ALCS Game 4 Thread: Because MJ Needs A Place For His Stream Of Consciousness Ranting
Posted by MJ Recanati on October 20th, 2009 · Comments (222)
Headline says it all…
…anyone that wants a place to rant, feel free to do it here.
-Posted by MJ
Jeter starts it off nicely, then promptly gets picked off before Damon even gets a pitch. ‘Atta boy, Captain Intangibles.
Teix just missed that one and, predictably, stares at the most obvious breaking pitch situation ever. I love him but it wouldn’t hurt if he decided to show up to the ALCS one of these days…before it’s too late.
Needless to say, I’m already in a bad mood and the game isn’t even 15 minutes old yet.
Come on Ceece, don’t walk Abreu. You own him.
Is it me, or is the ump squeezing CC already?
Let’s ride CC all the way to a win guys.
Hey MJ, I don’t blame Jeter for being aggressive. Sucks, but he was going on first move and they guessed right.
YankCrank wrote:
I’m not really blaming him but I would prefer the Yanks to focus on working Kazmir at the plate. He usually runs himself out of games with high pitch counts so let’s not run ourselves out of innings and the opportunity to really tax his arm.
Damnit, both Tex and A-Rod just missed their pitches.
Good walk there, Alex. I love his discipline this October.
Someone else is going to have to help us win today. Doesn’t seem like they’re exactly going after Alex.
Love the aggressiveness Yanks!
I guess the playbook is to run on Napoli tonight?
OK Yanks. Two on, nobody out…can we cash in this time?
Kazmir isn’t locating in this inning…time to strike while the iron is hot.
I would love Godzilla to channel his inner Ichiro and just slap a nice single. Let’s slowly demoralize Kazmir before we really humiliate him.
At this rate Kazmir will be at 90 pitches in the 4th inning.
Oh for fuck’s sake
There’s another familiar RISP-FAIL
Come on Robinson, your nonchalance at consistent ineptitude has me remembering Alfonso Soriano.
ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?
I may walk away from this game if the bottom of our order continues to do this.
I don’t even need to watch the rest of this game, I know exactly what’s going to happen. This is the 2005 ALDS all over again…win early, lose late.
These hitters just have no goddamn ability to square up on Kazmir even though he’s all over the place.
Evan Chad Moeller would have had a hit for us by now
The guy I feel for is CC. He’s putting himself on the line here on short rest and the Yanks hitters don’t even have the MF courtesy to show up.
Yankee lineup is pathetic. This truly is 2005-present all over again.
Damnit
So close.
At least Swisher hit what could’ve been a sac fly if Matsui and Cano didn’t suck so goddamn much.
Unbelievable.
This game has all the trademarks of one of the Yankee stinkers of recent (2005-present) vintage. The Yanks have completely stopped hitting in a way that is just inexplicable.
I love Matsui and Cano but they’ve been doing this for years now. Posada too.
Too many fly balls off CC already.
So far, CC’s through 2. A couple of good shots off him but much ado about nothing. It looks like a bend-but-don’t-break night for him so the Yanks HAVE to pitch in and help him out with some goddamn run support.
I wouldn’t even know hot to begin to fix this RISP problem. What do you do, sit Swisher for Gardner? There’s nowhere to turn.
MJ wrote:
They’ve got to start scoring by means other than the HR.
And that means moving runners and situational hitting.
Hey Melk.
MELKY! OK, that’s something, at least.
YankCrank wrote:
In times like these — and I include all the previous playoff failures here — where is the batting coach in all of this?
Damnit, Jeter just missed that.
I would really like the Yanks to work Kazmir’s pitch count. Yes, the Angels bullpen has been unhittable but I’d rather take my chances with tired arms that are dominating us rather than rested arms…
Send the runner? I do.
Well, if he was running he would have been safe. Damnit.
Oh good lord. Damon, enjoy next year in another city. You’ve been garbage for the past 45 days.
Here it is for all to see: the Yanks suck.
Angels, this series is yours. Take it.
If you can’t catch up to 90, you can’t be a big leaguer, Mark.
Ok, forget it. Teixeira fucking sucks.
Really, Tex…really???
Ok that’s it for me. Three consecutive innings of RISP fail and i’m walking away from this. Be back later.
I feel ya MJ..this all looks sooo familiar. At least now, we have a decent pitcher on the mound unlike in 2005.
Kazmir has been laboring out there. Can’t locate his pitches, can’t get in sync with his catcher…and yet the Yanks are letting him off the hook.
I’m disgusted with the Yanks. Forget the World Series, they’re not even making it to Game 7.
Just my luck that my Game 6 tickets will be another Bronx funeral.
When this series is over, will Teixeira say he’s a “dog” too, as A-Rod did in 2005? Because he’s not just a dog, he’s a fucking blind, 3-legged mutt.
Atta boy Chedda Cheez!
30 pitches thru 3IP. fantastic
Didn’t know we were doing this tonight, too. I’m game, catch me up I just got home from work.
@ Corey:
Here’s the rundown: Yanks got leadoff man on in all 3 innings, Kazmir’s all over the place…and the Yanks STILL can’t get a hit with RISP.
I truly love A-Rod. I truly do. He’s our only good hitter.
I KNEW this was his year
Good job, Fox, letting Angels pitching coach blab away there while Posada doubles down the line.
@ clintfsu813:
He was due, that’s for sure. I’ve loved him since the day he walked in the door and I feel good knowing that I’m one of the few on his bandwagon since Day 1.
I’ll regret abandoning #62 in his time of need but I just don’t have it in me to love more than one dog.
86.1% chance of scoring a run with 2nd/3rd and 0 outs…thanks to Matsui, that has dropped down to 67.4%.
Matsui/Cano are October worthless.
More screwy infield play by the Angels.
Cano sucks so much cock.
This is the winter to trade him.
Odds of scoring one run with man at 3rd/2 outs = 25.4%
Nice baserunning by A-Rod.
MJ wrote:
I hope you will.
Check that, 1st/3rd and 1 out = 84.6%
MJ..your friendship has been confirmed
Corey wrote:
Honestly? I doubt it. Even if he ends up turning his career around, I’ve soured on him. He’s a fat fuck and doesn’t get it yet. He doesn’t take responsibility for his failures which is unacceptable.
@ clintfsu813:
Awesome, friend!
MJ wrote:
I tend to agree with that. He’s signed cheap enough that any team would be interested in him. The guys a .306 career hitter entering his prime. It’d be nice to be on the other end of a young superstar entering his expensive years for a handful of blue chip prospects.
65.4% odds of scoring one run with bases loaded/1 out.
I’ll always have a place in my heart for Joba. I was in Fenway when he pitched a 1-0 shutout with like 9 K’s. He has tested my patience this year though.
@ Corey:
Problem is, I wonder what people would give up for him? Cano and Joba for King Felix?
MEL-KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
FINALLY
The Melk man!!!!
41.4% odds of scoring with 1st/2nd and 1 out
Would the Captain like to join the party?
Swish was soooo out
Damn, Swish was out.
No complaints but, man, the umpires are HORRENDOUS
@ MJ:
I’d imagine you could get a nice haul from Cano, he’s a budding superstar with, this year, gold glove caliber defense. If your on the outside looking in, you’d think Cano was a gold mine.
Anyone have a pitch count for Kaz?
@ Corey:
Yeah, prob, although I wonder if there are many outsiders for a team as public as the Yanks?
MJ wrote:
82
Back up to 65.4% odds with sacks juiced/1 out.
This just in, Al Leiter says he had nothing to do with Kazmir getting traded to the Angels either.
Kaz at almost 90
@ MJ:
With the plethora of second baseman on the AL, Cano can be easily overlooked. When you think of the Yankees, you don’t think of Cano.
Oof, are you serious? Is that a makeup call for the pickoff?
…Steve was right.
MLB umps are as bad as NBA refs. Seriously, how is this acceptable?
WoW!! That was a bad call make up..Swish left on time!
Angels got an even up call from the umps.
oh snap i retract after the replay
@ Corey:
What was Steve right about?
MJ wrote:
I thought Swisher was a blockhead and left early.
When you think of the Yankees, you don’t think of Cano.
Maybe not..but I still really like the guy. Hes improved on plate discipline and had a great BA this year with very good D. The RISP sux, but I think that could change too
Hysterical! How does the 3B ump know Swish left early if he was clearly looking at the outfielder?
clintfsu813 wrote:
This exact mode of thinking is what could get us a nice haul. See?
Ok CC..you’ve got 3 runs to work with and a low pitch count. Give us 8!
Touche’ Corey.
CC esta Nasty!
40 pitches..wow
Isn’t it awesome having an ace? All these years, I had forgottten.
clintfsu813 wrote:
Let’s hope Genius Joe lets him go 8.
Seriously, when was the last time the Yanks had an in-his-prime ace pitcher? I’m not saying good starters, I’m saying one of the legitimate 5 best starters in the game?
Catfish Hunter? Whitey Ford?
Much as I loved Key, Cone, Clemens and Moose, none of them were ever what CC is right now for the Yanks*
*Clearly, Clemens was an ace too. But only for Boston and Toronto, not the Yanks (although he was damn good).
All these years, I had forgottten.
I hear ya dude..who was the last genuine ace?
Welcome to the ALCS, Mark. Sit. Stay awhile.
A hit by Tex..WTF
MJ wrote:
Probably #49
MJ wrote:
I’ve got a soft spot for David Cone…I can’t argue without letting my bias’ get in the way. But I’d take David Cone over many a pitcher in a big game.
@ 77yankees:
Crap, I’m ashamed for forgetting Gator. Absolutely, he’s the last top-5 in-his-prime starter in Pinstripes.
@ Corey:
Don’t get me wrong, I adore Coney. But I don’t think he was in his prime when he came around NYC. Close, but probably just a little after his peak.
I just Came!!!
MVP-Rod
Wow. This A-Rod guy is pretty good, huh?
ALEX! #70 at that Triple-A shithole they call Angels Stadium
@ clintfsu813:
LOL!!! TMI!!!
Is Girardi managing the Angels too with all the pitching changes??
@ 77yankees:
LMAO
Hopefully the hitters make this game Girardi-proof.
Did anyone see Manny miss the end of the Dodger game?
MJ wrote:
Girardi’s got the button device from The Naked Gun.
He presses it and Mike Scoiscia gets a blank stare and says, “Must make pitching change!!!”
Oh joy, it’s Darren “Steve Carlton” Oliver again. He’s just a strikeout machine right now.
Wow I think Matsui was so shocked to see Posada run, that he didn’t swing.
@ Corey:
What do you mean?
Jorge with the steal..wow
MJ wrote:
twas a poor joke.
Posada goes from 2nd to 3rd on a double.
Jose Molina is even laughing at him.
LOL, Posada’s so pokey he only advances one base on a 2-base hit? Someone kindly pass the smelling salts to the old man.
Can’t catch, not much of a stick in October, terrible baserunner.
Here we are again at 67.4% odds to score a run with 2nd/3rd and 1 out.
Sorry to anyone that likes Posada. Worst baserunner ever.
WTF!?!?!?!?!?
Why wouldn’t one of them just get on the bag man that makes me nuts
Doesn’t score from 2nd on a double, now gets thrown out on a baserunning oddity.
Pathetic umpiring and pathetic awareness from our supposed unofficial captain.
Wow i didnt even realize he blew the call what an idiot. This is going to be the beginning of the end of umpires
That’s nuts. What a break for us.
Here we are, in the middle of what should be a HUGE inning for us and Posada blows it twice.
Bitch as much as you want that AJ hates you, you’re a fucking moron, Jorge.
@ MJ:
So is clints boy Cano
@ Corey:
Way to make me look bad Cano
clintfsu813 wrote:
See that’s the thing. You’ll remember this, and I will. But will other teams GM’s remember this? Or just look at his numbers.
Damnit, keep it together CC.
Is it me or is the velocity markedly down this inning?
Interesting, using that Fox tool that measures the velocity of the fastball out of the pitchers hand vs. when it crosses the plate. This is what I recall seeing:
AJ Burne
Out Of hand : 95
Over plate : 86
CC Sabatha
Out Of Hand: 95
Over Plate: 88
I wonder if a person with a “sneaky fast” fastball just has a pitch that barely, if at all, declines in speed as it comes out of the hand till it crosses the plate. I wish they would use that for all the games.
To elaborate my point, if CC’s has the speed of his pitch go from 95 to 88, perhaps a “sneaky fast” pitcher has the speed of his pitch go from 88 to 87. Anyone know of any studies on this?
Corey wrote:
Don’t say “Fox tool”
Joe Buck might be insulted.
WW.com crapped out on me for a few mins there…
25.4% run scores w/man @ 3rd & 2 outs.
Come on A-Rod, show us those 25.4% odds.
I hate it when neckbeards K A-Rod.
MJ wrote:
Kinda like Manny did on the Dodgers last night in th 9th.
@ 77yankees:
Manny’s an All-Star when it comes to being a scumbag.
Come on CC, can you give us 6 more outs?
Damnit, this again. CC’s really bending now.
We desperately needed Posada to score on Cano’s double. Game’s getting tight.
Jorge Posada needs to never play for the Yanks again. He’s just not mentally in this game.
Only two outs – Jug Ears
Come on Posada, GET IN THE GAME!!!
Feels like every hard hit ball is to Tex this series…good thing he’s there.
God I hate Tim McCarver.
PHEW….CC and Teixeira manage another dangerous inning.
@ Corey:
Posada’s a bum. He cost the Yanks a run on Cano’s double, blew the baserunning at 3rd the very next play, and now walks away from his catcher with 2 outs.
Seriously, how does this guy have respect in the clubhouse? He’s a joke.
I’ve NEVER been a Posada fan – too many mental mistakes, never blocks the plate, or balls in the dirt for that matter.
And if he’s making a stink now about AJ, what happens next year when they want to work Cervelli into 50 games as the backup? Or they try to bring up Montero or Romine? Or better yet, next winter when Mr. Mauer becomes a free agent?
@ MJ:
CC is one cool cat man. Between Posada walking off just now, and Damon almost throwing the ball into the outfield stands, he hasn’t flipped out once. I can’t wait for Damon’s dismissal.
I can see Damon back next year
77yankees wrote:
I know this sounds stupid, and I agree, but for some reason I feel like Mauer will stay in Minnesota.
@ 77yankees:
Games like this will more or less make Posada’s stubbornness obsolete. He’s gonna have to be put to pasture very soon. It’s nice to have a bat like his in the regular season but it boggles the mind how he can be afforded any respect in the game. Terrible defensive catcher and mentally spacier than Bernie Williams ever was.
It should be 7-1 right now if not for bad call on Swish/Posada not scoring on Cano’s double.
Now neckbeard is shutting the Yanks down again. We seriously need 1-2 more runs before CC runs outta gas.
Just realized something: Girardi’s gonna put #62 into this game very soon. Suddenly I don’t feel very well.
Corey wrote:
I know this sounds stupid, and I agree, but for some reason I feel like Mauer will stay in Minnesota.
Since he’s a local product, it’d be a fiasco for their fans if he left.
But, hey, you never know.
77yankees wrote:
Money talks.
Ken Rosenthal = The William Shatner of dugout reporters.
77yankees wrote:
lol ya I figured he was just a little slow.
Tremendous 7th inning for CC.
Who do you give the mvp to? A-Rod or CC?
92 pitches through 7. He’s got at least enough for the 8th, right?
Come on offense, get something going!
@ Corey:
Much as I love A-Rod, it’s gotta be CC for giving a QS on short rest.
@ MJ:
I think he’ll be on a short leash, they said he’s going to be at 100 pitches tonight. We’ll see what really happens though.
Stop trying to make every insignificant nugget he reports sound like Cronkite announcing President Kennedy’s assassination – jeez.
@ Corey:
He’s got 8 pitches left to 100. Too greedy to expect 3 quick outs?! ;-D
Gardner might want to not get picked off in this game as he did yesterday. You can’t score runs if you’re not on the bases, son.
Give him 8 unless they get a couple of runners on.
For a guy that’s supposedly fast, Gardner really did a shit job right there.
I still say he’s a 4th OF.
Yanks desperately need a real CF…Gardner/Melky just don’t cut it.
I think they should peddle him in the off season and make Austin Jackson the 4th OF.
@ MJ:
I think Gardner could be a decent NL CF.
Specifically, I could see him in San Diego
@ 77yankees:
AJax isn’t ready yet.
@ Corey:
Maybe. But if part of his game is speed, the guy is just horrible at getting jumps and reading pitchers. Getting thrown out yesterday on a pitchout is OK. Getting thrown out just now is unacceptable.
Why did McCarver just say this guy is a hard thrower when he just threw an 88mph fastball?
MJ wrote:
I think the yankee coaches messed him up. Gardner used to like to run on couns that he felt comfortable in. Then he missed a sign or two mid season, and the coaching staff corrected him. Perhaps now, in a pinch running role, in the playoffs, its getting to him.
I still don’t like him. (Damon)
Icing!!!!!
WOOHOO! Johnny gave us just the cushion we needed.
If CC can keep the wheels on for just 1 more inning we can go bullpen by committee for the 9th.
Corey wrote:
To be honest, I don’t remember that but I’m sure you’re right.
Seems like the Yanks have messed up a lot of folks…#62 could certainly have a justifiable right to be pissed at the team for how badly they’ve botched his career.
Corey wrote:
I have to admit I’ll be disappointed that Green Tea Torre isn’t going to the WS, so Damon could stick it to him for throwing him under the bus in his book.
2 pitches, 1 out.
6 more pitches, 2 more outs?
77yankees wrote:
Remind me, what did the overrated nose-picker say about Damon?
Pitch 100 is a 93mph strike. Pitch 101 is a 4-3 putout.
CC Sabathia is the man.
MJ wrote:
Supposedly, after the Cory Lidle tragedy, Damon had considered retiring after 2006, but changed his mind before spring training. Then, in 2007, because Damon wasn’t in the best shape, there was a “player revolt” that wanted Damon traded.
@ 77yankees: Oh yeah, I remember that now
Stat-padding for my boy! Let anyone that wants to say that line up and kiss my ass!
Props to the Big Man – he restored order and shut the Angels down – earned every penny of the big bucks tonight.
Love the A-Rod baserunning too!
@ 77yankees:
Couldn’t have said it better myself.
I want A-Rod to look right into the camera as he’s coming into the dugout and say the following………
“Hey, Selena Roberts, how’s that book selling???”
77yankees wrote:
Nah, why give her book a boost like that? She’s crawled under a rock and no one’s heard from her since her book went into the shitter.
A-Rod just owned Selena all year, even after she changed the book’s release date three times just to coincide with A-Rod’s first game back. She’s such a loser.
The annoying 4th OF just got a base hit. Lucky for him, 2B is clogged so he can’t attempt to steal and get picked off again.
Well, she sold her five copies in Massachusetts.
WOOHOO! May as well pour salt in the wounds and get Scioscia to go to the bullpen agian.
77yankees wrote:
And after reading a few pages, I’m sure they used it to roast marshmallows.
LOL, Let’s go Yankees chants!!!!!
OK folks…Chad “Waiting patiently for my turn” Gaudin coming in.
Hopefully he gets 3 quick outs so we can all go to bed happy.
Hey guys i’m back, what happened?
@ YankCrank:
I was JUST gonna tweet for you to come back!
@ MJ:
Haha I think the Yanks did a lot better when I was gone. I was definitely watching though, CC is worth every freakin’ penny and there is no doubt about it.
I was at BP at one of the last home games this year, and the guy net to me keeps yelling, “Phil………Phil” at Gaudin, who was in the OF with his jacket on.
Gaudin finally turns around and says to the guy, “Sorry, I’m not Phil”. LOL
@ YankCrank:
What happened is:
1) CC is the best in-his-prime, top-5 MLB starter to pitch in pinstripes since Ron Guidry;
2) A-Rod continues to spit in the eye of the haters with another HR, 3 R, 2 RBI;
3) Posada had about as bad a game as any player could have in a victory; and
4) Slowly, the Yanks previous non-contributors (Melky/Cano) got some big base hits.
We’re 1 out away from order being restored to the universe.
MJ wrote:
Well-put sir, this game sure had a lot of screwy moments too.
27 outs away from the World Series!!!!
One win away boys!
@ 77yankees:
@ MJ:
I’m checking out guys, need to save all my comments so I have something to at work tomorrow!
Enjoy the night and sleep well, Yanks are one win away from the World Series!
AMEN!
One night after Girardi shits all over the game, CC makes the game idiot-proof.
One win away from Phase 3 of Plan World Domination.
OK folks, I’m out.
Thanks for keeping me company tonight!
After reading through all that….MJ, you really gotta try decaffeinated, guy.
You’re gonna have a stroke before the post-season is over.
1. Yanks 4-17 with RISP. 3-15 while the game was in doubt, and one of those was the RBI-less double by Cano…he finally got a hit with a RISP, an extra-base hit, and Posada turned it into a non-RBI.
2. Terrible base-running by Posada, Cano and Swisher.
3. I mentioned this awhile ago, I’ll mention it again. 1996: Yanks won the title while hitting 27-140 .193 with RISP for the post-season combined. 1998: Yanks won the title while hitting exactly .200 with RISP for the whole post-season. This is how: a lot of chances, a couple of key hits, and dominant starting pitching. Yanks are now 7-42 with RISP in this series, .167, and 13-59 for the post-season as a whole, which is .220. And they’re still 6-1 in the post-season, outscoring their opposition 37-16.
4. Another Yankee starter went at least 6 innings. AJ’s thrown two solid games, Andy a great one, and a decent one. But CC has been lights out, he’s the hero of the post-season. Well, him and A-Rod.
5. I thought A-Rod would have a decent post-season, but never did I ever imagine he would ever have a wet dream post-season like this. So far, he’s not just hitting the living excrement out of the ball almost every time up, he’s fielding well, and his base-running has been both aggressive and superbly judged. (Well, except for missing the stop sign in Game 1. And even then, he knocked over the catcher, and didn’t slap the ball…)
And finally, 6. Before the series, everybody was thinking the Big Question? How do the Yanks stop the Angels’ running game? As if the answer hasn’t been the same for over 100 years of Major League Baseball: “You can’t steal first base.” The Angels’ pitching is good, but their real threat is their aggressive attack, especially with RISP. As great as A-Rod has been, and he has been magnificent so far, the MVP is: CC Sabathia, for slamming the door on this nemesis twice.
Hey, I think, FOR GOOD LUCK, we should have MJ start a game thread, now, for every game remaining in this post-season!
1.) GIVE JORGE A BREAK
Everyone seems to be upset with Posada’s play. Well, I say let’s give him a break———-How does 2 days off sound?
2.) WHY THE WORLD HATES YANKEES FANS
The Yankees are now 6-1 this post season, yet less than 24 hours ago we were all secreaming for Girardi’s head on a platter—with a Joba garnish—over the one loss; a tight, extra-inning affair that could have gone either way.
…I don’t think I was screaming for Girardi’s head on a platter. ‘
What? You didn’t mean everybody?
Never mind.
@ Evan3457:
Decaf is like non-alchoholic beer. What’s the point?
@ Steve Lombardi:
I’ll do my best!
@ Tresh Fan:
1) LOL, hopefully AJ and Molina take care of business and give Posada more than just two days off.
2) No one called for Girardi to be fired. Any criticism coming his was was 100% merited, the end result of this season notwithstanding. If “the world” wants to hate Yankee fans for justifably criticizing their manager then that level of hypocricy on their part is fine with me. Ask any fan of any other team how they’d feel…
Ask any fan of any other team how they’d feel…
You best believe Sux fans would be calling for Francona’s head