Hughes struggles continue

April 14, 2011

Yanks 6 Orioles 5

Phile Hughes struggled again and was continues to have velocity problems. The fastball did reach 92 but the average was the same at about 89. He did look better than his other starts in the first two innings but the trouble started in the third inning and that was it. So is iy yime to yank him from the rotation and get him back to triple A? Whatever the skipper decides it is time to get him off the starting rotation and do some thing. He is just not right.

Can you blame Joe for all his inning he pitched last year for Hughes problems on the mound. If I am not mistaken he threw some 170 plus innings last year where as in the previous combined two years he threw just 100 innings or so.

So Colon came in and saved the day and kept the game close. With a CY Yound winner in the relief position it really helps.

That home plate block by Joba was pretty sweet. Martin got a perfect bounce, it really was the play that saved the day and set up the comeback.

What can you say about Jorge coming up huge in the ninth with a nice homerun. Posada is definitely feeling good at the plate in his new DH role.

I wonder when Posada will take a game behind the plate and catch. I would imagine at least a couple times this year he will.

Swisher came up huge with the sacfrice fly to get the pie in face from AJ

A great comeback today despite Hughes early struggles.

Game ball Swisher

 

Burnett strong against Orioles, improves to 3-0

April 13, 2011

Yanks 7 Orioles 4

Burnett was pretty dominant through 6 innings and gave up some runs in the seventh. He looked tired mentally to me at that point. Otherwise he looked pretty great hitting the corners really nice. That curve ball in the dirt was pretty intense and seemed to throw off the Orioles. He had a bit of a tough second inning there but showed great poise when in some trouble as opposed to last year when he just seemed to crumble. Good day for AJ

So A-Rod set the tone in the first with that strong shot to the right for a three run homerun. Today he ties Al Simmons and Ted Williams for 11th place all time with 1839 RBI’s. Pretty impressive and what a treat to continue to watch history year after year with Alex, a true treat.

Jeter 2 hits. Ties Barry Bonds all time hit list with 2935. Another milestone for a Yankee tonight. Now I know the talk has been about Jeter’s stance and his struggles. Is he done? Is he losing a step? Should he bat 8th or 9th? These are all early concerns and I think we just need to let Jeter play and see what materializes. I think he still has it in him and I expect him to start heating up and show he just had a tough year last year. Ask any major league team if they will take a 280 avg hitter with a gold glove year and they will all say yes. He is still Jeter and will make his move. Keep the faith in the captain.

Good to see Tex and Posada get out of their little slumps. Tex with two hits and Jorge with a homerun…HIP HIP….lol

Cano seemes to be getting hot. Look out for Robbie.

Rivera ended the game with his 5th save of the year.

Pretty happy today considering it was written that Buck Showalters team was going to come in here and show us a lesson. I completely respect Buck and all he is doing to change things in baltimore but lets face it, baltimore always gets out to good starts and then fizzles. And lets face it, it took a yankee to teach the O’s to have a winning attitude.

Game ball Alex Rodriguez

Side notes Barry bonds was found guilty today on obstruction of justice. Hopefully we can put this behind baseball soon

Beckett is brilliant, beats Yanks for rubber match

What can you say? Beckett was lights out tonight and shut down the line up. He has struggled so bad recently with our line up and was just filthy allowing only two hits. He wont have another outing like this again. Just a luck of the draw. Boston now has the happiest 2-7 team in baseball. It is still early, to think it is only week two.

CC Struggled big time and made an effort to somehow limit the damage as he put men on bases every inning. His fastball had no control. I know CC will bounce back.

Chavez continues to hit and make big plays. Let shope his back stays healthy.

Is Girardi dropping the ball? Leaving the pitcher in like that? Still pissed at Joe.

Is Tex starting to find his April struggles again? He needs to pick things up.

I know it is only April but A-rod has to get in that game. This is Boston. WTF, is this Joe’s call or A-rods?

Tough day in Fenway. Hate to lose.

Game ball Beckett

Needs Improvement Girardi

Russell Martin goes yard twice to secure the win

April 9, 2011

Yankee 9 Boston 4

Nothing like a good day game at Fenway with the greatest rivalry in baseball with a national audience watching. Ivan Nova was decent but lasted just four and a third innings as it seemed he was having control issues with his fastball. Pretty much kept leaving balls hanging over the plate,. Anytime you leave balls over the plate instead of keeping them low you will struggle against an offense like Boston.

Robertson got the win and pitched great relief as well as Joba who was pitching serious heat today. I saw at one point he threw a 97mph fastball against Youkilis.

Ayala seemed to struggle. I dont know if I trust this guy. At one point I could see Girardi with that look again wondering whether he would complete the job.

“Cano dont you know?” was the call by Sterling as he was on fire today again in Fenway. That homerun and double were key shots.

Chavez had a great game as well, Three hits on the day, two off the green monster. Curtis Granderson adding a homerun as well to the right side.

But the day belonged to Martin as he continues to hit the ball well. His 3 run shot over the green monster was spectacular. He later went yard in the seventh to add the insurance and take the life out of the ballpark. Awesome game for him. Dodger fans must be pissed he couldnt do this for them while in LA. He has been pretty aggressive and the desision to bring him here is starting to payoff.

Jeter another hit today: 68 away from 3,000

Game ball: Martin

Honorable mention: Chavez for a three hit game.

Side notes: Boston now 1-7. No team with a 1-7 start has ever gone on to win a world series.

Hughes rocked hard in 9-6 loss to Boston

April 8, 2011

Phil Hughes was awful and lasted through just two inning while giving up six runs and handing Boston their first win of the year in their home opener. Hughes again is struggling with his velocity and seems to be overcompensating to make up for the velocity troubles.

Bartolo Colon came in the third inning and pitched great relief baseball. Girardi pulled Colon to to put in awful struggling Logan and Logan gave up 2 runs and the damage was done. Why is Logan the guy? Why did Girardi put him in? I think this is another bad call on Girardi’s behalf once again. Let me guess, Joe is going to say ” he is my seventh inning guy” like that BS he gave us about Soriano being the 8th inning guy.

Basically Boston didnt earn that win, we gave them that win. Lackey was awful as well.

Hughes has major problems now because the pressure is really on and this is now a possibly head game he will battle in his next coming starts. Maybe it might be wise to bring in Manny and see what the kid can do.

A-rod went yard today, Cano had a couple of key doubles, Gardner is looking alive in the bat and Jeter moved closer to 3000. But the pitching was mediocre bad.

Ivan Nova has a huge statement to make tomorrow. Stay posted.

Game ball- Pedroia

Side notes: Manny Ramirez retires to day because of drug issues brought up by MLB. It is a shame as his legacy is tarnished forever.

 

Burnett improves to 2-0

April 7

Yankees 4 Twins 3

AJ Burnett improves to 2-0 agaisnt the Twins in the rubber match while the Yankees continue to dominate the Twins. Burnett looked pretty great today. His curve ball from the beginning had a nice spin on it and was hitting locations and getting ahead on the count. His changeup looked impressive. If he can keep that pitch consistent throughout the season I think it will help him keeping the batters guessing more. It was good to see him get into a little trouble there in the second inning and not get frazzled. I know April is usually his strong month but the confidence is looking great and promising.

Andruw Jones looked good again with a nice double to knock in a couple. That catch in the sixth was pretty great. Good to have a gold glove outfielder like Jones in a back up role.

Jeter had a nice double and beat the throw in an infield single. 69 is his number till 3000

Hoping Gardner can get things going with that single to the right to get the RBI.

And a nice bounce back for Soriano coming in the 8th to retire the side. It is just interesting to me that Cashman and Levine had to call his agent Boras to get him to acknowledge he has to speak to the media in good and bad and it is his responsibility to the club. Really? Seriously? This is a professional athlete and he needs his tool agent to hold his hand and tell him what to do? Let’s see what materializes this season with Soriano.

Is there anyone who DIDNT hear Swisher yell “F*uck” out of the top odf his lungs when he popped up in the first? I think even if you had the Bob Euker seats up top you could have heard. LOL

Game ball goes to Burnett for a great outing.

Side Notes: Boston lost again today. Hughes will be on the bump tomorrow in Fenway. Its going to be a huge game for Boston as well as Hughes trying to get a better outing then his first start. See you in Boston

Soriano blows the game in the 8th inning Yanks lose

April 5, 2010

Yanks 4 Twins 5

CC Sabathis threw 7 scoreless inning and retired 17 in a row to leave the game with a 4-0 lead going into the 8th and Soriano completely blew the game and loaded up bases and walked in a run. Robertson was forced to come in and try and get out of the mess and gave up three runs for the tie and the twins scored in the 10th to secure the win.

Tough loss that makes me mad. Soriano looked lifeless out there in the 8th. The fans were giving him an earful of boo’s. Hope he is apologizing for that loss. very disappointing outing. Hate to lose a game like this with a 4-0 lrad in the 8th. Awful!!

The loss completely overshadowed the nice homerun from Tex again as he hot it from the right side.

Andrew Jones with a homerun in his Yankee debut.

Jeter 71 away.

Anyone see Andrew Jones get showered with onion rings on that foul ball from the fans? funny.

Tomorrow Freddy Garcia makes his debut.

Game ball to Delmon Young for that bases loaded double.

 

Nova brings it in his season debut

Yankees 4 Twins 3  April 4, 2010.

Ivan Nova showed huge signs of maturity and gave us the chance to win behind another night of the Yankee home run derby that seems to be happening daily.The biggest key of the night was seeing Nova get out of trouble in the tough innings where last year he struggled to accomplish that. That curve ball he threw to Joe Mauer with two outs in the fifth was insane and was a huge pitch. With this strong bullpen, all Yankee pitchers need to do is get through six strong innings and we will have a pretty great season.

Joba looked impressive again. I know he still looks heavy but he continues to shine.

Jorge looks comfortable at the plate with his second night going yard.

A-Rod is definitely starting to look like he is headed for a banner year. Keep an eye on him.

Anyone get worried when Tex took that shot to the foot? I was thinking Cervelli when I saw it.

Basically we own the Twins. Is there a curse we dont know about? See you tomorrow.

Game ball to Ivan Nova

Rough outing for Hughes on a slugfest day at the cathedral

Really hate writing about losses and today was a togh one to swallow considering all the power generated with our bats in a slugfest of homers by Posada, Tex and Cano. Phil Hughes was off today big time and seems his velocity problems this spring training are carrying into the early season. The two shots he gave up to Cabrera were just two poor pitches. That first one was a lazy cutter right over the plate and the second one was a very flat slider over the plate, which are huge no no’s with a caliber hitter like Cabrerra. It will be interesting to see if he can pick it up and see what changes Rothschild may bring to get him going.

Bartolo Colon made his debut today and gave up four runs today while he gave up just four runs all of spring training. He did settle down as the innings continued but the early shots he gave up hurt.

Gardner seems to be off as well. He is having a tough start. His timing seems to be off as he is swinging way latef at the plate.Hoping he gets back on track.

In light of the loss Jorge Posada showed great strides today at the DH. I was starting to get a bit concerned how he would fit into that role at DH. Statistically he is a much better hitter in the game at catcher then just coming of the bench. Hopefully with his two home run performance today he is developing a system to make it work in his new role.

Tex is starting the season on fire. Again with another home run in his third consecutive game he is definitely feeling good and seeing the ball really well.

Cano had that nice shot today over into left field. Looking forward to seeing him get hot.

Good to see Swisher starting to get going as well.

Martin with a three hit day is hot right now. I am impressed as I was pretty critical and not sure what he could bring to the club from Los Angeles.

Sidenotes: Boston gets swept today by Texas starting out 0-3  

Game ball: Cabrera

 

 

Yankee bats remain hot, 10-6 win over Detroit

Back in the Bronx for the second game of the season on a beautiful day. The big anticipation was to see Burnett who desperately needs this year to turn around from his slumping 2010 season. A.J. didnt diisappoint and looked pretty impressive early. He struggled a bit in the fifth but put in a solid session. Six strikeouts and his infamous curve looking great. I am feeling good. I know its early but AJ really needs this confidence as he has admitted this has become much of a mental issue.

Tex with another monster shot is looking great and hopefully out of his April slumps he is known for. It is great to see him hitting the ball well and only hope he continues.

Russel Martin is introducing himself to New York in good fashion..Going yard in the fifth on a three run bomber to the left field bleachers pretty much sealed the deal and gave us the cushion. Pretty satisfied so far with his play.

A-Rod just simply looks different out there and is just dominating. If you look at his stance at the plate he just looks really comfortable maybe the most I have seen him in a long time.His double in the first was just clutch with men on, something he is not very good at with men on. And that home run was just pure power. Great story with that A-Rod blast, Detroit’s Villareal pitching in his first majot league game and faces one of his idols who then takes him yard, welcome to the major leagues.

Jeter- two hits and 72 away from 3,000.

Game ball goes to A-Rod with an honorable mention to AJ for a good outing fighting a cold.

Side notes; Anyone see Ken Rosenthal? Whats up with that bowtie? Oh yea, he was in the cathedral, makes sense. 🙂