Results tagged ‘ Brett Gardner ’
With the Yanks hot, I return to the BLOG
Well, after a hot start, this blog certainly slowed down these past few weeks. So, in honor of Joba Chamberlain’s quality start yesterday, the Joba Joba Joba blog returns.
Another quality start from the namesake, and another win blown by the bullpen. I’m pretty sure that’s three blown wins for Joba this year (His first start in KC, the first game against the Red Sox, and yesterday) however, unlike those other two games, the Yanks bounced back to win this one. And I’m sure Joba is fine with that. It was good to see him get past the first inning struggles he’s had this year, and he continues to make progress as a starter. Now, about that bullpen…
…I know I said in a previous post that the bullpen struggles were being a bit overstated by fans/the media, but yesterday, until Mariano Rivera got in the game, that was an all too familiar, and frusturating, outing from the relievers this season. The home run Phil Coke gave up to Justin Morneau, that’s fine, he’s one of the best hitters in the league and he ended up hitting three home runs over two games, so it’s obvious he’s swinging a hot bat. But to then walk (with two outs!) Michael Cuddyer and give up a double Brian Buscher? Give me a break. I actually like Coke, overall, but that was a bad outing. And Jose Veras, I mean, there’s a guy with great stuff who can’t get the ball over the plate (usually) and Edwar Ramirez is a guy who I’m never confident in. Yes, he gets the job done occassionally, but he drives me nuts.
Now, Friday night, a game I attended, the bullpen was tremendous. But the starting rotation finally looks to be rounding into shape, so the bullpen has to start locking down these leads before Mo gets the call. Thankfully, Brian Bruney should return this week.
As I said, the rotation is starting to look like what was expected coming into the season. Joba keeps improving with every start, CC’s looked like an ace is past two starts, so hopefully he’ll get on a roll, Pettitte has been what I expected, when he avoids the one “INNING OF DOOM” he’s managed to give the team innings and wins, and A.J. Burnett, who started out hot, has struggled a bit. Burnett’s been a bit of an odd scenario. He obviously has great stuff, but has run into a string of not-so-great starts. Hopefully he rights that today against the Twins.
Phil Hughes is still a work-in-progress. He was great against Detroit, so-so against Boston (not that the ump helped), awful in Baltimore, than gave them a solid, if not quality, start on Friday. He does look much more confident than last year, and seems to have bulked up a bit, so hopefully he can keep them in games until Chien-Ming Wang is ready to return from Triple-A Scranton.
And I think that about covers my thoughts on the Yankees these past few weeks…
What?
Oh yeah, the return of “THE A-BOMB…FROMMMM A-ROD!”
Again, it does not surprise me that this team has won six of the eight games since his return. Yes, the pitching has been better but, contrary to some opinions out there, this team is in no way, shape or form better without A-Rod in the lineup. His presence in the lineup, even with him hitting .154, is uncomparable. Mark Teixeira has obviously seemed to relax a bit since his return, and Rodriguez has already provided two of the most memorable moments of the 2009 season, his first at-bat in Baltimore and his walk-off bomb yesterday. I understand people being disappointed/angry with A-Rod because of his steroid use, and I know he comes off as a bit of a flake/phony, but when he’s in the lineup this team is so, so much better than without him.
Finally, special shouts of praise for Johnny Damon, who’s been carrying this team over the first month and a half, Derek Jeter, who not only continues to hit, but has shown this year that he’s not the defensive liability people make him out to be (outside of the occasional hiccup), and Brett Gardner, for hitting the first inside-the-park homer I’ve ever seen in person. I’ve been to five games at the new Stadium so far, two ending in walk-offs, but Friday was easily the best game I’ve seen in the short history of the Yanks’ new home.
Joba Joba Joba
The return of the Bronx Bombers? 2009 Lineup preview
Yes, I am putting out two posts in one day. Not only one day, but within hours of one another. Don’t act like you’re not impressed.
1. Derek Jeter:
When I first heard that Joe Girardi was batting Jeter leadoff, it struck me as odd, and slightly unnecessary, especially with Johnny Damon on the team. Then I thought about it some more, and, especially when I remembered how many double plays Jeter hit into last year, I didn’t mind it so much. I don’t think there’s a huge difference between having Jeter and Damon in this spot. I might still prefer Damon, as he has better speed and generally sees a decent amount pitches most at-bats due to his ability to foul off a ton of pitches, but I’m interested to see how this works out. I just hope Girardi gives this at least a few weeks to see how it works out. If the Yankees open the season 0-3 while scoring only two runs a game, I don’t want to see him flipping them immediately, then this move will look pointless. For Jeter, I expect another season with an average somewhere near .300, 20-something doubles, and about 10 homers. Fielding issues aside, Jeter still knows how to hit.
2. Damon:
Damon’s numbers will likely look close to Jeter’s…as long as he stays healthy. Damon is one of three hitters in this lineup who you don’t worry about production wise, as long as he’s in the lineup he’ll hit.
3. Mark Teixeira:
How freakin’ huge is the Tex signing, not only keeping him out of Boston for seven years, but also, for ’09, with A-Rod having to miss the first month and a half because of his hip surgery? Without Tex, where is the power bat in this lineup during the A-Rod absence? I will stop thinking about that now. Talk about his tendency to start slow out the gate with his hitting aside, Tex should put up his usual big power/batting average numbers during his first season in pinstripes. And if the right-field porch looks as short to him all season as it did on Saturday, maybe Tex will celebrate his first year as Yankees first baseman with an AL MVP.
4. Matsui:
Matsui is in the Damon camp. If they can keep his legs fresh as the everyday DH, then Matsui will hit for a decent average with decent pop. I’m hoping for a big year out of Godzilla, especially since it might be his last with the Yanks.
5. Jorge Posada:
The final of the three “Should hit as long as he’s healthy” crew. Outside of that brief setback in the beginning of Spring Training, Hip Hip Jorge seems to be recovering nicely from his shoulder surgery. His bat and leadership was missed big time last year.
6. Robinson Cano:
Will this be the bounce back year for Cano? I’m actually shocked he hit .271 last year after somehow following what I thought was the slowest start ever in 2007 with an even slower start last season. If he can get that early-season struggles monkey off his back, I can see him getting back near his ’06 form. If not, I will continue calling him Canofer.
7. Xavier Nady:
The X-Man! I am extremely glad he won the right-field job over Swisher (no disrespect to Swish). Nady seems to go from overrated to underrated and back more than any other player, and he’ll probably hear his name in trade rumors all season. However, he’s in a contract year and is a solid power right-handed bat. I’m a big fan of the X-Man.
8. Cody Ransom:
I’m not going to pretend that I know enought about Cody Ransom to make a prediction for his season. He’s spent the vast majority of his career in the Minors and is keeping third base warm for the return of A-Rod. He’s also got nothing to lose and everything to gain from his (at least) month-long stint as the Yankees third baseman, so maybe he’ll surprise some people.
9. Brett Gardner:
Gardner went out and earned the starting center field job during Spring Training, and got his first taste of the Major Leagues last season, so hopefully he does his job of getting on base and causing havoc with his speed.
These aren’t the Bronx Bombers, but I like the balance, especially once A-Rod gets back. This team doesn’t need to score 900-plus runs (And almost certainly will not), but, again, this team is built on pitching. If the starters produce like they’re expected to, this offense should score more than enough runs to win.
briancougar
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