Tagged: Ramiro Pena
Happy Belated Birthday to Me!
Yanks Finally Win – A Day Late, But I’ll Take It
I’m not even kidding: I think the Yankees have a secret camera in my house. Yesterday, I was frustrated after they lost on my birthday (17!!!), and needed to take out my frustration. So for FanVsFan, I posted a debate about Joe Girardi, and how he deserves some of the blame for the offensive woes:
http://fanvsfan.com/claims/joe-girardi-is-partly-to-blame-for-the-yankees-s-offensive-struggles
He must have heard me recording this, because he took my advice. And it paid off! The Yankees won 6-2….on Jorge Posada’s birthday instead of mine. But that’s okay. We just needed a win!
Pitching Analysis: The Yankees looked toward CC Sabathia to throw up a bunch of zeros and stop the bleeding last night. I thought he was the perfect guy to be on that mound last night to turn things around for the Yanks. But after the first pitch of the game connected to A-Jax’s bat and landed in the seats, I lost faith. 1-0? Already? In the 1st inning? That was asking too much from the Yankees, who lost a game 1-0 to the Royals the other day. I thought we were screwed.
THANK GOD, I was wrong.
My sweet Hefty-Lefty settled down after 2 innings. After that leadoff homer, CC shut down the Tigers offense until Inge homered in the 7th. CC got into a little jam in the 7th, but made it out unscathed. I read his lips when he left the mound after the 7th: “F*** YEAH!!!!”
I was thinking the same thing, CC ♥
The bullpen, which all of a sudden has turned itself around, did well last night. David Robertson pitched a clean 8th, and Mariano tossed a scoreless 9th.
Defensive Analysis: Curtis Granderson has always played a good centerfield. Even when his hitting wasn’t there, he contributed with his glove. In the 1st inning, Granderson made two exceptional plays: One going to his left, and one diving going to his right. He helped set the tone last night, and got CC out of some potential jams. Thank you, Curtis!
http://newyork.yankees.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=11053857&topic_id=8877494&c_id=nyy
Offensive Analysis: This was what I really wanted for my birthday: runs. Joe Girardi took my advice. The Yankees really forced the action last night, which you have to do against a pitcher like Verlander. I saw a bunt last night. And I even saw a steal – by JORGE POSADA!!! Happy Birthday Jo-Po! That’s a single season-high 3 steals for him this year. And aside from the small ball, the Yankees actually hit last night. Hallelujah.
After falling behind 1-0 in the top half of the 1st, the Yankees came right back, which surprised me – they haven’t done that in ages. With loaded bases, Nick Swisher knocked in 2 with a single, giving the Yanks a 2-1 lead. It seems like ages since they’ve had a lead…
Swishialicious…
In the 2nd, my cute little Curtis hit a solo home run, making it 4-1 Yanks. Boy, he sure is cute when he’s swingin’ that stick so well 😉
In the 6th, Brett Gardner hit a 2-out double. That brought up Jeter, who I couldn’t help being angry at because of the loss on my birthday: the Yankees were down 3-1 in the bottom of the 9th. With bases loaded and 1 out, Jeter grounded into a game-ending double play. I hoped he could do something to make me happy last night. And he did. His 2 out RBI single scored Gardner, and gave the Yanks a 4-1 lead. Thank you, Derek.
In the 7th, Robbie Cano homered, making it 5-2. He’s been struggling lately, so that homer was a good sign. Later in the inning, Nick Swisher got hit by a pitch right on the foot. He went down, and was in a lot of pain. I didn’t even think Nick would have been in the lineup last night, because he hurt his forearm the night before. But with Berkman and A-Rod still hurt, Swish chose to play last night. What a guy. I was relieved when I saw him trot down to first base.
After an infield single by Marcus Thames and a Curtis Granderson walk, the bases were loaded for Ramiro Pena. He tacked on a run with a sac fly, giving the Yanks a 6-2 lead. And that’s the final score.
Last night’s win was comforting for sure. But is the offensive slump over? I wouldn’t exactly call 6 runs an explosion. But the offense doesn’t always need to explode for the team to win. I’m not going to say if the slump is over or not….I’ll just stay quiet and watch them play. I’m not going to be the one to jinx them (that’s Michael Kay’s job). The heroes for the victory last night are CC Sabathia, for another win, giving him the league-leading 16, Curtis Granderson, for his contributions with both the glove and bat, and Nick Swisher, for being a man, and for giving the Yankees their first lead since God knows when.
My little brother had an idea for a new segment on my blog: the “Somebody Needs a Hug” segment. This is brilliance at its best. Every game I watch, I always say that at least once. So why not write it, too? The “Somebody Needs a Hug” recipient is someone who either did something or had something happen to him that makes me pity him. The hug is to either comfort, or show that I appreciate him and his efforts. Thank you Tommy for this idea.
The first ever Somebody Needs a Hug goes to….Nick Swisher. Like I said before, he played through pain, and then got hurt again. I love my macho Yankees.
Stay tough, boys! And thanks for winning 🙂
Why Joe, WHY?
Yanks Lose Finale, but Still in 1st Place
Now I love Joe Girardi, but sometimes I just don’t get him. And yesterday, I was beginning to think that maybe my cousin Raymond was right about Joe. He once said, “Joe Girardi is a Cro-Magnon Moron.” Well, that’s a little harsh. But seriously, I was quite confuzzled by some of the Skip’s decisions yesterday. I think he was partly the reason why they lost 3-0.
I know he didn’t want to admit it, but come on: yesterday’s game was one of the most important games for the Yankees so far this year. So why then, must you alter the lineup? Why must A-Rod have a day off in the finale of the Rays series? Joe’s defense?
“Well, he played 13 games in a row and I felt that Al needed a rest. Better to rest him on the road than in front of the home crowd that wants to see him try at #600.”
Um, really? How about you stop thinking about the stupid milestone and focus on making the TEAM WIN! The team needed Alex, fatigued or not, to play yesterday. Thanks for sitting him, Joe. I love Ramiro Pena with all my heart, but he really is no A-Rod. A tired A-Rod is better than Ramiro Pena any day.
Here is another brilliant strategic move by Girardi yesterday: sitting Brett Gardner.
WHY? Brett is a lefty, and James Shields is a righty. So it’s wasn’t because of the matchup. And please don’t tell me he’s “tired.” Gardner is a young man. And he didn’t play “13 games in a row” like A-Rod, because he had a porkchop stuck in his stomach and got acid reflux and missed games because of that. SO WHY THE HECK WASN’T HE IN THE LINEUP????? Gardner has been one of the most consistent hitters on the team. I don’t understand why he wasn’t playing in a game of that importance.
Then there is the Teixeira/Berkman decision.
Now I don’t want to take a shot at Lance, because I know he’s new and must have been incredibly nervous. And okay, he botched 2 plays and cost 2 runs, but he made a nice diving play in the 4th to save 2 runs. But really. Joe, why would you even take that chance? Why would you let Berkman play 1st and DH Tex in a game as important as yesterday’s? I know Berkman is a 1st baseman, but nobody is as good as Mark Teixeira. If Tex is DH-ing, then for sure you are downgrading at 1st base. And lemme guess: Tex was DH-ing because he needed a rest.
Really.
He couldn’t rest another day? WHY MUST ALL OF THESE GUYS REST ON THE SAME DAY WHERE THERE WAS AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT GAME?????????
I don’t get it. I don’t get it! I just don’t get it.
The Yankees lost 3-0. CC Sabathia labored, but he wasn’t that bad. He allowed just 3 runs, and took the loss. Now people are all “Oh James Shields was AMAZING yesterday.” Well okay he was good. But I’m sure that if the Yankees had their regular lineup, Shields wouldn’t have been too amazing.
The Yankees don’t play the pesky Rays again until September. And they play them 7 times that month. Hopefully, Joe Girardi will rest these guys BEFORE those games. Hopefully he’ll send the best guys out onto the field those days.
Hopefully, he won’t do anything worthy of him being called a Cro-Magnon moron ever again.
A Quick One While She’s Away…Or NOT!
Yankees Play All 9 Frames Despite the Rain…and Win!
My little brother is as obsessed with The Who as I am with the Yankees. I sit there listening to my Michelle Branch music, and he’s next to me listening to The Who. Then I begin to hear The Who more clearly than I do Michelle Branch. We don’t say anything, but then we begin competing with each other: I put my volume up, he puts his up. The Who plays louder than Michelle Branch to begin with, so he always wins.
Yesterday I was out and missed the beginning of the game. I heard the Yankees 4 run 3rd inning on the radio, which was nice. Curtis Granderson homered, Ramiro Pena singled, Jeter knocked him in with a double, Tex got an RBI single, and A-Rod hit an RBI double. All that added up to a 4-2 Yankee lead.
By the time I got home, it was already the bottom of the 4th inning. I had the pleasure of seeing Curtis Granderson go deep again to give the Yanks a 5-3 lead.
The GrandyMan can? Yes! I hope this is a start of your hot-streak, Curtis!!!
Then in the 5th, the rain came down, and I figured “Oh man…I missed 4 innings and now it’s raining and this game is going to be a quick 5-inning rain-shortened game.”
My little brother made this song get stuck in my head for the LONGEST time.
I was WRONG!!!!!!!!!! And I’m glad I was 🙂
Sure, the umpires signaled for a rain delay, but they were determined to get the game in – even though the Yankees had the lead and it was an official ballgame. After a long 2 hour and 30 minute rain delay, baseball was resumed! And I was there to see it all!
Pitching Analysis: Phil Hughes wasn’t great yesterday, and he didn’t come out again after the rain delay. So once again, the Yankees had to use their bullpen for multiple MULTIPLE innings. Boone Logan did a nice job once again, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings. Since Marte is hurt, he is the specialty lefty in the bullpen. I gain confidence in him each time I see him throw.
Boone throws hard. And when he locates, he is pretty dominant.
As for Joba and Chan Ho? They were their usual cruddy selves. I wonder why Park is still on the team, and I wonder why Joba still sucks. They should’ve traded him when they had the chance, because no one is going to want him now. We’re stuck with him!
Offensive Analysis: Once again, the Yankee offense exploded. The 3rd inning was a pretty big run outburst, but the 8th inning rally was even larger. In the 8th:
-Curtis Granderson led off with a walk, stole 2nd, and advanced to 3rd on the stinky throw.
-Brett Gardner reached on an error and stole 2nd. I’m glad he’s feeling better 🙂
-Jeter was intentionally walked to load the bases with 1 out.
-Nick Swisher (who I am also glad is feeling better) drove in 2 with a single!
-Tex singled to re-load the bases for…..A-Rod.
This is the part that I wasn’t too fond of. This is the censored version of what my notebook says:
“A-ROD HBP UP & IN. F*** BLAKE WOOD. A-Rod out, Colin Curtis in. 10-5 Yanks.”
NO!
Blake Wood…I don’t care if it wasn’t intentional. I hate him. Who does he think he is? “Hi! My name is Blake Wood and I’m sure you’ve never heard of me! But I’m gonna be cool and tough and back Alex off the plate – it’s good baseball! Oh no! I missed my location because I suck! Now I hit Alex in the forearm and hand and he might be hurt! Oopsy!”
Oh God…
I was beyond angry. Oh, A-Rod….you poor baby…I’m glad you aren’t hurt too bad. That was scary. I’m so sorry Wood destroyed your chances of getting #600 at home.
But at least I was able to see another milestone in that 8th inning yesterday.
-With loaded bases, Robinson Cano drove the first pitch of his at-bat into the seats in right after 1 bounce. Ground rule double! 12-5 Yankees! And for Robbie, it was his 1000th career hit. Aw, Robbie…you have come so far!
Okay…he’s still a goofball, but I love him ♥
So the Yankees take 3 of 4 from KC, and all of their wins were of the offensive explosion variety. The heroes for yesterday’s 12-6 finale win are Boone Logan, for relieving Hughes nicely (since he’s the only one who pitched well yesterday!), and the entire Yankee lineup, for banging out 12 runs on 14 hits, and especially Curtis Granderson for finally living up to his potential.
I hope Curtis can stay hot, and I hope the Yankees keep on winning.
GO YANKEES!
Tears and Cheers
Emotional Night Ends Right
From the pregame ceremonies to the pie, last night was an emotional rollercoaster for everyone who watched. It was a Drama Club victory, and a game that will no-doubt be a Yankee Classic. I’m just so happy that the Yankees came out on top. It was a game they had to win.
Before the game, the lives of Bob Sheppard and George Steinbrenner where remembered. The crowd was silent, giving the two iconic men all their respect. Mariano Rivera placed two roses on top of home plate, one for Bob and one for the Boss.
Later on in the ceremony, Derek Jeter made a short-but-sweet speech honoring Bob and George. He requested a moment of silence, and silenced the Stadium went.
I’m sure the Yankees could have spent hours talking about Steinbrenner and Sheppard, but there was a baseball game to play. As a tribute to Bob Sheppard, the public address announcer did not announce. There were no player intros. The crowd seemed confused at the beginning of the game, not knowing whether to behave as if they were at a memorial, or a ballgame.
CC Sabathia struggled last night. He lacked command, and had to grind out each inning. By the 3rd, it was 2-0 Rays. The Yankees got a run back in the bottom of the 3rd. Nick Swisher’s RBI single scored Brett Gardner. That made it 2-1.
Sabathia got into a serious jam in the 5th, having loaded the bases with none out. Sabathia managed to minimize the damage by getting Evan Longoria to ground into a 5-4-3 double play. He allowed just 1 run that inning, but the Rays still had the lead at 3-1.
The Yankees still trailed 3-1 in the 6th inning. After 2 quick outs, I didn’t expect any runs that inning. But Robinson Cano had other ideas. Robbie hit a 2-out solo home run to get the Yankees back into the game. It was the first time all night the crowd really started cheering.
After Cano, Jorge Posada took his turn at bat. He got ahead in the count 3-0. Joe Girardi made a bold move, and gave Jorge the green light. And it paid off. Jorge hit an absolute bomb for a solo home run, back to back with Robbie. More importantly, the game was tied at 3. The Yankees were fighting. I knew there was no way they were going to lose this game.
CC Sabathia got into another bases loaded none out jam in the 7th, and gave the Rays right back a run on a Ben Zobrist ground out. Although he was able to once again minimize the damage, I feared that it would be a momentum killer for the Yankees. The Rays led 4-3.
David Robertson relieved CC in the 8th, and I cringed when I saw it was he who Girardi put in. To my surprise, Robertson looked like he did last year. He was superb. Robertson threw a 1-2-3 inning, and struckout all three Rays batters.
In the bottom of the 8th, Nick Swisher showed that the Yankees weren’t ever going to give up. The Boss loved to win, and he would do anything to win. Swisher embraced this philosophy. Swish belted a ball into the 2nd deck, for yet another game-tying home run. After crossing the plate, Swisher kissed the George Steinbrenner patch on his uniform.
With a tie game, the Yanks handed the ball to the Great Mariano for the 9th. He allowed a cheap leadoff single to BJ Upton, but quickly erased it. I don’t remember the last time I’ve seen it: Mariano picked off Upton at first base. He was out by a mile. Upton was infuriated, and began spewing expletives all over the place. Leave it to Upton to have no class. He’s the polar opposite of the New York Yankees.
Mariano got out of the 9th with no problem. The only question now was: Who wants pie?
Curtis Granderson had a great at-bat and got on base with a leadoff single through the hole on the right side of the infield. Ramiro Pena laid down a perfect sac bunt, moving the GrandyMan to 2nd base with 1 out. Brett Gardner’s at-bat was even more suspensful. He quickly fell behind in the count 0-2, but that didn’t worry him. Brett was cool, calm, and collected 3 balls making the count full. After what seemed to be an eternity, Gardner drew a walk. That brought up Jeter.
The captain was extremely fond of both Bob Sheppard and George Steinbrenner, so it seemed fitting for him to get the walkoff. Jeter made a valient effort, but could not get the job done. He struckout for the 2nd out, and left it up to Nick Swisher.
I would have loved to see Jeter win the game, but if he couldn’t do it, I wouldn’t want anybody up at the plate but Nick Swisher. He always puts up a great at-bat, and has been so clutch for the Yankees this season.
Nick Swisher delivered once again. He ripped a single into right field, and Granderson was safe at the play at the plate. The team had to wait until they knew for sure Granderson was safe before charging out of the dugout. Then, the customary walkoff chaos began.
And then, like he had done 19 times before, A.J. Burnett emerged stealthily from the dugout, and pied Nick Swisher.
Sweet victory.
This was a game that the Yankees absolutely had to win. They have been through so much this past week. It’s victories like this that bring the team closer. All the Yankees are the heroes for this 5-4 thrilling victory, but #1 is Nick Swisher.
The Yankees now have a 3 game lead over the pesky Rays. The Red Sox lost once again and are 6.5 games back. Things are looking mighty fine for the Yankees right now. But as George would have wanted, the Yankees have to take things 1 day at a time. There is still a lot of baseball left to play.
Bob Sheppard and George Steinbrenner, I hope this victory tastes as good to you as it did for the Yankees (and Swisher). May you rest in peace ♥
Heating Up
Sweep of the A’s Complete!
I was going to post earlier, but I had a more important obligation. Don’t gasp yet – I know what you are thinking: “What could be more important than blogging about a Yankee win?” The answer?
Sending Swish.
Nick Swisher was depending on us to vote for him for the All-Star Game. Since voting ended today at 4, I decided to devote my day to him. So I did. And I got a headache from staring at the screen so long. But you know what? I just had to suck it up. Because a little discomfort for me is worth a smile from Swish. Nick, I hope you won sweetie ♥
Staying up late was worth it for this series. Anytime the Yankees win, no matter what time I go to bed, I’m not cranky. Thank you Yankees for my good mood! CC Sabathia and A-Rod were responsible for our 6-1 win in game 2. Last night’s finale had a similar recipe. The Yanks won it 6-2.
Pitching Analysis: It was A.J. Burnett’s turn last night, and I was hoping that his previous start was not a fluke. It was his first good one in over a month. Last night, A.J. comforted me, saying, “Don’t worry, Virginia. I’ll be good for you.” And he did. He’s heating up again.
Thatta boy, A.J. 😉
In 7 innings, A.J. allowed just 2 runs on 5 hits. His ERA is back to respectibility at 4.75, and his record is even at 7. I think it is safe to say that the A.J. Burnett we all love – the good one with the mean…intimidating face – is back 🙂
The bullpen did well last night. Marte pitched a scoreless 8th, and Joba threw a scoreless 9th. If only he can be automatic like Mo every day….
Defensive Anaysis: There was good defense, bad defense, and something that I don’t think is worthy of being called defense last night. We’ll call it ugly. Yankee Defense: The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. GOD I HATE THAT MOVIE.
Which one is “The Ugly?” The are all grotesque.
Anyway: The good defense came in the first inning, on the first play of the game. Coco Crisp hit a liner to centerfield, and Brett Gardner snared it, doing a dive/slide, for the first out. Good Job, Brett!
The bad was A.J. Burnett. He attempted a pickoff, and threw the ball wildly. He is just the WORST at holding on runners. He had the right idea, but failed to execute the play.
The ugly – Oh, the ugly! I can’t believe I’m using the words “Alex Rodriguez” and “ugly” in the same sentence! Last night, A-Rod made a fool of himself. In the 7th, he chased down a foul pop-up, and had to run a long way to get there. I think he ran a little too much. Alex OVERRAN the ball, tried to recover, but it was too late: before he knew it, Alex was on the ground, with the ball trickling away. It was the most epic fail I have seen since another popup fail…
Priceless…
Of course, Jeter and the rest of the guys really let him have it. But A-Rod was a good sport about it. After all, it was hilarious.
Offensive Analysis: The Yankees had a lot of chances early to get to Gio Gonzalez, but they failed to take advanage ot them. Finally, in the 4th, they broke through. My little cutie Ramiro Pena, AKA Jamal, hit an RBI single to tie the game at 1.
Dev Patel and Ramiro Pena! TWINS!
Then Derek Jeter hit an RBi single to give the Yankees a 2-1 lead! Later that same inning, Mark Teixeira delivered – big fly style. He hit a 3-run homer to break the game open! 5-1 Yankees! He is really starting to heat up.
MAAAAARK I LOVE YOU!!!!!!
Nick Swisher really campaigned well for himself last night. He had a single, a double, a walk, and in the 6th, gave another reason why he’s All-Star worthy: He hit an opposite field solo home run! 6-1 YANKEES! Swish, you are too cute 😉
You have my votes!
The heroes for this comforting victory are A.J, Burnett, Mark Teixeira, and Nick Swisher, for giving it their all and getting some serious results. In a perfect world, all three of you would be All-Stars. For now, let us pray for Swisher.
The Yankees have won 5 games in a row. They have a 2 game lead in the AL East, and they have the best record in baseball at 53-31. Sure, my Yankees are good, but doesn’t it seem like they haven’t really clicked yet?
I think the boys are just starting to heat up. This is gonna be fun…
GO YANKEES!!!
A View from Sec 237, Row 14, Seat 1
Yankee Game July 1st 2010
Yesterday was my first time at the new Yankee Stadium. I know, I’m ashamed that I didn’t get to go earlier. But I know I’ll be back many many times, because the place is like Heaven. And lucky for me, it was a good game. The Yankees lost the first two of the Mariners series, and lost the first today in the Blue Jays series. I’m very thankful for that 4-2 win yesterday. Maybe they won because of me!
I was too excited to sleep. I was too excited to stay still on the train. Hahaa, I was too excited and stupified to even take pictures of the Great Hall! My Dad and I walked around like zombies, OMG-ing at everything we saw. It was amazing. The Stadium is so beautiful – words cannot describe it.
I was a Bleacher Creature, which was an incredible experience in itself. We got in our seats early to see the guys warm up. After a little while, when I realized that it is not a dream and I can control my every move, I decided to take some pictures of the guys warming up.
CC pitched a fabulous game for the Yanks yesterday. Now I know how he prepares for his starts:
CC paces around as Dave Eiland goes over the plan of attack.
CC and Jorge, the battery of the game, have a nice catch.
The Mariner starter, Ryan Rowland-Smith, had a catch with his battery mate Josh Bard:
After a few minutes, the position players emerged from the clubhouse to do some last-minute warmups before the start of the game:
From left to right: Curtis Granderson, doing some serious stretching with help of a trainer, Robinson Cano, doing I don’t know what, and Mark Teixeira, jogging his way into the picture.
The Mariners did the same thing.
Before we knew it, the game began.
After CC pitched a 1-2-3 first, Jeet led off for the Yanks. He eventually scored on a Mark Teixeira groundout to give to the Yanks a 1-0 lead.
The game went pretty fast. Here are some random shots I got:
A-Rod in the process of swinging (and missing :p)
Ramiro Pena at-bat with Derek Jeter on deck.
Mariners left-fielder Ryan Langerhans looking a little bored in the outfield.
HERE IS MY FAVORITE PIC:
Ow-OW! Brett Gardner – lookin’ good…♥♥♥
After A-Rod’s dramatic 2-run homer in the 8th, we had the lead again. That meant only one thing….
MO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hearing Metallica’s “Enter Sandman” and witnessing the Great Mariano jog onto the field is just the coolest thing ever. He beasted yesterday, setting down the Mariners 1-2-3 and nailing down the save for the Yankee win.
I had the time of my life at the game yesterday. I don’t even care that much about the loss today, because yesterday still lingers in my mind 🙂 The heroes for the thrilling victory yesterday are CC Sabathia, for 8 innings of 2-run, DOMINANT C “Cy” style baseball, Alex Rodriguez, for his SUPER CLUTCH 2-run homer in the 8th to re-give the Yankees the lead, and Michael Hirschbein. He’s the guy that made this day possible for me by giving me the tickets. I write for him at http://pinstripepartisan.com at FanVsFan.com He’s awesome.
For more on my trip to the Stadium, check out this little video at http://fanvsfan.com/shows
[Out]Field of Dreams
Yanks Hammer Halladay at Home
I know it’s cliche, but it’s true: you see something new every day. After discovering who was pitching for the Phillies, I never thought the game would have the results it did. Did I ever think the Yankees would beat up on Roy Halladay – the man who was perfect just a short while ago? I love my Yankees and have faith in them, but I never thought they would get to Halladay the way they did. I’m so proud of them. To my surprise, the Yankees won 8-3.
Pitching Analysis: Our ace CC Sabathia knew who his opponent was, and made sure to come out of the gates strong. CC was superb, C “Cy” like, in the first three innings of the game, striking out 6 in that span. In the 4th, he ran into a little trouble, and surrendered 3 runs. But it’s not like he was stinky and unraveled. I have to say, that Phillies rally was very cheap: a single off CC’s hand, a grounder out of CC’s reach, and a hit batsman to load the bases with none out. Then two singles, and an RBI groundout. That’s some pretty intense offense, lol.
Great job, Hefty-Lefty!
CC went 7 innings, allowed just those 3 runs on 5 hits, and struckout 7. The bullpen was solid as well. David Robertson pitched a 1-2-3 inning, as well as Chan Ho-not-outta-the-Park. I was hoping I’d see Mitre in this game, but all of a sudden he’s randomly on the DL. He has an oblique strain. Oblique….mmm.
Offensive Analysis: I never in a million years expected the Yankee offense to explode against Halladay. In the first inning, they went down quickly, and I was like, “Oh jeez…here we go.” But in the 2nd, everything changed.
Nick Swisher started the rally with an innocent 1-out single. Jorge Posada then singled, and I began to think “rally,” although I really didn’t want to. I didn’t want to jinx it. It was Brettiboo Gardner’s turn to bat. Oh my God. I love that man. He hit a ball into the gap in right-center, and it went all the way to the wall! Victorino bobbled it, but even if he didn’t I knew where Gardner’s destination was. Gardner made it to 3rd base, for a 2-RUN TRIPLE!!! That must have killed Halladay. It gave the Yankees an early 2-0 lead.
Speed is sexy 😉
I thought the 2nd inning was fun, but the 3rd was pretty thrilling in itself. My cutie-Curtis Granderson has quielty been playing very well lately. But last night, he was loud. In the 3rd, Granderson hit a line-drive, 2nd deck solo home run – the 1st homer Halladay allowed to a lefty all year. Congrats Grandy! 3-0 Yankees lead.
The GrandyMan can 😉
Robinson Cano then crushed a ball for a double. NickySwish-Swishalicious came up to the plate next. He is 5th in the voting for AL outfielder for the All-Star Game. I’ve done my duty and voted. Hopefully, other fans will as well. I think Nick earned himself plenty of votes with 1 swing last night. Swish hit a MONSTER 2-RUN HOMER into the RIGHT FIELD BLEACHERS! 5-0 Yankees!
Swishalicious definition, makes them girls go crazy….
The Yankees added 3 more to cushion the lead. Mark Teixeira hit a solo homer in the 5th – he wrapped it right around the foul pole. My darling Francisco Cervelli broke the game open with a clutch, bases loaded 2-run single in the 7th, making it 8-3. And that’s how it ended.
What a way to start this World Series rematch! Better than the first game of the World Series last year – that’s for sure. The Yankees dominated in this game. The heroes for the victory are CC Sabatha, for getting a win against a team that’s not the Orioles – and a pretty decent team in the Phillies. The other heroes are our stellar outfielders: Brett Gardner, Curtis Granderson, and Nick Swisher. All three of you are perfect Yankees. Perfect.
You are an outfield of dreams ♥
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I just want to add before I forget – I have a celebrity lookalike. Like Jane did over at Confessions of a SheFan, this celebrity lookalike involves Ramiro Pena. Let me know what you think:
Dev Patel, aka Jamal! Ramiro!
Well, Jane’s might be better 🙂
It’s Deja Vu All Over Again
Oh wait, that’s Yogi Berra – wrong catcher. My oh my, the Yankee offense, ESPECIALLY Jorge Posada, has been mighty fine lately. Today, the Yankees closed out their series against the Astros in winning fashion, completing the sweep. The Yanks beat the Astros 9-5.
Pitching Analysis: Phil Hughes toed the rubber today in search of his 9th victory of the season. He was Philthy through the first 5 innings, but he hit a bump in the 6th that he was unable to escape from. Hughes allowed just 1 run in the 1st, on a sac fly by Carlos Lee, but surrendered 4 in the 6th. The big blow was a 2-run homer by former Yankee Kevin Cash. After that, Girardi pulled Hughes for Marte – not willing to take any chances. Aside from that 6th, Hughes was good at limiting the damage. But it was clear that he did not have his best stuff today.
He still is in line for an All-Star spot.
The bullpen did its job today. Damaso Marte got out of the 6th just fine. Chan Ho-in Park pitched a scoreless 7th, Joba threw a scoreless 8th, and the Great Mariano closed it out with a scoreless 9th.
Defensive Analysis: Despite the wet weather, which usually makes things messy on the field, the Yankees played solid defense today, with individuals making sparkling plays. In te 3rd, Ramiro Pena made a gorgeous diving play on a liner to rob Michael Bourn of a potential extra-base hit. Ramiro seems to do something big, even if it is small, in every game he plays. Brett Gardner made a nice leaping play in the 7th on a deep fly ball by Carlos Lee. Glad to hear that his thumb is stable enough for him to play.
Offensive Analysis: It took the Yankees a little while to get on the board, but when they did, they did it loudly. In the 4th, Robbie Cano tied up the game at 1 with a solo home run, his 13th of the season. Then Posada, Gardner, and rookie Chad Huffman (cutie!) walked to load the bases for Ramiro Pena. Ramiro once again delivered, knocking in 2 runs with a single and giving the Yankees their first lead of the day – a lead they held on to.
The Yankees were extremely patient at the plate today. In the 5th, Granderson, Cano, and Swisher walked to load the bases for who: Jorge Posada. Facing the same situation as yesterday, Jorge had the same mindset: get a good pitch, and put a good swing on it. Lucky for him, the results were the same. On a 2-0 count, Posada got a pitch to hit, and launched it into the right field seats – the same spot as yesterday – for his second grand slam in as many days! I knew he was going to hit that. I said it:
“Wouldn’t it be something if Jorge went deep again? Oh my…haha then I guess I can’t be saying how I want Cervelli in his place anymore. OH MY…HOLY JESUS….he DID do it! AW! JORGE!!!! GRAND SLAM!”
Hip hip, JORGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was the first time a Yankee hit a grand slam in consecutive days since Bill Dickey, another catcher great, did it in 1937. But more importantly, it gave the Yankees a 7-1 lead. If yesterday didn’t give Jorge confidence, today definitely did.
The Yanks scored their final 2 runs in te 6th inning on RBI singled by Swisher and Gardner, giving the team a 9-5 lead. And that was how it ended.
Congrats Yankees on sweeping the Astros! The heroes for today’s finale win are Ramiro Pena, for his glove and clutch bat, Brett Gardner, for the same reasons as Ramiro, and Jorge Posada for his astonishing feat of pure beastness at the plate today. Jorge, although it seems sometimes that I don’t like you, it’s not true. I really DO like you. It’s just that I LOVE Francisco Cervelli….you know…..love…as in, like….looooove ♥ I love you too, though. But I don’t have these fantasies about you that involve…..things…
Trust me, it’s probably better this way 😉
GO YANKEES!
Trail of Tears 2010
Yanks Win 3 of 4 From Tribe
Trail of Tears: during Andrew Jackson’s presidency, the relocation and movement of Native Americans from their homelands in the Indian Territory in the Western United States. The phrase originated from a description of the removal of the Chocktaw Nation in 1831. Many died during the journey.
My AP exams are over, but I still have to review for the New York State Regents Exam for history, which is later in June. I know. I’m a nerd 😛 The Yankees just closed out their wrap-around weekend series with the Cleveland Indians. Aside from game 2, they really killed the Indians. The offense was superb, for the first time in a long time. Today was a prime example of the Yankees Offensive Explosion at best. But after awhile, I began to really feel bad for the Indians. I mean, they were so deflated, and the Yankees just kept piling on the runs. In 1831, Andrew Jackson did what he had to do because he thought it was the best thing for the country. Naturally, it was painful for many. The Yankees have to win, and the best thing for winning is to not give away at bats, hit hit hit, and get that confidence back. I honestly felt very bad for the Indians today. But I love my Yankees, and am glad they won. My Yankees beat the Indians 11-2 in this Memorial Day series finale.
Pitching Analysis: Andy Pettitte looked to follow up on his fabulous performance in his last start against the Twins. Today, Andy was as dandy as always. 7 innings, 4 hits, 1 run, ZERO WALKS, 4 strikeouts – just brilliant. The only run he allowed was on a solo home run by Jhonny Peralta in the 2nd. He was so sharp today. And although the game ended in blowout fashion, it was really close for most of it. Andy did a nice job of shutting down the opposition, and giving the Yankees a chance to win it.
He might be an All-Star this year if this keeps up!
Offensive Analysis: The game remained tight early. The Yankees struck first thanks to an RBI single by A-Rod, but then Peralta’s homer made it 1-1. Brett Gardner gave the Yankees the lead with his RBI single in the 4th. It remained 2-1 for what seemed like such a long time.
Things changed in the 7th inning, as they have in every game this series. After Gardner made the first out at 2nd base trying to steal, Jeet and GrandyMan singled. I was annoyed because they would have had another run if Gardner didn’t get caught, but I don’t blame him for running. He is the best at that. Anyway, with 2 men on and 1 out, Mark Teixeira got ahead in the count, and was intentionally walked. That brought up the big guy – Alex Rodriguez. Drama always seems to find Alex, or Alex always seems to find drama. Either way, the Drama King of the Drama Club struck again today.
With a 3-1 count, Alex got a ball right down the middle. He deposited it over the wall in dead centerfield. It couldn’t have been a more perfect swing. The curtain call was great. Above all, Alex’s grand slam gave the Yankees a 6-1 lead.
Beeeast
Robinson Cano was so good in the cleanup spot the other day. Now, he’s competing with A-Rod’s every swing. Following up the grand slam, Robbie Cano crushed a ball for a solo home run, making it 7-1 Yankees. He is so cute. Cano and A-Rod had a nice discussion in the dugout after their homers.
My baby Francisco Cervelli tacked on another run in the 7th with a sac fly. In the 8th, Ramiro Pena led off with a single, then Tex singled with 1 out, setting up an RBI opportunity for A-Rod. Again, Alex delivered. His RBI double made it 9-1. Cano didn’t want Alex to stay in the spotlight – he then singled in 2 runs, making it 11-1 Yanks. They held on to win it 11-2.
I know the Yankees are supposed to beat up on these teams, but I felt bad for them. They are a young, adorable group of guys. I wish them luck in the future. Aside from the pity factor, today’s game was beast. Seeing the Yankees play like the Yankees is comforting. The heroes for the victory are Andy Pettitte, for yet another spectacular start, A-Rod, for yet another grand slam and for 6 RBI today, and Robinson Cano, for yet another good game and adorable smile.
Keep up the good baseball, guys!
GO YANKEES!
Where Are My Yankees?
Tough Series in Detroit for Yanks
So today in school I was dreading to go to gym as I always do. And as always, gym period came. For the first time since like….well…ever, I had fun in gym. We played baseball! Only with a squishy ball and a wiffle bat. My team was awesome. Our whole lineup, which consisted of Rafael, Megan, Leland, Zach, Stephen, Jackie, and me, exploded with offense. And our pitching was great, thanks to Raf who filled in for the gym teacher. And the defense, especially Megan and Stephen, were on top of their game. We won in blowout fashion, something like 19-3. Our team was consistently good througout.
Why can’t my Yankees do this?
It’s frustrating….This past series in Detriot was utterly dreadful, with exception to game 3 in which Phil Hughes continued to shine and the offense woke up. I’m beginning to worry – have the injuries actually caught up with this club?
The fact is, the Yankee lineup just isn’t as intimidating at all. On Opening Day, the best bunch were sent out there:
- Derek Jeter, SS
- Nick Johnson, DH
- Mark Teixeira, 1B
- Alex Rodriguez, 3B
- Robinson Cano, 2B
- Jorge Posada, C
- Curtis Granderson, CF
- Nick Swisher, RF
- Brett Gardner, LF
Take away Nick Johnson and Curtis Granderson. Then you have Marcus Thames and Randy Winn filling in. But if they play, then there is no one on the bench. Except Ramiro Pena and Cervelli (♥) Not to be mean, but Ramiro really stank the other day. He came up 3, I repeat 3 times with men on base/in scoring position, and made unproductive outs every time. Guys like Greg Golson and Juan Meranda are emerging, but are far from the quality of the Big names.
Wake up, cutie! You used to be so clutch…
Our pitching has been relatively icky lately as well. Javier Vazquez was very solid in his start, going 7 innings for the first time all season. Injuries to pitchers like Pettitte, Park, and Aceves have hurt the pitching staff. Sergio Mitre started for Andy the other day and wasn’t great. Sorry Sergio, you weren’t. David Robertson has been a nightmare out of the ‘pen. CC and A.J. both got knocked around too much in their last starts. It’s scary when the guys you really depend on fail you. A.J. goes tonight….I hope he fixed himself.
CC I was disappointed with you yesterday. I hope you do better next time, my Hefty-Lefty ♥
I know, I know…the team is just going through a bad stretch. But can they really afford to do this? Now? The Rays haven’t stopped winning. And tonight marks the start of an extremely hard part of the schedule for my Yanks: 3 against the Twins, 2 against the Red Sox (I’m still enraged at Josh Beckett), 2 against the Rays, and then 3 on the road against the Mets. These are games that the Yankees have to win, or else it’s gonna look bad.
But maybe….hmmm….maybe this bad stretch DID come at a good time….Maybe since they did bad the past series, the odds are in their favor to go on a nice long winning streak. And, maybe since Derek Jeter only got 3 hits in like 30 at-bats on this road trip, maybe he’s ready to wake up now. Yeah….and Cano will get hot again, because odds are he won’t be in a cold stretch for too long. And A.J. will beast tonight because, well, he’s a beast. Javy will follow up with another good start. CC will bounce back C “Cy” style. Robertson will find it. Cervelli will keep being sexy. And eventually, my wounded-warriors, Curtis GrandyMan (miss you baby ♥), Nicky-J, DandyAndy, Ace, and Chan Ho will come back.
Things will get better for my Yankees. Just as they did for me. My AP’s are OVER, and I miraculously survived. And I had fun in gym today? When does that happen?
Only 14 real school days left. Whoa. Then it’s practically summer, and in summer I can blog everyday again…. I bet a lot will happen in these 14 days, for me and for the Yankees. I bet we get some of our hurt players back, and the other guys will get hot again. And some guys, like Francisco Cervelli-welli-jelli-belli ♥♥♥ will remain hot all year long.
Jesus…I waaaaant him ♥♥♥♥
Oh yeah….I sure love these guys. Good luck tonight boys!
GO YANKEES!
Live, Eat, and Breathe Yankees 