon after coming off TJ. McAllister, Betances, Pope, and Bleich are all probably more than a year away. I know Betances is for certain. He’s at least two years away.
Who would NY trade Kennedy for ?
Outside of possibly a RFer NY is set position wise for the next couple of yrs.
I have a strong feeling Kennedy will be a 15 game winner once he matures a little bit.
The strength of the farm system is pitching talent no need to start trading off these guys for some vague need .
Ruse - I suggested Kennedy and Melky for Jason Bay (I know he's a LF but he could likely play RF just as well)
Viper - I think Cashman would be fine with Andy for 1 more year, I think Hank would need convincing, given, as I said, they may feel a little embarassed at having signed him and then two days later seen his name in the Mitchell Report. Maybe I'm being unreasonable but I lost a little respect for Andy in that move. He waffled on whether he wanted to come back and then jumped at the money without giving the team a head's up that he was going to be named. Yes he later said that if the Yankees wanted him to he would walk away from the contract - but that was a pretty empty promise since the Union never would have let that happen.
If the Yanks are going to consider trading Kennedy, and I'm not suggesting they will, they still have to build him back up again and hope he has some success for the Yanks this season.
They won't get anything of value for him now because he hasn't performed.
It would become a win-win situation for them if Kennedy pitches like many of us think he can because he could either help the Yanks win or fetch something of value in a package to another team.
All that said, I don't favor trading Kennedy. I think he can still be a quality pitcher for this team and I'll worry about their other young arms in th system once they get closer to the big show.
Chip,
I don't care what Hank thinks. A dissenting opinion would be overruled by Cashman and Hal as they've done several times the last year anyways.
Besides, Hank wants to win like anyone else and I don't think he would let that stuff get in the way of bringing him back.
CHIP
I think the only Pirates player NY might be interested in is Marte.
Pirates are hoping Burnett will fill the hole if Marte is traded .
Viper - as long as Hank's last name is Steinbrenner he gets some say in what's going on. And for the record I don't think Hal is any more thrilled with the way Andy jobbed them than Hank is. And keep in mind - it was Hank overruling CASHMAN that got Alex back in the Bronx.
For a guy who gets a ton of credit for being stand-up, Andy let himself stand up and be counted with Paul LoDuca and Eric Gagne in this - two other guys who jumped at offers before their steroid use was made public.
FYI, Mets signed Andy Phillips
Ruse - this winter Abreu is gone, Damon and Matsui are another year older. Tabata is still too far away, FA outfielders stink - Jason Bay would be a very viable option.
CHIP
If Abreu hits .285-.300 and drives in 100 I wouldn't count on him being gone having said that yes Bay would be a great addition but not for Kennedy.
Ruse -
If Abreu puts up those numbers he's going to want a 4 year deal at 12-15 mil a year - no chance he gets that here.
And the Yankees have enough pitching prospects that they can part with Kennedy who, despite being a high draft pick, is probably the least talented of the bunch.
What GM, other than Crashman, would trade a bonafide 30HR-100RBI OF for Joan Kennedy! He would need to come back, win 5+ games & stay healthy for the entire 2nd half for any deal!
CHIP
No chance he gets that anywhere.Teams don't want to offer that kind of money to a 35 yr old.I'll make you a gentlemans bet Abreu stays put.
Very seldom do I agree with Chipwich, but....Bay for Kennedy/Melky sounds like a plan to me.I was another one of the Joba Must Start crowd. You don't have a guy with 3 above average pitches who has started his whole career and use him as an 8th inning set-up guy. But no need to go back to that.
Loved that Girardi let the team have it it the other day. Time to stop the coddling and take care of business. We can catch the Sox with a good winning streak right about now. Like George Carlin said, Stop telling these kids, "You are the very last winner!" and rewarding them for mediocre play. When they stink, let '
em know they stink. They have a million reasons to get over it.
Lets Go Yanks!
Down with RS (troll) Nation - except Sully the Seamonster
the Pirates would take a Kennedy , remember they took Doug Drabek haha, and they got the last laugh.