Game #57 - New York Yankees @ Minnesota Twins
New York Yankees at Minnesota Twins, Jun 2, 2008 7:05 PM EDT
NEW YORK YANKEES

Johnny Damon, LF
Derek Jeter, SS
Bobby Abreu, RF
Álex Rodríguez, 3B
Hideki Matsui, DH
Jason Giambi, 1B
Robinson Cano, 2B
Chad Moeller, C
Melky Cabrera, CF
MINNESOTA TWINS

Carlos Gomez, CF
Alexi Casilla, 2B
Joe Mauer, C
Justin Morneau, 1B
Michael Cuddyer, RF
Craig Monroe, DH
Delmon Young, LF
Brendon Harris, SS
Matt Macri, 3B
PREGAME NOTES:
- Congratulations to the greatest closer of all-time, Mariano Rivera, for being named the AL's Player of the Week.
- Jorge Posada remains on target to rejoin the Yankees later this week after going 1 for 3 with an RBI and making a handful of throws to bases during an extended Spring Training game this afternoon.
- Andy Pettitte is a lifetime 8-5, 3.52 ERA, 1.33 WHIP in 17 starts against the Twins, including 1-0, 0.00 ERA, 0.83 WHIP in one start against them in 2007.
- Livan Hernandez is a lifetime 0-3, 6.08 ERA, 1.77 WHIP in 4 starts against the Yanks. He is 4-0, 4.23 ERA, 1.51 WHIP in 6 starts at the Metrodome this season.
- Yanks' career numbers vs. Hernandez can be viewed here. Twins' career numbers vs. Pettitte can be viewed here.
- For those of you who haven't seen it, check out Pete Abe's piece in yesterday's Journal News about the upcoming draft on Thursday and the Yanks' philosophy to drafting young players. It's worth a look.
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Keep an eye on A-Rod tonight
He is a lifetime .615 (8-13, 2 HR, 3 doubles, and 8 RBI) against Hernandez.
Random
Normally I wouldn’t give a crap, and I still mostly don’t give a crap, but have you seen how many Red Sox would be starting the All-Star game in the Bronx if voting ended today???
Varitek catching
Youkilis at first
Pedroia at second
Manny in the OF
Ortiz DH
Plus Francona managing. Papelbon, Dice-K if he’s healthy….. YUCK.
Start stuffing those ballot boxes.
"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death
Yeah, that kinda bugs me too
I could see Manny, Ortiz, Pedroia, and perhaps even Varitek – but Youkilis? An even more sickening thought is that Dice-K might get that start too. That is, if his shoulder recovers.
I could tolerate
Youkilis over Varitek, but that’s just me.
An objective ballot probably reads: Mauer, Youkilis, Kinsler, Arod, Young, Ordonez, Hamilton, Damon, Bradley.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Hey
I guess Arod does hit Livian pretty well…
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Yanks should knock Hernadez around tonight
because he’s the kind of pitcher they usually do hit pretty hard.
Also, Hernandez also defies conventional wisdom because he’s given up over 100 hits in 77 IP and opponents are hitting .roughly .330 against him.
How he is 6-2 on the season is beyond me.
Gotta wonder which major leaguer is going to get severely hurt with a shattered bat before MLB takes action with these maple bats.
I know they are supposedly looking into this issue, but it’s just a matter of time before a player of value to the game goes down from getting nailed by a shattered bat.
Broken bats are as part of the game as hot dogs and beer, but this is happening way too often.
They
don’t have to get rid of maple- just institute minimium dimensions.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
That sound
was the wheels coming off
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
Mauer
Went to the same plate-blocking school that Posada did (although he has improved on that a bit of late).
Thanks Joe.
"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death
A big hit
to blow this open would make me very very happy.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
What's wrong with emotion?
Flaherty talking about how Gomez may rub some opponents the wrong way with his emotion.
I’ll never understand why it is such a big deal.
I'll say this much...
Another extra inning game is about the last thing they need tonight. Although, Farnsworth is [un]reliable enough to put a stop to that.
This is good in a way
The sooner Girardi gives up on trusting this dipshit the better off the Yanks will be in the long run.
8th inning open tryouts have begun.
Another game affected by Joba’s absence. BOO.
"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death
Don't care
Moving Joba to the rotation was the right move – although I still say they are moving too fast with it.
But, you’re right, this does help push Girardi to have open tryouts for that role. At least, we hope it does. Girardi seems to be just as stubborn as Joe Torre.
I know
But it would be nice to ONE person out there besides Mo who you could trust. If they had a top flight relief pitcher, or a good left handed reliever, that person would have faced Mauer and Morneau, not Pettitte, and that person would have pitched the 8th. Frustrating as hell that $200 million can only get you one great reliever and a bunch of cast-offs.
Sorry, but Ramirez is nowhere near that guy for the job (not yet anyway), and if he’s the next best option that is one sorry ass bullpen.
"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death
I'm with you on Ramirez
But there are going to be other arms getting a the call, too. I know you don’t have any faith in the young kids in the minors, but I really believe they are going to make a significant impact before the season is over.
Now I’m not going to suggest that they can or will be as dominant as Joba in that role, but they are going to be better options than a few members of the current group.
I have some faith
in the kids in the minors, but its not blind faith. And there are games like tonight’s being played while those kids are still getting ready.
Those kids might be good, but they ain’t Joba, and unless you have an arm llike his, your first few months in the big leagues are a little rocky.
To have two months to prepare for this transition, and to still consider Farnsworth the most reliable replacement option (even if it’s for the short term), is lunacy.
"Well, that kind of puts a damper on even a Yankees win."
-- Phil Rizzuto after hearing about the Pope's death
I might have been wrong
when I said this on April 7….
Jim Baumbach of Newsday and Jack Curry of the NY Times both addressed this issue yet again this morning after watching yesterday’s game in the late innings. Baumbach’s main argument for keeping Joba in the pen is that the alternative is Kyle Farnsworth and a lot of blown leads.
While that may be true if Farnsworth is indeed handed the 8th inning role later in the season, my problem with that analysis is that Joe Girardi has at least two months to figure out who the best guy is to fill that role once Joba moves to the rotation (as the plan has been all along). Given his long track record and early returns in 2008, Farnsworth will not be handed that role by default. He’ll have to earn it and every Yankee fan reading this blog knows he won’t. The same argument can be said for LaTroy Hawkins.
Girardi is a smart guy and he’s going to go with the hot hand. He’s not going to automatically hand the 8th inning keys over to a guy who hasn’t proved he can pass the driving test. Not to mention, there are young arms at the minor league level who are going to get opportunities to make a splash.
wow
Kyle Farnsworth, you are not good at professional baseball. At least not by the objective standards of other professional baseball players.
by long time listener on Jun 2, 2008 9:46 PM EDT reply actions
How about
sending Farnsy down to AAA and let Britton take his spot. Seriously, the big guy can do no worse. Shit, I can do no worse.

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