World Series bound

For the first time since 1985 the Royals are going to the World Series. Last time they went, they won it all. While I am well aware that past performance doesn’t guarantee future success, I would not mind if the Royals won the World Series. Even if they did boo Cano and were rude to his family. It’s in the past and they beat the Orioles. Swept them actually, 4 games, 4 wins.

Right now I am waiting on the winner of the NLCS. The Giants and Cards are currently tied in the series and the Cards are ahead in this game. No sweep in this series, I am leaning in favor of the Giants, but I don’t really have a favorite.

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Silent bats

It was not the best time I have ever had at the ball park, however it was better than a day at work.

~~ Rangers 2, Yankees 0 ~~

The day started with Kasey and me fighting over tickets. Both of us wanted D-Rob, she won. At Yankees Stadium it was sunscreen day so we got free packets of sunscreen and a skin check from a dermatologist. All the doctor who checked me said was I had pretty legs. Than after that I didn’t put on the sunscreen and ended up with a sunburn. In my defense, we weren’t sitting in the sun, but there must have been enough of a reflection off the concrete and I got burned.

The Replacement Yankees were playing, besides Phil Hughes pitching, Robbie playing third, Gardner and Ichiro in the outfield, I can’t tell you who was playing.

We saw a stellar pitching performance. Phil only gave up 4 hits and 2 runs. Actually we saw two stellar pitching performances, the better one by Derek Holland. What we didn’t see was any defensive output by the Yankees. It was like they had forgotten how to swing a bat. In fact the Yankees didn’t even drive up his pitch count, which is one of their strengths, drive up pitch counts, get into the bullpen, Holland threw 92 pitches. It was a shut-out, not a no-hitter but just as bad.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 78
Yankees 42-36 (0.538)

Double header

Monday originally was a day off for the Yankees. The weather had other ideas and rained out two games in April, therefore on Monday the Yankees played a double-header to make up the games. It was a single admission double header which means the fans in Cleveland got to see two games for the price of one.

First game

~~ Indians 1, Yankees 0 ~~

Second game

~~ Yankees 7, Indians 0 ~~

It’s not unusual for teams to split a double header. What I’m going to talk about is the pitching. David Phelps came up to the big leagues April 2012 as a reliever, as the season wore on he showed he had durability, lasting 4 or 5 innings in long relief and made a few starts. This year, in April he was also pitching in relief until our pitchers started dropping like flies. Then he was put in the rotation, he had a rocky first start, his start on this Monday was not rocky at all. The only run was a home run and if the Yankees HAD GOTTEN THEIR STUFF TOGETHER and actually scored some runs, he would have gotten the win since the bullpen didn’t give up any runs either. Phelps line: 6.2IP, 4H, 1R, 5BB, 7SO, 4.33ERA

March 20 the Yankees played the Red Sox in Spring Training. I looked at the line-up and said, “Who the hell is Vidal Nuno?” He pitched 5 scoreless innings that game. But I didn’t really expect to see him in the regular season. Absolutely he would not be starting any REAL games. So far he’s pitched 8 scoreless innings in the regular season. Monday he was the starting pitcher in the second game, a game that counts. Now I know who Vidal Nuno is. Nuno’s line: 5.0IP, 3H, 0R, 3BB, 3SO, 0.00ERA.

Adam Warren came into finish the game, his line: 4.0IP, 2H, 0R, 4SO, 1.45ERA. Nuno got his first big league win, and Warren got his first save of the season.

Between the two games the Indians gave Mariano Rivera a framed gold record of Metallica’s “Enter Sandman”.

~~ Yankees 4, Mariners 3 ~~

Today’s game I really thought the Mariners were going to win, they were ahead the whole game and Felix was pitching and he usually shuts down the bats. Which he did today until he left the game after 6 innings. CC also left after 6 but the Yankee bullpen is better than the Mariners. Also our pitchers know to NOT stand in front of first base when there is a base runner so your infield can get him out properly. In another example of a groan worthy headline, Robinson Cano tied the game and the MLB headline reads: “After aces exit, Yanks Rob a win.”

In other baseball news: Shane Victorino now knows where the visitors bullpen wall at Fenway is, and Bryce Harper knows where the right-field wall at Dodger stadium is. Guys, the outfield does not go on forever, the wall is hard and you may be super ball players but you are not superheroes.

And one last thing before I go, Yankees still in first place.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 39
Yankees 25-14 (0.641)

North of the border

First game of a new series, north of the border, hunting blue jays. Probably bad timing to talk about hunting, but I am talking baseball not real hunting.

~~ Yankees 9, Blue Jays 4 ~~

Considering the week this has been, even though none of it affected me personally, it bothered me emotionally, I needed a break, baseball heals me.

Except that when I turned on the TV to watch, I heard that the terrorist, suspect #2 had been surrounded. Instead of watching the game I watched the news and watched Twitter for game updates.

I did manage to see the first inning, the Yankees got on the board with 2 runs, then the Blue Jays came back and scored 1. Andy was pitching on 10 days rest because he had back spasms, he settled down after the 1st inning and the Blue Jays didn’t get another run until the 6th inning. By then the Yankees had 8 runs.

Robinson Cano got a chance to show off his sweet swing, he has the sweetest swing in all of baseball. For all those people who say Cano doesn’t hustle, he does, I think he doesn’t when he hits in the infield because he knows he can’t beat out the throw, but when he hits a long fly ball, like this was, he charges out of the batters box and runs at top speed. He has impressive amount of doubles, he wouldn’t have that if he didn’t run when he hits the ball.

There were 5 home runs in this game, 3 by the Yankees and 2 by the Blue Jays (one of which was a bomb by Bautista). Two of the Yankees runs were due to a throwing error by center fielder Colby Rasmus, he overthrew the ball to third and it went into the dugout which means Ichiro could advance two bases and score. Game one down, two to go.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 15
Yankees 9-6 (0.600)

We sit in the stands
count balls, strikes, swings and misses
fly outs and ground outs

First game attended

I finally got to a game. Kasey bought tickets for me and Sarah because she was coming to spend the night. Really was hoping for a great game experience.

~~ Yankees 4, D-backs 2 ~~

It didn’t exactly turn out that way. I got my usual hot sausage on a gluten free roll and Sarah got nachos. They were were kind of soggy and stale, although the cheese had a nice flavor. I finished them for her so she could get pizza. Which she did, after she got ice cream and we both had hot chocolate. You might think that after all that she would get a stomach ache, actually I was the one that ended up with a stomach ache. It was so bad we had to leave.

Nova was o.k., or at least better than the last time. Only gave up 2 runs, when we left during the middle of the 4th the Yankees hadn’t scored yet, Sarah had to visit the ladies room and I was keeping track of the game. That’s how I knew when Robinson Cano hit a home run it was a 3 run home run which put the Yankees in the lead.

After getting home I turned on the TV so I could at least see Mo pitch. So the evening wasn’t a total loss.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 12
Yankees 7-5 (0.583)

Historic plays

After two rained out games, to be played at a date yet to be determined Yankees are playing baseball. This was a mad crazy game. First I was angry and freaking out, then I was freaking out happy, then I was freaking out, and I can’t really describe my emotions.

~~ Yankees 5, Orioles 2 ~~

With score 2-1 Yankees, in the seventh inning the first base umpire called a balk on C.C. This lead to my first freak out, which lead to online outrage which included me posting pictures of Stevie Wonder and stating he was the umpire in the game. This call, which was clearly WRONG, moved Matt Wieters into scoring position. Gameday says: On-field Delay, this was everyone going up to the umpire and telling him, you’re wrong man! C.C. did not move, so how could that be a balk? Now that Wieters was in scoring position, he scored. Now the score was tied and I was pissed.

The next inning with the bases loaded Vernon Wells hits a long fly ball and Adam Jones runs back to catch it, like he always does, he always catches the ball, it wasn’t going over the wall so no runs, except he dropped it Franky, Youkilis and Pronk (don’t ask me where Hafner got that nickname, I didn’t give it to him) score, as I’m yelling at my TV, “YEAH JONES! KARMA IS A BITCH!” No idea why I said that. And that is all she wrote.

Or is it? This is baseball, there is no fat lady but one team has to get 27 outs and the game doesn’t end till then. So in the top of the eighth when Manny Machado hits into a 4-6-5-6-5-3-4 triple play. That doesn’t quite describe it, the description in Gameday doesn’t describe it:

Manny Machado grounds into a triple play, second baseman Robinson Cano to shortstop Jayson Nix to third baseman Kevin Youkilis to first baseman Lyle Overbay to second baseman Robinson Cano. Alexi Casilla out at 3rd. Nick Markakis out at 2nd. Manny Machado out at 2nd.

Even the recap which goes into detail doesn’t truly describe it. It doesn’t catch the “Why” from the fans watching, the “Huh” as Youkilis throws across the diamond to Overbay and it certainly doesn’t convey the wonder and excitement of the moment. There was no mention of me jumping up and down and punching my pillow. Oh and the screaming and laughing. There was a bunch of that. And no this could not happen with any other team because no other team has Robinson Cano. Cano told Nix to throw to third and when Overbay threw to Cano he thought he had screwed up, that there was no way Robbie could catch it. But Robbie is the best second baseman in the MLB, maybe in the history of the game! Ahem. He caught it in time to tag out the runner. The Yankees ran off the field jumping and laughing like little boys.

Mariano comes in to end the game. Shuts the door they say, what door? What do they mean by that? And now this is all she wrote.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 9
Yankees 5-4 (0.556)

Yankees win, Adam Jones learns Karma is a bitch, first base umpire needs a seeing-eye-dog and Mariano is still the G.O.A.T.

— ♦B Foxx ❤⚾❤ (@UES_Bella) April 13, 2013

Game 2 in Cleveland

Rather sad in a way, how the Indians kind of didn’t show up for this game. Indian fever only lasts for 24 hours.

~~ Yankees 14, Indians 1 ~~

Andy Pettitte was dominant again and this game the bats really woke up. Everyone who said Cashman was making desperate purchases or was either taking too many pain pills or fell on his head can go eat their words.

First lets talk about Pettitte, his line: 7IP, 5H, 1ER, 3BB, 3K’s and 1HR. His ERA is still pretty minuscule, 1.20. He gave up the only run in the game a home run to Cabrera.

On the offense side, Cano was back at it hitting 2 for 4 with 5 RBI. 2 of those RBI were the result of a home run in the 4th off Carrasco. Ichiro also hit a home run off Carrasco who only lasted 3 2/3 inning, being thrown out in the 4th after Youkilis got hit by pitch. It was rather weird, the umpire tossed the ball back and threw the pitcher out, the pitcher who came in, Brett Myers, is a starting pitcher and was scheduled to start tomorrow. His next at bat Youkilis hit a 2-run home run, he has also hit safely in every game this season. Also hitting home runs were Overbay and Boesch. Home runs accounted for 8 of the 14 runs.

The three new guys, Hafner, Wells and Youkilis have so far this season hit 6 home runs, got 16 RBI and have a combined batting average of .360, yes that is a ‘small sample size’, still it shows what I have been saying all along, the Yankees can turn it around. They are now a .500 team and in second place. They win tomorrow they will have won the series and then can relax a bit. Except I don’t want them too. Let’s face it. Winning is fun.

In other news the Yankees have re-signed Clay Rapada, part of me says “WHY?” Yankees want another lefty in the pen. Ugh, O.K.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 8
Yankees 4-4 (0.500)

Robinson Cano and his sweet swing

The Indians home opener ended pretty much the same way as the Yankees home opener. With a loss for the home team. It was also a reunion of Nick Swisher, former Yankee with his old team, and Travis Hafner with his old team and fan base, Kevin Youkilis with Terry Francona.

~~ Yankees 11, Indians 6 ~~

Travis Hafner got some welcome home chants, then he hit a homerun, then the boos rained down. He said he kind of expected it because the fans in Cleveland are passionate. You could see that by how packed the stadium was. Both pitchers gave up 3 runs in the first inning. Kuroda however settled down and didn’t let anybody else score. Ubaldo Jimenez did not do so well. Of course Kuroda didn’t have to pitch to Robinson Cano.

Robinson Cano was hitting to the left and right, both ways, over the wall. Bringing awareness to the Indians and the people of Cleveland.

The game almost came apart in the 8th and 9th innings. Shawn Kelley gave up 3 runs and in the ninth, Joba came in and walked two. I was freaking, I told Kasey to talk to Joba, walks are going to be the death of me!

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

Game 7
Yankees 3-4 (0.429)

ALDS GAME 2

~~ Yankees 2, Orioles 3 ~~
ALDS: Yankees 1, Orioles 1

Live blogging: The Orioles game is currently in rain delay, estimated start time: 8:45 P.M.

Cards pasted the Nationals. Cardinals 12, Nationals 4

Play Ball!!
Top 1:
Jeter singles to center field; Wei-Yin Chen is throwing fast balls, Ichiro reaches on an error; 2 on, no outs; Alex hits into a double play, a weird double play (second baseman caught the line drive, then tossed to second, Alex and Derek out). Robbie hits into the corner, Ichiro comes home, avoids the tag by Matt Wieters. Nick Swisher out at first.

Bottom 1:
Fly ball to left, one out; 2nd batter grounds out to Cano, two out; 3rd batter strikes out. 1-2-3 inning for Andy. Yankees 1, Orioles 0

Top 2:
Baltimore fans boo Teixeira, he pops out to first baseman; Russell fly ball center field; Curtis strikes out.

Bottom 2:
Pop out to Robinson Cano; Ground out third base to first; Strike out. Yankees 1, Orioles 0

Top 3:
Eduardo Nunez is the DH, (WHAT? Nunez DHing?) Pops out 3rd base; Jeter strikes out looking, but he doesn’t agree, is muttering as he walks back to the dug-out; Ichiro singles; Alex singles, runners at first and second; Cano grounds out to the pitcher.

Bottom 3:
Fly out to left field; Jeter to Mark; #9 batter breaks bat, ball drops before Curtis, 1st hit for the Orioles; McLouth in a single to center field, runners on first and second. This is vintage Andy, get into trouble – gets out of trouble. Walks batter, bases loaded and a power hitter coming up. Base hit to right field, two runs score. Baltimore in the lead by one run. Base hit, bases loaded again, bad base running by Baltimore; pop-out to Cano. Yankees 1, Orioles 2

Top 4:
Swisher swings out; Lined up the middle, base hit for Teixeira; Russell walks; Base hit for Curtis, bases are now loaded with one out. Nunez pops out; Jeter hits the ball to the third baseman. RISP FAIL. Ugh.

Bottom 4:
Base hit, bad throw by Jeter and Mark has to jump for it; Strike out; Ball hit to A-Rod gets the runner out at second. Hit to Cano, get the runner at second, again. Yankees 1, Orioles 2

Top 5:
Now it is time for the Yankees to get some runs. Ichiro thrown out at first; A-Rod flies out to center field; Robbie thrown out at first. The inning took about as long to play as it took me to type this. 4 pitches, that is disgusting.

Bottom 5:
McLouth reaches on an error; Hardy called out on strikes; Davis hits a fly ball to Curtis; Adam Jones hits a fly ball to Swisher, who catches it. Yankees 1, Orioles 2

Top 6:
Swisher grounds out; Mark flies out to left field; Base hit for Russell, scratch that, reached on an error; Granderson pops up and out.

Bottom 6:
Weiters get a double; Reynolds smokes it, Weiters scores; Thome strikes out; Machado hits it to Andy, who turns and throws it to 2nd, then Robbie throws on to Mark. That was pretty boss of Andy. Yankees 1, Orioles 3

Top 7:
Nunez leads off with a double (cause he runs fast like bunny, or the road runner, or whatever); Jeter hits the ball over Hardy’s head and Nunez scores; Ichiro hits the ball to Hardy and Jeter is out at second, but Ichiro makes it to first;

Chen’s night is done, Darren O’Day comes in to face Alex Rodriguez. Alex strikes out, Ichiro steals second;

My router crapped out right here, to recap the Orioles brought in a new pitcher, Cano was walked and Swisher hit a fly ball to make the last out.

Bottom 7:
1-2-3 inning Yankees 2, Orioles 3

Top 8:
Teixeira gets on first; Russell strikes out looking on a ball off the plate 😦 ; Curtis strikes out; Nunez pops out.

Bottom 8:
Davis hits over Andy’s head, over 2nd base and he gets on first.

New pitcher for the Yankees. David Robertson – fields the ball and gets Jones at first, runner advances to second; Weiters grounds out to first. Reynolds swings at the air. Yankees 2, Orioles 3

Top 9:
Jim Johnson is in for the Orioles.
Jeter grounds out; Ichiro grounds out. One more out and it’s the end for the Yankees. Alex strikes out. Yankees lose.

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛

ALDS GAME 1

~~ Yankees 7, Orioles 2 ~~

Up until the ninth inning the 9th inning this game was a pitcher’s duel, CC Sabathia pitched 8.2 innings and gave up 2 runs, David Robertson got the final out with 4 pitches. Jason Hammel also gave up two runs but he only pitched 5.2 innings. Considering he had knee surgery, was on the D.L. and hasn’t pitched in a month, that was rather impressive. The game was tied in the top of the 4th and the O’s kept the Yankees to the 2 runs they had already scored. Jim Johnson, the Orioles closer came in for the ninth, his numbers for 2012 are steller, 51 saves out of 54 save opportunities. He didn’t so good this game, Russell Martin hit a home run, then the Yankees started playing, “And you get a hit and you get a hit …. “, Ibanez, Jeter, Ichiro, he strikes out Alex, then Robbie gets a hit. Jim Johnson got one strike out, the Yankees got 4 runs, 5 if you count the unearned one.

Tomorrow, (actually in a few minutes, I tend to travel back in time when I’m blogging about games) Andy Pettitte takes the mound for the Yankees, we are confident, we trust Andy, if you wonder why:

Tonight marks Andy Pettitte’s 43rd #postseason start, which is nearly 5 times as many appearances as entire O’s staff entering ALDS (9).

— New York Yankees (@Yankees) October 8, 2012

~~ Questo è tutto, dice la principessa ~~ 😛