Yanking My Chain

It’s Gotta be The Moustache…

nyydiehard629 — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 02:29:02 +0000

Just when all hope was lost, Jason Giambi put the game on his shoulders and unloaded an absolute bomb 12 rows into the upper deck in right field to give the Yanks their first 9th inning comeback win this season. When describing Giambi, my cousin likes to use the word “brother” because as Italians he is a fellow paison.

But on this day, Giambi was a brother to all of the Bronx, sending the crowd into an eruption with his 9th inning 2-strike heroics. Like Super Mario saving the princess, Giambi saved what was an abysmal start by Chien Ming Wang and also masked the Yankees ineptitude with RISP once again.

For one day, Giambi has 53,000 brothers.

Must be the moustache….

A Game to Put up on the ‘Mantle’

nyydiehard629 — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 05:59:15 +0000

Well folks, for one night only the Yanks have eased my iron fist ways and remembered how to hit with runners in scoring position. Going a crisp 4-8 with RISP, the Bombers got the job done with timely hitting and a ridiculous performance by Mike Mussina who if it weren’t for the home plate umpire would have pitched 6 shutout innings. Anchoring all of this was Captain Derek Jeter’s milestone hit, passing Yankee great Mickey Mantle for 3rd place on the Yanks all time hit list with a typical Jeterian inside-outer to right.

Moose looked like the mid 90′s Moose we knew on Baltimore. Changing speeds, a surprisingly devastating 2 seamer, and well placed curves kept the Jays off balance all night.

“It’s funny how things happen,” Mussina said. “This game is a great game, and it’s a frustrating game. It’s a strange game, all at the same time. A lot of people assumed that my best stuff was behind me.” Obviously not, Mike. Mussina has become an unlikely candidate for the all star team.

Right after Jeter’s hit, the crowd rose to a standing ovation as the Jumbotron told the news to the masses in the Bronx. Jeter, as classy as he is, does not put on a show, instead he acknowledges the crowd with the tip of his helmet like nothing had ever happened. Just par for the course nowadays for the Yankee Captain.

Buried in these 2 big storylines is the big bounce back of the bullpen tonight, anchored by MO. Ross Ohlendorf, Kyle Farnsworth, and Rivera combined to pitch 3 innings in relief letting up no runs while mowing down the Jays 1-2-3.

Its an uphill battle and if the Yanks can dish out some more wins like this, they’ll be makin their way up the standings just in time for the break. With a re-shuffled bullpen making strides coupled with stellar performances from Moose, Wang, and the D-Raz along with Joba and Pettitte…this team could be a force to be reckoned with downt he stretch.

Then again, tomorrow if they lose I’ll be bridgejumping again. Damn I need some Tums…

Farns-Worth Something Now?

nyydiehard629 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 17:24:49 +0000

I’ve said it before I’ll say it again: I don’t like Kyle Farnsworth. Never have, never will. But aside from his latest outing in which he surrendered the game losing run in the 8th inning, he has been somewhat effective. Let’s face it, Joe Torre never really gave the guy a chance in his tenure in New York. I like the fact that Girardi is showing enough confidence in him to use him repeatedly. I think that is what it takes for a pitcher to become successful: a manager that shows faith in you. I’ve described Farnsworth in the past as “farnsworthless” but as puzzling it may be to some, he is in fact a vital part of the Yankees success now that Joba is in the rotation. We all know LaTroy Hawkins is not going to get it done. Farnsworth has to step it up in the late innings for this team to even be considered playoff-caliber.

Joba and the Pitch Counts

nyydiehard629 — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:37:22 +0000

Whats up all….I am pretty new to the blogging scene but I decided to start this one after having watched the 2008 version of the New York Yankees for about 50 games now. I need to vent my frustrations and concerns somewhere so I figured that a blog would be the best medium to do it in. Anyway, here goes.

Joba Chamberlain, as many know, made his first start as a Yank on Tuesday lasting just 2.1 innings and throwing 62 pitches in all. The first inning was the death of him as he surrendered 3 walks and threw 34 pitches. Granted, Jose Molina should be catching foul tips but no excuses will be made here. For those of us who were expecting a Bob Gibson complete game from Joba, you are sadly mistaken.

But he throws so hard! He hits 98 on the gun all day! Why is he struggling?! I’ll tell you why. The death of starting pitchers dating back to the mid 1990′s has been the infamous pitch count theory. More and more pitchers coming from the minor leagues are being bred to throw X amount of pitches per game, to somehow “save their arms.” As revenue and payroll continue to skyrocket in baseball, pitchers are becoming commodities and luxuries instead of just baseball players. Owners have to “protect their investments.” Hence, the addition of pitch count. How did Bob Gibson throw 255 complete games out of 422 starts? Was he on a pitch count? How did Nolan Ryan hurl 61 shutouts in his career? Was he on a pitch count?

Lets face it folks, the pitch count was what did Joba in on Tuesday. He even acknowledged after the game that he felt he needed to pace himself because he knew that he was only in for 65-70 pitches. With that sort of thinking going on during a game, there is no way in hell a pitcher can concentrate on the task at hand. What Girardi and the Yanks brass should have done was just tell Joba he was starting and not mention anything about a pitch count to him and just let him hurl until they felt it was time for him to get out of the game.

Oh and one more thing. The Yanks should not have even called this “start” a start. This was simply a glorified stretch out session. When you know going into a game that the starting pitcher is only going to be in for 3-4 innings, YOU DON’T HAVE HIM START! I don’t see how bringing Joba in for innings 1-3 is any different than bringing him in for innings 6, 7, and 8. He could have thrown the same amount of pitches and been a vital part of the game as well and let someone else start.

Just my two cents. Lets see how this team can frustrate me after tonight’s game.