Thursday, September 13, 2007

Hail to the President, but not to the 'Pen (Postgame notes 13 September 2007)

Well, seven game win streaks are rare, and eight game win streaks are rarer still, so you knew the Yankees would lose one eventually, but there's no denying that this one hurt.

Ian Kennedy deserved a lot better.

If you seven and a third, walk three and give up *one* hit (and one run), you should, by all logical definitions, get the win. Especially when your team has more hits.

Still, you have to take away good vibes from Kennedy's performance. Nine times out of ten, what he threw will get you the win.

On a day the Yankees needed a good pitching performance just to stay in the game with AJ Burnett pitching for Toronto, Kennedy was pretty damned near perfect. If Melky had caught that ball in the first, we would have had Mo on in the ninth, and (probably) won the game.

Oh well. No use crying over spilt melk. I mean, milk.

Offensively, there's not much that can be said. Yankees were able to get a few men on base, but unable to bring any of them in. Damon more or less had to RBI himself in, but I can probably guarantee you that the Yankees' offense on the whole will be lining up to apologize to Kennedy for not doing better. Or, they should be, anyway. We didn't need 20 runs to win tonight, we just needed two, and the Yanks' were unable to deliver.

This isn't to take away from Burnett who pitched a great game, but in the top of the ninth, Melky should have been able to score at least Bobby Abreu.

Still, as I'm determined to end on a good note, we're now 5-1 on the road trip. I won't guarantee it, but it's not likely the Yankees will be swept by Boston--I mean, we've got Pettitte on the mound tomorrow, and you know Pettitte thrives when pitching after a Yankee loss. Same with Wang.


I have to say, though, with Torre pitching Britton in relief in the ninth, I can't help but wonder if Torre's mind was on the Red Sox, in the not-using-Mo-to-let-him-rest sort of way...

Ah well, we won the series, right?

Scores and Stuffs

Not many games tonight, and even fewer have ended.

Baltimore did something really odd. They won. They made it odder: They won 3-0. Oddest? They shut out the Angels. Guess there's nothing like having your manager eject the umpire to get things going...

Cincinnati beat St. Louis 5-4, as the Cardinals have more or less decided, y'know what, no thanks, we don't really want the NL Central.

Cubs are up on Houston 6-2 in the seventh. Six home runs so far in this one, four for the Chi boys and two for the Astros.

Philadelphia leads Colorado 11-4 in the seventh, as they're playing classic too-little-too-late baseball. Well, in the division race, anyway. Wild card is still very much in reach.

Texas-Oakland, Tampa-Seattle and San Diego-LA have all yet to get underway.

14 comments:

  1. It is sad to lose a close game like this but now we know who we can turn to in a critical game. Ian Kennedy can handle the pressure and deliver.

    I am positive that Yankees can still take the series in Boston. They end a good note in Toronto because they win the series. Yet, the offense needs to connect hits together to score runs. It seems to me that Yankees left lots chance slip away but leaving runners on base.

    I am ready for the weekend series in Boston. It will be an interesting series to watch and cheer for Yankees. As long as Yankees can focus on playing Yankees baseball, they should be fine. Let's go Yankees!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I think we'll actually have better luck in Boston. Dice K and Curt Schilling have not done too well of late, and for that matter, neither has Beckett against the Yanks.

    Should be a great weekend!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm looking forward to a sweep!
    All abooard?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sweep sounds good for me. Count me in. Let's go Yankees!

    ReplyDelete
  5. "Tickets, please...."
    "Wooo woooo!"
    Train time, baby....

    ReplyDelete
  6. Ya know, I was really impressed with how Ian pitched, and it fills me with optimism. For the stretch drive and for the playoffs, true, but even more importantly, for next season and beyond. What wondrous young arms we are stockpiling! It's great to be a Yankees fan right now :-)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Optimism bus leaves for Boston today. Who's on board!?

    ReplyDelete
  8. The sweep of the Red sox has to start tonight!

    Lets do it!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Thank goodness Andy is on the hill for us tonight - that right there imbues me with feelings of optimism. I've got a good feeling about tonight... Go Yankees!

    ReplyDelete
  10. " If Melky had caught that ball in the first, we would have had Mo on in the ninth, and (probably) won the game."

    If Melky caught that, Ian would probably be back out for the ninth. I mean, how would you not let the guy finish a no hitter ;)

    Great job by him.

    And yes, a sweep this weekend will happen!

    ReplyDelete