Kerry, buddy, you're making me look bad..LOL. Here I am singing your praises and you go and give up a bomb to Aaron Hill?? In all seriousness, I wouldn't worry too much about that tater fellas -- hanging cutter & the game was already 5-2 with a lifeless home team & crowd..More important situation with an amped up crowd and better pitch selection/execution, I think Wood gets Hill there...
Speaking of lifeless, Jesus, it's getting worse huh? Certainly ain't getting any better..Flat as a f'in pancake AGAIN. WTF? I just hope playing during the day today snaps them outta their funk..I knew Toronto was gonna be a problem. They're about the last team I wanted to see right now..Everytime we play them, they're always way back in the standings it seems, yet I always come away impressed with their team..Their lineup together with some of their pitching is very underrated. Or should I should say underperforming, that's probably a better way to describe them---if I were a Toronto fan following this team closely the last few seasons, I'd be pissed man. They should be playing better ball with that collection of talent. They have as much talent as any team out there..I wonder why it hasn't clicked.
I'm still mad about Joe taking that rubber game off to end the Tampa series. I think that was the catalyst to this mini-slide. Think about it -- we played good ball @ Cleveland and a good first 2 games against the Rays..Then Joe has to go and manage that 3rd Tampa game like it was a Sunday-morning softball game where you have to make sure your whole line up is stuffed with chicks -- boy-girl-boy-girl..Don't wanna beat a dead horse but you don't manage a game against the #2 team in the division like that in a pennant race..You manage that game TO WIN and keep your forward momentum. PERIOD..I mean would La Russa sit Pujols in the next big game against Cincy with the division up for grabs?? Of course he wouldn't...
We need to start playing better..Maybe it's time for Jete to call one of his closed-door meetings..Tampa's playing well & even Boston's playing a lot better. We need to stop this slide right here. We need Phil to throw a good game today.
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Meanwhile down on the farm for anyone who cares:
Ivan Nova: 10-2, 2.80 ERA in 20 starts this season for AAA SWB. He's been up with us before--pitched out of the pen for a stretch and looked good..Makes you wonder why this wasn't the guy they decided to go with to fill in for Pettitte. I'm done with guys like Mosley and Mitre fellas. Please, no more!! I mean if anything, let Gaudin make those starts until Andy's ready for Christ's sake. Andy may be close btw (all I've been reading about if how he's saying he feels fine and feels like he's ready to go--I think the Yanks are just playing this safe, giving him some extra time just to be sure)..AAA stats sometimes don't translate well to the major-league level as we've seen recently with guys like Abaladejo but I'd still be willing to give this guy a shot over Mosley & Mitre if Pettitte's still not ready.
Zach McAllister: 7-8, 4.76 ERA in 21 starts for SWB. 142 hits in 115.1 IP. Wow. Not too good. Way too many hits.
Romulo Sanchez: Only 8-8 with a 4.31 ERA. Doesn't look like they know what to do with him (14 starts along with 10 relief appearances). We all saw this guy, he was up with Nova for a stretch pitching out of the bullpen. Big fella's got good stuff -- fastball in the 95+ range..I might even give him a start to fill in for Pettitte. Gotta love those power pitchers. I take a guy with his stuff over Mitre or Mosley any day of the week. Similar to Humberto Sanchez in size, age and ability (Sanchez isn't even in MLB anymore btw - looks like he last pitched in a Mexican Winter League). Interesting prospect. Starting pitchers that hit 97 MPH don't exactly grow on trees.
Eduardo Nunez: Only hitting .175 his last 10 games but overall he's at .293 (in 423 ABs), 24 2Bs, 163 total bases, 21/25 SBs. Last year he was just as impressive hitting .322 for Trenton. Just turned 23 this summer. Probably our top SS prospect.
Kevin Whelan: Looks like he's taken a major step backward this year for whatever reason. Started out the year in AAA and got bombed (1-1, 9.49 ERA, 12.1 IP, 14 hits, 13 runs). Has since been demoted to AA where he hasn't faired much better -- 2-3, 5.88 ERA, 17 ER in 26 innings). Has power stuff -- this guy was being talked about as the next closer to succeed Mariano Rivera when we first acquired him..Hasn't done a damn thing with that ability this year. Humberto Sanchez, Kevin Whelan & Anthony Claggett --- we didn't get much of a return on that Sheffield trade. Sanchez and Claggett aren't even with the organization anymore and Whelan is struggling.
Brandon Laird: 23-year-old (next month) 3rd baseman who was tearing up AA Trenton this year (.291 BA, 22 2Bs, 23 HRs, 90 RBI in 409 ABs) before just getting promoted to SWB -- all he's done there now is go 6 for his first 8 with 2 2Bs & 2 HRs in his first 2 games (actually went 4-4 with the 2 HRs in his 1st game). Definitely one of our top prospects right here. This guy might wind up becoming our best overall position prospect over Montero.
Lance Pendleton: 26-year-old RH starting pitcher's quietly having a very good year for Trenton -- 10-4, 3.38 ERA in 21 starts, 114.1 IP, only 89 hits, with 106 Ks. No idea what type of pitcher he is; I've never seen him. Those are very good numbers though. Maybe he gets the call up to Scranton soon.
Wilkins Arias: Continues to do the job year after year as a situational lefty out of the Thunder bullpen. This dude's almost 30-years-old -- I'm surprised he hasn't gotten a call up to at least AAA by now. He's got nothing left to prove at the AA level..This year he's thrown 48.2 innings, 2.40 ERA, 40 hits, 54 Ks. Similar statline in 2009: 5-4, 61.2 innings, 53 hits, 66 Ks. And in '08 split between Tampa & Trenton: 4-0, 3.34, 62 innings, 80 Ks. If Marte never comes back and Joe decides he still wants to go with 2 lefties, this guy could be an option..Maybe he bypasses AAA altogether and we call him up to the bigs in Sept. for a look. Wilkins De La Rosa, another lefty pitcher on Trenton, is 5 years younger than Arias but hasn't pitched nearly as well. Like Romulo Sanchez, it looks like the Yanks aren't sure what to do with De La Rosa, whether to make him a starter or a reliever (26 total appearances, 8 starts -- 2-3, 5.61 ERA, 59.1 IP, 70 hits allowed, 43 Ks). We still have some time to continue developing De La Rosa -- Arias, on the other hand, is a guy that looks like he could help us right now. We should at least give him a shot at AAA and see how he responds.
Dellin Betances: Finally pitching up to his potential -- 6-1 at Tampa this year (11 appearances, all as a starter), 1.26 ERA, 57 IP, only 31 hits allowed, only 15 walks, 1 HR allowed, 68 Ks. They might decide to fast-track him now off this kind of success. I wouldn't be surprised to see him in AA before the year is out. Definitely by next year..
Slade Heathcott: 2009 first-round draft selection. Outfielder. In 46 games for Class A Charleston -- .270, 185 ABs, only 1 HR, 10/15 SBs...Looks pretty pedestrian so far..
Cito Culver: This year's first-round pick. SS. Like Heathcott Culver hasn't shown much yet either. For the Gulf Coast League Yankees: .276, 5 2Bs, 6/8 SBs in 33 games. Not bad I guess for his first season in rookie ball..
