I hate to do this again, but, I gotta. This one just hurts too much for me to comment on it at this time. And, I need time to cool off. Check back for more later this evening – much later.
For now, I’ll just offer that this loss really, really, stings. I’m not sure if I want to throw up, punch something, or cry…heck, I might have to do all three to help offset the pain of this one.
Update, 8/19/08, 11:55 pm ET: O.K., some more thoughts on this one…
Darrell Rasner probably feels like dung right now. But, he should not. For six innings, Rasner was as good as he possibly could be…shoot, he was probably as good as Greg Maddux could be…in his prime. Sure, that 3-2 pitch to Adam Lind, down and in, with one out, in his last inning, was a mistake. But, even with that, it’s just one run allowed by Rasner in this game – - and he brought his team into 7th inning. What more can you ask from Darrell Rasner? Man, I feel bad for him right now.
Know what? I feel bad for Johnny Damon too. Yeah, that ball in the 8th inning has to be caught. But, in fairness to Damon, in five of his seven games before this one, he was the DH and not playing the field. And, this was only the 4th time in his last 41 games where he has played in centerfield. In a way, maybe it made sense to have Matsui break his way back into the line-up slowly – and avoid throwing Damon out there in center…in a big game like this one…where runs allowed were very important. This is really a bummer for Damon – who deserves not to be in this spot…since he’s been one of the Yankees better players this season.
A-Rod and Giambi…some night for those two, huh? Obviously, it’s not as easy to hit off A.J. A.J. Burnett as it is to hit off Brian Bannister…and then some. And, as far as that A-Rod situation in the 9th…well, I’m not sure. I can see the sense of urgency to try to get into scoring position. And, that was a great play by Overbay to nail him. But, was Alex busting it out of the batter’s box on that hit? That’s going to be the subject of debate on Wednesday.
Back to Burnett…he was a horse in this one. You have to tip your cap, of course. But, considering the effort from Rasner, you just hoped that the Yankees would win this one, 1-0, or, at the least, win it in extra innings. Then again, when Joe Inglett reached against Veras with two outs in the eighth…well, you just started to get that Dave Roberts feeling…
Well, at least I did. This Yankees team can do that to a guy.
Again, just a terrible, terrible, terrible game to lose – considering the manner in which it was lost, the calendar, the impact on the standings, with the Red Sox, Twins and Rays all winning…
It will be very interesting to see how the Yankees bounce back from this one tomorrow…if they do. I’m glad that Andy Pettitte is pitching for New York.
David Purcey is pitching for the Jays. In case you’ve never heard of him, he was taken in the 2004 draft by Toronto…just eight picks before the Yankees took Phil Hughes. Purcey’s minor league stats before this season were not great. But, he’s a big lefty. And, he has pitched O.K. in Toronto this season (as compared to his road games).
And, I don’t care how they do it, but, the Yankees better win tomorrow.
18 Responses to “August 19th @ The Blue Jays”
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August 19th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
I’m glad I gave up on them after the first game against Minnesota, where Girardi benched everyone and they got shut out. Then games like this don’t hurt as much.
August 19th, 2008 at 10:37 pm
That was a disgrace.
But was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?
August 19th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
My advice to you is to start drinking heavily.
August 20th, 2008 at 2:54 am
hopbitters — Who needs encouragement?
August 20th, 2008 at 2:57 am
Obama, when he heard that Russia invaded Georgia, asked: Is South Carolina next?
August 20th, 2008 at 7:09 am
in fairness to Damon, in five of his seven games before this one, he was the DH and not playing the field. And, this was only the 4th time in his last 41 games where he has played in centerfield.
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Nah, it’s not like he’s new to the position.
August 20th, 2008 at 7:25 am
Yanks and the Jays have similarities. They are relatively weak in respect to RISP. They both usually don’t do well against pitchers they’ve never seen before. The Yanks are not that great offensively this year BUT the Jays’ offense is sometimes positively anemic. Toronto is better defensively and pitchingwise BUT all in all there is a reason why both teams are so close in the standings. Rasner did a good job last night but was helped by Toronto’s “rookie pitcher” syndrome .
Speaking of rookie pitchers, Purcey is a decent pitcher. I wonder if the Yankee bats will be stymied by this neophyte who will become Toronto’s 5th starter next season ? There are so many master hitters on the Yankee team that seem like they are getting too old fast. Is this finally a replay of 65 all over again?
August 20th, 2008 at 8:47 am
Damon has always been shakey going back on the ball. I remember this from his Boston days and it usually was an adventure. I wonder if the Sox fan would say the same.
It is no excuse that he hasn’t played CF in a while. You don’t forget how to catch the ball. Like I said, he has always been shakey going back on the ball. I think that is more the reason for it to happen. It was one of the reasons I didn’t want Damon in CF even before they signed him.
Also, Giambi shouldn’t have played last night. As tough as that is to do, it’s just the truth. He can’t hit power pitchers and he had no chance against Burnett. After he struck out three times, I’m not sure why Girardi didn’t pinch hit for him against Ryan in the 9th either.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:08 am
PH for Giambi? With who? Molina? Betemit?
That’s the problem with Sexson gone now. Giambi has to face LHP.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:28 am
Why not Betemit?
Giambi vs Power Pitchers:
.172 AVG/.298 OBP/.306 SLG/.604 OPS/161 PA
Giambi vs Relief Pitchers:
.177 AVG/.326 OBP/.319 SLG/.645 OPS/138 PA
Anyone can do better than that. Plus you can’t ignore the fact he K’d three times before that. Not like he was getting good swings on the ball. For that matter he hasn’t hit the ball good for the past month:
Giambi Last 28 Days:
.221 AVG/.338 OBP/.397 SLG/.735 OPS/80 PA
Betemit vs Relief Pitchers:
.333 AVG/.375 OBP/.467 SLG/.842 OPS/81 PA
August 20th, 2008 at 9:33 am
I can’t say that I ever thought of Damon as being weak going back for fly balls. This game seemed more like a case of a couple of fluke muffs whereas, going forward, the greater risk of Damon playing CF is how often you’ll hear “just out of the reach of Damon …” as well as the risk that as his legs take more of a pounding, the rest of his game will decline. Its a risk the Yankees had to take but …
August 20th, 2008 at 9:37 am
You probably didn’t realize it because it looked like he was making a great play, when in fact he actually made the play more difficult. I’ve seen enough Red Sox games to be pretty sure of this. I also used to play CF and I always thought he was one of the worst CF’s as far as taking a route to the ball and judging it while going back towards the fence.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:51 am
in fairness to Damon, in five of his seven games before this one, he was the DH and not playing the field. And, this was only the 4th time in his last 41 games where he has played in centerfield.
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Nah, it’s not like he’s new to the position.
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Agreed. Both balls were catchable and the one in the 8th was an inexcusable drop. Damon had a big part in blowing the game last night, even if A-Rod haters want to argue otherwise.
August 20th, 2008 at 9:57 am
~~Why not Betemit? ~~
As a RH-batter, he’s a joke.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:00 am
Giambi has been a joke period. He’s useless right now.
August 20th, 2008 at 10:57 am
That’s the problem with Sexson gone now. Giambi has to face LHP.
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Platoon Splits
RHP: .253/.387/.510 (.897 OPS)
LHP: .237/.388/.495 (.883 OPS)
August 20th, 2008 at 2:33 pm
A.J. Burnett’s stats agst the Yankees this yr:
3-0, 1.61 ERA, 24 K’s in 22.1 innings
His record agst other teams in which he has made at least 2 starts:
Ana: 1-1, 4.71 ERA
Balt: 2-1, 9.82 ERA
Det: 2-0, 5.73 ERA
Oak: 1-1, 6.61 ERA
TB: 1-2, 3.15 ERA
TX: 1-1, 7.30
Getting dominated by mediocre pitchers time and again is quite a reflection of where the Yanks are at right now.
August 20th, 2008 at 3:13 pm
Getting dominated by mediocre pitchers time and again is quite a reflection of where the Yanks are at right now.
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I won’t deny that they have been dominated by some mediocre pitchers but Burnett is 6-1 with a 3.22 ERA since the All-Star break with 52 K’s in 44.2 innings. He’s been pitching a lot better than mediocre lately. No surprise he dominated the Yankees last night.