Posted by: Patrick
Bryan Hoch reports that Shelley Duncan and Melky Cabrera have dropped their appeals, agreeing to reduced suspensions of two games each.
Posted by: James
It might be that the Yankees offense hasn't quite gotten everything going yet, but is anyone else impressed with the Jay's pitching staff? They have built a pretty solid pitching staff up north and if they were a little better offense...woo, watch out.
As for last night's game, it was a well-pitched ball game that essentially came down to a battle of the bullpens which the Yankees won. Dustin McGowan was on his game last night, holding the Yankees scoreless over the first five innings, but it looked like he tired in the sixth. He was battling the flu...or the dreaded "flu-like symptoms"...so I guess it was to be expected. In any case, the Yankees scored in the sixth on a wild pitch and a sac fly after the first 3 batters of the inning reached. It's a good thing that the Yanks won the game because scoring only 1 run on non-error plays with bases loaded and none out isn't exactly a great outcome.
Phil Hughes had a pretty strong performance, going 6 innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs while striking out 4 and walking one. His velocity was right around 90, for those keeping track (and if the gun is accurate). Still, he kept the Jays off balance most of the night by mixing in a very nice curveball. He gave up a run in the fourth after a Eckstein double and a Alex Rios RBI single and another in the fifth as Marco Scutaro walked and went to third on a Gregg Zaun double and scored on an Eckstein grounder.
Still, it was the Yankees bullpen who came through tonight. Billy Traber, Brian Bruney, Joba and Mo combined for three shutout while the Toronto bullpen gave up the game winning run in the 8th. Melky started off the inning with a single, followed by a misplayed sac bunt from Johnny Damon. Jeter sacrificed the runners over and Melky came around to score on a Bobby Abreu bloop. In came Mo in the ninth and that was the ball game.
In other great news, the minor league season has started as well...Kei Igawa is perfect for the season so far through 6 IP! Sweet.
As for last night's game, it was a well-pitched ball game that essentially came down to a battle of the bullpens which the Yankees won. Dustin McGowan was on his game last night, holding the Yankees scoreless over the first five innings, but it looked like he tired in the sixth. He was battling the flu...or the dreaded "flu-like symptoms"...so I guess it was to be expected. In any case, the Yankees scored in the sixth on a wild pitch and a sac fly after the first 3 batters of the inning reached. It's a good thing that the Yanks won the game because scoring only 1 run on non-error plays with bases loaded and none out isn't exactly a great outcome.
Phil Hughes had a pretty strong performance, going 6 innings, allowing 4 hits and 2 runs while striking out 4 and walking one. His velocity was right around 90, for those keeping track (and if the gun is accurate). Still, he kept the Jays off balance most of the night by mixing in a very nice curveball. He gave up a run in the fourth after a Eckstein double and a Alex Rios RBI single and another in the fifth as Marco Scutaro walked and went to third on a Gregg Zaun double and scored on an Eckstein grounder.
Still, it was the Yankees bullpen who came through tonight. Billy Traber, Brian Bruney, Joba and Mo combined for three shutout while the Toronto bullpen gave up the game winning run in the 8th. Melky started off the inning with a single, followed by a misplayed sac bunt from Johnny Damon. Jeter sacrificed the runners over and Melky came around to score on a Bobby Abreu bloop. In came Mo in the ninth and that was the ball game.
In other great news, the minor league season has started as well...Kei Igawa is perfect for the season so far through 6 IP! Sweet.
Posted by: Seamus
The Yankees dropped to 1-1 last night as A.J. Burnett was lights out for the Blue Jays en route to a 5-2 Toronto victory. The Yankees were held scoreless for six innings and a two-run home run by Alex Rodriguez was all the offense the Yankees could muster.
Despite what you might have heard from the announcers had you watched the game last night, Mike Mussina really did not pitch all that well. His line was not that great (4 ER, 8 H in 5 2/3 innings) and he escaped a lot of innings only through some damage control by the defense as they turned two on some hard hit ground balls that just fortunately ended up in A-Rod's glove. The Yankees turned 3 double plays with Mussina on the mound and five overall. The other run surrendered by the Yankees was from LaTroy Hawkins, who was a little shaky in his Yankee debut.
His Blue Jays' counterpart, however, was automatic. A.J. Burnett was just too much for the Yankees as he kept the Yankees scoreless until the 7th inning when A-Rod put one over the centerfield wall for a two-run homer which brought the Yanks to within 5-2.
That would prove to be the final score as Brian Tallet and Jeremy Accardo got the job done for the Blue Jays' bullpen.
Well after 4 months of watching football, basketball and hockey, I am reminded what I like best about baseball season, and that's the fact that you never have to dwell over a loss as the teams will go at it again the next day. Phil Hughes will be on the mound tonight facing Dustin McGowan. Game starts at 7:05 E.T.
EDIT: Only three of the runs Mussina allowed were earned. The run scored by Toronto in the first was unearned.
Despite what you might have heard from the announcers had you watched the game last night, Mike Mussina really did not pitch all that well. His line was not that great (4 ER, 8 H in 5 2/3 innings) and he escaped a lot of innings only through some damage control by the defense as they turned two on some hard hit ground balls that just fortunately ended up in A-Rod's glove. The Yankees turned 3 double plays with Mussina on the mound and five overall. The other run surrendered by the Yankees was from LaTroy Hawkins, who was a little shaky in his Yankee debut.
His Blue Jays' counterpart, however, was automatic. A.J. Burnett was just too much for the Yankees as he kept the Yankees scoreless until the 7th inning when A-Rod put one over the centerfield wall for a two-run homer which brought the Yanks to within 5-2.
That would prove to be the final score as Brian Tallet and Jeremy Accardo got the job done for the Blue Jays' bullpen.
Well after 4 months of watching football, basketball and hockey, I am reminded what I like best about baseball season, and that's the fact that you never have to dwell over a loss as the teams will go at it again the next day. Phil Hughes will be on the mound tonight facing Dustin McGowan. Game starts at 7:05 E.T.
EDIT: Only three of the runs Mussina allowed were earned. The run scored by Toronto in the first was unearned.
04/02: Posada Kept Out
Posted by: Patrick
Kat O'Brien reports that Jorge Posada was a late scratch in tonight's game due to a "stiff shoulder". The Yanks aren't worried about it.
Posted by: Patrick
Ed Price reports that the suspension appeals of both Melky Cabrera and Shelley Duncan will be heard on Monday.
04/01: Yankees Win in Opener, 3-2
Posted by: Patrick
You're not going to beat the Yankees very often when the only pitchers you see are Chien-Ming Wang, Joba Chamberlain and Mariano Rivera. And so it goes, with the Yankees beating the Blue Jays, 3-2, in the final opener at the current Yankee Stadium.
The Yankees scored first, in the bottom of the first, thanks to a 2 out rally. After Damon and Jeter were retired, Abreu singled and A-Rod doubled him home, for the Yankees first run of the season. The Blue Jays came back and tied it up in the 2nd, but that and a run in the 5th were all they would get out of Wang.
The Yankees starter pitched 7 innings, allowing 6 hits, walking 2 and striking out 2 to go along with those 2 earned runs. Before he left, the Yanks came back and gave him the lead, thanks to runs in the 6th and 7th innings. In the 6th, Melky lead off with a solo home run. And, in the 7th, Matsui grounded into a fielder's choice that allow A-Rod to score the go ahea.
Joba relieved Wang to pitch the 8th and, except for a walk, was perfect, striking out two batters. Mo pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning to close opening day. Tomorrow night, we'll have Mike Mussina versus A.J. Burnett at 7:05 ET.
The Yankees scored first, in the bottom of the first, thanks to a 2 out rally. After Damon and Jeter were retired, Abreu singled and A-Rod doubled him home, for the Yankees first run of the season. The Blue Jays came back and tied it up in the 2nd, but that and a run in the 5th were all they would get out of Wang.
The Yankees starter pitched 7 innings, allowing 6 hits, walking 2 and striking out 2 to go along with those 2 earned runs. Before he left, the Yanks came back and gave him the lead, thanks to runs in the 6th and 7th innings. In the 6th, Melky lead off with a solo home run. And, in the 7th, Matsui grounded into a fielder's choice that allow A-Rod to score the go ahea.
Joba relieved Wang to pitch the 8th and, except for a walk, was perfect, striking out two batters. Mo pitched a 1-2-3 9th inning to close opening day. Tomorrow night, we'll have Mike Mussina versus A.J. Burnett at 7:05 ET.
03/31: Hawkins Grabs Number 21
Posted by: Patrick
Morgan Ensberg didn't feel comfortable wearing number 21, but LaTroy Hawkins jumped at the chance to wear Paul O'Neill's former number.
"I'm a fan of a lot of the guys who have played the game," Hawkins said. "Clemente stands out because of what he stood for and what he died doing. That was pretty impressive. He died the month I was born, and I was born on Dec. 21." ...
"The feedback from the fans was: 'That's not your number.' It was unbelievable," Ensberg said. "The gist of it was that it was Paulie's number, and I understood." ...
"I'm a pitcher," Hawkins said. "I'm a little different. I was uncomfortable wearing No. 22 a little bit, because [Brian] Bruney talked about me so much, calling me 'Roger' the whole spring. They can call me 'Paulie' now if they want."
"The feedback from the fans was: 'That's not your number.' It was unbelievable," Ensberg said. "The gist of it was that it was Paulie's number, and I understood." ...
"I'm a pitcher," Hawkins said. "I'm a little different. I was uncomfortable wearing No. 22 a little bit, because [Brian] Bruney talked about me so much, calling me 'Roger' the whole spring. They can call me 'Paulie' now if they want."
03/31: Sheppard to Introduce Jeter
Posted by: Patrick
Bryan Hoch reports that Bob Sheppard will be introducing Derek Jeter, even though he won't be at the stadium. This is because Jeter had Sheppard's introduction of the shortstop recorded.
"It's unfortunate, because one of the first things I looked forward to when I was called up was coming to Yankee Stadium and hearing him say my name," Jeter said on Monday. "I had Bob Sheppard record introducing me. I'll always come to the plate with Bob Sheppard."
Posted by: Seamus
Just to give an idea of how the weather can be sometimes in this area: Here at my home in Shirley, Long Island, there hasn't been a single drop of rain all day, yet just 50 miles to the west it's apparently raining too hard to play a baseball game. So now we'll add another day to our wait as today's scheduled season opener between the Yankees and Blue Jays has been rescheduled for tomorrow at 7:05 ET.
From a personal standpoint though I guess I could live with it because it gives me an extra day to replace my malfunctioning iO cable box so I can get the games in HD.
OK, now I see a spot of drizzle...I think.
From a personal standpoint though I guess I could live with it because it gives me an extra day to replace my malfunctioning iO cable box so I can get the games in HD.
OK, now I see a spot of drizzle...I think.
Posted by: James
Just as FYI, the Yankees has won their last 10 straight home openers, which is the longest active streak in the majors (Baltimore of all teams is second with 7 straight) so let's see if they can't keep the streak going.
Also of note - today is Chien-ming Wang's birthday. He turns 28 today and takes the hill today trying to continue the streak...and looking at his home splits from the last two years (21 wins in 33 starts), he's got a good shot of putting up a strong performance.
Let's Go Yankees!
Also of note - today is Chien-ming Wang's birthday. He turns 28 today and takes the hill today trying to continue the streak...and looking at his home splits from the last two years (21 wins in 33 starts), he's got a good shot of putting up a strong performance.
Let's Go Yankees!
