Down the stretch they come
-
- September
- 7
Here’s a look at the AL wild-card contenders:
Yankees (78-62)
Schedule: at Kansas City (3), at Toronto (3), at Boston (3), Baltimore (3), Toronto (4), at Tampa Bay (3), at Baltimore (3).
Analysis: The Yankees only have three more games against a contending team, those coming against the Red Sox. They’ve come through the tough part of their schedule with the lead and now control their fate. Andy Pettitte and Chien-Ming Wang should get five more starts each, leaving only 11 games to Ian Kennedy, Phil Hughes and Roger Clemens.
Our take: They’re in. The schedule is easy and the offense will make up for any problems with the pitching. The Yanks should finish with at least 92 or 93 wins.
Mariners (74-64)
Schedule: at Detroit (3), Oakland (3), Tampa Bay (4), at Oakland (3), at Anaheim (4), Cleveland (4), Texas (3).
Analysis: The Mariners have lost 11 of their last 12 games. They also have to play 24 games in 24 days. They’re not just done, they’re extra crispy at this point. Felix Hernandez can’t carry the rotation by himself.
Our take: Seattle has done well to get this far. They have too many tough games left to stay in the race.
Tigers (75-65)
Schedule: Seattle (3), Toronto (1), Texas (3), at Minnesota (3), at Cleveland (3), Kansas City (3), Minnesota (3), at Chicago (3).
Analysis: Jim Leyland all but conceded the division race the other day, saying he tips his cap to Cleveland for how well they’ve played. But the Tigers can be a threat to the Yankees. Kenny Rogers is back and Gary Sheffield will try and play again with his bum shoulder.
Our take: Don’t be surprised if the Tigers make the Yankees sweat for a day or two. They have a favorable schedule and Leyland won’t let his players quit. But they would need to finish 17-5 to get to 92 wins and that’s a lot to ask.
This entry was posted
on Friday, September 7th, 2007 at 2:10 am by Peter Abraham.
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Peter Abraham
Pettitte is gassed. Wang is up and down. They’ll be lucky to win 12 of those games. 90 wins is a more realistic projection.
First things first. I’m first.
Good summary. I agree that it’s Detroit that can make us sweat. I will be rooting for Seattle over the next 3 days.
I think the Detroit chances come down to how they play against the Twins. Those are the key 6 games for them. You gotta respect for the Twins to be well managed and prepared. They would not simply fold down. Of course, it would be great if Santana pitches twice again them also…
Oops, I’m not first.
How is Wang “up and down”?
He is 4-0, 1.59 in his last 4 starts and 7-1 in his last 9.
Yo Hughes 5.50 why don’t you go blog on Dirt Dogs, thanks.
Red Sox and their fans are shakin now thinking about playing us in the playoffs… we ROCK their top 2 guys
LOL, “Pettitte is gassed” and even more hilarious, “Wang is up and down.”
Anyway, I hope Dave Eiland is here to stay. Obviously, he knows Hughes, Kennedy, and Chamberlain like the back of his hand. He can correct any mistakes made by them better than Guidry. That is not any knock to Guidry at all. Guidry just met these kids. Dave Eiland has been around the trio since they became a Yankee.
Hopefully, Hughes has turned the corner since coming back from those serious injuries.
I’m confused. I know we have two more off days, but even skipping scheduled starts of remaining staff, how will Andy and CM end up starting 10 of the 22 games?? Will they go to a 4-man rotation??
Bonus point: We’ve got the 2nd best home record in all of baseball, 20 games over .500
angles have the best, +25
I pretty much completely agree with Pete’s analysis. I have said since Seattle has been on top of the wild card race, that they wouldn’t be there in the end. It is proving true. They just don’t have the pitching or offense, or a friendly enough schedule, to win 92+ games. The last two weeks has shown it. Felix Hernandez is awesome when he’s on, but that’s all they have.
Wang “Up and Down” has as many wins as beckett, only .3 era higher, gave up 4 homers less than beckett, and pitched the same amount of innings.
and Wang doesn’t have a potty mouth like Beckett.
http://bencohen.quack.ca/beckett.jpg
Next time Joba pitches he should miss again but miss straight into the red sox dug out right at that fat hicks face.
word yo (btw that was me, it always is)
‘Wang is up and down’ sounds really really funny. But not as funny as that time that the headline read ‘Torre Yanks Wang in Sixth’.
The Tigers are the real contenders here, you can forget Seattle. But the Yanks should have enough firepower to outlast Detroit.
As for the remark that Leyland won’t let his players quit, I think that is an irrelevant thing to point out this late in the season. Because what contending team’s manager is actually going to allow his team to quit at this point? He doesn’t have any special advantage there. Did Leyland forget how to “not allow his team to quit” when they completely folded in September last year and fell into the Wild Card? I highly doubt it, his guys just played like crap.
That was you what?
If they keep Wang and Andy with normal 4 days rest, they could get 5 starts each from them as Peter wrote.
Andy:
sept.8 at KC
Sept.13 at TOR
Sept.18 vs BAL
Sept.23 vs TOR
Sept.28 at BAL
Wang:
Sept.9 at KC
Sept.14 at BOS
Sept.19 vs BAL
Sept.24 vs TOR
Sept.29 at BAL
But don’t they should pitch Andy against Boston ?
And the days off for other pitchers could be a bit trouble, sb probably need to be skipped to make that (I guess, I’m not sure about this part)….
Then it couldn’t be 5 starts each for them….
If Yanks are sure in the playoffs, they probably skip the last start from Andy and Wang to make sure they get ready for the DS….
I heard Leyland today speaking about the Tigers not being as good a team as they were last year and how he wasn’t pleased.
i post with a lot of different names, drew rbi one was me.
Thanks, Grace!
interestingly game one of the playoffs is either on wed the oct 3rd or thur oct 4th, giving Andy 4 to 5 days rest.
Andy pitched 7 innings of one run ball against Cali on Aug 22nd.
I just hope it doesn’t rain this year.
There are no easy games with the often awful starting pitching the Yankees have. They haven’t played well against their division rivals. 7 with Toronto is no picnic.
You just can’t look at the Yankees’ remaining schedule based on opponents winning percentage. Sure, Baltimore sucks, but not against us. Sure, Tampa Bay sucks, but not against us. Frankly, I’m horrified that we have so many games left against the dregs of our division, since they seem to have our number.
“Drew 49 RBIs.” Haha, awesome.
gargoyle-
we’ve got the best staff in baseball: Joba, Gagne, Andy, Wang, Mo, Rocket, Hughes, JFK, Squirrel, and pretty nifty lefty we acquired from boston..oh, what is his name, baby ruth, something like that.
SI is reporting Ankiel had recieved a years supply of HGH in 2004 (it wasn’t made illegal until 2005) and his now-retired teammate (Woodward from Triple A) recieved steriods… Man, I hope that Ankiel didn’t do anything stupid, but his current success could be built off chemicals instead of talent… So much for the feel good story of September.
I think Gagne is a Red Sock.
Gargoyle, you haven’t been paying attention, have you? Awful starting pitching??
Dr. Acula, you’re not much closer to the truth with: “we’ve got the best staff in baseball: Joba, Gagne, Andy, Wang, Mo, Rocket, Hughes, JFK, Squirrel,”. I guess you’re joking by including JFK, Squirrel etc, but to say the Yankees have the best staff in baseball and then start that list with a rookie who hasn’t pitched an entire season in the pros is an oxymoron.
I would take the staff of Boston, San Diego, Detriot and the Dodgers over the Yankees and that is just off the top of my head.
As is often the case when a Sox fan and Yanks fan make extreme claims, the truth is somewhere in the middle.
Always thought it would come down to Detroit. Their games against Minn will be hard fought and 3 games is still a lot to make up in a month, esp when not playing head to head. I do expect the lead to get down to maybe even one game, possibly tied. However, even if the Yanks play .500 ball over the last 22, the Tigers need to go 14-8 (.636) to tie. Possible with that schedule but unlikely.
As for the Yanks, just win, baby. Hopefully Hughes has turned the corner and the same team doesn’t see kennedy too often and he keeps the element of surprise. It’s nice that he has the confidence and presence to throw the off-speed and change. He can teach that to Phil
Wandering over at ESPN, Keith Law thinks there’s still something wrong with Phil Hughes and I can’t disagree… small blurb:
“Phil Hughes’ stat line from Wednesday night’s start would appear to indicate that he’s back to his pre-injury levels, but the view from behind the plate says that he’s got a ways to go. He’s working as a finesse pitcher, which isn’t his game and for which he doesn’t have the command or the feel.
Before he pulled a hamstring back in May, Hughes would typically work at 90-94 mph with an above-average curveball with a sharp downward break. Wednesday night, however, his stuff was average at best. His fastball was 88-93, mostly 89-91, and it only had some life when he threw it up in the zone. He threw two breaking balls — a soft, slow-roller curveball in the low 70s, and a shorter slider around 80 mph that he worked to bury down in the zone or below it — and flashed a changeup, but none of those pitches were plus, and the curveball was absolutely below-average.
Unfortunately, Hughes doesn’t seem to have the feel for pitching to alter his approach to match his diminished stuff, although it would be unusual for a pitcher his age to have that. He spent much of the night aiming his fastball at the corners of the strike zone, missing more often than not, and he kept popping his curveball rather than junking it in favor of the slider, which was the better pitch on this particular night.”
“Law’s Blog”:http://insider.espn.go.com/espn/blog/index?entryID=3007436&name=law_keith&univLogin02=stateChanged&action=upsell&appRedirect=http%3a%2f%2finsider.espn.go.com%2fespn%2fblog%2findex%3fentryID%3d3007436%26name%3dlaw_keith%26univLogin02%3dstateChanged
Hard not to disagree with that assessment. I understand Hughes just got back from a major injury and probably doesn’t have his sea legs under him, but I think it’s partially mental too. He needs to get his game back. If it were earlier in the season, I’d say send him back to AAA and work it out for a month, but we don’t have that luxury any more, nor do we have the staff to back him up if he’s out of the rotation with Clemens and Moose out. I hope he can battle his way back to form, but more than likely, it won’t be until next season that we see the “true” Phil Hughes again. But I’m still hoping for sooner rather than later.
The Yankees should be sending their best advance scouts to watch every little thing that Toronto, Tampa Bay and Baltimore does until the Yankees play them.
“Pettitte is gassed. Wang is up and down.”
Jeez, and I thought gargoyle wasn’t paying attention.
You two are helping to give Red Sox fans a bad name on this blog. Wang will get some consideration for the Cy Young award… look at the stats offered by our ‘host’:
“He is 4-0, 1.59 in his last 4 starts and 7-1 in his last 9.”
I think Andy and Wang are two of the few things on this pitching staff that you can pretty much bank on for September and October for the Yanks at this point. I’ll probably take heat for saying that b/c Yankee fans have developed an irrational man-crush on Chamberlin, but whatever. I know Chamberlin has great stuff and seems thus far to have the makeup to pitch in a playoff race, but he is still a rookie and has yet to do it. Lets wait to see him pitch a second and third time against teams (at least) before anointing him an All-Star, eh?
If I were a betting man, I’d put my money on the Yankees getting in. But here’s one disquieting note. For the 2007 Yankees, it’s not who they play, but where they play. They are 47-27 at home, and 31-35 on the road. They only have 7 home games remaining, and 15 on the road. If they win 7 of their remaining road games (their current ratio), that gets them to 85 wins. They’ll need to sweep at home to get to 92 wins.
And they’ll be using two rookie starters. Not a lock …..
Of course, I’m seeing things through my Red Sox prism. But the numbers don’t lie at this stage of the season. The Yankees are a Jekyll and Hyde outfit this year.
P.S. Why does Clemens have to go to Houston for a cortisone shot? Could it be that he needs a little local “cream” and “clear” to promote healing (as long as he’s in the neighborhood)?
By the way, the Yankees are in the playoffs, IMO. They’ll win the wild card, even if “at least 92 or 93 wins” is a bit too optimistic.
Good point(s), Brian (Red Sox fan)… non-trolling Red Sox fans have to stick together out here on LoHud still though, even if the Yankees play .500 the rest of the way, I don’t think the Tigers bullpen is the same as it was last year. It is still strong, but they’re 3 games out and they’ll run out of time, IMO.
Besides, I want the Yankees to make the playoffs. The best theater baseball can provide is BOS/NYY in the ALCS. That is what we all want, isn’t it?
Brain you’re an idiot. You want to come on here and talk baseball fine. But the line is drawed when you start making acusations. Should we go thru your line up?
DET blew it. They had the best team in baseball in June.
Joba’s dad is going to be at the games this week. Hopefully Joe makes it a point to get him in a game so his father can see him pitch.
I don’t get as to why a Red Sox fan would even be here and posting. Don’t you have your own boards? Are you that lame and friendless to be posting here?
Some good news for Yankees. Apparently, Bedard is out for the season. So we don’t have to face him. (Although, I feel bad for him, as a person, sort of)
jennifer
September 7th, 2007 at 8:35 am
Joba’s dad is going to be at the games this week. Hopefully Joe makes it a point to get him in a game so his father can see him pitch.
You make it sound like Jobas freaking Chris Britton.
I think its pretty safe that Joe pitches Joba this weekend.
Wang is so up and down he leads the league in wins.
PB in DC -
hey!
for every strike out Ian Kennedy rings up, fans post a xerox of JFK. Now that’s witty.
we try to be as funny as possible with our posts.
Brian (Red Sox fan)-
clear doesn’t help ligaments, otherwise there would be no need for TJ surgery.
Greg
September 7th, 2007 at 8:36 am
I don’t get as to why a Red Sox fan would even be here and posting. Don’t you have your own boards? Are you that lame and friendless to be posting here?
Greg, you haven’t thought it all the way through, but I don’t blame you for that. I’m here b/c I want insight to what yankee fans are really thinking. On the red sox message boards, you get the same ‘trolling’ etc by yankee fans who think making fun of the red sox or saying they sox is worthwhile conversation. It is not. So, I come hear for thoughtful discourse, and for the most part, I’m not disappoint, with your comment being an exception, of course.
Another reason I come to this blog is b/c I am a baseball fan first, a sox fan second. I have never, and will never chant “Yankees suck” b/c it just isn’t true.
I blog and post because I want to be right, not to start a fight.
This: “Are you that lame and friendless to be posting here?” is just an asinine comment and probably says more about you than it does about me.
Thanks for coming out Greg.
postscript- Hey Dr. Acula, hows it hanging?
_I don’t get as to why a Red Sox fan would even be here and posting. Don’t you have your own boards?_
No so.
I read boston boards. I like dirtdogs, surviving grady, etc., Frank Galasso even made a cartoon outta one of my quotes.
http://tinyurl.com/yurfkh
I dig the sexual tension btwn Tina Cervasio (their Kim Jones) and Manny. I also think Jerry Remy is a riot, and if click on my name, you’ll get a hysterical laugh courtesy of Manny and RemDawg.
So feel free to stop by and post, Nation. It’s a pefect marriage, like “The Honeymooners” - face it, where would we be without each other.
Hey Dr. Acula,
I read Surviving Grady too. It’s a very funny blog.
Joe-
absolutely.
I’m as arrogant as the next yankee, but I’m enough of a new yorker to welcome new faces. I also know there’s no fun in booing Ichiro, but it’s a blast to boo Beckett and I didn’t fall in love with Gagne until he started coughing up games. In short, we’re like most dysfunctional families, and blood is thicker than free agency.
I think it’s hubris for” bawston dirt dogs”to continually
find it necessaary to visit this blog,let alone post.
As you enter post season,remember the most expensive world
series was bought by bawston in the history of the game, in 2004. Yes the yankees had a larger payroll.the yankees haven’t won a world seriers since breaking the 100 million mark.
So this year you threw more money in to players. will it buy you a series win again
,who knows Don’t you ever accuse the Yankees of buying a cahmpionship without looking in the mirror first. Your 2004 win was a bought win!!!!!
Dr. Acula …. thanks for your comments. Baseball (and life) can be rather boring if we merely converse with those of equivalent opinions. As long as there is no personal attacks, I don’t see the harm.
I’m from RI, and we have LOTS of Yankee fans here (the Italian/Dimaggio connection). Much of the fun is in maintaining an emotional, but civil, dialog with the members of “The Evil Empire.” In the long run, it’s just a game, for goodness’ sake!
I hope that this blog requires registration in the near future. Maybe being a “registered troll” will create a greater tolerance among Yankee bloggers who begin to froth at the appearance of a “Red Sox Fan.”
P.S. Jennifer …. where’s there’s smoke there’s fire. Several national columnists have alluded to the unusual spike in Clemens’ late-in-life stats (as well as his extraordinary weight gain). I remember seeing “Burly” Early Wynn pitch, and Clemens makes him look like a ballet dancer.
Re: The Red Sox lineup ….. I’ll give you Ortiz, and probably Varitek and Trot Nixon (before testing). And Gabe Kapler. Anyone else?
I’m not blind. Are you?
“so who’s the troll? that comment is the defintion of troll… but you failed to hit ALL the talking points: inferiority complex, 86 years, racist, red sux, vagitek”
Rich,
You forgot to mention Clay Buchholz stealing laptops from 8th graders.
Rich,
the troll is Pbndc. I’m a diehard yankee all the way !!
I couldn’t tell from your post if you knew .
I don’t mind a Red Sox fan coming on here and offerring a reasonable analysis, even if it does say the Yankees won’t make it. Only thing is, these Yankees are a very different team then earlier in the year and there are no more road trips through Anaheim (after playing in NY the night before) or Detroit.
I would agree though that the Yankees division games are always dangerous, as we have struggled with all the dregs of the AL East. However, you would think that in Sept these teams would mentally begin to pack it in, so hopefully the Yankees keep focused and win series.
By the way, I expect the Yankees to win at least 2 out of 3 vs. KC and either Det or Sea to win 2 out of 3. So after Sunday the Yankees are probably sitting with a 3 or 4 game lead with 20 to play.
Yankees are in meche head this year for sure!!!!
There’s an interesting documentary on Red Sox fans:
*Still: We Believe*
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0403893/plotsummary
it follows a bunch of fans, like a reality show, through out the 2003 season. What luck for the director, s/he records the fans at their highest of highs and lowest of lowest, culminating with Game 7 of the Championship.
My buddy and I found this by accident and we were glued to it for the entire two hours.
Okay at least you are fair in your analysis. I’ll give you that.
yanks have to take care of business against tampa, baltimore and re-energized blue jays. They’ve got a below .500 record so far against tampa and baltimore. If they play without any spirit against these teams like they have so far, it’s going to be a long winter.
Brian (Red Sox fan)-
oh ya welcome. yeah, I’m half Italian too.
And you bring up a perfect point, when Lucchino tagged us as “The Evil Empire” I was on cloud nine. it would have been meaningless if it came from the O.C. or the dodgers. We took it and added it to our mystic, I mean how cool is it to be compared to Darth Vader!!
See what I mean here —> http://tinyurl.com/2nbs2c
Jennifer …. thanks for your comment. It’s too bad that the PED issue continues to hang over the game … but it it definitely STILL hanging over the game.
Re: Clemens ….. why do you think he has “retired” every year since the start of random drug testing? It gives him an 8 month window to juice w/o oversight (because he’s no longer a player), then sell his “amazing” services to the biggest sucker (and the Red Sox have been in that line). It is SO obvious …..
I think your conspiracy theory is a little far fetched.
Jennifer …. just food for thought, and more than a little plausible.
But this will certainly be Clemens’ last year (who’ll want him under his current stipulations, and salary?). Just as well …… just fade away, and take Bonds with you.
On my other topic, I’ll be curious to see if the Yankees continue to struggle on the road. They’re supposedly a “different” team than earlier in the year, but didn’t they go 2-5 on their last road trip? The road hiccups have endured all year.
Detroit playing Seattle couldn’t come at a better time. Yankees lucked out, big time.
Series against TB and Baltimore are anything but gimmes, but I think if the Yankees want it bad enough they’ll win the games.
Bedard might be out for the season.
I had to re-write my post, my previous one must have gotten stuck in the filter.
I agree with you that this is Rogers last season but not for the reasons you’ve stated. I think he realizes that he can’t push his body that far anymore.
The Yankees “easy” schedule scares me. They can’t seem to beat the teams they are supposed to. And they get shut down by pitchers that everyone else smacks around. They turn into Cy Young when they face us. That is very disturbing.
Regarding the Yanks: Pete - “The schedule is easy”
Are you nuts, dude? That’s 9 games against the Rays and Orioles. It’s very likely that we’ll go (at best) 2-7 against those 2 teams!
Ok Brian, I defended you in the last post, but now you are pissing me off. Don’t come on here and accuse Clemens of using PED’s, that’s bush league. Unless of course you have some information about how David Ortiz went from cut to overwhelming. Or any other Red Sock’s drug history. There are no clean hands here.
As for the last road trip it was with the two toughest teams in the AL (yeah that includes your team). And the Yankees should have won at least two of those games, lost in extra innings by a pitcher no longer on the roster. If they were 4-3 on the toughest trip of the year, would you have graced us with your outstanding analysis?
Man o man
It is really going to hurt those Sox fans if their team gets dumped in the first round.
Sorry, Trolls.
A few things out about the Yanks Schedule.
1. 15 of 22 games are on the road and the Yanks are pretty bad on the road. They have only 7 games at home where they have the 2nd best record.
2. Baltimore is a mess right and Bedard may not pitch again this season. So Advantage there for the Yanks even though Orioles played them pretty tough.
3. I think Tampa Devils may give Yanks more trouble than the Balitmore.
4. 3 games Vs RedSox @Fenway. Yanks played Sox pretty well the last few games but will the Sox try to spoil Yanks Wild Card Chances. Should be an interesting series if Manny comes back for that series.
5. Toronto Bluejays. Even very longshot they are still not out of the Wild Card. I think they are going fight the Yanks very hard this season. They have the 2nd best pitching ERA in AL but their Offense sucks with Wells struggling with injury.
6. 15 of 22 games are on road where the yanks are 4 games UNDER. And 19 of 22 games are Vs AL East against whom they have a losing record. I don’t think the Wild Card is a lock yet for the Yanks. Even thhough they play only one team that is bound for playoff they can’t ignore the fact that most of their games are against the AL East and on the Road.
I live in DC, and believe me the orioles suck right now because i see them on tv everynight. Theyve given up an average of 10 runs a game over the past two weeks or something astronomical like that. Theyre not going to take a chance on Bedard for the rest of the year and their bullpen is the worst i think i’ve ever seen. That’s not to say they wont play the Yanks tough, but theyre playing everyone else like a AAA team right now.
Hey, Pete- when’s that registration thing coming?
Because after reading through 1/3 of any comment board, all the fun is sucked out of the room, both by trolls and by responders to trolls.
This is the best Yanks blog around, but the comment boards are just getting tiresome.
There’s a difference between trolling and intelligent posts by Red Sox fans.
Anyway, the Yankees’ schedule is deceptively easy. A 5-1 stint against KC and Toronto, though, would go a long way to helping the WC standings…
Clemens’ and ‘roids? I don’t think so.
1. His build.
I don’t think ‘roids gives you Roger’s build. Rocket’s big in the way that most of us get big in our 40s; bigger all over, especially thick in the middle. Contrast Bonds’ physique: enormous head, arms and shoulders and then tapered.
2. His schedule.
How many years has he pitched part of a season, conserving his strength and maximizing his endurance over a shorter period?
3. National League effect.
The national league is just easier.
4. Pitching versus throwing.
Perhaps most important is that Roger has swallowed his pride and has learned how to really pitch, throwing less and less gas and more and more of Mr. Splitty. Since he can’t blow it by hitters like he used to, he sweats and grinds it, preparing for the game like a madman, and out-thinking the hitters.
5. Testing
Wouldn’t he have been caught by now if he was juicing?
6. Going to his doctor in Texas.
Isn’t everyone more comfortable with their own doc, especially when a lot’s on the line?
7. His training regimen.
Few if any athletes train like Rocket. Why ignore the obvious answer? As they say, don’t look for unicorns until you run out of ponies.
8. His results.
He’s not blowing anyone away as if he were a superhuman. He’s a solid middle rotation guy, he gives up hits and walks but minimizes the damage, giving his team a chance to win.
19. Rocket’s revenge.
Wasn’t he supposed to be in the sunset of his career a few years ago when the Idiots let him go? His anger at that professional insult has kept him going all these years for just one more chance to grind the Sox teeth on the curb. Revenge is a dish best served cold. If the Yanks face the Sox in the ALCS, Rocket will make his rage at Piazza look like playtime. Look out Youk!
Roger will bang his fist!
Murphydog-
Re:#7 on your list- steroids, strictly speaking, don’t bulk you up. They just make recovery after a workout quicker and more efficient. A person can’t just take steroids and then watch the muscle build on it’s own- they still have to work out. The steroids just make the exercise more productive.
So, Rocket’s workouts don’t really prove much about his use of steroids. If he were juicing, he’d still have to work out a lot, especially as he grew older.
I think Rocket is an incredibly competitive guy, and I don’t think it’s unreasonable to suspect that he took steroids in the past. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t have an incredible work ethic, nor does it mean that he definitely juiced up. But faced with the prospect of retiring before he wanted to, I think it’s entirely possible that he juiced up to get a few more years out of his old bones.
It wouldn’t surprise me if the Mariners were swept by Los Tigres this weekend. Seattle won’t be in this race much longer and Detroit’s also not very imposing. Kenny Rogers can’t match the impact that he had last year. My guess is that The Gambler isn’t far away from folding his hand. I think that the Yankees can come out on top in the Wild Card and be primed to cause trouble in the playoffs!
This “I’m just a baseball fan who wants to have a reasonable discussion with Yankee fans about the great game of baseball” is so transparent. Classic passive-agressive behavior.
It’s just an evolved troll. Hunchback?
Yanks need to go 14-8 to wind up with 92 wins. That is winnig every series except I factored in a split with Toronto.
For all those who participated in the Rick Ankiel lovefest last night, he was implicated today as having received HGH in 2004 from a Florida doctor while he was with the AAA Memphis Redbirds. This was before HGH was banned by MLB, but still–clearly–he is tainted.
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again. We need a blanket amnesty for professional athletes, if they admit using PEDs in the past or at present they get a get-out-of-jail-free card. Otherwise, if you don’t admit it and were found to have used PEDs in the past, you’re gone until you come back clean.
The point with him working out is made more to show how he can still be competing. His regime being so intense allows him to continue competing past when his peers have left.
I don’t like the whole ‘well he’s good, so he must either be on or have been on the juice’ argument. Unfortunately, it’s the age we’re in, but it really is a stupid argument, and show’s just how ignorant people are. The fact of the matter is, we don’t know who’s on them, or who has been on them. But lacking proof, or at least anything beyond ‘he’s good’, i don’t think you can make those claims.
Editorial Comment here…..Baltimore Stinks,,,they are a prime example of one of the many teams that gets UP to play the Yankees, but treats a Boston Series with no added importance….That being said…Yankees are still going on a TEAR to finish 96-66, and Boston will be CRUSHED by losing the division, limping home at either 95-67 or 94-68 !!!
It’s both refereshing and amusing that people think this blog has a lot trolls. You should check around other message boards like Dirt Dogs and SOSH. Those places are like Lord of the Rings. This blog is amazingly civil and intelligent. For the most part.
And I don’t get the criticism that Red Sox fans can’t post here. I actually like the interaction and I often view dirtdogs and sosh (though I rarely post) to see what’s going on with Red Sox fans. It would be a little naive to deny the interest in the rivalry, wouldn’t it?
I hope the Yankees take at least two out of three from the Royals. It’s going to be tough because we’re facing their best pitchers.
As for Rick Ankiel, hopefully, someone can provide proof that he did or didn’t take HGH in 2004.
who cares about Rick Ankiel…Tony LaRussa is so overrated, starting with his own DUI with what happened to McGwire, the death of that pitcher and now this, larussa really holds some sort of responsibilty.
I know anything can happen in the playoffs, but I have to be honest…the Angels just scare the living hell out of me.
This is not because I think their offense is superior because it certainly isn’t. Its because I truly believe that at this point in his managerial career, Mike Sciosca is a far better manager than Torre.
These teams match up so well that it comes down to the little intangibles like base-running and managerial tactic.
Our bullpen is not nearly as good as the Angels, our rotations (if 100% healthy) match up very well.
It seems like the Angels are that one team that wreaks havoc on the Yankees in the regular and post season.
E-ROC,
Do you play online poker at Full Tilt by any chance?
torre just goes into small ball mode when they play the angels. he doesn’t seem to realize his team wasnt built to play that style, while the angels are much more suited for it.
Don Vito–You called it!
What about tonight?
migames, is that you on jerry crasnick’s chat?
yes…Crasnick is pretty cool.
good for you getting in there! he did take a little jab at yanks fans earlier in the chat though.
If Mussina had the training regimen of Clemens and Pettitte, he wouldn’t have the questionable status he has today.
he did. But thats ok. I like him, neyer and keith law, although they do take jabs at yankee fans. They seem to be pretty even and they actually know what they are saying
Dirt Dogs doesn’t have a message board? Huh. Someone better tell the administrator to the site because they have a link about mid-way down on the left side that says, “Dirt Dogs Sox Board,” and when you click on it, it goes to a message board. Yes, it’s a message board off the boston.com web site but, as the dirt dogs site says, it’s considered the dirt dogs message board, too.
And I have accounts a both sites so I probably do post there from time to time, but only occasionally.
Migames starting trouble with Tony Larussa are we lol?
I love all this speculation about PED usage from “sour grapes” Red Sox fans. Bill Simmons at ESPN (liflong Sox Fan)is a great writer who I enjoy reading. However when it comes to Clemens he becomes unhinged.
I’m sick of it! Blame Dan Duquette for running the guy out of town.
1.You don’t know how he would have done had he stayed in Boston!
2. You don’t know fioor sure whether or not he took PED’s.
3. All the guy has done is win 4 Cy Youngs since he left and it drives you all messugah!
4.Get over yourselves!
watch him manage here next year and i’ll love him
Migames- I agree with you on LaRussa. I’ve always thought Tony was terrible for only winning one World Series with all of those great Oakland teams in the late ’80s and early ’90s. I don’t guess there is any need to question him, though. Tony knows everything, just ask him!!
“those guys are such biatches to each other like teenage girls.”
LOL … now that’s funny!
This business about the Yanks being a bad road team is way overblown. Yes, it’s true, they are 31 and 35 on the road this year. But this is thrown totally out of whack because of how poorly this team performed in the first half of the season.
Here’s a breakdown of the Yanks winning percentage on the road:
Before the all-star break: .390
After the all-star break: .600
Deep to left: wow. That’s all. Wow.
I live in Arizona. Do not like Boston. I like the Yankees because I clearly see steady upward movement. Love to see a farm system produce. So with no malice I do not see the schedule being easy. KC is a real team now. They are 1-9 last 10 at NY but 5-5 last 10 vs Yankees at home. Tampa is also clearly much better. Lets hope for the best and sweep Boston and Baltimore
Deep to Left: Thank you!
Yeah, their most recent road trip was a nightmare, but dude, they were playing Anaheim and Detroit!
The one before that? Not nearly as bad. In fact, I think the one where they played Cleveland and Toronto, didn’t they go something like 5-1? Unless I’m missing another team in there…
I’m concerned, yes, but it’s more because of who the Yankees are playing, instead of where.
Rich,
You may want to tweak your name a bit. There’s a resident troll here that goes by “Rich”. lol.
Agree with you about not assuming anything. We’ve been beaten by losing teams on the road and at home.
The guys just have to be patient and get to the bullpen early.
Good job, Deep to Left! Our road winning percentage was also better before the break if you take away the games at National League parks. At Colorado, San Francisco, and at Shea against the Mets, the Yankees were a combined 2-7. Our success on the road since the break speaks volumes about how the Yankees are playing with more urgency and how they are more resilient. Road games won’t make the Yankees tremble in fear at all!
Rebecca
September 7th, 2007 at 12:25 pm
Don Vito—You called it!
What about tonight?
Rebecca…Yankees win a LAUGHER, 9 - 2
( A-Rod hits another HR and drives in 3 runs )
….The Brooms are out and THESE Yankees are not leaving ANYTHING to chance…The HELL with the Wild Card…keep the pressure on the BoSox and watch them fold like a cheap suit !
E-roc,
Are you on Stark’s chat now?
Don Vito–You’re on.
How many innings does IPK go? Do we get Joba tonight?
Etc, etc.
If you come out crazy close again, you might want to consider charging for these…
No @ Larry. Sorry.
No @ Mel
No @ Mel
There was a Stephen, Iraq asking a question so I thought it may be you. He was asking Stark to clarify on his Andy opting out for money comment.
My computer is scanning itself, so I might be double posting because of the glitches.
Rebecca
September 7th, 2007 at 1:17 pm
Don Vito—You’re on.
How many innings does IPK go? Do we get Joba tonight?
Etc, etc.
If you come out crazy close again, you might want to consider charging for these…
IPK goes at least 6, maybe 7,,,no need for Joba tonight….Oh and Pigs Fly as the O’s finally beat Boston for us AND CLE show up to AND plays LAA tough and ekes out a victory as well…
I agree with Don Vito. I have zero doubt that the Yankees take the division. Until the win it, the Yanks are still the champs - for something like 15 straight years for that matter. Boston will fold, trust me, they always do.
When trying to extract a “trend” for prediction purposes from the YTD results of this season, I would tend to rely on the data from 7/2/07 forward (the beginning of the home series vs. the Twins). Since that time, the Yankees are 26-11 at home and 14-10 on the road (combined 40-21).
Given those results, and realizing they are playing some teams that have given them difficulty in the past, I would still tend to be optimistic when projecting upcoming results.
During the period from 7/2/07 forward, the Yankees’ results vs. the teams they still have on their schedule is as follows:
vs. KC … 6-1 (3 games remaining)
vs. Tor .. 5-2 (7 games remaining)
vs. Bos .. 5-1 (3 games remaining)
vs. Bal .. 3-3 (6 games remaining)
vs. TB … 7-4 (3 games remaining)
Total .. 26-11 (22 games remaining)
It is not inconceivable that the Yankees record over the remaining games will be 15-7 or 16-6.
I created an excel table that lays out the game schedule and predicted pitching matchups over the rest of the season. I’ll try to post it here in a later post if anyone is interested.
WOW. That is a very impressive statistical table you put together Bobcat. Nice job with that. I agree, I don’t see any reason why the Yankees won’t finish strong and take the division based on your findings.
Mel,
I don’t think Keith Law was ever an MLB scout. He wrote for Baseball Prospectus and then was hired by the Blue Jays (I assume to do statistical analysis) before joining ESPN.
Rob-
The Yankees were the Wildcard in 1997, finishing 2 games behind the Os (remember when they were actually good)?
That was also the year of the heart-breaking, 8th-inning homer by Sandy Alomar off Mo.
Re Prime Time on NBC — give the new show “Life” a chance. Stars Damian Lewis, who was Capt/Maj Winters on HBO’s Band of Brothers. Weds nights at 10:00 pm. Plays a cop with a unique outlook on life….
Did anyone see Keith Law’s column about Phil Hughes on ESPN’s website?
I think his analysis of Hughes was pretty much right on the money. It’s too bad he had to show his bias and say the big story of the game was the umpiring. Granted, the umpires stunk. But to write about that game and not once mention Alex Rodriguez??? I don’t think he or Crasnick ever want to talk about Yankee fans as being unreasonable.
Classic Murray Chass math…Yankees are 26-27 against the East this year…You have them going 15-7 “down the stretch”..against all AL East teams…”Our take: They’re in. The schedule is easy”….. lol classic
hey doesn’t anyone remember the baseball guru (make that booboo) steve phillips making a prediction that seattle’s pen clinches it for them over the yankees in the wild card?
i’ll tell ya what you do now …
1.watch football .
2.trade farnsworth
3.put joba , ian kennedy and hughes in the rotation with moose and wang .
4.TRADE FOR JOHAN SANTANA ( anybody but joba and hughes )
5.resign mo rivera , posada , abreu , molina , a-rod and minky .