Sunday, August 01, 2010

Now It's Getting Serious

At only one game up on the pesky Rays, business is picking up. While I was unhappy with the series result, and Girardi's decision to rest a couple of players in a series that really matters - the baseball played was actually pretty good.

While Rays may be riding high taking 2 out of 3 from the top dogs in the division let's see if they don't have a come down in the next two series or so. I bet they do.


The official Trade deadline has passed - and let me just say - I love the MLB network - but back to the story, I like Berkman, take or leave Kearns, and love the Kerry Wood acquisition.


In Other News: The Mets are trying to compete with the Knicks for worst management in a sports organization in NY. Happy Birthday 57. Don't like it that Oswalt went to the Phils. And Melkey's throwing error made me glad he's not in pinstripes any longer.


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17 comments:

57 said...

Thanks for the birthday wishes. It started out a great birthday with Dr. K, Straw our old GM Frank Cashen and Davey Johnson being inducted into the Mets' HOF prior to the game, and then unraveled quickly when the BASEMENT DWELLING Diamonbacks pissed all over Queens to the tune of 14-1... how is THAT right with those four CHAMPIONS being present to witness that not to mention Gary Carter, Mookie Wilson and other 1986 Mets present. EMBARASSING. I TOLD YOU CRASH.... I TOLD YOU!!!!!!!!

Minaya should be FIRED!

Crash said...

The Mets are pretty tortuous to watch...they're not good enough to really compete, but they're not bad enough to be really out of it. Just when you think they're good, they start losing...when you think it's time to write them off, they'll win 8 in row and give you just a little hope. That's got to be pretty tough as a fan. I feel for 57. And Happy (belated) Birthday.

I like all the trades the Yankees made. Kearns is the sleeper deal here. He will see more action than people think. Berkman may just be pressing trying to impress too much. I bet he gets a big hit or 2 against the Sox. That will endear Yankee fans to him pretty quickly. Speaking of which, 4 game series with the Sox this weekend. Yankees could essentially eliminate them from contention with a sweep.

old professor said...

57, hate to say it but I don't think the Mets are going anywhere and will miss the post season again. They were not a strong team before the deadline and they didn't make any significant moves to get stronger.

Speaking of moves, I like the fact that the Yankees landed Kerry Wood. Sad to see Park go. I believe he is stronger and better than Gaudin.

I am not sure the addition of Berkman and Kearns will add a lot to the Yankees. Berkman is a good left handed bat, but has had problems hitting right handed. Kearns is a decent hitter from the right side and is better in the field than Marcus Thames. (Thames' time with the team may be on a very short time span. When Pettitte comes back I would expect them to keep the pitchers they have and let a bench player go. Thames would be the odd man out.

Crash said...

Yeah I agree the addition of Kearns all but seals the fate of Marcus Thames. Listening to all the shows they kept saying how he will be able to platoon from the right side, spell Granderson or Gardner against lefties...and I'm thinking that's what they were saying about Thames 3 months ago. Oh well...he had a couple of big hits (walk-off types) but his defense is terrible.

old professor said...

The NY Post has an interesting take on the trade deadline and that is this is the Yankees attempt at a do over for the mistakes of this past winter.
(A) They should never have let Damon go because he would have solved the DH issue and played the outfield and he hits lefties well. They should never have signed Nick Johnson because his injury has made him irrelevatn and Thames is defensively challenged.

With Berkman they get an individual who can play defense, can hit (somewhat - he is having his worst year)andh who has his best years behind him.

Kearns is an upgrade. It would also appear the Yankees are now willing to admit that trading for Granderson was a mistake. As was the signing of Park.

old professor said...

You would think a guy making 82 million would be able to keep his head screwed on and not melt down because of a lucky drive up the gap. Last night Burnett's performance was similar to past Yankee flops - please reference Ed Whitson and Kenny Rogers (ballplayer not singer). Burnett had Snyder 0-2 the kid reaches out and cracks a double up the gap and Burnett can't get it out of his head.

A few minutes later it is 8-2. At some point maybe he gets moved to the pen as the seventh inning guy and we reserect the career of Dwight Gooden. (Could not be any worse). In addition Burnett's post game comments are very similar to Ian Kennedy's after getting shelled.

Crash said...

I think Burnett is working his way out of NY this offseason. He has a limited no trade clause, so the Yankees definitely have some flexibility in moving him. It's the contract that's prohibitive. Though if the Yankees package a prospect in the deal or agree to eat some of the money they should be able to move him. That would also allow Cashman to sign Cliff Lee and bring back Pettitte and Vazquez, and keep Hughes in the rotation. A team like Texas, Seattle, or maybe LA could be a fit.

Crash said...

The Yankees are really ticking me off. Starting pitching is struggling, offense isn't hitting and they're getting destroyed by the Jays?!?!

57 said...

As Tug McGraw said, "Ya Gotta Believe"... there is hope.

old professor said...

The Yankees may be preoccuppied by the chase for 600 and not on winning games. The are now only five games ahead of the sox for the wild card. If they do not wake up they could be chasing two teams instead on one.

John Kruk had a good analysis regarding all of the hype about A-Rod's chase of 600. The league is putting special balls into play everytime he comes to bat, why? A-Rod is an admitted steroid user. If McGuire, Sosa, and Bonds are viewed negatively because of the use of steroids, why the hype for A-Rod? Kruk has a point.

A-Rod's run to 600 should be considered tainted because of the use of PEDs. McGuire was in exile until this year, Bonds has disappeared of the face of the earth and Sosa is somewhere in the Dominican Republic. All three at one point were considered shoe-ins for the hall, not any more.

As for the Yankees lack of offense, look to the top of the order. Jeter is not hitting and he is no longer clutch - he has left a lot of runners on and seems to be struggling. He is either hurt and not telling anyone, or his offensive skills have suddenly eroded with his age. Not a good sign for someone in the last year of their contract and hoping for another big payday.

As for the rotation, it is in shambles. Burnett is a head case, Hughes may have hit the wall physically, Pettitte is on the DL and Sabatthia seems to have one inning where he struggles and puts the team in a hole. It is strange to consider that Vasquez appears to be the most consistent starter.

Crash said...

First...I don't think the rotation is in shambles. I think the rotation didn't align right for this series but does for the Boston series. The Jays hit a lot of HR's and the Yankees are putting guys up there that throw a lot of fastballs. Vazquez and CC would have done better because they throw more offspeed stuff.

Vazquez has been the most consistent pitcher since mid-May. CC doesn't have 1 bad inning...his last 4 starts he gave up 3 ER, 2, 3, and 3...that to me says no run support. Hughes had a little rough patch but has pitched better. This is what we should have expected from a young guy pitching his first full season as a starter. He has to learn to adjust the second and third time through the lineup now. Pettitte will be back to the rotation next week, Mosley has filled in nicely. I think Girardi left him in too long yesterday. He pitched well against KC (in relief) and Cleveland and wasn't terrible last night. He kept the team in the game for 7 innings. The Yankees had 2 hits last night... 2 f'n HITS.

2 nights in a row they get a 2 run lead on HR's and lose the game. Both times I thought good they will get to this SP early and knock him out. Then the bats go quiet the rest of the game.

old professor said...

Crash, you mention the issue of Toronto hitting a lot of home runs. That could spell doom for Hughes. Of the seventeen homeruns he has given up, 15 of them are at home. That has to be in his head and can spell nothing but trouble.

There is no guarantee that Andy Pettitte will be back next week.

Now is not the time for the Yankee bats to go silent and go into a losing streak. three in a row and four out of the last five - NOT GOOD.

Maybe A-Rod needs to go to a sports hypnotist to get the homerun thing out of his head.

Crash said...

So A-Rod finally hits #600. For the third day in a row Yankees take a 2 nothing lead in the first inning on a 2-Run HR.

57 said...

Crash.. i'd rather have your head case (Burnett) then my head case (Pelfrey). I have never seen a pitcher implode like he has...10-1.. and now 10-6 and a REALLY BAD 10-6. This is the third straight year where he has imploded in the 2nd half. UNREAL.

Crash said...

57 you're right about Pelfrey...his career splits: 1st half 26-21 with a 4.12 ERA, 2nd half 12-17 with a 5.06 ERA. His WHiP also goes up in the second half (though neither are particularly good).

Yankees big win yesterday coupled with Rays loss pulls them back to a tie for first place in the AL East. Boston also lost so they're now 6.5 back. Let's bury 'em boys.

old professor said...

Yankees now back in sole possession of first. This weekend series will either put a fork in Boston or let them back into the race. A Yankee sweep and they are 9.5 in front. If they get swept, they could be several games out of first looking at the Rays again.

Rumor mill has Yankees looking at Jose Guillen who was just designated for assignment by the Royals. Why would they want to bring a malecontent to the stadium?

They don't need him.

Tonight's game also shows the new trust the Yankees have in Vasquez. He could have been skipped and CC could have pitched, instead Javy is taking the mound.

Crash said...

So Berkman finally breaks out a couple hits last night. Glad it happened against the Sox. Hope it continues later this afternoon.

Moseley pitched real well. I'm glad Girardi pulled him when he did, it seems he learned from the last start when he left him in 1 inning too long. Hughes should be able to carve up the Sox today...while Lester has an ERA over 5 since the break.

Yankees able to put some space between them and the Rays as well. The Jays just ran rough shot all over the 2 best teams in baseball in back to back series. Not sure how they can destroy the Yankees and Rays like that and essentially be .500 against the rest of the league. Yankees play them a bunch more...they could play spoiler down the stretch.

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