5/31 - Yankees at Twins
Hello to everyone as we're under the lights at the Metrodome for a second consecutive night. Hope you're all enjoying your weekends. Tonight brings us Chien-Ming Wang and Boof Bonser as the pitching matchup, as the Yankees go for their eighth win in their last 10 games. The pre-game news is as follows -- Jorge Posada fired off two good throws to second base in game action down in St. Petersburg, and the Yankees now believe he could be in the lineup on Thursday.
I spent some time talking with Hideki Matsui through the hardest-working translator in the big leagues, Roger Kahlon. Matsui said he doesn't feel surprised that he's leading the American League in hitting with a .339 average, but then again, he didn't come into the season with any expectations of such. It wasn't that long ago that the Giants were showing interest in Matsui and it seemed like it might be a good idea. Think the Yankees are happy with that outcome?
I've got to tell you, this was the best pre-game show I've ever seen in a ballpark. They had hundreds of kids dressed as pirates - not Pittsburgh Pirates - singing seafaring songs down the right field line, and then there was a home run hitting contest involving a few fans and T.C., the Twins mascot. Guess what -- a guy in a bear suit won the Home Run Derby, smacking balls off the seats over the center field wall. Sure, they were hitting from just beyond second base, but hey.
Props to the fan who upper-decked one in left field. I'd give anything to pop one onto the short porch at Yankee Stadium -- maybe the Bombers will take note and offer a home run hitting contest of their own. Maybe not. By the way, it's going to absolutely pour in Minneapolis tonight. Good thing they'll still have this roof in 2010 ... oh, wait.
I spent some time talking with Hideki Matsui through the hardest-working translator in the big leagues, Roger Kahlon. Matsui said he doesn't feel surprised that he's leading the American League in hitting with a .339 average, but then again, he didn't come into the season with any expectations of such. It wasn't that long ago that the Giants were showing interest in Matsui and it seemed like it might be a good idea. Think the Yankees are happy with that outcome?
I've got to tell you, this was the best pre-game show I've ever seen in a ballpark. They had hundreds of kids dressed as pirates - not Pittsburgh Pirates - singing seafaring songs down the right field line, and then there was a home run hitting contest involving a few fans and T.C., the Twins mascot. Guess what -- a guy in a bear suit won the Home Run Derby, smacking balls off the seats over the center field wall. Sure, they were hitting from just beyond second base, but hey.
Props to the fan who upper-decked one in left field. I'd give anything to pop one onto the short porch at Yankee Stadium -- maybe the Bombers will take note and offer a home run hitting contest of their own. Maybe not. By the way, it's going to absolutely pour in Minneapolis tonight. Good thing they'll still have this roof in 2010 ... oh, wait.
Game plan against Wang. Just wait for walks. Or once he is down 2-0, wait for a pitch to the inside of the plate at waist height. It often pays off.
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I forgot to mention that, once you get a runner on base, he won't be able to focus on the batter anymore.
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I love that even though Wang isn’t pitching his greatest, the Yankees still have the lead. See? This is how it’s done. Real baseball at last...
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Good to see Wang holding it down, supporting Moose, 'the ace'
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okay Wang's gone. Disappointing, could have done with that 6th.
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Jeter sure is slumping, not finding any wholes either. Kyle got three K's how do you like them apples?
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Are there any middle relievers available that can pitch more than one inning? Ross is driving me batty. Didn't the Yankees get this guy in a trade with Arizona. I understand making trades for Sheffield and Johnsson but did the Yankees get anything in return?
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I'm really not liking the Metrodome.
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Two outs no let up Ross, you are not out of it.
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obsports the only other place I seen a game in that is worse than the Metrodome is the Kingdome in Seattle.
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Olhendorf making it a game in the 11th 45 pitches no runs scored.
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way to get out of it Ross, guess you just proved me wrong!
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Let's get some runs!!
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Yeah I have to agree, I've seen 2 Football games and 4-5 Baseball games there and it's atrocious, the surface, the lighting, the visuals... it's really bad during day games sometimes as the sun casts a weird brightness on the dome's surface, it's very easy to lose a ball in the lights much less the dome itself. It'll be really nice to see the new stadium, but they should've worked harder to get the roof passed, they're going to need it. Or, Pohlad could've ponied up some... but we all know that's about as likely as Bud Selig admitting how much of a puppet he is.
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Jeter c'mon get a game winner I can't bare see you go 0-6!
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Jeter c'mon get a game winner I can't bare see you go 0-6!
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McAfee is ugly as sin...
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Yanks got Ohlendorf, Steven Jackson, and Gonzalez in the trade for Johnson. That's the best they could get considering Johnson was a broken down old man who couldn't pitch in NY. Yanks got Humberto Sanchez , and Clagett from Detroit, two very good pitching prospects, again that's the best they could do since they were dealing an old fart away.
Farnsworth still shouldn't be a setup many, period. One inning means absolutely nothing. Keep him in the middle innings, this guy has no ability to be a setup man.
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YANKEES MINOR LEAGUE SCOREBOARD May 31, 2008
Scranton/WB 5
Rochester (Twins) 2 (10)
W: D. Robertson (2-0, 2.25); L: J. DePaula (1-2, 5.76)
HR: SWB: J. Lane (11). ROC: D. McDonald (7).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_05_31_swbaaa_rocaaa_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Trentonb13
New Britain (Twins) 3
W: M. Melancon (2-0, 1.84); L: E. Simonitsch (0-3, 12.18)
HR: NBR: L. Hughes (12), B. Peterson (5)
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_05_31_treaax_nbraax_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Fort Myers (Twins) 8
Tampa 6
W: S. Baker (1-0, 5.40); L: Z. McAllister (0-1, 9.00); SV: R. Delaney (12)
HR: FTM: W. Ramos (8).
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_05_31_ftmafa_tbyafa_1&t=g_box&did=milb
Hickory (Pirates) 0
Charleston 2
W: A. Olbrychowski (3-2, 3.23); L: R. Delossantos (2-3, 4.22); SV: J. Ortiz (16)
HR: None.
http://web.minorleaguebaseball.com/milb/stats/stats.jsp?gid=2008_05_31_hicafx_crdafx_1&t=g_box&did=milb
You may also see http://www.yankeesdaily.com for details.
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Thanks for the info Matt. Totally agree with your on Farnie. On any given night you either get Dr. Jekyll or Mr. Hyde.
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Come on Fatboy hit a Grand Salami.
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Aim for the sky Giambino!!
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Yeah Bobby! And way to go A-rod...your certainly the clutch hitter of the day..no doubt about that. Come on dude...your better than that!!
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Kyle needs another pitch the slider worked well tonight. No more Joba in the pen' so one of these guys has to straighten out there act.
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Well I assume it's Rivera time. Come on Mo.
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A-Rod is a sucker for sliders. But believe me when I say that if the slider were not to move, he would've gapped that pitch. It was right in the same area he blasted one to CF in Baltimore.
With Mo on, this game is almost over. I don't take it for granted though.
One out! That cutter is sick.
Two out! Mo should've got that call though.
Tres puneta!
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Tell you #42 in pinstripes is a lock for the HOF. Glad to see him close it for Ohlendorf, the guy deserved the win for pitching out of the jam.
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Wow...he finally pulled off an extra inning. Mo Rivera I bow unto thee!! I love that man. Isn't that like 7/10 or 8/10 or something like that? AND we're over .500. Yeah!!!
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It's a start, if you have told me the team would be over .500 a month ago I would have said you need sedatives.
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Thats a win credit the releivers really kept the game going. The Yankees are playing better baseball Jorge in coming to a theater near you! Good night
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I actually called this run if you look at logically there is certain improvement in the near future (Thursday). After all they are still playing without primary players and there is a couple that are playing below expectations.
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Great win for the Yankees. Farnsworth pitched a scoreless inning!
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INDEED A GREAT WIN! Now if we can stay that way, and of course improve that right into the#1 spot. The relievers did a great job last night. Jeter finally got a hit stopping his free fall. We are now hoping he will start getting his hits, they are sorely needed. Abreu has come thru again in the clutch.. I'm starting to wonder where our power went to. It appears that Arod will not hit his 50 dingers, 40 maybe! Now only 7 & 21 RBIs, in'07 (April alone) he had 14. We need some of that power now! Let's go Raz, We need a big game from you today, We wore out the pen last night.
"GO YANKEES"
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I agree with you guys who say Farnsworth isn't a closer, and has no business being one. It's a desperation move until the Yanks can get J. Brent Cox ready. I think they will wait until he gets afew more innings under his belt, he missed most of last season due to injuries. In any case Farnsworth shouldn't be trusted as as setup man. I'm just waiting for him to blow up.
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Jeeeeeeze!!!! I really hate it when a talentless slob like Betamit is in the starting lineup, that's the same as playing with an eight-man lineup putting this team at a disadvantage. That no-talent slob should share the same fate as Ensberg, this guy is total crap!!!!
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joe,
I agree with everything you said about Farnsworth. He's no setup man, he doesn't have the qualities to be one so he shouldn't be trusted. Yanks called up Patterson after Ensberg was DFA'd. I would have definitely preferred seeing Cox up as the setup man by far, but the Yanks want him to build up his innings totals before he comes up as he only has 15 or 16 total innings this season after missing most of last season with an injury. Patterson so far is nothing more than a career minor leaguer who has spent almost all of his career in the Independent League so he is a total unknown. It could be worse though, as KArstens, A mediocre pitcher could have been called up, but he is having a terrible season ( not surprisingly) and is getting hammered in the minors just as he got hammered in ST. No chance of him ever making this roster even if he hadn't been injured. If the Yanks were smart they would release him, no chance of ever doing much with this team.
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Looks like Patterson's control is pretty suspect, he is just throwing way too many pitches right now. Another pitcher I don't want to see up right now is Giese, he seems to be having a fluke-like season I would be very careful about a pitcher like him. Matt, do you know anything about Giese? I believe you said he is a career minor leaguer as well in a previous post?
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I do know a little about Giese. He's another career minor leaguer who only has 9 1/3 career IP in the majors, all with the Giants last season, and also posted a 4.82 ERA. The Yanks are his fifth organization in his career. He's never shown any ability prior to this season he could put up the numbers he has this season. You have to be very leary of players like him who have done nothing in their careers, and put up those types of numbers out of nowhere. He's definitely had a fluke-like season, obviously. This team is going to have to be careful not to fall in love with retreads or mediocre players who put up good numbers. But with all the idiotic decision makers in this team's front office you're most likely going to see them at some point this season.
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What a surprise, good-for-nothing Bet "You wish I were the one DFA'd"apuke strikes out. What garbage!!!!!
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Matsui is a monster.
John McCain: Bush is right - Screw kids!
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