Monday, June 15, 2009

The Mets Show Why They're The Mets // Wang In A Must Win Spot

I can't think of any other time during a regular season game that my phone lit up the way it did 10:55 Friday night.

Let's face it - we kind of stole that series from the Queens club. However, after the sweepage by the Sox, I was willing to take any win we could get at that point.

What Santana has gone through his last few starts, makes me nervous we may see the same thing happen to Sabathia at some point given the amount of innings he's logging.

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Looking ahead, in Girardi's own words, for Wang, his next start (ETA Wed) is a do-or-die start. Given that he's going out there against the Nats - how good is good?

Regardless, not to bring up the tired yet argument again - I think the best combination is Hughes as a starter, Joba in the pen. Hughes has been looking mean on the mound lately - he has the MLB look now - time to let him play.

That's it - enjoy some of the pics from the Santana beat down courtesy of Scooter!
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" Welcome back to the American League, Johan. Carlos Santana could have gotten more guys out." - the scooter




AJ throwing heat.



Big Tex Taking Care of Business

28 comments:

57 said...

Here's the deal. I walk into Yankee Stadium on Sunday and I was quite impressed. First Class all the way. Now, it was awfully hot that day... and then before the game even began I questioned who the genius was to have the Mets play in their black jerseys in an afternoon game in June. Are you kidding me? It was too hot and those Jerseys are not silk... so here and now, I am making the statement that the Mets lost as bad as they did on Sunday because of the black jerseys and heat that they absorbed even before the first pitch was thrown. That was a DUMB move by the Mets...and all for marketing. JOKE!

Thank God Jorge did not play because I did not want to stomach another 'hip hip Jorge' chant... it was enough to hear Tex walk to the plate with 'I WANNA ROCK' playing and Matsui jamming to 'Earth Wind and Fire' or was it 'Journey' Scooter? either way.

Our waitress was hot, the food was free.. and im not talking about free burgers and dogs, im talking about free lobster crab salad and free pulled pork sandwiches. I forgot I was at a baseball game for a second. It was like I went to a five star restaurant and a baseball game broke-out. Unreal.

All in all, the baseball God's punished me for visiting Yankee Stadium before Citi Field. My punishment? 15-0.

old professor said...

57, the game wasn't lost because of black jersey. The series was lost due to the pitching stud choking and bad fielding. And they do where their black uniforms periodically during the course of the season, unlike the Yankees who have one away uniform and one home uniform. (That would be consistency, power, and pride, something the Muts don't have).

old professor said...

This is a non-yankee poll. Recently, SI ran a cover story Bryce Harper who at sixteeh has been deemed the chosen one. Allegedly this kid hits homeruns in excess of 500 feet (wood or aluminum bat??), has scored six times from second base on wild pitches, has thrown runners out from his knees when he catches and allegedly has a 95 mph fastball with a pretty good breaking pitch.

During his interview for the story, the kid indicated his goal was to wear pinstripes, play for the Yankees, win a world title, be labeled the greatest to play the game and naturally end up in the Hall of Fame (nothing wrong with this kids ego).

Okay here is the question, he will be dropping out of school in order to attend a community college and get his GED. This will allow him to enter the MLB Draft earlier than he would have if he stayed in school. There seems to be a big uproar over the path the boy has chosen. While I would like to see him finish high school, what difference is there between what he wants to do pertaining to the draft and the fact that every year major league teams go into Latin America and sign 16 year olds (okay that would be sixteen based on one of several birth certificates)? What is everyones view on the issue??

The Scooter said...

Thanks for posting the pics, Mid.

As you can imagine....a fun time was had by all (well, almost all). 47,000 raucous Yankee fans watching Santana get absolutely pummeled into submission. And believe me, no matter how bad it must have looked on TV, it was THAT much worse live. Johan's velocity on his fastball was consistently at around 89 mph, making his change up rather pedestrian.

The only bad part was that it was SUCH a beatdown that by the sixth inning Jetes, A-Rod and Tex were enjoying the rest of the game in the luxury of the clubhouse.

AJ looked like an ace. He struggled (I think it was) the third inning, loading the bases on two walks and a dribbler, before really turning it up notch to escape unscathed. He was pushing 96 on the radar gun even when he got to 100 pitches, and his curve ball was spectacular.

Swisher made a fantastic play, leaping to grab a deep shot to the wall, in the first inning that set the tone.

Francisco Cervelli is the real deal. He had the first (and biggest) RBI of the game with a big two out hit, and he called a masterful game.

I'm not ready to give him the full time job yet, but it does make you think that next year the Yankees can let both Damon and Matsui go off into free agency; make (Hip Hip) Jorge the full time DH; and go spend the money they save on Johnny and Hideki on a young corner outfielder. As long as he hits around .300, Jeter can hit lead off for the next couple of years.

Crash, the Stadium was absolutely amazing. What you really notice is the open concourses. Everything is WIDE open. You can pretty much watch the game from the bathrooms if you wanted.

Prof, believe me, I understand your point on "tradition" and all that, but the great thing about the new ballpark is that you still sort of feel like you're in "Yankee Stadium". In fact, during the game, 57 asked me if it felt like the old place and I told him "Yea, it really sort of does". I don't know if it's the facade, the short porch in right, or what, but I was surprised at how quaint this massive building felt.

As for our seats....let's just say that I finally got a chance to see how the "other folks" live. When you have to go through a private door and they give you a wristband to get to your seats, then you KNOW you are in for something special. 57, you forgot to mention the Sushi.

oh and by the way 57, LOL @ your "black jersey excuse"....Santana could have been pitching in a freaking SPEEDO and it wouldn't have helped him....this is what it's like facing a REAL line up.

In closing....Listening to Ronan Tynan sing God Bless America live, is a life changing experience. I STILL have the goosebumps. Other than seeing my cousins, that was probably the best part of the day.

Crash said...

I think it's safe to say that I will never be sitting in those type of seats (c'mon on MegaBall!!!).

57 I 100% agree on the food at the new house it is top notch. The good thing is they still have your traditional dogs and sausage for the common folk.

Nice photos Scooter it looks like you were taking them nearly from the photographers partition next to the dugout.

I have to get Old Prof down to the ballpark before he throws a tantrum.

57 when you get to Citi Field I would expect a full review as well. That park looks real nice. Despite the beat down, it sounds like you enjoyed yourself.

57 said...

Scooter is absolutely right... I was lucky to hear Ronan sing God Bless America at two Sabres games, but never at Yankee Stadium so it was pretty good stuff. All on the 234th birthday of the US Army...fitting.

I had a flashback to little league.. in the first inning Damon hit a foul ball right to our section... as it was in the air Scooter says "its yours its yours".. and I start clapping my hands like I used to pound my mit getting ready to catch a fly ball... then some broad two rows in front of us caught a deflection and I was upset... almost had it. I think I might have elbowed Scooter in the neck... I wanted that ball.

Then my uncle almost killed his girlfriend trying to catch a ball Cora tossed into the stands and the kid right in front of us muscled it away from him... KID. Scooter said that there would be THAT picture on the backpage the next day with the word "LOSER" in CAPS. Funny moment.

I will go to Citi at some point this summer and will have a full assessment and comprehensive comparision.

Tickets: Free
Food: Free
Not having to hear "Enter Sandman" in the 9th: Priceless.

Crash said...

A slight change in direction here...my friend and I were discussing young pitchers and Matt Cain came up. For those not aware, Matt Cain pitches for SF and is having a hell of season so far (9-1 with an ERA in the 2's) and should probably start for the NL at the All-Star game if he doesn't completely fall apart over his next couple of starts. Anyways we were saying how we have been waiting years for this kid to live up to the hype and have his break out season and he's finally doing it...HE'S ONLY 24!!!

It immediately gave me hope for the misplaced (should be in the pen) Joba and Phil Hughes. I hope Cashman doesn't start to feel the pressure for trading these kids. They still need time to develop. I know the Yankees are always win now at any cost, and I would guess both Hughes and Joba are safe for at least through next season, as I would imagine it's the plan that Hughes takes over Pettitte's spot in the rotation next season.

My friend is a Red Sox fan and we were saying imagine the rivalry if both teams show patience with their young pitchers. You have Buchholz and Lester coming up with the Sox at the same time Joba and Hughes are coming up for the Yankees. We could have something very good to watch for the next decade or so.

Didn't mean to take the thread away from 57 pummeling an old lady for a foul ball, but I thought it presents an interesting topic of conversation.

Crash said...

I haven't heard officially yet, but the general consensus is it's either Robertson being sent down or Veras is gone when Bruney is activated tonight. Personally I think it should be Veras.

The Scooter said...

Veras designated for assignment (I'm sure you all know that by now). Someone will pick him up thinking that they can "fix" him. As for his Yankee career, he will go down as the guy who got between K-Rod and Bruney before they were able to throw down.

Good win against the hapless Nats. Pretty clean game for CC other than the one bad slider.

Prof, I will expect an injury report on Jeter as soon as your sources give it to you.

Crash said...

That's kind of funny. I saw the very beginning of the game then turned it back to watch the 8th and 9th. I thought Pena entered as a defensive upgrade. Didn't know Jeter was injured.

Old Prof if you find anything on this let us know.

Glad to see Robertson given the chance and Veras was DFA.

old professor said...

Jeter's injury is being reported as a "stiff" ankle which may have occurred from Sunday's game when Sheffield slide into second.

It may not be a bad idea for Jeter to sit a couple of games. Defensively Pena would be a slight upgrade and he seems to come through in the clutch (not as much power as Jeter - I didn't just say that did I??).

Scooter, I can't see the Yankees trading either Joba or Hughes. Having said that the team has not always been known for its patience and it could run out if there isn't consistent performance soon. I was glad to see the team not send Hughes down. David Cone and Al Leiter have commented he could learn more this year by throwing out of the pen then being sent back down and pitching successfully at Triple A.

And for all of your Swisher bashers out there, he has flashed some serious leather the last two games. No Nady sighting as of yet.

Crash said...

Old Prof this one is for you...An article in Fox Sports says Jeter's defense is actually improving. They use stats from several different sources, including Bill James (the Godfather of baseball stats) to support this. Not only defensively better, but he is getting to more balls. I know how you love to use the line "he can't commit errors if he's not getting to them"...well he is getting them and more of them.

Here's the link:

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/9692112/Jeter-getting-better-with-age-on-defense

So now that he's solid defensively (supported statistically), putting up decent numbers offensively this year (look at his numbers), and coming through in the clutch (as usual) what are you going to gripe about now with Jeter?

The Scooter said...

LOL Crash....I Was JUST ABOUT to post that link for Prof.

TOO FUNNY!!!!

The Scooter said...

On Saturday, while meeting with the MLB on FOX broadcasters, manager Joe Girardi grew animated defending the Yankees' plan for Chamberlain to remain in the starting rotation.

"It's worse than the presidential debates," Girardi said of the constant discussion over Chamberlain. "This never ends. At least (with the debates) you get a hiatus."

Girardi pointed to Chamberlain's 3.84 ERA as proof of his ability to succeed as a starter.

Among the Yankees' starters, only CC Sabathia has a lower ERA than Chamberlain. A.J. Burnett has a higher ERA, and so do the Red Sox's Josh Beckett and Jon Lester.

"He's a four-pitch pitcher. He can be dominant. How many guys can you say that about?" Girardi said.


CAN WE PLEASE END THE JOBA TO THE BULLPEN TALK ONCE AND FOR ALL?

Crash said...

Scooter it's only brought up continually because it makes logical sense. The great thing about baseball is that you usually can find some stat that supports your argument...much like Girardi's ERA argument. Unfortunately let's look at the stat that says your bullpen is destroyed for an entire week after he can't make it to the 4th inning. Or the stat that says his velocity goes down by 5 MPH when he starts versus coming out of the pen making him more hittable and all 4 of his pitches less effective.

And where is the rule that says a 4-pitch pitcher has to be in the rotation?

And they, the Yankees & Girardi, brought this constant questioning on themselves when they decided to baby him innings wise, set limits on pitch counts and innings, and bounce him back and forth between starter-pen-starter-pen last year.

I've been in favor of Joba in the pen but only because the bullpen has sucked (largely in part to his ineffectiveness and not going long in games). HOWEVER, if Hughes continues to pitch well out of the pen and Bruney shows consistency then the bullpen just got real good and there is no need for Joba to move.

old professor said...

Here's a thought, flip flop Hughes and Chamberlain every five days. Chamberlain gets to start and go, hopefully five innings, and Hughes pitches four. Five days later Hughes starts and Chamberlain finishes the game (if he can get through the last four innings). That way both of the pitchers stay stretched out (as they call it) and the bullpen doesn't get over taxed. Never will happen, but it is a thought.

The Scooter said...

Crash, I'm not saying that valid points can not be made for BOTH sides of the argument....I'm just saying that apparently he's staying in the rotation so debating it is pointless.

Crash said...

So Wang's line: 91 pitches, 5 IP, 6H, 2BB, 3ER...he goes to 0-5 on the season but dropped his ERA to 12.65. If this was against anyother team Wang would have been out after 3IP and given up about 6ER. He made one decent pitch in the first inning to get the double play after that I was unimpressed. Unfortunately he probably pitched well enough in Girardi's mind to get another start.

I thought the Yanks had another comeback up their sleeves. Runner in scoring position with Cano up. Not too many other hitters right now on the Yankees hotter than him.

Today's an afternoon game...Let's see if Joba can perform well. Girardi may want to consider separating Wang and Joba in the rotation. Both can't seem to go longer than 5 innings, you burn through the pen pretty quickly.

Crash said...

Not sure if any others saw this but I thought I would put it out there...Former Yankee Mel Hall was sentenced to 45 years in prison for raping a 12 year old girl. He has to serve a minimum of 22 1/2 years before he's eligible for parole. I think he got in trouble before this for "inappropriate contact" with an underage girl. One more pedophile off the streets for a long time. Just for comparison sake...Dante Stallworth only has to serve 24 days in jail for killing someone...

I can't even pretend to understand that one.

The Scooter said...

Another game that the manager let slip away....

First off, on Wang. I agree, he probably earned himself another start. He wasn't horrible and if you want to look at it in a "glass half full" sort of way, I guess you can say that he is making progress. He DID get a couple of breaks, with line drives being hit right at people, but the break that went against him cost the Yankees the game (Guzman was clearly out at first after his groundball to A-Rod. I think he wound up being the winning run).

My major problem with Girardi remains the same...."lack of aggressiveness leads to a double play".

Cano fights off like ten pitches in the ninth. You have to figure that with the count at 2-2 and with him battling as he was, that he was going to do anything possible to get his bat on the ball. When you do anything possible to get the bat on the ball, more often than not you hit a ground ball. The catcher was flustered after Gardner had just stolen two bases on him...the pitcher was concentrating so much on the batter that he never even threw over to check A-Rod at first...PLEASE JOE...PLEASE....put the freaking runner in motion. It's not like A-Rod is still hobbling...we have seen him run well over the last couple of weeks. Hell, if Cano swings through the pitch, they may not even throw through. Girardi is STILL managing scared..even against the worst team in the league. This guy is clearly in over his head.

old professor said...

Last night's game was an embarassment. Shutout by the Nationals at home. Great what's next getting swept by the Pirates (I don't think they are on the schedule this year so the team could be safe). The excuse of having not seen the young pitchers before is getting to be a tired excuse as is Joba's lack of velocity. Exactly what game was Girardi watching when he claims Joba's velocity hit 94 and 96. Never happened.

There was an excellent post-game statement by Flarrety (okay my spelling is off again) - he indicated when teams come to New York or are about to face Joba, the report will be average fastball in the 92 mph range with little or no movement and too much reliance on a slider that many times is way off the plate.

Doesn't seem to matter who is catching Chamberlain continues to shake his catchers off and throws what he wants. Maybe it is time for Girardi to have a come to Jesus meeting with the guy and tell him when the catcher puts the sign down, throw the pitch.

We are in late June and the guy is 3-2 so much for a dominant pitcher. Maybe the Yankees can get rained out a day or two in Florida and finally organize the rotation that has Sabathia as #1, followed by Burnett, Pettite Wang and Chamberlain. Yes Crash, I know that putting Wang and Chamberlain back to back means a bullpen that needs rest and relaxation at the nearest resort.

And it was nice to see Captain Clutch choke with the bases loaded.

And as the season has progressed it would appear that Damon's power surge is over and Matsui is definately on the downside of his career. (And by the way Matt Holiday will not be the answer to the outfield situation). If Gardner is going to be out for awhile it may be time for Austin Jackson to make his appearance.

The Scooter said...

Prof is right....(did I actually just type that?).....last night's game was a complete embarrassment. Totally lifeless. I know they had to wait around for 5 and a half hours to play the game, but come on, so did the Nats.....and HELLO...It's the NATIONALS.

As for Joba, I don't think the debate should be whether he should be in the rotation or in the bullpen...the debate should be whether or not he belongs in the Major Leagues.

I heard what Flaherty (use Google for spelling, Prof) said too and add that to what Michael Kay said about not seeing the same pitcher since he walked off the mound last year with that injury.

It's true, we have seen the electric fastball in maybe two appearances since the injury. Maybe this guy is never going to get back to being the pitcher he was (or could have been). Shut him down for three weeks and see if he comes back with the good fastball.

Tough luck for Jeter....On one leg, he hits an absolute BULLET up the middle with the bases loaded and gets robbed of a hit and two RBI.

Crash said...

Absolutely pathetic showing yesterday.

I actually agree with both of you...Joba needs a couple weeks off, get him on a throwing program that will strengthen him up, and tell him if he shakes off the catcher one more time he's sent down.

Old Prof, Damon just hit a HR 2 days ago, and you're complaining about the end of his power surge??? He's second on the team in HR, 3rd in RBI, and leads the team in Runs. I know the games may finish past your bedtime occasionally but at least check the box score the next morning.

The Scooter said...

It's time for A-Rod to start hitting. Spring Training is over, Alex.

old professor said...

Crash, track Damon's batting average over the last three weeks - it has gone from around .310 to
.282 at the same time, Cano went through a small funk which he now appears out of and Cabrera has cooled off as well.

I am also starting to believe that Giraridi is not the person to run the team. The team is not aggressive on the basepaths. It appears he is waiting for the one big hit (read into that homerun) to tie games up and the fire the team had a few weeks ago seems to have been extinguished.

They are playing like an old tired team. To make matters worse, they could be getting older soon - Molina is expected back and the conventional wisdom is Cervelli will be sent down - definately the wrong thing to do. Cervelli is young and appears major league ready.

And Scooter regarding using Google for spelling purpose, the fact that I am using a computer to do this blog is earth shattering; I keep a Websters Dictionary and Thesaurus on my desk for a reason. And that particular broadcaster is not listed in either one!!

The Scooter said...

Prof, I hear ya re: google....I have parents too. I think my mom and dad just hooked up their first DVD player...they called me and asked me how to rewind a DVD...PRICELESS

Crash said...

Who are you kidding...the only thing you use the Websters Dictionary and Thesaurus on your desk for are coasters for your coffee cup.

The team definetely does not have the swagger they had 2 weeks ago. A couple weeks ago we were making comparisons to 1998...now, not so much.

Hope you're wrong about Cervelli being sent down. They should try to trade Molina when he comes back.

I say we start a "Fire Girardi" petition. This guy is the real "Clueless Joe"!!!

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