WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 7/6/09
Posted by Steve L. on July 6th, 2009 · Comments (20)
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The 5 Match-Ups That Will Make Or Break Yanks In Second Half Of 2009
Posted by Steve L. on July 6th, 2009 · Comments (0)
I was just looking at the remaining games for the Yankees, Red Sox and Rays in 2009 – from today foward.
Week 13 – 2009
Posted by Steve L. on July 6th, 2009 · Comments (1)
What stands out the most in my mind, this past week, is that the Yankees went 5-1 and only had two “strong” efforts from their starting pitchers: Pettitte against the M’s and Burnett against the Jays. To me, this says this week was all about the bats and the bullpen in Yankeeland.
Ideally, you’d like to see the starting pitchers doing more of the heavy lifting here – because the bullpen could burn out (this way) and the bats will not be able to perform like this in October (when they face teams with strong pitching staffs). Think: 2004 ALCS. I don’t think anyone in Yankeeland wants to see that happen to the team again – ever.
Mid-Season Report Card, 2009
Posted by Steve L. on July 5th, 2009 · Comments (9)
Yes, it’s time again for the WasWatching.com Yankees Mid-Season Report Card!
But, first, here are the Yankees Mid-Season Overall Team Grades, since we started doing this, in the seasons prior to this one:
2005: C+
2006: B-
2007: D
2008: C
O.K., so, what will New York’s Mid-Season Overall Team Grade be for 2009?
(more…)
July 5th vs. The Blue Jays
Posted by Steve L. on July 5th, 2009 · Comments (12)
Coming into this start, the last 101 batters to face Joba Chamberlain have produced an OPS of .807 against him. And, today, he faced 21 batters allowing 11 of them to reach base – albeit that one of the 11 reached on an error. If this keeps up, at some point soon, the debate in Yankeeland is going to shift from “Should Joba start or pitch in the pen?” to “Should Joba be in the majors or Triple-A?”
Speaking of pitchers, congrats to good guy Dirk Hayhurst for getting a chance to pitch in the new Yankee Stadium today. Not too bad for an eighth-round pick out of Kent State in 2003. Then again, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for baseball players from Kent State.
Huge, awesome, big flies in this game for Hideki Matsui and Derek Jeter. Those clutch blasts, along with the masterful pitching of Alfredo Aceves, were the keys for New York in this exciting – and looooong – win. Three hours and forty-four minutes for nine innings? Yikes.
Lastly, when was the last time a Yankees pitcher, like Aceves today, got a four inning save? It was June 28, 2002 when El Duque pulled it off. And, the time before that was September 10, 2000 when Doc Gooden did it. So, file this one under: You don’t see that everyday!
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 7/5/09
Posted by Steve L. on July 5th, 2009 · Comments (8)
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You know, when the Jays and Yankees headed into extra innings yesterday, with it being July 4th, I began to think back to that Mets-Braves game, back on July 4th of 1985 – where the two teams played 19 innings and the game ended at 3:55 a.m. (ET) on July 5th. I was dating a girl back then who came from a family of huge Mets fans and her kid sister, who was about 13-years old at that time, stayed up to watch the entire game and was fried the next day.
I must have had that on my mind, subconsciously, because I had a dream last night that my father and I were driving around in Charleston, South Carolina, looking to find “The Joe” because the RiverDogs were playing an extra inning game and we wanted to get there before it ended. But, we made a wrong turn, somewhere, and ended up at Fifth Third Field in Ohio – except, in my dream, the home team there was an A-Ball affiliate for the Cubs and not the Reds. (I was probably confusing it with the Daytona Cubs.) And, as luck would have it, there was an extra innings game being played there as well.
Hey, what can I say? I have really weird dreams – especially when suffering from pollen and/or mold allergies (and I have been outside a lot in the last three days).
In any event, then, this morning, I woke up and saw that the Trenton Thunder played a 14-inning game last night as well (at home).
Extra innings baseball to the north of me. Extra innings baseball to the south of me. Extra innings baseball in my dreams. Crazy, huh?
Soggy Scranton Soaked Out
Posted by Steve L. on July 4th, 2009 · Comments (4)
Via Our Sports Central -
Due to ongoing drainage issues at PNC Field, the game scheduled for Saturday, July 4th vs. Pawtucket has been postponed. The fireworks show slated for after the scheduled game will go on as planned and fans with tickets for Saturday’s game are encouraged to celebrate the holiday at PNC Field with gates opening at 7:30 PM and the fireworks show which will begin at 9:00 PM. PNC Field concessions stands as well as Legend’s at PNC Field will be open for business.
The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees are currently experiencing a significant drainage problem at PNC Field which has been highlighted by the inordinate amount of rainfall this summer. The Yankees have taken several steps to alleviate the problem including drilling holes on the field, aerating, adding drain tile and replacing over 14,000 square feet of sod in the outfield. We have also enlisted the service of other experts, including a field consultant hired by structural consultants Ewing Cole, to evaluate the field conditions. Steve Horne, the PNC Field head groundskeeper, the field consultant and a third party group hired to do an independent study, have all reached the same conclusion: the PNC Field playing surface, as well as the drainage system, needs to be replaced.
Given the scope of the project, it must wait until the end of the season to be done. In the meantime, all efforts are being made by all parties involved, including the New York Yankees head groundskeeper, Dan Cunningham, to implement any and all potential short term solutions available. The SWB Yankees priority is player safety and it may become necessary to postpone additional games due to the playing conditions at PNC Field.
Based on some of the reader comments left at Chad Jennings’ report on this, fans are pretty upset about the way the team has handled this situation.
On June 13, 1975, then Yankees center fielder Elliott Maddox tore a ligament and cartilage in his right knee after slipping on the wet outfield grass at Shea Stadium – which was caused by an inadequate drainage system – during the ninth inning of a game against the White Sox. And, he was never the same after that injury. I’m sure that the Yankees would hate to see the same thing happen to a prospect like Austin Jackson. So, as bad as I feel for the fans about this – and I do, because it stinks to have someone pull the rug on your plans to see a game – you do have to do what’s right with respect to making sure the players don’t get hurt on a field with compromised playing conditions.
July 4th vs. The Blue Jays
Posted by Steve L. on July 4th, 2009 · Comments (7)
Heading into this game, you had Yankees-killer Roy Halladay against Chien-Ming Wang and his 10.06 ERA. So, at the onset of this contest, it would have not been obscene to pencil in an “L,” today, for New York.
But, then, some crazy things happened. Halladay actually allowed three runs in his first four innings of work and Wang was doing O.K. – and, this probably got you to start thinking “Hey, maybe…?” (At least, that’s what I was thinking.)
However, as soon as you started to think that, the dark clouds came out again. Wang allows the two-run homer to Adam Lind in the sixth and has to leave the game, David Robertson allows another run, and, then, it’s 5-3, Jays, heading to the seventh. Bummer.
Yet, then, Johnny Damon hits a “Lonn Trost” homer off Halladay and the game is tied! And, once again, there’s hope in Yankeeland!
Wait…here come those clouds again…as the Yankees leave the winning run on second base in the eighth and ninth and go down one-two-three in the tenth and eleventh. Worse, Brett “Game Over” Tomko is now pitching for the Yankees in the twelveth inning.
At this point, I start thinking “Well, it was supposed to be a ‘loss’ today at the start, with Halladay pitching and all, so, maybe it was meant to be? But, then again, it would be a shame to waste scoring five runs against him, and having chances to win it after that go down the bog…”
Thankfully, Mark Teixeira and Jorge Posada saved the day in the bottom of the twelveth – and, now, the Yankees are just one game out of first place in the A.L. East.
Lastly, to the big news on Wang. The word is that he has a shoulder strain with bursitis and should be on the disabled list for about a month. But, don’t forget that, back in February 2008, it was reported that the Yankees had concerns about Wang’s shoulder since he has a torn rotator cuff that never was repaired. Could it be that Chien-Ming Wang’s shoulder has finally blown out?
Sergio Mitre, com’on down, you’re our next contestant on…
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 7/4/09
Posted by Steve L. on July 4th, 2009 · Comments (0)
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Also, note that MLB’s new charitable campaign, called 4 ALS Awareness, to combat Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), otherwise known as “Lou Gehrig’s Disease,” will culminate today, which is the 70th anniversary of Lou Gehrig’s famous farewell speech at Yankee Stadium. More via Marc Carig -
Players, coaches and umpires from all across baseball will wear a 4 ALS patch. A 4 ALS log will also appear on first base at ever ballpark, which will later be auctioned off to raise funds for research. A video to commemorate specially created to commemorate the event be played before every game.
The Yankees will recognize Michael Goldsmith, a baseball fan who lobbied for the creation of the 4 ALS program. The Yankees Foundation is also planning to make a $25,000 donation to the ALS Foundation of New York.
And, of course, Happy 79th Birthday to Big Stein today!
Lastly, enjoy the holiday today and drive safe!
Cashman’s “No. 2″ To Toe Rubber For Rays Bush League Promo
Posted by Steve L. on July 3rd, 2009 · Comments (0)
Yes, it’s time for our annual Jean Afterman sighting! Via Marc Topkin:
An upcoming promotion by the Rays’ Hudson Valley (N.Y.) minor-league team has turned into a bit of a battle of the sexes.
The (aptly named) Renegades planned Tuesday’s promotion to honor women by keeping men outside the gates for the first five innings, dressing their male employees in ladies clothing and offering spa treatments.
The idea, hatched by Tyler Tumminia, a female executive with the ownership group, was to spotlight women in baseball (Yankees assistant general manager Jean Afterman will throw out the first pitch) and salute the purchasing power of female fans.
But then the naysayers started squawking, with Duchess County officials requesting the promotion be canceled due to human rights issues and a sponsor, the New York Lottery, asking out (though several others bought in just for the night).
“It’s gotten a bit overblown,” said team president Jeff Goldklang, who has no plans to cancel. “We’re a bit surprised. We were trying to have a little fun, create a unique kind of Ladies Night and poke a little fun at the political correctness that’s taken over.”
Throwing out the first pitch at a home game for the Tampa Bay Rays Short-Season A-Ball Affiliate?
My, that Jean Afterman, she does get around, doesn’t she?
July 3rd vs. The Blue Jays
Posted by Steve L. on July 3rd, 2009 · Comments (8)
A.J. Burnett gets the game ball for this one. On a beautiful day at Yankee Stadium, Burnett’s effort was just as pleasing to the eye – if you’re a Yankees fan, of course.
You know, the Yankees have now won 8 of their last 9 games. But, on the whole, I still feel like their offense is not clicking on all cylinders. Over the last 6 games, it feels like they’ve been somewhat pedestrian with the lumber and often scoring on breaks/errors/bad plays and not scoring enough when big innings seem to be developing. Again, this is just a “feel” thing – so, it could just be me?
For what it’s worth, in terms of facts, New York has now scored 75 runs in their last 16 games – and that’s an average of 4.7 runs per game. And, coming into this game, the American League average for runs scored per game was 4.79 (R/G).
O.K., I just checked – and the Yankees are scoring 4.8 runs per game in their last six games – again, right about league average.
In the end, I guess we should say “Thank goodness for the Yankees good pitching lately,” right?
Book Review: Marty Appel’s “Munson: The Life And Death Of A Yankee Captain”
Posted by Steve L. on July 3rd, 2009 · Comments (9)
As I have shared in the past, when I was a youngster, I was a huge fan of Thurman Munson.
To this day, if I close my eyes, I can quickly remember the feeling of sitting in Yankee Stadium, as a 13-year old, with my father, watching the Yankees play with Munson at bat and runners on base.
During these moments, my heart would race – where it felt like it was about to jump out of my chest (because it was beating so hard and fast). Why? Because I wanted Thurman to come through…as he was “my guy.”
And, more times than not, Munson did the job.
It’s been so many years, but, in this memory, I can still see Munson slapping a line drive into right field, as if he was picking the ball out of opposing catcher’s mitt with his bat, waiting until the last minute to go the other way with the pitch, with Yankees runners rounding third and coming home to score…man, talk about pure exhilaration…that was it.
Being such a Munson fan, I was (and still am) very interested in learning more about him.
Granted, back in 1978, Thurman Munson did publish an autobiography (with Marty Appel). However, that was more of your typical “baseball biography” in the sense that it told us what Thurman wanted us to hear and is what many would consider to be a “comfortable” read. Plus, the book only covered the Thurman Munson story through the winter of 1977-78. And, we know that’s not where his story ends.
Further, in 2001, Christopher Devine authored a biography “Thurman Munson.” However, while I found Devine’s book to be incredibly well sourced, I did not find the book to be “gripping” – and, for someone like me, a huge Munson fan, that’s a bad sign.
Basically, for the last three decades or so, I’ve been waiting for the ultimate book covering the entire story of Thurman Munson. And, now, thanks to Marty Appel, with his new book “Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain,” we have what I have been waiting for…all these years.
With this new book – to be released on July 7, 2009 – Appel provides us with the complete account of Thurman Munson’s life and untimely passing…with no holds barred.
With this work, we get to see the many facets of Munson’s life: Thurman as a ball player, a friend, the family man and a real estate entrepreneur. And, we get to see the good and the bad sides of the man. This includes getting to see Thurman as the everyday likeable guy who eats Oreos and milk for breakfast, watches the Three Stooges, sings commercial jingles to himself, has a terrible sense of fashion, and who would go out of his way to help people (with no fanfare whatsoever). But, we also get to see Thurman as someone who was somewhat insecure at times, cursed at sportswriters, gave the fans “the finger” during a game, cut many of the dysfunctional family members out of his life, and who once fired a gun in the Yankee Stadium parking lot.
Also, with this biography, Appel provides a superior account of the complete Thurman Munson timeline – bringing us from Munson’s youth, through his time with the Yankees, to covering his tragic death in terms of the event itself and the impact it had on many (both inside and outside the Munson circle).
But, what I enjoyed most about “Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain” is how the story is told. In the book, Appel uses his own voice as well as those of many others who knew Thurman – including his teammates and friends. And, many of these sources are people who most were never aware (until now) as being a big part of Munson’s life or parties that you would not expect to have some insight on the Munson story.
Also, I found this book to be acutely accurate with its facts and figures. Being diehard Yankees fan, as well as a long-time baseball fan in general, I am often a stickler about landmark baseball books (such as this one) being careful with the presentation of data – especially when it pertains to the Yankees (with that being my area of fan expertise). Related, the only issue I had with my review copy of this one could be found on page 128 where it said that Munson batted .435 in the 1976 World Series – when, actually, he batted .529 in that World Series and .435 was his batting average in the 1976 A.L.C.S. (But, this is a very small faux pas when you consider the amount of detail correctly stated in this book.)
In summary, I would offer that “Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain” is a must read for any Yankees fan over the age of forty, a highly recommended read for Yankees fans of any age, and a recommended read for anyone interested in baseball and a very well-done story about one of more notable players from the last half-century of the game’s history.
This book will engross, entertain, enlighten and “touch” you all at the same time. It’s too bad that we had to wait 30 years for a book like this on Thurman Munson. But, now that its here, I cannot imagine a better one ever being done compared to the job Marty Appel did with “Munson: The Life and Death of a Yankee Captain.”
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 7/3/09
Posted by Steve L. on July 3rd, 2009 · Comments (20)
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July 2nd vs. The Mariners
Posted by Steve L. on July 2nd, 2009 · Comments (3)
CC Sabathia didn’t have it tonight and only Robinson Cano and Hideki Matsui were swinging well for the Yankees in this one. And, when that happens, you’re not going to win too many times.
Oh, and, Russell Branyan hit a “restaurant quality” (as Ken Singleton called it) homer (banging it off the Mohegan Sun sports bar in center) against Alfredo Aceves in the 9th inning. Betcha that woke up a lot of people who were watching the game on T.V., and who fell asleep as the fans in Yankee Stadium were being equally bored doing the wave…
That was the first time a batter has reached the Mohegan Sun with a homer at the new Yankee Stadium.
Now comes an interesting run on the Yankees schedule: Four day games in a row against the Blue Jays – when was the last time the Yankees played four day games in a row? – followed by three games on the rug and under the lid in Minny and then three games way out west in Los Angeles (before the All-Star break).
I have to wonder if any Yankees players will get into trouble having four nights off, in a row, while the team is in New York? Is the Copacabana still open?
O.K., true story that has nothing to do with the Yankees or baseball, but, one I have to share: A church around the corner from me is holding one of those 6-day Annual Fairs that features games, rides, raffles, food, etc. So, me, my wife, our 7-year old daughter and 5-year old son decided to check it out.
One of the rides there was “The Flying Bobs.” (If you’ve never seen it, check out the video below.) Basically, this thing whips you around, fast, at times tilting you to the side, as you sit in it, two in a tub – and then it does it again, but this time in reverse, just as fast, etc.
My daughter decided that she wanted to ride “The Flying Bobs” – and, since she’s just seven, I joined her on this one.
As we’re on line, waiting our turn to ride it, I was watching the people riding it (before us). And, as this thing is whipping around, I noticed a young girl (probably around 14-years old), sitting with another girl, riding “The Flying Bobs” and “texting” someone on her mobile device at the same time. Simply, unbelievable – but true.
What can possibly be next?
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 7/2/09
Posted by Steve L. on July 2nd, 2009 · Comments (18)
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Looking Back At The “Yanks MVP” 5 Years Later
Posted by Steve L. on July 2nd, 2009 · Comments (6)
From a Chris Smith feature published in NY Mag entitled “The Yankees’ Most Valuable Player” on August 9, 2004:
After weeks of dead-end trade proposals Brian Cashman finally has a live one. It’s July 31, the last day of Major League Baseball’s midsummer trading period. Cashman was awakened in Darien at six this morning by his 1-year-old son, and watching The Wiggles with Teddy seemed like the only fun Cashman would have all day. What the 37-year-old general manager of the Yankees has to look forward to, mostly, is being quizzed by his boss, George Steinbrenner, as other teams announce deals: Why’d the Marlins get him? Why don’t we want him?
Now, with one hour to go before the trading deadline, in his narrow office above home plate at Yankee Stadium, where the walls are lined with the color-coded names of every big-league player, Cashman finds himself on the verge of moving erratic pitcher Jose Contreras to the Chicago White Sox in exchange for right-hander Esteban Loaiza.
Just before hustling downstairs to the clubhouse to talk to Contreras—whose contract gives him the right to block the deal—Cashman makes another call on his BlackBerry. It’s to one of his best friends in baseball, San Diego Padres general manager Kevin Towers. “What’s up, dude?” Cashman asks, constantly panning for useful information. “I’m talking to the White Sox,” Towers says, “about getting Loaiza and spinning him off to Boston to get us Derek Lowe.”
Uh-oh. Losing out on Loaiza would be disappointing, but not fatal. Losing him to the Red Sox, on the other hand—in Steinbrenner’s world, that’s a hanging offense. Cashman hangs up, speed-dials Kenny Williams. The White Sox general manager says Contreras remains his first choice. Hmmm.
Contreras signs off on the trade, and with one minute to go before the deadline, Anthony Flynn, a Yankees aide, faxes in the official documents. “Conversation, man, that’s key,” Cashman says. “Just stay communicating; you might get lucky. It’s that old principle: One man’s shit is another man’s ice cream.”
Oh, if only the Red Sox had been able to trade Derek Lowe for Esteban Loaiza back in July of 2004…
Jenkins: Michael Kay Is PED Hypocrite
Posted by Steve L. on July 2nd, 2009 · Comments (4)
From Bruce Jenkins blog (with a hat tip to BBTF) –
Part of the fun of Manny Ramirez’ return to the Dodgers, scheduled for Friday night, will be the exposure of Charley Steiner as a hypocrite. Michael Kay was the first to go down, and Charley’s next.
At the height of Barry Bonds’ pursuit of the home-run records, Duane Kuiper and Mike Krukow made lively, enthusiastic calls on the Giants’ network. They always loved Bonds as a ballplayer. They knew that whatever the extent of his plunge into steroids, it didn’t tarnish his reputation as one of the greatest and most entertaining hitters of all time. Most of the Giants’ fans knew this, as well, and they cheered their hearts out whenever he went deep. Kuiper’s home-run calls, in particular, go down with the most inspiring of modern-day broadcasting.
It seems this didn’t go over too well in other cities. Kay, who anchors the Yankees’ telecasts, ripped Krukow and Kuiper in a public forum for getting so excited over a steroid guy. Steiner, part of the Dodgers’ radio team, made some equally rude comments (off the air), establishing himself as a real high-and-mighty beacon of integrity.
Except it doesn’t work that way. Alex Rodriguez opened the season in disgrace after the steroid-related embarrassment of spring training, but that didn’t stop Kay from going nuts when A-Rod slugged his first home run. Presto — instant hypocrite! Now we get to hear Steiner when Manny rocks Dodger Stadium for the first time. What, he’s going to treat it like a funeral while the place is going crazy?
I’ve known Kay since his days as a Yankee beat writer in New York, and he’s a good guy. So is Steiner, who livened up many an ESPN “SportsCenter” before he joined the Dodgers. Ripping the Giants’ broadcasting team, to say the least, was not their finest hour.
I cannot blame a broadcaster for getting excited about a player on “his team” hitting a homer, etc., even if the player was caught for using PEDs. That’s pretty much their job. That said, Jenkins has a point here – in that said broadcasters should not have thrown stones, if they really did, at another time.
Nonetheless, it will be interesting to see if Kay responds to this claim. Nothing like a little coast-to-coast media tinkling contest to throw another log on the Yankeeland entertainment/circus fire, right?
A-Rod’s Nephew Joe Dunand Jr.
Posted by Steve L. on July 2nd, 2009 · Comments (2)
Via the Daily News today -
Joe Dunand Jr.’s nickname is Lil’ Joe, but you might as well call him Lil’ A-Rod.
Dunand Jr., a 13-year-old slugger, is A-Rod’s nephew. He’s also a 5-9, 140-pound spitting image of the Bombers’ third baseman.
His father, Joe Dunand Sr., is Rodriguez’s half-brother.
“He looks more like his son than mine,” Dunand Sr. said half-jokingly earlier this week as his son took batting practice at Jose Martinez’s Baseball Made Simple Academy in the Bronx. A-Rod’s nephew has a smooth, powerful swing for a 13-year-old, finishing with the same high follow-through as his uncle.
“He’s got great aptitude and he’s got nice pop in his bat,” said Martinez, who tutors some of the area’s top young players at his academy. “He picks things up quick and he works hard. Unless you tell him ‘stop,’ he’s going to keep going.”
Dunand Jr. lives in Miami and usually spends his summers there, but he has been staying at his father’s place in the Bronx for the past few weeks to work with Martinez on refining his swing while playing shortstop for coach Steve Bort’s Bergen Beach 13s – the same youth team A-Rod played for as a teen.
It will be interesting to see if A-Rod and Dunand follow the Dwight Gooden/Gary Sheffield route in terms of being an uncle/nephew combo to star in baseball. Then again, this could end up like Rico Carty/Julio Santana, Dan Driessen/Gerald Perry, or Phil Niekro/Lance Niekro.
Hey, we in Yankeeland – at least most of us – remember the Larry Bowa/Nick Johnson and Gene Mauch/Roy Smalley Jr. uncle/nephew combos. But, did you know that Yankee nemesis Kevin Millar is the nephew of former big leaguer Wayne Nordhagen? I just learned that today.
And, Wayne Nordhagen was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 7th round of the 1968 amateur draft. He was later traded in 1973 by the Yankees (with Frank Tepedino, Dave Cheadle, and Al Closter) to the Atlanta Braves for Pat Dobson. So, I guess Millar has a Yankees connection, of sorts. Yuck.
Enjoy The Holiday Weekend & Drive Safe!
Posted by Steve L. on July 2nd, 2009 · Comments Off
Saw this on WalletPop.com this AM -
There’s one reason not to cheer for Independence Day: It’s one of the deadliest holiday for alcohol-related car crashes. Statistics gathered over the past 25 years show that, on average, nearly 51 percent of all deadly traffic crashes on July 4 are related to alcohol — although that percentage varies from year to year.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has been tracking car crash statistics for a quarter of a century. Holidays that sometimes rival the Fourth of July for fatalities include New Year’s Day, Labor Day, Memorial Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas. Eric Bolton, spokesperson for NHTSA, says that when people think of a deadly holiday “the intuitive thought would be New Year’s Day.” However, that association may be precisely why people stay off the roads on New Year’s than they do on July 4, he says. (While the New Year’s statistics are totaled over three days, the Fourth of July stats are for one day.)
Two years ago, 200 people reportedly died in car accidents on July 4. Out of that total, 44 percent died as a result of alcohol-impaired driving. By comparison, 391 people died that same year during a three-day period surrounding New Year’s Day (NHTSA judges the length of a holiday based on which day of the week it falls). In that case, 40 percent were alcohol-related.
No matter what day it is, most crash fatalities occur on two-lane roads. Weekends are more dangerous than weekdays and more people die while driving in rain compared to snow or sleet.
Since I know that many will be starting their three-day “Independence Day” weekend early this afternoon, I wanted to remind all to be alert on the roads. And, of course, if you’re drinking alcohol at some point, please don’t drive at the same time or directly thereafter.
July 1st vs. The Mariners
Posted by Steve L. on July 1st, 2009 · Comments (18)
Who says Andy Pettitte can’t pitch well in the new Yankee Stadium?
This game was an absolute work of art for #46. And, is A-Rod swinging a hot bat, or what?
Here’s the deal: The Yankees record at this moment is 45-32 which means they are 13 games over .500 on the season.
But, the Yankees have now won 7 games in a row (from June 24th through July 1st). And, don’t forget that the Yankees won 9 games in a row from May 13th through May 21st. Add that seven and nine – and it gives you a 16-0 mark from these two winning streaks.
What does this mean? To me, it says that outside of two really hot weeks (5/13 through 5/21 and 6/24 through 7/1) the Yankees have gone 29-32 this season. Crazy, huh? Your team plays for three months and it’s 17 days out of that time that makes your record appear as good as it does (in the end). It’s as if those “bad” two-and-a-half months never happened.
Well, if the Yankees manage to pull this off, and make the post-season this year, let’s hope they get hot again in October…like they were for a week in May and a week in June.
WasWatching.com Water Cooler Talk 7/1/09
Posted by Steve L. on July 1st, 2009 · Comments (5)
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Sugar In September!
Posted by Steve L. on July 1st, 2009 · Comments (3)
Baseball’s international free agent signing period starts tomorrow. And, this got me thinking about a movie that I first mentioned here back in February of 2008: Sugar.
For those not aware, here’s a synopsis of “Sugar” -
Sugar is a coming-of-age tale that follows Miguel Santos, a.k.a. “Azucar” (Sugar), a pitcher from the Dominican Republic town of San Pedro de Macoris, who grew up poor but talented, always believing baseball was his ticket out of poverty. Playing professionally at the Kansas City Knights baseball academy, Miguel finally gets his break at age 19 when he advances to the United States’ minor league system. Miguel travels to a small town in Iowa corn country, where he and other Latin American teammates are the only Spanish-speaking people and have trouble learning the new language and culture. Despite the welcoming efforts of his host family, Miguel is faced with an isolation he never before experienced. When his performance on the mound falters, he begins examining more closely the world around him, his place within it, and ultimately questions his life’s singular ambition.
I’ve yet to see this one. But, I’ve heard wonderful things about it – and now found out that Sony Pictures Home Entertainment will be releasing it on DVD and Blu-Ray on September 1st. Once I see it, I will share a review on it.
Taking The Fifth On The Matter Of Batting Fifth
Posted by Steve L. on July 1st, 2009 · Comments (7)
Today, Peter Abraham and Matthew Schweber ring in on the topic of batting Robinson Cano fifth in the Yankees line-up.
Well, here’s a nugget for you on this topic, via Baseball Musings Day By Day Database. It’s “RBI Percentage” since the start of the 2006 season through last night.
["RBI Percentage" is 100*(RBI-HR)/Runners On]
Robinson Cano RBI% = 14.84
Alex Rodriguez RBI% = 16.88
Is there really that much of a difference between 15% and 17%?
What is that…like nine RBI per season? (I’m not sure – that’s why I’m asking.)
O.K., I’ll just hang up now and listen to your reaction…
Phil Hughes Time Has Come
Posted by Steve L. on July 1st, 2009 · Comments (13)
Some thoughts on Phil Hughes, working out of the bullpen, via Peter Abraham today -
Armed with the knowledge that he will be in the game for only an inning or two, [Phil] Hughes is throwing his fastball as hard as he did when he first came to the majors.
“I feel like I have more control, my stuff plays up a little bit,” Hughes said. “It feels like a good fit for me. Who’s to say what the future will be? Maybe this is what I do for the rest of my career.”
That is not what the Yankees hope, however. They see Hughes as a starter down the road – perhaps this season if the need arises. But for now, he has been a welcome addition to a bullpen badly in need of help.
“He is a full-fledged reliever now. I won’t hesitate to bring him in in any situation at this point,” manager Joe Girardi said. “We still consider him a starter, but right now he’s filling a void for us.”
General manager Brian Cashman feels the same way. With 37-year-old Andy Pettitte on a year-to-year basis, Hughes is next in line to join the rotation. But that is an issue for next season.
“I can’t look Mariano Rivera in the face and say, ‘I’ve weakened your bullpen for the future.’ It’s a balancing act and it’s a tough one,” Cashman said. “It’s hard. The short-term goal is you have to win as many games as you can to get into the postseason. If you do that, the next goal comes in line. In Phil’s case, that’s to get some innings. There’s a collision there you have to deal with.”
Girardi said he is open to the idea of using Hughes for multiple innings, a common approach by teams developing young pitchers.
“I’m not hesitant to do that with him. I think he’s very capable of being a two-inning reliever, a three-inning reliever for us,” the manager said. “I won’t do that necessarily to build up his innings, I’ll do it because I believe he can do it and do it well.”
Here’s some up-to-date stats for you…
Phil Hughes, in his big league career, as a starting pitcher:
28 Games, 621 Batters Faced, an Opp BA/OBA/SLG line of .265/.341/.436, and a SO/BB Ratio of 1.90
Phil Hughes, this season with the Yankees, as a relief pitcher:
8 Games, 47 Batters Faced, an Opp BA/OBA/SLG line of .114/.170/.227, and a SO/BB Ratio of 5.33
Granted, the latter is a small sample size. Nonetheless, it looks like, by working out of the pen, Hughes has taken his performance to a higher level.
Now, as the regular readers of this blog are aware, I was never a fan of Phil Hughes the starting pitcher. I thought that his fastball was less than advertised and short. I thought that his tertiary pitch was inconsistent and average at best. And, worse, I thought that his mound presence was a cross between “deer caught in the headlights” and Blane McDonnagh-like pampered prospect posing.
However, again, albeit via a small sample size, I am loving what I am seeing out of Phil Hughes the relief pitcher. He’s letting it all out and throwing high-octane gas. And, working out of the pen, there’s no need to feature a third pitch – his heater and curve are more than enough. Plus, he’s throwing his pitches with conviction – with a look on his mug that says: “OK, go ahead, try and hit this!”
This all said, I think it’s time for the Yankees to start using Phil Hughes exactly how Mariano Rivera was used in 1996. Have Hughes set up for the closer. Make the 8th inning his inning. In fact, just like Rivera was used in ’96, have Hughes pitch the 7th and 8th innings of games, where needed, to get to your closer.
At the least, try it and see how Phil does with it.
The Rivera and Wetteland combo was one huge reason why the Yankees won in 1996. Why not see if the Hughes and Rivera tag-team can do the same for New York in 2009?
Bosox Pen Melt
Posted by Steve L. on July 1st, 2009 · Comments (1)
It’s the Papelbon Toast that really makes this sandwich.
Mmmm…gooey melted Boston bullpen….
Hey, if you can’t make fun of the Red Sox after a game like this one, when can you?
