Oops forget what I said about Predicted Wins – at least about the Sox. Its the other guys who are outperforming, and we’re just underperforming a bit.

That’s all true but you start to see trends and begin to wonder. I was amazed a couple of weeks ago to see that the Sox lead the league in road OBP and SLG yet their record still stinks away from Fenway. And the fact remains that predicted wins at Hardball Times has the Sox as the most unlucky team, the Angels the most lucky and the Yanks right where they should be.

Its just been a weird season all the way around. I’m clinging to the hope that eliminating a great but toxic player will work the same way as it did in 2004.

OnceIWasAYankeeFan, anything can happen in a short series, you know that. It doesn’t matter which team you match up with, the “best team” (as defined by record) doesn’t always win

A win is definitely a win, and a split is much better than being swept at home (I think though that we had a few mitigating circumstances that have been worked out now ) I’m just sayin’ I wouldn’t conclude that the Yanks can hang with the Angels, all thing considered, based on this weekend.

And no, I don’t know if the Sox can hang with the Angels either, they’ve done worse so far. That’s why I want to catch the Rays and win the division so that the Rays can deal with the Angels in the first round, and maybe we can take them in a longer series.

A win is a win. You don’t sit around and rationalize errors and so forth and then say the game was handed to us. I didn’t say after Game 5 of the 2005 ALDS, “We had them, but they just got lucky because Sheff crashed into Bubba.”

And, I know it’s early, but Nady looks like a keeper.

I think it’s funny to see people get on A-Rod for that ball that Figgins misplayed. You do realize that the ball was smoked and that was a big part in it being misplayed? Figgins played it poorly, sure, but if the ball is hit another foot the other direction it’s a clean single and A-Rod is “clutch.” But I guess if he doesn’t drive the ball out of the yard, he’s not clutch, because any other hit conceivably could involve luck or a fielder misplaying it.

I’d like to see Christian get a little time in center, Melky looks totally lost at the plate right now.

>> You should certainly enjoy the win, but it was about as far from “earned” as you can get. >>

Gee, it’s better than getting swept and almost no-hit, right?

Anyway, this was simply karma adjusting for Mo’s performance on Friday night. Nothing to see here, move along!

antone – I was picking up a pizza with my father-in-law after the game and he suggested the same thing: Bat Nady 5th, and slide Giambi down to around 7th.

At this point, I agree. It makes sense.

Steve, I was at the game today and when Teixeira hit that home run I think I can speak for almost everyone when I say I didn’t even want to be there anymore.

Of course I pretty much knew Teixeira was going to go deep if they left Ramirez in there because he just lost it after he got the first two guys up. I’m not sure why Girardi didn’t bring in Marte and turn Teixeira around. He had him warming up in the pen but decided to stick with Ramirez.

The Yankees were definitely helped by the Angels errors today but a win is a win and I’ll take a split with the Angels.

ARod with runners in scoring position this season: .253 avg/.412 OBP/.424 SLG/4 HR/39 RBI/22 BB/8 IBB/7 HBP/30 K/ in 99 At Bats

Nady looks great so far, I think his bat is really going to help the Yankees. Giambi is struggling right now, I almost wonder if they should bat Nady 5th for a little while since he is hot.

Hey, I love RCAA. I do. But, RCAA does not tell you WHEN those runs created above average happened.

There’s always the chance that someone is stat padding…and building big RCAA totals, no?
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You’ll have to ask Lee.

Regardless, it’s hard to get on Rodriguez for “stat padding” in this context when Cano, Melky & Jeter have been doing as bad as they have.