I'm at the Globe, watching the Red Sox play the Blue Jays. Wait, that's not what's happening; the Red Sox are getting killed by the Blue Jays.
A day after Boston let itself earn a playoff berth by watching the Texas Rangers lose out, the Red Sox are looking positively minor league-ish. Roy Halladay is tossing a no-hitter through five, and the camera just cut to a guy in the parking lot who had left the Sox game and was lucky enough to snatch a sixth-inning Blue Jays homer.
Toronto now leads 9-0.
Rest is one thing, but the Red Sox have looked so bad these past few games (albeit with a lot of benchwarmers in) that you wonder whether they'll be able to turn it back on once the postseason starts. The Angels are pretty sharp this year, and no one should be counting them out, especially with the kind of effort Boston's had lately.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are facing off against the Royals, looking for the sweep. Derek Jeter hit a home run in the first at-bat of the game for the Yankees, notching the game at 1 early.
Showing posts with label texas rangers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label texas rangers. Show all posts
9.30.2009
Ugly Sox
Labels:
angels,
blue jays,
derek jeter,
new york yankees,
red sox,
roy halladay,
royals,
texas rangers
9.29.2009
Walkoff win #15
Will someone please tell the Yankees that they've clinched the division and can sit back and enjoy themselves until the playoffs start?
New York notched its seventh win in a row tonight, and its 15th walkoff victory, as fill-in Juan Miranda singled home the winning run to beat the Royals 4-3.
Yankees players streamed out of the dugout to celebrate the win, and A.J. Burnett (who also pitched well for the Yanks) delivered his customary pie-to-the-face.
After last night's 8-2 stomping of Kansas City, during which New York used only three of its regular starters, you've got to be happy that these Yankees are keeping the excitement high for every game heading into the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox lost another one to the Blue Jays as they continue to "rest" their players, guessing the Texas Rangers' ineptness will be enough to let them crawl into the last playoff berth. Is it just me, or have the Red Sox been employing this "resting"strategy for the whole second half of the season?
Other Yankees Posts
New York notched its seventh win in a row tonight, and its 15th walkoff victory, as fill-in Juan Miranda singled home the winning run to beat the Royals 4-3.
Yankees players streamed out of the dugout to celebrate the win, and A.J. Burnett (who also pitched well for the Yanks) delivered his customary pie-to-the-face.
After last night's 8-2 stomping of Kansas City, during which New York used only three of its regular starters, you've got to be happy that these Yankees are keeping the excitement high for every game heading into the playoffs.
Meanwhile, the Red Sox lost another one to the Blue Jays as they continue to "rest" their players, guessing the Texas Rangers' ineptness will be enough to let them crawl into the last playoff berth. Is it just me, or have the Red Sox been employing this "resting"strategy for the whole second half of the season?
Other Yankees Posts
Labels:
a.j. burnett,
blue jays,
juan miranda,
new york yankees,
red sox,
royals,
texas rangers
9.23.2009
Yankees in playoffs, take series from Angels
The Yankees edged into the playoffs yesterday when Texas lost, then topped the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 on the fast feet of Brett Gardner, who ran home on an Alex Rodriguez sacrifice fly.
Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
Other Yankees Posts
Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
Other Yankees Posts
9.20.2009
Yankees 10, Mariners 1
An update from the previous post:
After a sneaky 3-2 comeback win last night to the Mariners, the Yankees left no room for error and trounced Seattle 10-1 behind seven innings of scoreless ball from CC Sabathia (eight strikeouts) and a 4-for-5 performance from Mark Teixeira (5 RBI).
Robinson Cano was also 4-for-5, and Johnny Damon went 3-for-4 (RBI) in a strong night for the Bombers.
The Yankees are a comfortable six games up on the Boston Red Sox in the American League East with 13 games left to play. Boston has already pretty much nabbed the wild card, though, with Texas nine games behind them.
New York still has the best record in baseball by six games.
Other Yankees Posts
After a sneaky 3-2 comeback win last night to the Mariners, the Yankees left no room for error and trounced Seattle 10-1 behind seven innings of scoreless ball from CC Sabathia (eight strikeouts) and a 4-for-5 performance from Mark Teixeira (5 RBI).
Robinson Cano was also 4-for-5, and Johnny Damon went 3-for-4 (RBI) in a strong night for the Bombers.
The Yankees are a comfortable six games up on the Boston Red Sox in the American League East with 13 games left to play. Boston has already pretty much nabbed the wild card, though, with Texas nine games behind them.
New York still has the best record in baseball by six games.
Other Yankees Posts
8.26.2009
Payback
UPDATE: It's a win for the Yankees, in a game that saw Paul McCartney, Lorne Michaels and Jack Nicholson in the front row. Rats. I should have been there.
The Yankees are getting payback at Yankee Stadium, leading the Texas Rangers 9-2 in the bottom of the seventh.
As I write, A-Rod is at the plate with no outs, and New York has scored five runs in the frame.
It's just the kind of game Andy Pettitte needed to get back on track. After starting the season as New York's most reliable pitcher, he went through a dry spell then a spate of bad luck, watching his ERA shoot up and gathering a wad of no-decisions. (The Yankees' recent 20-11 win over the Red Sox was marred by Pettitte pitching a gem until a 38-minute inning by the Yankees batters that threw the lefty off his mark when he came back out to pitch again.)
Tonight, he's allowed only two runs and pitched a full seven innings, striking out seven.
Other Yankees Posts
The Yankees are getting payback at Yankee Stadium, leading the Texas Rangers 9-2 in the bottom of the seventh.
As I write, A-Rod is at the plate with no outs, and New York has scored five runs in the frame.
It's just the kind of game Andy Pettitte needed to get back on track. After starting the season as New York's most reliable pitcher, he went through a dry spell then a spate of bad luck, watching his ERA shoot up and gathering a wad of no-decisions. (The Yankees' recent 20-11 win over the Red Sox was marred by Pettitte pitching a gem until a 38-minute inning by the Yankees batters that threw the lefty off his mark when he came back out to pitch again.)
Tonight, he's allowed only two runs and pitched a full seven innings, striking out seven.
Other Yankees Posts
8.25.2009
Blech, Yankees!
I don't know what the worst part about New York's 10-9 loss to the Texas Rangers was; there are so many choices.
Joba Chamberlain had his first start in eight days and promptly gave up seven runs over four innings despite having a four-run cushion.
Every Yankee starter except Mark Teixeira (who's contributed plenty this year) and Nick Swisher had a hit, but the Yankees still lost.
New York stranded 17 runners.
And probably the worst, the Yankees entered the bottom of the ninth inning down five runs only to rally and pull the game to within 10-9 with runners on first and second with no outs. Then they blew it. Swisher bunted a ball into the air, and Jerry Hairston Jr. got caught off of second after a Melky Cabrera lineout to end the game.
Blech. Blechetty blech blech blech.
Other Yankees Posts
Joba Chamberlain had his first start in eight days and promptly gave up seven runs over four innings despite having a four-run cushion.
Every Yankee starter except Mark Teixeira (who's contributed plenty this year) and Nick Swisher had a hit, but the Yankees still lost.
New York stranded 17 runners.
And probably the worst, the Yankees entered the bottom of the ninth inning down five runs only to rally and pull the game to within 10-9 with runners on first and second with no outs. Then they blew it. Swisher bunted a ball into the air, and Jerry Hairston Jr. got caught off of second after a Melky Cabrera lineout to end the game.
Blech. Blechetty blech blech blech.
Other Yankees Posts
8.24.2009
Yankees blast Beckett
It was supposed to be a pitcher's duel, but the bats came out again tonight in the matchup between New York's CC Sabathia and Boston's Josh Beckett. The Yankees had the upper hand, homering off Beckett five times (the most home runs he's allowed in a game in his career), and New York won 8-4.
Sabathia now leads all Major League Baseball pitchers with 15 wins. He pitched into the seventh inning and struck out eight.
Derek Jeter homered in his first at-bat and overall had another stellar night, going 2-for-5 and making an awesome (classic Jeter) grab, twirl and throw to first for an early-inning out.
Alex Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with 3 RBI, including a homer that cleared the Green Monster.
Hideki Matsui (2 RBI, home run) and Johnny Damon (RBI) both went 2-for-4.
The Yankees have a homestand against the wild-card-pursuing Texas Rangers next, starting Tuesday night.
Other Yankees Posts
Sabathia now leads all Major League Baseball pitchers with 15 wins. He pitched into the seventh inning and struck out eight.
Derek Jeter homered in his first at-bat and overall had another stellar night, going 2-for-5 and making an awesome (classic Jeter) grab, twirl and throw to first for an early-inning out.
Alex Rodriguez was 1-for-4 with 3 RBI, including a homer that cleared the Green Monster.
Hideki Matsui (2 RBI, home run) and Johnny Damon (RBI) both went 2-for-4.
The Yankees have a homestand against the wild-card-pursuing Texas Rangers next, starting Tuesday night.
Other Yankees Posts
7.21.2009
A-Rod pokes 'em home
UPDATE: A beautiful Derek Jeter-Robinson Cano double play. Jeter tosses, Cano sends it to first with the whip of his arm, not even turning his hips. YouTube it.
UPDATE: Johnny Damon sends one home with a well-placed single in the bottom of the fourth, putting New York up 6-2.
RUNNING UPDATE: Robinson Cano made up for an earlier whiff of a K with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fourth, putting the Yankees on top 5-2 at home against the Baltimore Orioles. His shot chased Orioles starting pitcher Rich Hill.
One inning before, Alex Rodriguez helped spike the image that he's bad in the clutch.
He sat at the plate in the bottom of the third, with the bases loaded and two outs, letting the Yankee crowd ring in his ears as he faced an 0-1 count.
Hapless Baltimore pitcher Hill (who, despite having a no-hitter through two, had allowed Derek Jeter to score off a walk and a couple sacrifice flies), tossed him a pumpkin, right down the middle.
A-Rod let it go by. But before the slugger could soak in much more hate from the legions of Yankees fans upset at him for letting such a beautiful pitch go by, he unleashed his picture-perfect swing. The result was a solid connection, a poke on a looping pitch that plopped over short and sent two New York runners home.
A-Rod's strong hitting this year with runners on base has balanced an attack that statistically has not been as strong as in other years for the three-time MVP. He's only hitting .250 with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs, which is well under par for him (and especially for an odd-numbered year, when he is usually blistering at the plate).
Despite a slow start due to his hip injury, however, A-Rod has given his team a winning record while he's healthy (thus dooming many theories about the effect of him as a teammate) and is still second on the team in long bombs with 19 and RBI (52).
Across the league, the Red Sox are already behind the Texas Rangers, 2-0.
Cross your fingers....
Other Yankees Posts
UPDATE: Johnny Damon sends one home with a well-placed single in the bottom of the fourth, putting New York up 6-2.
RUNNING UPDATE: Robinson Cano made up for an earlier whiff of a K with a two-run blast in the bottom of the fourth, putting the Yankees on top 5-2 at home against the Baltimore Orioles. His shot chased Orioles starting pitcher Rich Hill.
One inning before, Alex Rodriguez helped spike the image that he's bad in the clutch.
He sat at the plate in the bottom of the third, with the bases loaded and two outs, letting the Yankee crowd ring in his ears as he faced an 0-1 count.
Hapless Baltimore pitcher Hill (who, despite having a no-hitter through two, had allowed Derek Jeter to score off a walk and a couple sacrifice flies), tossed him a pumpkin, right down the middle.
A-Rod let it go by. But before the slugger could soak in much more hate from the legions of Yankees fans upset at him for letting such a beautiful pitch go by, he unleashed his picture-perfect swing. The result was a solid connection, a poke on a looping pitch that plopped over short and sent two New York runners home.
A-Rod's strong hitting this year with runners on base has balanced an attack that statistically has not been as strong as in other years for the three-time MVP. He's only hitting .250 with 19 home runs and 52 RBIs, which is well under par for him (and especially for an odd-numbered year, when he is usually blistering at the plate).
Despite a slow start due to his hip injury, however, A-Rod has given his team a winning record while he's healthy (thus dooming many theories about the effect of him as a teammate) and is still second on the team in long bombs with 19 and RBI (52).
Across the league, the Red Sox are already behind the Texas Rangers, 2-0.
Cross your fingers....
Other Yankees Posts
6.04.2009
Yankees 8, Rangers 6
The Yankees topped the Rangers 8-6 today to take back the top spot in the American League (although they're tied with the Red Sox this time).
Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to complete the Yankee comeback. New York was down 5-1 on another rough start by Chien-Ming Wang but came back thanks to a timely hit from Mark Teixeira.
Other Yankees posts
Melky Cabrera hit a two-run homer in the bottom of the eighth to complete the Yankee comeback. New York was down 5-1 on another rough start by Chien-Ming Wang but came back thanks to a timely hit from Mark Teixeira.
Other Yankees posts
ti-share-uh
Chien-Ming Wang is in usual form, meaning he's let five runs in over five innings. Not good.
But Mark Teixeira is also continuing his May tear, dropping a double in the bottom of the fifth to plate three runs. The Yanks have tied the game against the Texas Rangers at five, and no one is questioning why New York nabbed Ti-Share-Uh in the offseason.
Other Yankees posts
But Mark Teixeira is also continuing his May tear, dropping a double in the bottom of the fifth to plate three runs. The Yanks have tied the game against the Texas Rangers at five, and no one is questioning why New York nabbed Ti-Share-Uh in the offseason.
Other Yankees posts
6.03.2009
Stiff back, stiff bats
More than just Andy Pettitte's back was stiff tonight in the Yankees' 4-2 loss to the Texas Rangers. The New York hitters stayed home, except for maybe Jorge Posada (two hits, home run) and Nick Swisher (two hits, double).
Pettitte may have had a win in any other game, if he had hitting support, but tonight letting four runs in and walking six didn't cut it. (Pettitte hasn't been phenomenal this season, but he's pitched to the occasion and avoided walks.)
Better luck tomorrow, when the Yankees close out the series with the Rangers at 1:05 p.m.
Other Yankees posts
Pettitte may have had a win in any other game, if he had hitting support, but tonight letting four runs in and walking six didn't cut it. (Pettitte hasn't been phenomenal this season, but he's pitched to the occasion and avoided walks.)
Better luck tomorrow, when the Yankees close out the series with the Rangers at 1:05 p.m.
Other Yankees posts
Yawn...Yankees win
It's become commonplace, these Yankees winning again. Tonight it was a 12-3 takedown of the Texas Rangers (oh, yes, the team with the best record in the American League).
And now the Yankees have the best record in the American League: 31-21.
They're 10 games over .500; last season they weren't 10 games over .500 until 100 games into the season.
Leading the way is none other than stalwart Derek Jeter, who has shaken the April rust off to sprint up the batting charts. Numbah 2 had three hits tonight and now leads the team with a .319 batting average. He also has 10 stolen bases (team-leading), 25 RBI, and seven home runs (he had 11 all of last year). Sure, his stats may not be as gaudy as, say Mark Teixeira's (44 RBI, 16 home runs), but Jeter's been getting on base plenty from the leadoff hole, and he's led the latest Yankees tear. The shortstop is batting .500 over the last seven games.
Enough with Jeter, though. Tonight, everybody got involved. Jorge Posada, who seemed content that the Yankees had broken the errorless streak (he flubbed a throw in the fourth inning to end it) came through for a three-run homer, and Hideki Matsui added a three-run blast of his own. Robinson Cano added two hits, and a whole pile of other Bombers contributed runs, single hits and RBI.
New York left eight runners on base (after stranding nine last night), yet they still won by nine runs. Something's going right here.
Other Yankees posts
And now the Yankees have the best record in the American League: 31-21.
They're 10 games over .500; last season they weren't 10 games over .500 until 100 games into the season.
Leading the way is none other than stalwart Derek Jeter, who has shaken the April rust off to sprint up the batting charts. Numbah 2 had three hits tonight and now leads the team with a .319 batting average. He also has 10 stolen bases (team-leading), 25 RBI, and seven home runs (he had 11 all of last year). Sure, his stats may not be as gaudy as, say Mark Teixeira's (44 RBI, 16 home runs), but Jeter's been getting on base plenty from the leadoff hole, and he's led the latest Yankees tear. The shortstop is batting .500 over the last seven games.
Enough with Jeter, though. Tonight, everybody got involved. Jorge Posada, who seemed content that the Yankees had broken the errorless streak (he flubbed a throw in the fourth inning to end it) came through for a three-run homer, and Hideki Matsui added a three-run blast of his own. Robinson Cano added two hits, and a whole pile of other Bombers contributed runs, single hits and RBI.
New York left eight runners on base (after stranding nine last night), yet they still won by nine runs. Something's going right here.
Other Yankees posts
5.31.2009
Tex? Good. Gardner? Errr....
Mark Teixeira did his job again today, driving in four runs with a double and a homer, but some shoddy play by the Yanks with runners on base (I'm thinking Brett Gardner at the plate) doomed the Bombers to a 5-4 walk-off loss to the Tribe.
Gardner was up in the top of the ninth with a speedy teammate on second, but all he could do was hit a bouncer that set up a double play from the next batter.
Chien-Ming Wang gave another solid relief performance, tossing three perfect innings, and the top three Yankee batters all went 2-for-4 (although there was quite a dispute over one play at first that could have easily been another Derek Jeter hit). But New York never got rolling, and it was more entertaining watching the seagulls fly in and stroll around the field than sit through all nine innings of this game.
New York can grab another W tomorrow before heading back to the Bronx and facing the American League-leading Texas Rangers. I hope Melky's back by then; they need his hot bat.
(Notes: Tex's home run ties him for the home run lead in the American League; the Yankees tied the Major League record for games without an error with 17 straight, which equals the Red Sox's 2006 mark.)
Other Yankees posts
Gardner was up in the top of the ninth with a speedy teammate on second, but all he could do was hit a bouncer that set up a double play from the next batter.
Chien-Ming Wang gave another solid relief performance, tossing three perfect innings, and the top three Yankee batters all went 2-for-4 (although there was quite a dispute over one play at first that could have easily been another Derek Jeter hit). But New York never got rolling, and it was more entertaining watching the seagulls fly in and stroll around the field than sit through all nine innings of this game.
New York can grab another W tomorrow before heading back to the Bronx and facing the American League-leading Texas Rangers. I hope Melky's back by then; they need his hot bat.
(Notes: Tex's home run ties him for the home run lead in the American League; the Yankees tied the Major League record for games without an error with 17 straight, which equals the Red Sox's 2006 mark.)
Other Yankees posts
5.28.2009
The Yankees aren't just great at home
The Yankees took a strong step toward being a top MLB team by going into Texas and taking a series from an American League contender this week. Any cries about the Yankees simply benefiting because of their home run-friendly park, or beating up on creampuffs such as the Orioles, fell silent as the Yankee bats roared to life yet again Wednesday night in their 9-2 stomping of the American League West-leading Rangers.
And as the story has gone, when the bats show up, the pitchers start throwing well, too. Pundits will say the Yankees' pitching has turned them around, but you only need to see who stepped into the lineup to start this tear to know that the bats have led the way. Since A-Rod has come back, New York has gone 14-5, with a nine-game winning streak. Mark Teixeira has arrived (14 home runs in May), and Derek Jeter's batting average has creeped up to .297 after he danced on the Mendoza line at the beginning of the season. Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera have been having career months.
My theory is this: when the hitting starts to happen, the pitchers settle down. They know someone has their back, and they don't have to take as many chances or pitch as perfectly to keep the game in hand.
Tonight was no exception. A.J. Burnett hadn't won a game since April 14, yet he came out and threw six innings, striking out seven and letting nary a run score. His previous starts have been walk-infested debacles, but tonight he entered the game with a two-run lead already under his belt and pitched well. Teixeira thumped a homer in the first to get the lead, and the rest of the Yankees just piled it on. Hideki Matsui emerged from his slump with two over-the-fence blasts.
New York's fielding has also improved; this was the team's 14th game in a row without an error.
Behind the scenes, the Yankees have also been doing some unnoticed things better. Jeter has nabbed 10 stolen bases, and part of that is because he's been walked 19 times even as his hitting lagged. Teixeira has collected 27 walks, and Nick Swisher has been given the free pass to first 31 times this season (and he rides the pine these days).
The Yankees are now 27-20, tied for the American League East lead with the Boston Red Sox. The only American League team with a better record? The Texas Rangers, at 27-19. Huh.
More Yankees posts
And as the story has gone, when the bats show up, the pitchers start throwing well, too. Pundits will say the Yankees' pitching has turned them around, but you only need to see who stepped into the lineup to start this tear to know that the bats have led the way. Since A-Rod has come back, New York has gone 14-5, with a nine-game winning streak. Mark Teixeira has arrived (14 home runs in May), and Derek Jeter's batting average has creeped up to .297 after he danced on the Mendoza line at the beginning of the season. Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera have been having career months.
My theory is this: when the hitting starts to happen, the pitchers settle down. They know someone has their back, and they don't have to take as many chances or pitch as perfectly to keep the game in hand.
Tonight was no exception. A.J. Burnett hadn't won a game since April 14, yet he came out and threw six innings, striking out seven and letting nary a run score. His previous starts have been walk-infested debacles, but tonight he entered the game with a two-run lead already under his belt and pitched well. Teixeira thumped a homer in the first to get the lead, and the rest of the Yankees just piled it on. Hideki Matsui emerged from his slump with two over-the-fence blasts.
New York's fielding has also improved; this was the team's 14th game in a row without an error.
Behind the scenes, the Yankees have also been doing some unnoticed things better. Jeter has nabbed 10 stolen bases, and part of that is because he's been walked 19 times even as his hitting lagged. Teixeira has collected 27 walks, and Nick Swisher has been given the free pass to first 31 times this season (and he rides the pine these days).
The Yankees are now 27-20, tied for the American League East lead with the Boston Red Sox. The only American League team with a better record? The Texas Rangers, at 27-19. Huh.
More Yankees posts
5.27.2009
Tex flying high in Texas
Mark Teixeira just smashed an inside fastball for a home run, putting the Yankees up 2-0 over the Texas Rangers three batters into the game.
Tex has had a slow start this year, but with Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup, he's gotten a boost (both from having protection in the lineup, and perhaps from not being the highest-paid underperformer in the Bronx).
Our favorite Sesame Street character's 15 home runs puts him second in American League homers. Tex leads the Yankees in both home runs and RBIs (37), and his batting average has rocketed up to .275, almost double his April average.
Tex has had a slow start this year, but with Alex Rodriguez back in the lineup, he's gotten a boost (both from having protection in the lineup, and perhaps from not being the highest-paid underperformer in the Bronx).
Our favorite Sesame Street character's 15 home runs puts him second in American League homers. Tex leads the Yankees in both home runs and RBIs (37), and his batting average has rocketed up to .275, almost double his April average.
Labels:
alex rodriguez,
mark teixeira,
new york yankees,
texas rangers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
