Thinking pitching

Michael Pineda, who the Yanks traded Jesus Montero for and who showed up overweight last year, hurt his shoulder, needed surgery, and who missed all of 2012, so far looks ok in spring training, according to reports.

For one thing, Pineda, 6’7″, showed up at camp at 260 lbs.—-20 pounds less than last year. He’s been doing well as far as his workouts go and so far, the staff is happy with his progress.

Shoulder injuries are difficult to judge. The Yanks don’t expect any help from Pineda until at least June. He’s still just 24 years old with just one season of major league ball under his belt. In that season, Pineda was 9-10, 3.74, ERA+ 101 at the age of 22. He made the All-Star team, finished 5th in ROY voting and struck out 173 in 171 IP.

He had two different seasons that year. After games of the 4th of July, he was 8-5, 2.58. He went 2-5, 5.35 from that point to the end of the year. Whether it was batters adjusting, the 22 yr. old running out of gas or a combination of both, it’s not surprising.

But if he can join the Yanks in mid-season and be anything like his early 2011 self, he’d give the Yanks a big jolt. Of course, where they slot him could be problematic, being that the Yanks have CC, Kuroda, Pettitte, Hughes and Nova or Phelps at the #5 with the other as a long man in the bullpen.

But things work themselves out. You never know about injuries, and as the saying goes, “You never have enough pitching.”

Speaking of not having enough pitching, guess who threw for Billy Connors and in Connors words, looked good? None other than 2006/2007 ace Chien Ming Wang. Now as for the Yanks actually signing Wang, bringing him back to NY and him actually succeeding, well, I’ll believe that when I see it. From the time he made his MLB debut with the Yanks to the time he got hurt in Houston while scoring a run, Wang was 54-20, 3.79, ERA+ 117 in 95 starts and two relief appearances—in other words, divide by three. You’d have 32 starts a year (the average for a full year) and 18-7, 3.79. He led the majors in wins in 2006 with 19 and was the CYA runner-up. He won 19 again in 2007.

But since the injury, Wang has gone 7-12, 6.39, ERA+ just 65 in 25 starts and 8 relief appearances. Roughly one season of work since the summer of 2008. Last year he was 2-3, 6.68, in five starts and five relief appearances, ERA + 60, for Washington. It’s sad how his career has unfolded since that injury.

But he’ll still be just 33 on Opening Day. He probably can come cheap (which, it seems, the Yanks are looking for these days). The Yanks squeezed out a 12-8, 3.62 from Freddy Garcia for $1.5 MM in 2011. They got just 7-6, 5.20 from Freddy (now trying to latch on with SD) in 2012 for $4 MM. Not as cost-effective. But for the money, Freddy was a good bargain in 2011.

Likewise Bartolo Colon. Colon went 8-10, 4.00, ERA+ 107 for the Yanks in 2011, but his success is questioned since he was nabbed using a PED in 2012 and is also implicated in the Biogenesis stuff going on now. He was 10-9, 3.43 for the A’s before the suspension last year. Regardless, 8-10, 4.00 wasn’t bad for just $900K in 2011.

So the Yanks will watch Wang as he pitches for the Taiwanese team in the World Baseball Classic. Maybe they can get a Colon/Garcia bargain out of him for a year. Maybe. It’s worth a look, and “You never have enough pitching.”

Meanwhile, sometimes I see people down on Phil Hughes. Yes, Hughes ERA isn’t the greatest, but how many teams can boast of a #4 starter who hasn’t turned 27 yet (Hughes will in June) but who can still boast of an 18 win season (2010) and a 16 win season (2012)? Granted Hughes’ ERA’s in those years were pedestrian (4.19 and 4.23, ERA+ numbers of 103 and 99—average) but still, 18 and 16 wins are 18 and 16 wins. He tied Kuroda for the team lead in wins last year (while leading the team in losses). Yes, those 35 HR given up drove you nuts, but think of what I wrote. How many teams would like to have a #4 starter who is just entering his prime, not 27 yet and who already has won 16 or more twice?

Starters disappointing, a retirement, and guess who’s doing well?

Phil Hughes starts tonight, and the hope is that he stops a couple of bad outings by Yankee starters and straightens his own self out. So far Yankee starters haven’t been impressive in their April auditions, what with Pettitte and Pineda waiting in the wings. Twelve games into the season, the Yanks are 6-6. It’s a good thing no one is running away to a 10-2 or 11-1 start in the A.L. East. It’s early, but you never want to fall behind by too much too soon. It could be worse. Boston is 4-8.

I always want to end April .500 or over. The thing is, after the Twins, things don’t get easier. The Yanks go to Boston and the red-hot Texas, then come home and face Detroit. The starting pitching must improve or else the Yanks could end April under .500.

But three quality starts in twelve games isn’t going to get it done. Here are the starters so far. No time for panic, too soon for that, but definitely time for a correction.

CC 1-0, 5.59; Kuroda 1-2, 5.00; Nova 2-0, 4.15; Garcia 0-1, 6.97 and Hughes 0-2, 9.00. That’s downright ugly.

Meanwhile, guess who is 3-1, 2.63 for Oakland right now? Would you believe Bartolo Colon?

You wonder how big a start tonight is for Hughes. I’m all for giving someone a chance, and realize that Hughes is still 25, but there comes a time when a guy runs out of chances.

Meanwhile, Ivan “Pudge” Rodriguez announced his retirement. It’ll be interesting when his name gets on the Hall of Fame ballot. There have been suspicions of steroid abuse regarding him, and that is a shame. A catcher who was a 14x All-Star, 1999 A.L. MVP, 13x Gold Glover, 3 other top-10 MVP finishes, .296 hitter, over 2800 hits, over 300 HR, one of the best catchers EVER, should have been a first-ballot, no-brainer. But now?

Rodriguez was terrible when with the 2008 Yankees, but had a fabulous career that spanned 1991-2011 for the Rangers (1991-2002), Marlins (WS Champ 2003), Tigers (2004-2008), Yankees (2008), Astros (2009), Rangers II (2009), and Nationals (2010-2011). He hit .255-4-25 in 40 postseason games.

Yanks rotation could be decided on experience, options

The NY Post is reporting that Freddy Garcia is all but in the rotation, along with Phil Hughes, thus leaving Ivan Nova and Michael Pineda fighting for the last spot… for now (Pettitte on the horizon).

For today, it looks as if Ivan Nova will pitch in the minor league game while in S.T. Game #27 tonight, it’ll be Garcia.

This report from the Post goes against what the general consensus has been in the past couple weeks—that Garcia would be the long man, and that Pineda would be in the rotation.

It appears that experience, as well as who has options, has won the day along with perfomance.

Hughes, Nova and Pineda have options and can be sent down. CC (32 this summer), Pettitte (40 this summer), Kuroda (37) and Garcia (35) have the experience and the track record. Hughes has more MLB time than Nova and Pineda do.

So, if we go by that reasoning, what can we expect? Well, maybe something like this: Pineda gets sent down. Cashman will take the heat for that, being that he traded Montero for Pineda, and Pineda wouldn’t be producing from the get-go. There is concern that Pineda’s arm strength isn’t where it should be, that instead of hitting 96-97, he’s in the low 90′s. Sending him down would let Pineda hopefully work it back up…or for the Yanks to see IF he can work it back up. Pineda has options, and it appears as if the Yanks will have to use them. It’s tough to send someone down that was on the All-Star team last year and had a 3.74 ERA but… let’s consider someone ELSE…

… because this scenario would leave Nova to be the #5 starter… for NOW. Once Pettitte is ready in early May, Nova would then drop down to be the long-man out of the bullpen, as well as a spot starter. Should something happen to one of the other starters (and two of the five would be 35 or over, three of the five when Pettitte returns), either Nova would be ready to step back into the rotation for a spot start (and a AAA kid like Warren could be temporarily brought up to fill the long man role) or Pineda could be brought back up to start. Either way, Nova would be bounced from #5 starter to long-man/spot starter. I don’t see him going down…but he DOES have options and COULD go down. Now, if you think it’s hard to send down an 2011 All-Star in Pineda (9-10, 3.74), then how hard do you think it’ll be to drop Nova from the rotation into a long-man role or even send him to the minors after he went 16-4, 3.70 last year?

So, if I’m following the Post story correctly, Opening Day should see CC, Kuroda, Hughes, Garcia and Nova in the rotation, with Wade (who has had an awful spring… more on that in a bit) in the bullpen as a long-man. Right now it looks as if Clay Rapada could make the team as a second lefty in the bullpen along with Logan. So the BP would have Wade, Logan, Rapada, Robertson, Soriano, Mo… and a seventh member. I don’t know who that seventh member could be. If not Pineda, it wouldn’t be surprising to me to see maybe Adam Warren make it to be a mopup guy for a bit, until Pettitte is ready.

THEN, when Pettitte is ready in early May, he joins the rotation. Now you have CC, Kuroda, Hughes, Pettitte and Garcia, with Nova dropping down into long man/middle relief and maybe Warren (if he makes the team) then going back to AAA—or, maybe doing something with Wade. This is just my reading of the tea leaves provided by the NY Post.

A lot depends on what the Yanks will be doing with Pineda.

But it appears as if experience will win out…as well as who has options. It’ll be an interesting week of news regarding the rotation. Stay tuned.

In other Yankees related news: Bartolo Colon had a good debut for the A’s today over in Japan. 8 IP, 1 R, and the win. The A’s and Mariners are opening the season with a couple of games in Japan, then will come back to the U.S., resume S.T. for a week to get readjusted to the time change/jet lag, then pick up the regular season again. But a good game for Colon. Cespedes hit his 1st MLB HR today, and Montero, I believe, has started out 1 for 8.

Kei Igawa has gone back to Japan, signing a two-year deal with the Orix Buffaloes.

Neither Austin Romine and Russell Branyan have played an inning in S.T. due to back problems. Branyan could be released. Romine won’t be able to start the season for Empire State.

Update: I mentioned Warren above, could have said Kontos… but you know what I mean. I can’t see Pineda going to the bullpen, but think they rather would keep him stretched out as a starter—thus AAA or extended spring training. What they do with Nova… anyway, one thing I DID NOT mention above is the trickle down effect. You have the good rotation of youngsters at AAA—how does THAT get affected if Pineda or Nova is sent there? What do you do then? Bump one of THOSE guys (Warren, Phelps, Betances, Mitchell, Banuelos) down to AA? There is a lot to think about here.

BTW, my friends over at the BBD blog have a post up reporting that Banuelos has now added a fourth pitch— a cutter. Let’s hope he, at age 21, gains command. He’s coming along…

Fantastic finish.

I don’t know how today’s NFL games can top the finish of that 49ers/Saints game yesterday. What, four TD’s back-and-forth in the last 5 minutes or so? Once you thought it was over, it (as Yogi said) wasn’t. 49ers win and now find out if they host the Giants or go to Green Bay.

As for the other game, a blowout. Tebow (6 for 28) did what I thought he’d do against my Steelers. I give him credit for beating Pittsburgh, but New England was having none of it. A fabulous game by Brady (6 TD passes) as it was a blowout by halftime.

Today, Texans at Ravens, Giants at GB. As for GB, cue that old Three Dog Night song, “Eli’s Coming.”

It appears that Bartolo Colon found a new team. It could be the A’s.

Just some reminders. There is an RSS feed. Comments are welcomed (just keep it clean in case there are kiddies reading), and if you want to advertise, you may, but there are rates.

Oh, Btw, Cespedes isn’t impressing in some games right now. It may take him a while to get his bearings, but so far… trouble with the slider and it’s making his stock drop…

Yanks bring Wade back.

The Yanks are bringing back Cory Wade, who can earn a bit over 1/2 a million if he stays with the Yanks for all of 2012.

Wade had a decent 2011 with the Yanks, going 6-1, 2.04 in 40 games (39 2/3 IP), ERA+ 218. He had 30 K and just 8 walks.

The Red Sox offered Jason Varitek a minor league deal. That sounds kind of like what the Yanks offered Bernie Williams around this time five years ago. Cue the Clash song for Varitek, “Should I Stay or Should I Go”. Go meaning, join Posada in retirement. (Rumor of deal denied by Boston’s GM).

D-Backs have interest in Colon (or as one wit on Twitter suggested, at this stage of his career, semi-Colon) ;

Rumors are that Oswalt’s asking price is down to $8M, Kuroda’s $10-11M, with Kuroda having interest in Boston or NY. Hmm. Now you have to multiply x 1.4 because of the luxury tax, but I’m all for Oswalt, 1 year at $8 million ($11.2 with cap). The question is… his back. Oswalt was 9-10, 3.69 for the Phils in 2011, ERA+ 105. He missed 10 starts or so. He is just 34. A one-year deal could be ok, but is he healthy? The year before, Oswalt split the year between Houston and Philly, and was 13-13 but with a 2.76 ERA (ERA+ 146), led the NL in whip, and finished 6th in the CYA voting.

Oswalt is 159-93, 3.21 in his career (ERA+ 133).

Kerry Wood back to the Cubs.

 

Selig: Commissioner for life?

Bud Selig, 77, has been given a two-year extension as baseball’s commissioner. Hmm… is it time to call him Kenesaw? Commish for life? Heck, he’s been in that position LONGER than Landis was.

You wonder if baseball does have a successor in mind.

I read reports of Boston possibly bringing the (Vincente) Padilla Flotilla to Fenway. Padilla, 34, pitched just 8 2/3 innings for the Dodgers in 2011. (0-0, 4.15). He was 6-5, 4.07 in 16 starts (ERA+ 95) for the Dodgers in 2010. For his career, 104-90, 4.31, ERA+ 100. It looks like one of those “take a flyer” deals that worked for the Yanks (with Colon) for most of last year.

Could Colon be coming back to the Yankees?

An article by the Post’s George King states that Brian Cashman hasn’t ruled out bringing Bartolo Colon back to the Yankees.

My take? Pass. Thanks for an unexpectedly decent year, Bartolo, but no, I don’t want you back.

Colon was 8-10, 4.00, ERA+ 111 but faded down the stretch and was off the postseason roster. He’ll be 39 for the 2012 season.

Game 161. Rays beat Yanks, stay tied with Boston for wild card. NL WC tied, too.

Jeter off. Cano 3rd, and it looks like this will be the way things will be vs. righties in the postseason: Cano and Teix flip/flopped.

I like what someone wrote re: Lackey getting pissed at getting a text message 1/2 hour before his last start regarding his upcoming divorce (she is battling breast cancer). Don’t like it? TURN YOUR CELL PHONE OFF OR DO NOT ANSWER IT!

Ozzie Guillen to Florida. What’s been suspected for a while is now reality.

Rumors are that Toronto will be major players in the FA market this winter.

Boston’s lineup tonight has me laughing. Jed Lowrie cleanup? I never heard of the catcher batting sixth. … and all that $$ for Carl Crawford, and he’s hitting 8th.

Nice back page of the NY Post today re: Michael Vick.

Tonight’s Yankee Lineup (97-63) best in the AL. OPS+ 107, ERA+ 120. Three games worse than the Pythgorean record.

Nunez 6  .262-5-30  21sb/27att  OPS+ 82
Granderson 8  .264-41-119  24/34  140  leads MLB in R, AL in RBI
Cano 4 .305-28-118  8/9  131     just 1 RBI behind Grandy Man.
A-Rod 5 .278-16-62  4/5  116  Still looking for #630 to tie Junior
Teixeira 3 .244-37-106  4/5  114
Swisher 9 .260-23-84  2/4  116
Posada DH .239-14-44  0/2  89
Martin 2 .237-17-64  8/10  91 
Gardner 7   .259-7-36  48/61  89   AL SB leader

Colon 1  (8-10, 4.02) ERA+ 110

Many of us Yankee fans would like the Yanks to lose (probably the only time we say that) today and tomorrow to screw Boston.

In the second, Zobrist hits a 2-run HR. 2-0 Rays. Martin gets #18 in the 3rd to cut it to 2-1. Yanks load the bases, but Teix flies out. 2-1 after 2 1/2.

In the fifth, Gardner and Nunez single, putting runners on the corners. Granderson GIDP, tying run scores.

The Yanks go up 3-2 in the sixth. Alex walks, Tiex doubles. 2nd and 3rd. Swish doubles, but only Alex scores. Tie game. Posada walks.

THEN….

MARTIN MUST REALLY, REALLY, REALLY HATE THE RED SOX. Bases loaded, none out. Yanks can pad their lead. Boston is winning and could go one game up with one to go.

So what does Martin do?

HE GITP. That’s right. He grounded into a TRIPLE PLAY.

Colon went 5 1/3, 2 R, 7 H, 2 W, 3 K. He ends the year 8-10, 4.00.

Wade 2/3, 0 R, 1 H. 0 walks, 0 K. ERA 1.85.

Good old Soriano. In a  game (well, tomorrow too, screw Boston) that Yankee fans want the Yanks to actually lose, Soriano gives up a 3-run HR to his former team in the 7th, 5-3 Rays.

Way to go Soriano. The one time this year I WANTED to see you fail.

1 IP, 3 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 1 k. He falls to 2-3, 4.12.

That was huge. Boston, up 5-1, hung on to beat Baltimore 8-7. The O’s had the tying run on 2nd when the game ended. The Rays and Boston enter the last game of the season tied for the wild card. The Yanks are said to be pitching the bullpen tomorrow. Bunch of guys, one inning each.

I hope the Yanks trot out a lineup of: C Romine, 1B Laird, 2B Nunez, SS Jeter (for integrity sake? wink, wink) 3B Pena, LF Dickerson, CF Gardner, RF Golson. DH Posada, Montero, whoever. You know what I mean. Heck, DH CC for all I care.

Start Betances. 1st mlb start. Then go with DEFINITELY Proctor now, Kontos, Laffey, other scrubbinis. Screw Boston.

After Soriano  helped Tampa Bay stay even with the Red Sox for the wild card, Robertson started the 8th.

2/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 1 K. His 100th K in 66 2/3 IP. Wow. ERA 1.08.

Rivera the last out. K. 1.91 ERA. If that ERA stays under 2.00, it’ll be the eleventh time in his career he has had an ERA under 2.00. Wilhelm 6x. No other closer has six. Wow.

If not for Ellsbury, Boston would be dead right now. Some guy I never heard of hit 2 HR for Boston tonight. Looking him up. 24 yr. old c/dh. Lavarnway. AA/AAA this year. 116 games. 32 HR, 93 RBI there. Guy was 7 for 30 in 15 games before tonight. In the biggest Bosox game of the year, he gets his FIRST TWO MLB HR. Sheesh.

Meanwhile, the Cards have a big lead (13-6 in 9th) while the Braves lost. It looks like both the AL (Rays/Red Sox) and NL (Cards/Braves) will have BOTH wild cards tied up going into Game 162.

If a playoff is necessary, 4 pm in Tampa, 8  pm in St. Louis.

 

Game 156. Colon a worry after awful start. Two rookies make MLB debuts. Yanks crushed 15-8.

You expect a hangover after the celebration last night.

The Yanks lineup had Montero C, Posada at 1B, Laird at 3B, Golson in CF. Jones, Swish, Posada (1B) were in. Teix DH. Jeter in. Granderson, A-Rod, Gardner, Martin, Cano all out.

So you didn’t expect much. Still, you wanted to see Colon show something for the playoffs.

Nope. Instead he looked like he’s run out of gas. Is it me, or was that injury (groin strain) when he started going down?

Tampa Bay scored in each of the first five innings in taking a 13-0 lead after five.

Colon 3 IP, 7 R, 5 ER (2 errors by Jeter, another by Swisher, Dickerson made one later. Hangovers?) 7 H, 1 walk, 1 K. Now 8-10, ERA 4.02. 1 HR given up.

Then Proctor. Honestly. For the life of me, why did the Yanks bring him back? It’s as bad as bringing Mitre back. They have him now and not Lance Pendleton? Proctor 6.81 ERA. They DFA’d Pendleton, who had a 3.12 with the Yanks and 3.10 at AAA. I know I’ve been harping on it, but WTF?

The Yanks need to dump Proctor. NOW.

Proctor: 1 IP, 5 R, 3 ER, 4 H, 2 walks, 2 gopher balls.

Laffey 1 2/3, 1 R, 4 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 4.14.

Andruw Jones hit a 2-run HR (12, career 419) in the 6th.

Andrew Brackman got the last out in the 6th, pitched the 7th. MLB Debut. 1 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 0.00

The Yanks got four in the seventh. Ramiro Pena singled in a run, Jones singled one in, and Montero doubled in two. 13-6.

Dellin Betances made his MLB debut in the 8th. Ugly. After a flyout, three straight walks and a HBP. SF. Another walk. 2/3 IP, 2 R, 0 H, 4 walks, 0 K and a HBP. 27.00. Kontos gets the last out of the inning. 15-6 after 7 1/2.

The only good thing for the Yanks: Montero 3 for 3, 2 walks, 2 RBI.

Pathetic? Hilarious? Manny Ramirez wants to be reinstated and will now serve his 100 game suspension if anyone wants him. Who would? Don’t go away mad, Manny….just go away.

An error brings in two runs in the 8th. 15-8.

Kontos 1 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 2.45.

15-8 final. Tampa gets a 1/2 game closer to Boston.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Game 150. Yanks comeback to win 7-6 behind A-Rod, Granderson HRs. Mo ties the record. Save #601.

Yanks 90-59, 3 1/2 up in AL East. Magic #10 division, 6 playoffs.
OPS+108, ERA+119. Four games worse than Pythagorean record.

Hold that Tiger: The Tigers are just three games behind the Yanks for the best record in the A.L.

Jeter SS  .292-5-57  15sb/21att OPS+ 93   chances for .300 gone? 3076 hits
Granderson CF .264-39-111  24/34  140  MVP chances diminishing b/c of low average? No SB in a while… tied for AL RBI lead, leads MLB in R
Teixeira 1B .244-37-104  4/5  115   Ouch, that average, why not drop him?
Cano 2B .306-26-111  8/9  130   .300, tied for AL lead in RBI, middle infielder, Gold Glove, why not HIM for MVP?
Rodriguez 3B .284-15-56  4/5  121   has missed about two months
Swisher RF .263-23-83  2/4  120
Montero DH   10 for 35 (.286), 3 HR, 6 RBI in MLB career 
Gardner LF .259-7-36  45/58  92  leads AL in SB; .144 over the last month.
Romine C    1 for 4 in MLB career

Colon P 8-9, 3.55  ERA+123

No A-Rod for almost two months. Pettitte retired, Burnett and Hughes are a combined 15-16, ERA 5.43. Joba went down early. No Feliciano (after shoulder surgery, probably never at all). If I told you Ayala, Wade, Colon and Garcia would do well, you wouldn’t have believed me in March. Or that Nova would be 15-4. But the Yanks are 90-59. Go figure.

GIDPs kill the Yanks in the 1st (Teix) and 2nd (Swisher). A-Rod had singled, with a new grip. Tape is separating his hands and providing protection to that thumb.

Meanwhile, the Yanks need to hit. Teix under .245? Granderson slumping. Gardner .144 from 8/17 to 9/16?

It looks as if Cervelli will miss the rest of the year and possibly the postseason with the concussion symptoms. That’s not good. Rookies as your backups in the postseason. Raw rookies, at that.

Big trouble. Colon gives up 4 in the 2nd. Jose Molina another big hit.

It seems like Colon has run out of gas, but the numbers really aren’t bad. Heading into this game, Colon is 2-6 since the 4th of July, but his ERA has been 4.39. Not great, but really not that bad. He probably should be 4-4 with that kind of ERA, not 2-6.

Gardner grounds into a force after Montero’s single. Gardner, as I wrote above, has been terrible over the last month. Speaking of, when has Teix become an under .250 hitter? The HR and RBI are nice, but the BA dipping to .240 or below? This must change or come the postseason, the Yanks are sunk. Why Teix is still hitting 3rd, with that BA, astounds me. I’d drop him.

After 2 1/2, 4-0 Jays.

You gotta be kidding me. Granderson walks, Teix finally doubles. 2nd and 3rd, no one out. Cano SF, Error. Run scores. 2nd and 3rd, still no one out…

and the Yanks don’t score another run. Alex grounds to 3rd, runners have to hold.

Swisher flies out. Nice catch saves a two-run hit. Teix goes back to tag, and is passed on the basepaths by Cano. Third out. You gotta be kidding me. After that, maybe Cano should not be considered for MVP. Boneheaded play. Sheesh. Inexcusable.

4-1 Jays after 3 1/2. Colon doesn’t start the 4th well. Two singles, then two outs. It looks like he’ll get out of it.

Nope. 2-run double. 6-1 after four. May as well save the bullpen, I’d bring in Betances next inning. Why not?

Team meeting? Or just an aging, tired team what with no offdays? Whatever, the Yanks are playing badly. Gardner finally gets a one-out triple in the fifth. He is left stranded.

Proctor comes in. Screw that. Right now, I’d rather see Betances. Let me see the future, not the past. Why the hell are they going to a washed up Proctor so much lately (I’m STILL pissed at signing Proctor and DFA-ing Pendleton!).

6th. Finally, something. Granderson doubles, Teix singles. Signs of them coming out of it? 6-2. E sends Teix to 2nd, WP to 3rd, Cano hbp. No out.

A-ROD HITS ONE! 6-5! THAT IS WHAT WE NEED TO SEE! The Old Alex being a force. #16 is #629 of his career and puts him one behind Junior Griffey on the All-time list.

After 5 1/2, 6-5 Jays. Yanks back in ballgame. Hopefully A-Rod’s HR is a wakeup call.

Laffey in. (got the win).

Colon 4 IP, 6 R, 7 H, 1 walk, 3 K. ERA to 3.81.
Proctor 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 1 K.

Laffey has a 1-2-3. 6-5 Jays after six.

Yanks come all the way back. Jeter singles and Granderson’s 40th gives the Yanks a 7-6 lead.

Noesi the 7th. A 1-2-3 inning. 1 K. ERA 4.01.

Proctor 6.31 and Laffey 4.15 includes their stints elsewhere.

7-6 after seven. To the 8th. Soriano.

He strikes out the side. ERA to 3.82.

Mo—for a chance to tie the record.

A 1-2-3 with a K!

Mo ties the record with save #601. #42 of the year. ERA to 2.02 (get that under 2.00, Mo!) 

The Magic numbers for now go to 9 for the divison, 5 for the playoffs, with Boston and Tampa playing later.

CONGRATS MO!