June 12, 2009

Let's just call them the Highlanders until they win

- Did I mention my fondness for Nick Green honing in on his former employer in this series? Lead-off 8th inning single off CC & then the insane spin throw to first… that was a pretty big calculated risk… if he didn’t spin, he wouldn’t have had the zip on the ball to get Jeter, but he loses acuracy — Youk made a solid play reaching for the ball.

- Caption in NY Post article on Yankees — Fools in the Rain (glad THEY said it)

- Nick Swisher doubled off second in a truly idiotic running gaffe; overall he had a deplorable series with miscues and misthoughts… at the end of the game he sat in the dugout looking truly dejected — he was only half an onion away from Freddie Patek

- Looks like the Sox have a thinking 3rd base coach in DeMarlo Hale… yes Pedey could’ve scored, but it was far from given and bases loaded with no outs was perfect, then having Drew tag on the still-shallow sac fly was awesome

- Speaking of which, while Brett Muney did his best Damon impersonation on that 8th inning throw, the Yanks can’t hide Damon’s ineffeciancies anywhere in the OF (yeesh)

- I say Torre would’ve brought in Rivera for 6 outs, given the albatross of being winless against the Sox circling their heads

- He’s probably not out of the woods yet, but doubling his HR total in one series - against the Yankees - sure has to help the Papi psyche

- Trading Penny after that performance is now even easier and more difficult (do you really want him to go away?)

- If Nick Green can play 90% of what he did this series, the talk will be of SS controversy

- Also speaking of which, I do not expect to see Lugo come into a game unless the Sox are in the process of BLOWING OUT a team

- (Sorry… little long, but hey, how often are we 8-0 against the Yankees.. or any team)

- Which leads me to my final question (also first question actually): What is the worst winless streak that the Highlanders/Yankees have ever had against ANY team since 1912? Is this it?

June 10, 2009

Sox Great Pitching Beats Yanks Great Hitting

- Lowell was a trooper to even slide, given his hip… 2-1 count on Tek that was a missed hit & run; when Tek came in after scoring you could see him talking in explanation mode, along the lines of, ‘Sorry man, I totally missed that’

- Great pick-up by Orsillo last night of throwing at Jeter, Eck somewhat agreeing, then back from commercial & having time to think about it, saying “Ohmigeez, of course they were” — love the honesty from Eck

- Love Nick Green dialing himself in against the pinstripes after being let go by the Yankees last year

- Kotsay stepped in for Ellsbury and caught a tough liner to center after getting twisted & turned tracking it down

- Interesting pitch-calling over the game for Beckett: early part of the game he was a majority of breaking balls, followed up by pounding them on the corners with heat — looked like a well-orchestrated plan to get them off their timing - loved the three straight curves to A-Rod

- Strike zone seemed pretty wide for both sides through the first six innings — I’d guess there was a little inner-mandate to get-this-game-in, due to the weather

- When Delcarmen came in, he was initially squeezed - many pitches that were called strikes for Beckett were balls for Manny. Great that he kept his head, bore down, and started knockin' 'em down

- Great Pitching beats Great Hitting