Game 46. Teix wakes up. Yanks win 9-2.

Finally, Mark Teixeira seems to be over his respiratory ailment and seems to be waking up. Four hits, 2 HR and 5 RBI today.

Oakland got one off of the slow-starting CC in the first. The Yanks tied it up in the second on a HR by Cano (7).

Chavez doubled, went to second on a bunt and scored on a Jeter single to put the Yanks up 2-1 in the third. Hit #3153 for Jeter put him into 16th place on the all-time list passing Paul “Big Poison” Waner, but he wasn’t done.

A Hr by Josh Reddick tied it in the third at two apiece, but the Yanks went ahead 3-2 in the fourth on a HR by Teix (7, 321 career).

The Yanks broke it open in the fifth. Stewart singled, and Jeter beat out a bunt for a single. This bunt hit, hit #3154, put Jeter into a tie for 15th on the all-time list with George Brett. Granderson flied out, Stewart to third, then A-Rod made it 4-2 with a SF. Cano doubled, and Teixeira then singled in two to make it 6-2.

With the bases loaded in the 8th, Jeter got plunked. 7-2.

In the 9th, Teixeira got a 2-Run HR (8, 322). Finally, the Teix we have been waiting for. His HR made it 9-2.

Jeter had 2 hits, 2 rbi. Teix the 4 hits, 2 HR, 5 RBI. 3 hits for Cano. 2 hits apiece for Swish and Chavez.

CC 7 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 2 walks, 4 K. He goes to 6-2, 3.66.

Wade the eighth. 1-2-3 with 2 K. ERA to 2.08.

Eppley the 9th. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 0 K. ERA 2.89.

A 9-2 win. Yanks now have won 4 in a row.

Game 46. Today’s lineup

This Memorial Day weekend, take time to remember what this weekend is for.

Here’s today’s lineup and stats.

Yanks 24-21, 3rd in A.L. East, 4 1/2 back.
Right now, in the 2nd W.C. slot. OPS+ 111, ERA+ 104.
Even with their Pythagorean record.

BA/HR/RBI  SB/att  OPS+
Comments at side and bottom

Jeter SS .339-5-16  3/4   127    leads AL in hits             
Granderson CF .262-14-25  1/3  141    still should run
Rodriguez DH  .285-7-18  6/6  118
Cano 2B .294-6-19  1/1  122
Teixeira 1B .231-6-23  1/2  86
Ibanez LF  .270-9-27  2/2  132
Swisher RF .243-8-29  0/0  110
Chavez 3B .279-3-6  0/0  105    .217, 1 RBI in last eight games
Stewart C .242-0-5  0/0  45     8 for 33

Sabathia LHP  5-2, 3.78  ERA+ 112

Jeter still at 3152 hits, tied with Paul Waner and two behind George Brett. Since May 4th, .240-0-1 in 75 at bats.

A-Rod is tied with the demoted (and now Dl’d) Nunez for the team lead in steals.

In his last twelve games, Teixeira is .286 with 2 HR. Maybe it’s a sign he is finally getting over the bug and coming around.

 

Game 45. Tonight’s lineup

A 10 p.m. Eastern start since the Yanks are in Oakland. I hate those West coast times (they mean staying up really late) but what can you do?

The Yanks signed John Maine to a minor league deal today. Maine didn’t pitch in the majors in 2011, nor has he this year. In 2010 the 31-yr. old RHP went 1-3, 6.13 in nine starts for the Mets. He is 41-36, 4.35 in his MLB career, ERA+ 98. His best year was 2007 for the Mets when he went 15-10, 3.91.

From Lohud’s blog:

Former Yankees outfielder Chad Curtis has been charged with five counts of criminal sexual conduct after accusations he inappropriately touched two students at a Michigan high school.

Now that’s odd. Curtis was a person who sort of ticked off some teammates because he was, as they put it, too pushy as far as his religion and beliefs. You may remember him for his two HR (one a walkoff) in Game 3 of the 1999 WS, and for catching the last out of that WS. Now to let the system find him guilty or not.

Yanks 23-21, 4th in A.L. East, 4 1/2 out. OPS+ 110, ERA+ 103. Even with their pythagorean record.

BA/HR/RBI  SB/attempts  OPS+

Jeter SS .348-5-16  3/4  134 Granderson CF .256-14-25  1/3  140 Rodriguez 3B .281-7-18  5/5  119 Cano 2B .297-5-18  1/1  122 Teixeira 1B  .226-5-21  1/2  79 Ibanez LF .263-9-27  2/2  130 Swisher RF  .236-7-27  0/0  102   really slumping lately Chavez DH .293-3-6  0/0  113 Martin C .173-4-10  1/1  74   needs to get off the “Interstate”

RHP  Nova   4-2, 5.69  ERA+ 74     Needs to do better

Jeter has 3152 career hits, tied with Paul “Big Poison” Waner and two behind George Brett on the all-time list.

A-Rod is 180 hits from 3000, and 89 RBI from 2000. The HR count is at 636, and he is 152 runs scored away from 2000.

Game 44. Alex and Andy lead Yanks, 8-3.

Andy Pettitte proved that last week was no fluke, as he pitched seven strong innings against the Royals tonight in the Yankees’ 8-3 victory.

The win was #242 of Pettitte’s career, and enabled him to surpass fellow Yankee lefty great Herb Pennock on the all-time list. It’s Pettitte’s 205th win as a Yankee.

After Andy put down the Royals 1-2-3 in the first, the Yanks struck vs. Will Smith of the Royals. Smith, making his MLB debut, may turn out to be the Prince of KC, but he wasn’t the Prince of the Bronx—at least tonight.

Granderson homered (#14) to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead. This after he showed bunt. After a walk to Teixeira, A-Rod, who had hit only one HR since April 27th, finally hit #635 (sixth of the year) to give Pettitte an early 3-0 lead.

In the fourth, Jeter doubled for the first of his three hits for the night. Granderson singled him to third but Teix GIDP. The run scored, no RBI, Yanks up 4-0. A-Rod then homered again. #7 of the year, #636 for his career and the Yanks went up 5-0.

Pettitte gave up solo HRs in the fourth and fifth to cut the Yanks’ lead to 5-2.

The Yanks got three runs on only one hit in the fifth to push it to 8-2. Nix HBP, Jeter got a bunt hit (YAY! Littleball!) and an E-5 put men on 2nd and 3rd, no out. Granderson walked to load the bases and a walk to Teixeira forced in a run. A-Rod grounded into a force at the plate. He is still one behind Lou Gehrig’s record of 23 grand slams. Cano hit into a force, run scored. Swish HBP. Jones walked, forcing in a run.

Pettitte wound up going 7+, 2 R, 7 H, 1 walk and 8 K. He improves to 2-1, ERA to 2.53 (from 2.51).

Jeter’s 3 hits tonight tie him with Paul Waner on the all-time list at 3152. 16th on the all-time list. Next up? George Brett at 3154.

Phelps went the last two innings. 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 2 K. ERA to 2.87.

Hopefully this starts A-Rod on a streak where he can carry a team.

The Yanks are off Thursday as they head to the West coast. Yuk. Late night games.

One bad thing about tonight? The continued struggles of Martin, who left seven on and is down to .173.

Game 44. Teix back to 3rd in lineup today

The Yanks try to stay above .500 today. Teixeira is back up at 3rd in the lineup.

22-21, 4th in A.L. East, 5 1/2 back. Even with the Pythagorean mark, OPS+ 108, ERA+ 102.

Jeter SS .341-5-16  3/4  130  Hit count: 3149
Granderson CF .250-13-24  1/3  134  Still want him to RUN!
Teixeira 1B .229-5-20  1/2  78   Needs to get it going. 
Rodriguez 3B .276-5-15  5/5  109   See below
Cano 2B .304-5-17  1/1  127
Swisher RF .239-7-27  0/0  102  See below.
Jones DH .217-4-8  0/0  93    See below.
Martin C .179-4-10  1/1  79   See Below.
Nix LF .263-2-4  0/1  129  5 for 19. 

Pettitte LHP  1-1, 2.51. ERA+ 171.   3rd start of his comeback.

Jeter leads the AL in hits. 3 behind Waner and 5 behind Brett on the all-time list. But since May 4, hitting .231 (15 for 65), with last night’s RBI as his only RBI in that period (16 games). All hits are singles except for one double, and there have been 6 GIDP.

A-Rod has just 1 HR since 4/27. Of his 43 hits, only 10 are XBH. Where’s the power?

Swisher:  .177 since 4/28, 1 HR, 4 RBI.  11 for 62, 17 strikeouts in that span (compare lack of HR to A-Rod; same time period).

I have to wonder if Mustelier, at this point, would be a better option than Jones. Mustelier in 42 games AA/AAA? .337-8-29. 5/9 in SB.

I also have to wonder if a 40 year old Posada could hit better right now than Martin. (Not catch better, mind you…)

Pettitte is looking for career win #242, Yankee win #205.

Game 43. Still problems, but a 3-2 win.

The Yanks went to 22-21 tonight, but the offensive woes continued.

Phil Hughes was strong through six,  2 R, 5 H, 2 walks and 7 K. He goes to 4-5, 4.94. It’s still below average, but from where he once was at, it marks improvement.

On the down side, it also marks the ninth straight start in which he has given up a HR. The guys on My 9 noted that it is one behind “Black” Jack McDowell in 1995 with 10 straight starts.

After a 1-2-3 first, I got ticked off right away. In the bottom of the first, with one out, Granderson walks. He doesn’t even try to steal. Now, the Royals did pitchout with A-Rod up. Ok. But Grandy is still just 1 of 3 this year. You can’t just wait on Cano or A-Rod to do something. MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! I miss Gardner. I miss the times when Rickey Henderson would MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! Grandy doesn’t go. Nothing happens.

Down 1-0 in the third, I really got ticked off. Martin walks to lead off the inning and Wise is up. Wise strikes out. For most of the at bat, Wise, 2 for 20, does NOT try to bunt. Are you kidding me? You are having trouble scoring runs, and a 2 for 20 AAAA player isn’t bunting? He makes out. Jeter GIDP. Aaaaaargh.

Hughes gives up a HR in the fourth. 2-0 KC. In the bottom of the inning, Cano hits #5. 2-1. A-Rod singles and steals second. 5 for 5 in steals. Do you know A-Rod is second on the team in that? Behind Nunez’ 6 for 7? Why isn’t Jeter or Grandy going?

So he is on second, one out. Ibanez and Swish can’t get him in.

To the fifth, and the biggest play of the game may be on something the Yankees have NOT been doing—-bunting.

Teix singles. Martin HBP. Two on, none out. Wise bunts, as he (2 for 21) should. It actually goes for a HIT!

Bases loaded, none out.

Jeter singles, hit #3149, to tie the game. Bases still loaded, and the Yanks still don’t take advantage.

Granderson grounds out, which leads to the game-winning run. But no one knew it at the time, and the Yanks don’t pad their lead.

Cano is walked intentionally. Bases loaded & one out. Do the Yanks tack on? Are you kidding me? A-Rod & Ibanez both strike out.

It could have been fatal.

Girardi worked the pen. Wade 2/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 2.18.

Logan 1/3, 0 R, 1 h, 0 walk, 1 K. 3.12.

Eppley 1/3, 0 R, 0 h, 0 walk, 0 K. 3.24.

Rapada 2/3, 0 r, 0 h, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.95.

Soriano 1 IP and gave us a scare. For with one out he gave up a double. He got a groundout. Runner to third. A grounder to A-Rod. The throw. Teix made a GREAT play in stretching for the throw and keeping his toe on the bag. Just got him. Yanks win 3-2.

Soriano 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and K. Save #3, ERA 2.35.

Swisher is slumping so badly, he is down to .239.

…and to think. Wise’s bunt may be the play of the game…

Game 41. The lineup

We’ve hit the quarterpole, and the Yanks are just 21-19. Mediocre. They have to start picking it up soon, in every facet of the game.

21-19, 4th in A.L. East, 5 1/2 back of those surprising (best record in A.L.) Orioles. Even with the Pythagorean record, which says that they are what they should be. 21-19, no better or worse via some kind of luck. OPS+ 110, ERA+ 103, and that’s not too much above the mean (100). Hence, once again, the 21-19.

Jeter SS .355-5-15  3/4   140
Granderson CF .256-13-23  1/3  136
Cano 2B  .302-4-16  1/1   119
Rodriguez 3B .278-5-15  4/4  112
Ibanez DH .264-8-25  2/2  132
Swisher RF .260-7-27  0/0  117
Chavez 1B .288-3-6  0/0  111   15 for 52
Wise LF   2 for 17 (.118) 1 SB  .118-0-0  1/1   -8 (Minus 8)
Stewart C   6 for 30, .200-0-5  0/0  24

Sabathia LHP   5-1, 3.77   ERA +  113

Notes: Jeter’s 59 hits lead the majors. 3147 career, five behind Waner, seven behind Brett.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why Granderson has decided to stop stealing bases. Since August 9th of last year, he has only attempted to steal SIX times, going 4 for 6. In other words, in the last 90 games, Granderson is just 4 of 6 in SB. This from a guy 26 for 27 in 2007, 20 for 26 in 2009, and 25 for 35 last year. This lineup is struggling to score runs. Struggling to get a hit with RISP. It seems as if Granderson is power only now, and that is just wrong. Curtis must run!    

A-Rod has just one HR since 4/27. Stuck on 634. He needs 185 hits for 3000, 92 RBI for 2000.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q2Qx6gVXq0

Check the link. If only the Mick were alive to teach this to Granderson, Gardner, Wise…

Interesting horserace. Could this be like 1978, the last year a horse won the Triple Crown? Affirmed over Alydar that year by what, length, head and nose? Here we have I’ll Have Another and Bodemeister, with I’ll Have Another winning by a length and a neck. Apparently Bodemeister may not race the Belmont. That’s too bad. It’d be great to see those two repeat the great Belmont stretch run of 1978, where the Triple Crown was won by a nose by Affirmed. Alydar was a great horse. In any other year…. much like Bodemeister appears to be now.

 

Game 36. Yanks bats silent as CC absorbes first loss of 2012

You knew CC wouldn’t go undefeated, and tonight he suffered his first loss of 2012. The Yanks’ bats didn’t help matters in a 5-2 loss.

CC went 6, 4 R, 8 H, 4 walks and 6 K. ERA to 3.77, record to 5-1.

Freddy Garcia went 2, 1 run (unearned), 1 h, 0 walks and 3 K. His ERA dropped to a still-ugly 8.69.

It was a rough night for Chris Stewart—two passed balls.

The Yankees’ offense wasn’t much to write about. Just five hits. The only runs came on a Granderson HR, #13. He has 23 RBI. That means a lot of solo shots. Tonight’s happened to be a two-run HR, and truth be told, it seemed like a fan wearing a Yankees jacket interfered.

Granderson has 13 hr. 10 at home, 3 in Baltimore. Is that funky, or what?

Just checking some batting stats. No out, 2nd and 3rd, 0 for 3. Ugh. 1 out, man on 3rd, 1 for 7. 2 out, man on 3rd, 2 for 16. It goes on. It seems that when they get a guy on 3rd, the batting average sinks and they can’t get him in. Check it out yourself.      RISP tonight? 1 for 9.

Jeter one hit. 3144.

Game 35. Banged up Yankees post an 8-5 win.

So, where to start? Ivan Nova took one off his leg and although he went 5 1/3, he limped off with a bruise & could miss a start. Teix has been playing through illness, now it appears that Rapada has picked up a viral infection. Ibanez was HBP tonight and was removed from the game.

The Yanks did pick up a game on the Orioles with an 8-5 win. Nova wasn’t great, got hit by a liner, may miss a start but a W is a W. Teixeira, struggling through an illness, hit a 2-run HR to break a 5-5 tie, then later doubled and scored.

Nova was off from the get-go. He gave up two in the first. The Yanks tied it in the fourth on a two-run double by Swish, then went ahead the next inning on a HR by Granderson (12).

Nova however, gave up 3 in the fifth. It is unknown whether the injury hurt him in that inning or not.

Nova 5 1/3, 5 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 4 K. Not impressive. A no-decision, ERA to 5.44 (yuk) despite the 4-1 record. He may need to miss his next start because of the bruise.

If so, hopefully David Phelps takes the start. Phelps got his first MLB win tonight.

Down 5-3, the Yanks bounced back in the sixth. An error enabled the Yanks to tie the game, but with the bases loaded and one out, Jeter whiffed and Granderson flew out. Opportunity wasted.

Teix hit his two-run HR (5) in the seventh to give the Yanks the 7-5 lead. In the ninth Teix doubled and scored on a SF for the final tally, 8-5.

Nova’s stats are above.

Rapada 1/3, 0 R, 0 h, 1 walk, 0 K. 3.60.

Phelps 1 IP, 0 R, 3 h, 0 walks and 1 K. Shaky, but his first MLB win. ERA 2.96.  (1-1).

Logan 1 IP, 0 R, 0 h, 0 walks and 3 K. 2.30.

Wade 1/3 IP, 0 r, 0 h, 0 walks and 1 K. 1.59.

Soriano the 9th. Save #2. 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 k. ERA 2.57.

Jeter got hit 3143 to pass Yount.

A-Rod three hits, but it’s interesting to see the O’s play him as if he were Jeter. Not for power, and not to pull. Playing him to hit singles to RF.

The Yanks (20-15) won despite going 1-11 with RISP and stranding 10.

Robertson has been out with a sore rib cage. Sheesh.

A win tonight. We will see how this M*A*S*H* unit is tomorrow.

 

Game 34. Andy ok, bats not in loss to M’s

Andy Pettitte was okay in his return to the majors, but the Yanks bats were shut down by the other old guy on the mound, Kevin Millwood, and the Yanks lost to Seattle 6-2 today.

Pettitte went 6 1/3, 4 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 2 K. 2 HR, 1 WP. He gave up no hits until the fourth, when the first hit he gave up was a two-run HR. Even after five, he had given up just two runs on two hits.

In the sixth, he gave up a 2-run HR off the foul screen, and got out of a bases-loaded jam.

For his first time out after being away since October, 2010, he wasn’t that bad.

The Yanks’ bats against the aging and fading Millwood? That was bad.

The Yanks got 1st and 2nd in the third. One out. Jeter GIDP.

In the fifth, the Yanks got a bases-loaded walk to Martin to cut it to 2-1, but with the bases loaded and one out, Jeter GIDP again.

Jeter did get hit #3142 in the 8th, tying Robin Yount on the all-time list.

Ripken 3184, Brett 3154, Waner 3152, JETER 3142, Yount 3142, Gwynn 3141.

Down 4-1 in the 8th, a bases-loaded two out walk to Cano cut the lead to 4-2. Teixeira then struck out. The Yanks were 0 for 5 with RISP.

Wade replaced Pettitte, 1 2/3, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 3 K. ERA 1.62

Rapada came in and got a couple of outs, but why did Girardi stick with him? Rapada is a LOOGY. You don’t let the guy face righties.

After getting two outs (both lefties) with a man on second, Rapada walks a righty batter, then a lefty batter. Bases loaded. He stays in to face a righty batter. A hit and an error by Rapada bring in two runs. 6-2.  Rapada has great splits vs. lefty batters. Terrible ones against righties. Leaving him in against the righties cost the Yanks a chance at a comeback. Righties hit .349 off Rapada. Lefties .164. You cannot let Rapada face righties if you can help it. After Rapada got the two lefties, Girardi should have brought someone else in to face the righty (Garcia?) for the last out. By not doing so, he gave up two runs. In the end, it didn’t matter, but…

Rapada 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 h, 2 walks, 1 K. 3.72.

In the bottom of the ninth, big mistake by Swish. He doubles to lead off the inning, but is thrown out going for three. Down by four runs? That is inexcusable.

The Yanks only got six hits, two by Chavez, two by Swisher.

Eppley was sent down when Pettitte was activated.