Today’s move

Dontrelle Willis now tries to resurrect his career with the Phils. Willis was 1-6, 5.00 for the Reds in 2011 (ERA+ 78). The one-time Marlins ace (MLB leading 22 wins in 2005, CYA runnerup, 2003 ROY) is 14-30, 5.65, ERA+ 76 since 2006.

Ex-Yank Jonathan Albaladejo has signed with AZ. He pitched in Japan last year.

Ex-Yank #1 draft pick Andrew Brackman signed with the Reds. He pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings for the Yanks last year, but was just 3-6, 6.00 at AAA.

It appears that Josh Willingham is headed to the Twins. Willingham, 32, hit .246-29-98 for the A’s in 2011, OPS+ 121. The A’s lost DeJesus already (.240-10-46) to the Cubs. If they trade Gio, they’ll need bats. Godzilla will be 38 in 2012, and he’s slipping. Hideki Matsui (Godzilla) hit just .251-12-72 in 2011, OPS+ just 92. The team OPS+ was just 87.

With Texas still strong (2x defending AL Champ) and the Angels picking up Wilson and Pujols, it could be a long 2012 for Oakland.

The Rox are said to be looking at either Michael Cuddyer or Carlos Beltran.

It doesn’t appear that Jimmy Rollins will leave the Phils, but the Tigers are said to possibly give the Phils competition in signing the free agent SS.

NFL: “Bad Boy” James Harrison of the Steelers suspended for one game for his hit on Browns QB Colt McCoy. I don’t advocate dirty football or purposely injuring someone, but sometimes the NFL does go too far. It is football after all. Hits happen. Sometimes the NFL seems to be turning it into p****ball. Let them play. A defender can’t stop in mid-run to avoid hitting someone. Let the refs decide if a hit was avoidable or not.

Yankees release Albaladejo

43 saves at AAA SWB didn’t get him anywhere, so it looks like Jonathan Albaladejo is heading East.

The FAR East, that is.

The Lower Hudson Journal (LoHud) reports that the Yankees have released Alby so that he can sign a deal with a Japanese team.

Considering that his great AAA season got him only 11 1/3 MLB innings last year, it’s probably for the best.

As LoHud points out, 43 saves, 82 strikeouts and 18 walks in 63.1 Triple-A innings.

…and still nothing much in September.

For in that September stretch drive, the Yanks didn’t trust a guy with 43 AAA saves. It may have rung a bell in Alby’s brain.

No one wants to be where they aren’t wanted.

Game 155. The lineup. Yanks need wins. They don’t get one today as they lose again, 7-3 to Bosox.

92-62, 1/2 a game back in AL East.
Magic #3 for the wild card.
Losers of 12 of last 18.
2 games WORSE than Pythagorean record. OPS+ 109, ERA+ 109

Day game after night game. Posada sits. Kearns in vs. Lefty Lester. Gardner out.

Start winning.

Derek Jeter SS .267-10-65-17sb/22att OPS+ 88 ; 2916 hits. 13 g. hitting streak. Gone yard just once since June 12th (one HR was an inside the parker).  
Nick Swisher RF .291-28-88-1/3; 131
Mark Teixeira 1B .255-32-103-0/1; 124   274 HR
Alex Rodriguez 3B .273-27-116-4/7; 123  610 HR ; 2665 hits
Robinson Cano 2B .319-28-104-2/4; 141
Marcus Thames DH .295-12-33-0/0; 131
Austin Kearns LF .265-10-49-4/5; 108  as Yankee, .242-2-7, 0/0; OPS+ 83, and 33 strikeouts in 91 AB. 
Curtis Granderson CF .251-22-61-12/14; 108
Francisco Cervelli C  .258-0-35-1/2; 79     1 MLB HR

Ivan Nova RHP 1-0, 4.11  ERA+ 106    7th MLB start.

My fears are being realized (see previous post). Nova, still a novice, gives up 3 runs in the third. Yanks doing nothing against Lester. First 9 batters go down in order, 4 by K. Kearns once again proves why his name begins with K.

One thing about Nova. I don’t know if it’s pitching from the stretch that’s a problem for him or what, but the guy has great shut-them-down innings but as soon as someone gets on, he implodes.

4 2/3 for Nova. Once again, no length from him in a game, 4 R, 4 H, 3 W and 2 K. ERA to 4.54. (1-1)

Ring in to face one batter and he gave up an RBI single to Big Papi. Ortiz with 2 RBI today.

Then, goodness gracious. Girardi goes to Gaudin again. I really can’t see the love affair that Girardi has with Gaudin. Gaudin gets out of the fifth. Meanwhile, the Yankees haven’t put anyone on base yet.   

The Yanks seem as if they are playing with no urgency. They better wake up soon, or the 2004 ALCS will be the second biggest Yankees collapse.

After being no-hit for five innings, the Yanks get two hits in the 6th, but Kearns (who walked) is thrown out at the plate on Jeter’s single (hit #2917). 4-0 Boston after six.

Make it 5-0 as J.D. Drew HRs. Seriously, Joe, Gaudin again?

This wild card race is getting too close. As I mentioned, the Yankees need a wake-up call.  

Make it 6-0 as Victor Martinez follows Drew with a HR of his own. Like I said about Gaudin. The fans are booing. Maybe that is what the Yankees need.  

Gaudin went 1 2/3, 2 r, 4 h, 0 W, 0 k. Combined ERA 5.68. Seriously, I don’t know what Girardi sees in him. Aceves has been missed this year.

2/3 of an inning for Romulo Sanchez, both K but he walks two (0.00). Albaladejo in.

PSU wins, but too close of a game. 5 FG in a 22-13 win over Temple.

#7 Texas is getting whupped by UCLA, 34-12. Other teams are putting big numbers on the board. Scores in the 50s and 60s. Heck, Wisconsin put up 70.

#1 Alabama escapes, 24-20. #2 Ohio St. has only E. Michigan, but is up 73-20. Change at the top?

Update: The Yanks wound up losing, 7-3. They only had four hits in the game. Granderson hit a 2-run HR (23) and A-Rod (28) got #611.

Alby had a scoreless 8th (4.66) but Joba gave up a run in the 9th (4.50).

If the Boss were alive, he’d raise hell. Heck, maybe he is doing that in the great beyond.     

Update II: Bronx Baseball Daily points out that over the past 16 days, Gaudin’s ERA is 9.82 in 7 appearances….yet Girardi keeps going to him.  

 

 

Game 154. Yanks fall to 2nd with 10-8 loss to Boston. Alex passes Sosa.

The Yanks fell to second place with a 10-8 loss to Boston. The game wasn’t as close as the final score as the Red Sox got off to a 10-1 lead before withstanding a Yankees HR barrage.

Andy Pettitte (11-3, 3.17) started and didn’t have it. A three-run HR by Lowrie in the 2nd, and knocked out in the 4th. 7 R, 6 ER on 10 hits, 0 walks and 1 K. But you know what? I would have left him in there for 15-20 MORE pitches.

Not to embarrass Andy, Lord no. But at that stage, I felt that there wasn’t much difference between 7-1 and 10-1 (you didn’t know about the HRs to come, of course). The most important thing, to me, was to stretch Andy out. Get his pitch count up as you try to get him ready for the postseason. As it was, Andy threw 75 pitches. Enough? I might have left him in, let him take a beating (which he already did) but with the purpose of trying to get 90 from him…no matter what.

Well, after complaining about Albaladejo (5.19) not being used, Alby comes in and gets out of the 4th. He gets the first two outs in the 5th, before giving up a walk, single, and 3-run HR to Bill Hall to make it 10-1. I don’t know what Alby was doing great for SWB this year, but the “old” Alby made an unfortunate reappearance.

The Yanks had gotten a run in the 3rd on Granderson’s 22nd HR of the year. They would make the score close with five more HRs. In the sixth, Teix (31) and Alex (26) went back-to-back. #609 for Alex tied Sosa on the all-time list. He wasn’t done.

In the 7th, Swisher hit a 2-run HR (28) to cut it to 10-5. After Teixeira walked, Alex then passed Sosa* on the all-time list with #610* (27). Next up? Ken Griffey Jr.’s 630. After that it is Mays 660, Ruth 714 and should he get there, Aaron’s 755 and Bonds’ 762*.

Teixeira hit #32 in the 9th for the final score of 10-8.

Albaladejo went the 1 2/3, 3 R, 2 H, 1 W, 0 K.

Mitre went two scoreless (3.51). Wood a scoreless 1 1/3 (3.05; 0.37 as a Yankee), and Logan 2/3 (2.84).

The magic # for the playoffs stays at 3. You don’t know when it may drop, as things may get a little hairy this weekend. Nova today and Moseley tomorrow? The Yanks may be going to Toronto NEEDING to win up there. You definitely don’t want to have the playoff spot riding on beating Boston in Boston next weekend. Wrap it up before then.

As for the division, my gut feeling is that the Rays, now in first, will take it because of their schedule from here on out.

Three losses in a row. The Yanks need to wake up. Nova vs. Lester today doesn’t sound good. Moseley tomorrow doesn’t either.

The Yanks are making wrapping up a spot harder than it should be.      

         

Game 152. Rays cut it to 1 1/2 with 10 left, 7-2. Schedule still favors Rays.

I believe in the rhythm of a game.

Of course, when there is a rain delay lasting 2:10, there is no rhythm. Esp. when it comes in the bottom of the third and both starters have to be pulled.

AJ (10-14, 5.05) was only able to go 3 because of the rain. 1 R, 2 H, 2 W and 2 K.

After the delay, Royce Ring made his first appearance. Just called up from SWB, who ended their season a week or two ago, Ring could be excused for being rusty. Instead, he did quite well and should be considered if Girardi wants a second lefty in the bullpen. He went 1 2/3, 1 R on 0 H, 1 walk, 2 K. The run scored only because Moseley let his runner (via the walk) score. ERA 5.40.

The Yanks cut it from 2-0 to 2-1 on a HR by (hell just froze over) Berkman. Finally. His first as a Yankee, but Moseley gave it back. 3-1. 

Moseley went 1 1/3, 1 R on FIVE hits. 0 W, 0 K. A HR. ERA 4.94.

An A-Rod RBI single cuts it to 3-2.  

I completely agree with NoMaas.org. Why the f*** does Girardi not use Jonathan Albaladejo? He runs Moseley out there and Moseley was awful. He let an inherited run score, then let another one in. See above 1 1/3. FIVE hits. 

Why bring Alby up to the big club if you won’t use him? Alby had 43 saves at SWB. 4-2, 1.42. Give the guy an inning. Why is he here if you won’t use him?

…and to make matters worse, after the score is cut to 3-2, who does Girardi bring in but Chad Gaudin. Or, as I say every time he comes in, Chad GodDamn.   

Gaudin. Who has been completely overused by Girardi over the past few weeks. It is like he has incriminating photos of Girardi in drag or something.

Since when has Gaudin become Girardi’s version of Tanyon Sturtze? A reliever (like Torre with Proctor or Sturtze) who is overused way beyond his capabilities?

But Girardi won’t use a guy who dominated at AAA.

Gaudin takes a 3-2 lead and gives up two HR in his inning of work. Thanks for letting the game get away, Joe.

Those 2 HR make Gaudin’s combined ERA 5.46. 5.46. Hey Joe. News flash. That sucks.

Remember that even though the Yanks came into tonight with a 2 1/2 game lead, that seven of the Rays’ last games are against Seattle and KC while the Yanks have six vs. Boston. When you think of that, that 2 1/2 game lead isn’t safe.  

By the way, Rick Sutcliffe is awful.

Gaudin goes 1 2/3, 3 R, 3 H, 1 W and 1 K. 2 HR given up. 5.54 ERA now. Even worse.  

With two out and two on in the 8th, Alby finally comes in. He walks a batter to load the bases.

The Yanks offense hasn’t helped. Just 3 hits (one by Jeter, who now has an 11 game hitting streak) through seven.

Ok, Alby. I advocated for you. So did NoMaas. You can’t come in and bleeping walk two consecutive batters to a) load the bases then b) walk in a run. Inexcusable. You want to build on those SWB numbers? You can’t do that.

Finally Alby gets out of it. But with two out and two on, you cannot, simply cannot, walk two straight hitters. Sheesh. Esp. on 8 balls and only one strike.

Boston won. Should Tampa hang on, the Yanks’ magic numbers will stay the same.   

More trouble for Alby in the 9th. Single and his 3rd walk. Show some b**ls, Alby. Pitch like you did at SWB.  K, Force. Single to make it 7-2.

Disappointing.

Alby 1 1/3, 1 R, 2 H, 3 Walks, 2 K. 2.57

7 walks by Yankee pitchers tonight. 3 dingers served.

7-2 Rays.  Yanks manage just 6 hits.

 

  

 

 

 

           

Game 144. Yanks drop out of 1st with 1-0, 11-inning loss. Girardi’s moves leave me perplexed.

CC and Price were both brilliant tonight in a classic game.

CC went 8, 0 R, 2 H, 2 W and 9 K as he lowered his ERA to 3.03. ND though. No #20.

Price matched CC with 8 scoreless innings of his own.

Girardi’s moves, however made me want to throw things (good thing I didn’t, I was not at home but watching in a pub!)

8th inning. Scoreless. Posada leads off and reaches on an error. Then (to me) Girardi went into brainlock. Up to that point, the Yanks had just two hits. TWO. This after getting two-hit by Cliff Lee on Sunday.

Pinch-run for Posada? Seems obvious to me. You have three catchers. It’s September with September callups. Get a fast guy on to PR for Jorge, and bunt him over.

A-B-C baseball. The fundamentals. Things the Yanks seem to have forgotten about as they lost their seventh in the last eight.

FUNDAMENTAL BASEBALL. Not just sitting around waiting for a HR.

No pinch-runner. No bunt. Instead, you guessed it…something happening all too often in this losing streak…Kearns GIDP.

…and sure enough, Granderson then singles. Whereas, if you have the PR, have the Sac, Granderson’s single would have put the Yanks up 1-0. Nope. Scoreless.

What the hell was Girardi thinking there?

CC got out of trouble in the 8th. Wood had no trouble in the 9th. 2 K. ERA 3.40 overall and as a Yankee, just ridiculous. I forget what, but 0.40 or thereabouts.

In the 10th, Berkman got a one-out walk. Gardner pinch-ran. Ok, WHERE WAS THAT IN THE 8th???? Gardner, with two outs stole 2nd (41) but was then picked off. He almost made it to third, but nope. Out. Get on Gardner all you want but he tried to make something happen.

No one else did.

No one tried to bunt their way on. Even Golson, fast as all hell, doesn’t try a drag bunt. WHY THE HELL NOT? No hit and runs. No squeeze plays when the situation arises for it.

Nothing.

Just wait for the HR which isn’t coming. Billy Martin must be rolling over in his grave, for this team doesn’t play littleball.

Which is why I and the “Yankee Truth,” Josh, are not high on this team right now, no matter what their record is.

The walkoffs aren’t there. A-B-C fundamental baseball (get them on, get them over, get them in) isn’t there. Man on 3rd, no SF. Don’t bunt. Don’t hit and run. Don’t squeeze.

CREATE RUNS, DAMN IT! No PR in the 8th and a sac when the situation SCREAMED for it.

In the 10th, Logan faces one batter and a K. Then, instead of leaving Logan in (ERA 2.29). Girardi makes a move. Joba? No. Robertson? No. Rivera? No.

Instead, it is Chad Gaudin. Again. Why is Joe going to Gaudin so much lately? Does Gaudin have incriminating pix of Joe G. or something? The walkoff Friday. More Gaudin Saturday. Gaudin? He of an ERA of 5.37 in Game 144 with first place on the line? God, I’d rather have Albaladejo in that spot. Alby did have a great AAA season. Yes, I’d rather have HIM there than Gaudin.

The bases get loaded. Somehow Gaudin gets out of it.

Mitre in the 11th. First batter gets a meatball from Meat-Tray.

1-0 Rays.

I really wonder about some moves tonight.

Meanwhile, the Yanks drop to 2nd. A rookie with a handful of major league starts goes tomorrow vs. Matt Garza.

…and the captain has not had a multi-hit game since 8/21.

Game 143. Yanks lose 6th in last 7. Take 1/2 game lead into Tampa.

After an eight-game winning streak, the Yanks have now lost six of seven, and the only win was on a 2-run walkoff HR by Swisher in the bottom of the 9th.

Moseley didn’t do badly today. For six innings, he matched Cliff Lee.

But the Yanks only managed 1 run and two hits in the whole ballgame. Lee no-hit the Yanks for 5 1/3. Nunez singled and Jeter doubled. That was it.

In the seventh, Moseley and Albaladejo cracked. The winning run scored on a drag bunt single. Wait. The Yanks have Jeter, Granderson, Gardner. Golson if he is in. Pena has speed, but no….we never see THAT, do we?

Not to mention something I’ve written about before….when the hell do the Yankees ever squeeze a run home?

I know it’s the AL. The DH league. But when you keep leaving runners at 3rd because you can’t hit a SF. For God’s sake, hit and run. Sacrifice. Squeeze. Don’t just sit there and wait for a 3-run HR or a double. MAKE THINGS HAPPEN. 

Fundamentals. Moving the runner up. Hitting behind the runner. The H&R. The sac bunt. the squeeze. These win titles.

Not waiting for a SF, double or 3-run HR.

Be aggressive.     

In the 7th, the two-out drag bunt to bring in the eventual winning run. We don’t see that from the Yanks, do we?

Maybe Moseley should have been pulled before the 7th, but he did do a capable job. 6 2/3, 4 R (3 in the 7th), 5 H, 2 W and 1 K. 4-3, 4.89. For six innings, great. Until the drag bunt, great.

Alby 1 1/3, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W and 1 K. 1.59.

Swisher a last minute cut. Golson in RF. Alex was out. Same with Gardner.

1/2 game lead. Three in Tampa beginning tomorrow. CC, Nova and Hughes.

I wonder. I see a lot of 1993. In that year, the Yanks were tied with Toronto with 21 games left. Toronto went 17-4. The Yanks 10-11. Not enough pitching.

Right now, let’s compare.

2010. 117 OPS +, 102 ERA+
CC 19-6 3.14. ERA+ 127
Hughes 16-7, 4.26, 94
AJ 10-13, 5.13; 78
Javy 10-9, 5.09; 78
Andy 11-2, 2.88; 139
Moseley 4-3, 4.89; 82
Nova 1-0, 2.92; 138
Mitre 0-2, 3.47; 116

1993 (would have been WC if such existed); OPS+ 114; ERA+ 96 
Key 18-6, 3.00 ERA+ 139
Abbott 11-14, 4.37, 95
Melido Perez 6-14, 5.19. 80
Kamieniecki 10-7, 4.08, 102
Wickman 14-4, 4.63; 90
Witt 3-2, 5.27, 80
Jean 1-1, 4.46 94
Hitchcock 1-2, 4.65 91
Hutton 1-1, 4.73  74
Tanana 0-2, 3.20  132
Militello 1-1 6.75; 64
Jeff Johnson 0-2, 30.38, 16

Both had only two main guys over 100 ERA+    The rest, below Average.   

Of course, 2010 has Mo. 1993 didn’t have anything similar.

Big series coming up.

No sweep for Tampa, the Yanks’ High A Team. They  are still up 2 games to one for the FSL Championship.

Glad the Steelers won, 15-9. Looking at the boxscore of Kevin Kolb with the Eagles, how long before fickle Eagles fans scream that they want McNab back? (Redskins won 13-7).

Game 142. Mo Blows it, Yanks lead down to 1/2 game.

A rare blown save for Mariano Rivera, and if not for Swisher’s walk-off HR the other day, the Yanks would be staring at a six-game losing streak.

The bats just keep on leaving runners on base. It appears as if they just want to slug in the runs. I don’t see or hear any hit-and-runs, or bunting the runners over.

As I’ve mentioned many times, it appears as if the squeeze isn’t part of the Yanks’ playbook.

…and what you would give for the timely sacrifice fly.

Burnett started & gave up one in the first. It didn’t help that he walked the leadoff man.   The Yanks came back with two in the 2nd, but Swisher struck out with the bases loaded to end the inning. AJ gave up another run in the 3rd, helped by … you guessed it, a walk.

He got out of trouble in the 4th. Once again, a walk, and a wild pitch. AJ gives up too many of both.

He went 4, and was pulled after a rain delay. 4 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 3 walks, 6 K and a WP. 5.13.

Gaudin pitched a scoreless fifth but gave up two in the sixth. 5.43. The Yanks left the bases loaded in the sixth when Swisher flied out. They did get a run in the seventh on a WP, but Posada GIDP with the bases loaded. Missed opportunities.

Texas made it 5-3 in the 7th. Logan 1/3 of an inning in the 6th. 2.31. Robertson 1 1/3 in the sixth and seventh. 1 R given up, 3.76. Albaladejo finished the 7th. 2.08 after 1/3 IP. Wood the 8th. 3.49 overall but superb as a Yankee.

In the 8th, A-Rod hit a bases-loaded double to put the Yanks up 6-5. In the 9th, the Yanks had Nunez on 3rd with one out. They couldn’t get him in. Granted Thames probably can’t bunt. But instead of Thames batting there, why not PH Jeter, and squeeze home the insurance run? Heck, Golson went in for defense for Thames. Why not just have Golson squeeze?

Mo in the 9th. Leadoff walk, single, double. Game tied. Intentional walk to load the bases. Popup. But then a HBP to force in the winning run.

Mo drops to 3-3, 1.36.

The Yanks lead is down to 1/2 a game with Moseley starting today.

Then the Yanks head to Tampa.      

In the last two games, the Yanks have stranded 32.

No surprise to me with a Frosh QB starting as PSU loses to Alabama, 24-3.        

Russo and Miranda called up as SWB dropped its playoff, 3 games to 1. Trenton and Tampa have advanced and are playing for titles. Tampa is up 2 games to none and is one win away from defending their FSL title.

 

Game 140. The Pie is Swishalicious! Nick’s walkoff gives Yanks 3-2 win.

The Yanks haven’t lost 4 in a row all year, the only MLB club to avoid that.

Today was too close for comfort.

Nick Swisher hit a one-out, two-run HR in the bottom of the 9th to give the Yanks a 3-2 win.

The Yanks struck first, as Brett Gardner doubled home a run in the 3rd. He was thrown out trying for a triple.

Ivan (Super)Nova was great, going six innings, 2 R, 6 H, 2 walks and 6 K. ERA now 2.92.

Which leads me to ask this. CC, Andy and Hughes. Who do YOU trust more for the 4th spot in the postseason, Nova (with just 4 MLB starts under his belt but that 2.92 ERA), Burnett (ERA about 5.15) or Vazquez (5.01)? I know AJ and Vaz have the experience, but would you be shocked if Girardi goes with Nova? If so, does AJ and/or Vaz go to the bullpen, or down to Tampa, only to be used in case of injury? If you take twelve pitchers into the postseason, and your four starters are CC, Andy, Hughes and Nova, then your relievers are Mitre, Gaudin, Logan, Joba, Wood, Robertson, Rivera. That is seven. Who is #8? Burnett or Vazquez, both not used to relieving, or Albaladejo, who is used to it and who has had a great year at SWB?

12 pitchers would leave 13 position players. Posada, Cervelli, Berkman, Teix, Cano, Jeter, Pena, Alex, Nunez, Swisher, Granderson, Gardner and Thames is exactly 25. Meaning if the twelve pitchers I listed are used, both AJ AND Vazquez could be OFF the postseason roster if you go with Nova and Albaladejo.

Back to the game. Nova’s only mistake was a two-run HR to Wieters in the 5th.

But that’s the way it was. The Yanks got 1st and 3rd, two out in the 7th but nothing from Cervelli who has 3 RBI in his last 180 AB. (See the end of this post about that).

In the 9th, Alex hit the first pitch for a single, then after Cano made out, Swish performed his heroics.

The Yankee bullpen has to be praised today. After the excellent job by Nova, Robertson (3.75) went 1 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K. Logan went 2/3. Both K. (2.34). Joba the 9th. (3-4, 4.65). No runs, no hits, 0 walks and 2 K. D-Rob, Logan and Joba combined for 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 Walks and 6 K. Just superb.

On a bad note, Jeter was 0-4. BA down to .262. You hate to keep harping on him, but…

The Yanks got lucky today. Posada didn’t play because he wasn’t feeling well. A foul tip got him last night, he didn’t feel well after the game and didn’t sleep well. The Yanks sent him to a neurologist because of post-concussive symptoms. Anyone following Morneau and Bay this year, and how long they have been out, needs to be concerned. The Yanks can’t afford to lose Jorge’s bat. Granted he is 39, the D is not what it was, but how many catchers are close to 20 HR and 60 RBI, nevermind Jorge’s age? The results, thankfully, were negative and Posada is day-to-day.

Boston beat Tampa. The White Sox lost.

The magic #’s? For the playoffs? 14. For the division title? 21.

In the minors, playoff time.

AAA SWB lost the first game of the best of five, 6-4 in 10. Interesting. MONTERO DID NOT PLAY. Why? Callup? Why wouldn’t he play if AAA SWB is in game one of the playoffs?   

AA Trenton has Pettitte on rehab going tomorrow in game two. Tonight, a 2-0 win. Betances, 5 1/3, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W and 8 K. The loser, top Blue Jay prospect Kyle Drabek, who gave up 1 R in 6 IP. He is the son of former CYA winner Doug Drabek.

High A Tampa is now up two games to none.       

Update: BBD states that Montero had a lower leg infection and is day-to-day. I’d think they would only call up Montero in case of emergency. I wasn’t sure how much of an emergency Posada would be.     

Game 137. Yanks streak stops at 8. 7-3 Jays.

The Yanks win streak stopped at 8 as Phil Hughes (16-7, 4.29) gave up 3 HR in a 7-3 loss to Toronto. Two of the HR came on 0-2 counts. Ouch. Hughes is 24, and still learning.

Phil went 6, gave up 6 R 7 H (3 HR) 1 walk and 5 K. But on those 0-2 counts, got to waste on or put him away.

Mitre went 2 2/3, 1 R, 4 H, 2 walks and 0 k. (3.47). Albaladejo got the last out.

Gardner had 2 h and an rbi. Jeter went 0 for 4 and is down to .264. I have to wonder. Does Girardi have what it takes to drop  Jeter down in the order?  Would it disrupt the clubhouse if he did do that? Joel Sherman, among others, thinks Gardner 1, Granderson or Swisher 2 is the way to go. Jeter is what, 4 for his last 43? Only two HR since mid-June and one was an inside-the-parker.

Girardi has to do what is right for the team. It’s hard….one of the toughest things to do in sports…deal with a fading legend. We saw it with Bernie.

Look at McCarthy with Ruth. Berra with Mays.

Heck, this year with Griffey.

The Jeter off-season contract negotiations will be VERY interesting. Let’s just hope that Derek has one good month left in him this year.

That month being OCTOBER.

Alex had 2 hits and an RBI in his return.

Boston and Tampa both lost. The magic # for the division title is down to 24.

As for making the playoffs? 17 over Chicago.

I see 91 year old Bob Feller has been battling leukemia.

In the NFL, Matt Leinart released by the Cardinals.