LOL Yankees

[Frayed Knot]

Michael Pineda: partial UCL tear in elbow, getting second opinion but TJ surgery has been recommended.

[Frayed Knot]

This injury almost certainly ends the MFY career of Pineda as he was due to qualify for FA-gency this winter anyway. It also essentially pulls the curtain down on one of the great 'challenge' trades of young players in recent
memory: The January 2012 deal sent Pineda from Seattle to the Yanx for Jesus Montero.

Montero had 61 ML ABs w/the Yanx at that point and was in the process of being named one of the Top-Ten prospects in all of baseball for the third consecutive year. He was nominally a catcher but was likely to be moved elsewhere while the one thing everyone "knew" is that he was going to hit.
Pineda had a full rookie season in 2011 where he was an All-Star and placed 5th for AL RoY

The Mariners appeared to have the initial edge in the challenge as Pineda missed all of 2012 and much of 2013 with injuries, and while Montero didn't set the Pacific northwest on fire in year one out west, he at least showed some power in his 2012 season. But after that he flat out stunk: he never learned to walk, they were forced to move him out from behind the plate; he ran into discipline and suspension problems, and mainly the one thing everyone counted on as a given flopped as well as he amassed a paltry .217/..255/.374 line from 2013-2015 . That was all when he wasn't being exiled to the minors which is where he currently sits in the Baltimore system.
Pineda, while mostly mediocre and with an embarrassing pine tar incident on his record, at least gave the Yanx steady work starting with year three after the deal (76 starts for 2015 - 2017) even if it never matched the promise he showed as a 22 y/o rookie with Seattle..

So the boys on the Bronx side of the deal have to be labeled as the 'winners' here even if ultimately the BIG deal was much closer to a dud.

[Frayed Knot]

And the Red Sox score twice in the 9th capped by a walk-off walk off Chapman !!!!

[Frayed Knot]

So just how dominant has Judge been?

We were talking in the ASG thread about the odds of him coming at least slightly back down to earth.
This piece agrees although he'd almost have to come down considering what a ridiculous outlier he's been so far this season.

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: So just how dominant has Judge been? We were talking in the ASG thread about the odds of him coming at least slightly back down to earth. This piece agrees although he'd almost have to come down considering what a ridiculous outlier he's been so far this season.

There's always hope. IIRC once pitchers found out that Willie Kirkland couldn't hit the low inside curve (usually fodder for lefty batters) he went something like 2 for 100 and was never again the feared hitter he once had been.
Later

[Guest themetfairy]

The NESN crew is euphoric over last night's Walk Off Walk.

[Frayed Knot]

It was a weird game in that the Yanx starter sucked (gone after 4 w/100+ pitches) but the Sox left a ton of chances go by and should have been up by more.
Then they blew their early 3-0 lead while the Yanx middle relievers totally shut them down: 4 IP, 2 Hits, [u:713q64y2]9 Ks[/u:713q64y2]
But of course once the 9th inning hits you're required by law to go to your closer and the Sox proceeded to score twice off of Chapman without ever getting the ball out of the infield:
Infield Single -- Infield Single (could have been an error) -- Double Steal -- E-4 on the easiest bouncer ever (scores one) -- Intentional Walk to load bases -- [u:713q64y2]UN[/u:713q64y2]intentional Walk ... game over.




Chris Sale moving them down this afternoon: 1-0 Sox, bottom 7, 12 Ks

[Frayed Knot]

KIMBREL!!!!

[fimg=450:223xed8y]https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/scrubs/images/e/e9/3x8_The_Fugitive.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20161001223017[/fimg:223xed8y]




And now the Red Sox, who had a challenge disallowed in the 8th, challenge another one in the 9th and lose that one too.
So apparently there's a limit except when there's no limit. I wonder how many more they get?

[Frayed Knot]

Another ridiculous game in Fenway - now tied 1-1 heading for the 14th
Sale had a two-hitter and a 1-0 lead the whole way but then Kimbrel served up a tater to Holliday leading off the 9th.
The big play was a non-interference call which prevented a GiDP in the Yanqui 11th causing the Sox to lodge a protest after around 1/2 hour of discussions, arguments, and at least two different umpire trips to headphone land.

[Frayed Knot]

Yanx score 3 in top 16 and then the Sox go quietly (as they've done since scoring in the 3rd) so 4-1 Yanx is your final ... pending the result of the protest!!!!

And, btw, guess which teams have to play two on Sunday including the 8PM ESPN game?
Sox stay home to play their next series while the Yanx head to Minnesota for a night game on Monday.

Welcome back from the break boys.

[Frayed Knot]

The AL East would be much further out of the Yanx hands if the fucking BoSox didn't suck so much.

The only way to let the Yanx back in the race was to lose 3 of 4 to them in Fenway to kick off the second half and that's exactly what they're in danger of doing if they don't win tonight's back
half of the DH

The Sawx are now 2-6 vs MFY this year and have scored a total of 13 runs in those eight games. And the only reason the record isn't 1-7 is that they were lucky to get a win on Friday night
when their 9th inning "rally" consisted of being handed two runs despite not getting a ball out of the infield. Oh and they've now been shut out by the Yanx in 22 straight innings.



The night game tonight is Tanaka who has sucked all year and David Price for the BoSox who suxxx whenever he sees Yanqui pinstripes.

[Frayed Knot]

This Just In: Todd Frazier is NOT a 'True Yanqui'

First YSIII AB in pinstripes = Triple Play

Welcome "home" Todd.

[Guest Rockin' Doc]

Hopefully, Frazier has found his groove as the Yankee rally killer.

[Guest John Cougar Lunchbucket]

That TP actually drove in a run as Gregorius on 2nd base didn;t seem to know whether the ball was caught (it wasn't, but short-hopped by SS Peraza, who stepped on the bag, threw to first for 2 outs, the run scored but Gregorius still wandering between 2nd and 3rd eventually got called for being out of the baseline in a mini-rundown 6-6-3-5-6

[MFS62]

Rockin' Doc wrote: Hopefully, Frazier has found his groove as the Yankee rally killer.

BOC!

Later

[ashie62]

MFS62 wrote: Rockin' Doc wrote: Hopefully, Frazier has found his groove as the Yankee rally killer. BOC! Later

Not today. Go RU Baseball.

[Edgy MD]

Yankee fan curses out handicapped four-year-old: http://westchester.news12.com/story/35997786/developmentally-disabled-boy-berated-at-yankee-stadium

Baseball fans are awful.

[bmfc1]

The LOL is on us: the MFY's are in first place tonight.

[Frayed Knot]

Yup! Yanx streaking just as things are getting rough in Boston (losers of 5 of 6).

Things are also getting a bit ugly concerning David Price in Beantown. He's been put on the DL (again!) with the same elbow issues that DL'd him earlier in the season.
And then there's this spat he's had going with part time announcer Dennis Eckersley which has no one looking good from the combatants to Red Sox mgmt.

One of the columnists from the Boston Herald absolutely lets loose on Price today ...
You all know by now how Price ambushed Eck last month on the team plane, verbally assaulting him as a number of his weak-kneed teammates applauded. Then Price went back to his seat, I was told, and put on a pair of sunglasses as if he was The Terminator. It was midnight. Guys who wear sunglasses at midnight are either beaten fighters or morons. Price has never been in a fight in his life, so there you go.

There have even been hints that this whole thing is getting racial as if that's never happened in Boston sports before.

[Guest LeiterWagnerFasterStrongr]

Basically, Borges didn't like how Price spoke to Eckersley, and the fact that the players/field staff appear to be backing (the apparently thin-skinned) Price... so then Borges went ad hominem/nuclear.

The Red Sox have a weird relationship with their mediafolk, man.

[Frayed Knot]

Why does every team decide to get stupid and play like shit when they face the Yanx?

- 9th inning tonight, Detroit up by one, 2 outs no one on and an 0-2 count on Ellsbury ... so the next four pitches are out of the strike zone and the tying run is on
- strike one to Brett Gardner, but a pick-off attempt goes awry and Ellsbury goes all the way around to 3rd
- so with an 0-1 count they decide to intentionally walk Gardner. Yeah it's lefty/righty BUT HE'S THE FUCKING WINNING RUN and it's not like HE's not going to steal 2nd and put that run in scoring position
- Gardner immediately steals 2nd and puts the winning run in scoring position

The Tigers wind up getting away with it as Clint Frazier popped out to end the game but, still, that might be the worst two batter stretch I've seen in a long time.

[MFS62]

Frayed Knot wrote: Why does every team decide to get stupid and play like shit when they face the Yanx?

Because they know, that from somewhere on high, Derek Jeter is watching. And they feel intimidated.

Later

[ashie62]

When did Starlin Castro and Didi Gregorious get good?

[Frayed Knot]

MFS62 wrote: Frayed Knot wrote: Why does every team decide to get stupid and play like shit when they face the Yanx? Because they know, that from somewhere on high, Derek Jeter is watching. And they feel intimidated.

Last week they're playing against the Reds who are down by two but get two on in the 8th against Betances.
Runner on 1st is Zack Cozart who was an All-Star this year but wasn't starting because he had a bum leg and he's the tying run.
So of course they pinch-run for him right? Nope ... and predictably a double goes into the corner which would have tied the game if a Molina brother were the runner but not a limping Cozart.
So I had just turned the game on and figured that maybe the Cincy bench was depleted ... except it wasn't because NOW they decide to run for Cozart even though even he can score on
anything at this point AND THERE ARE TWO OUTS so it's not like a Sac Fly is going to work.

Needless to say that the Yanx won the game.
Cozart has since gone on the DL

[Frayed Knot]

Three errors behind him in the first four batters he faced was probably not how Sonny Gray envisioned his MFY debut (two muffed grounders and an air-mailed throw from RF).
And at least Cleveland ace Corey Kluber didn't follow the recent 'suck vs the Yanx' trend as he went all the way on a three-hitter.

Jaime Garcia models his pinstripes for the first time tonight in game 2 of a big four game series for each team:
Cleveland is 2.5 up in the Central and the Yanx now 2.0 in back of Boston and have several teams on their tail in the WC race.

And Aaron Judge (benched last night) is 11 for 67 (.164) w/4 HRs since the AS break ... just sayin'

[Vic Sage]

the curse of the HR derby strikes again!

[MFS62]

Vic Sage wrote: the curse of the HR derby strikes again!

Or just another in the line of the "Kevin Maas hot start, fizzle out, over-hyped MFY power hitting prospects".
Its makin' my day rosy right now.

Later

[Frayed Knot]

Winners of 8 straight which has given them a 4.5 game lead, the BoSox really have a chance to bury the Yanx's chances for the AL East this weekend.
On the other hand I don't put it past the Sox to lay an egg and let them right back in.

Friday: Eduardo Rodriguez vs Jamie Garcia -- 2nd MFY start for Garcia who was not very good in start #1

Saturday: Drew Pomeranz vs Luis Severino -- Severino's been their best pitcher by far this year and particularly lately

Sunday (the ESPN game of course): Chris Sale vs Jordan Montgomery -- Montgomery has been in and out of the rotation, in now because Sabathia's not. And Sale's been Sale so if the Sawx
have already taken the first two the bridges in the Bronx may be crowded well before game time



The pain in the ass part is that even though the Yanx are just 3-6 in August, their 2.5 game WC lead has stayed more or less steady as the rest of the WC contenders seem to take turns floundering
so no one ever gains any ground.

[seawolf17]

Frayed Knot wrote: Winners of 8 straight which has given them a 4.5 game lead, the BoSox really have a chance to bury the Yanx's chances for the AL East this weekend. On the other hand I don't put it past the Sox to lay an egg and let them right back in. Friday: Eduardo Rodriguez vs Jamie Garcia -- 2nd MFY start for Garcia who was not very good in start #1 Saturday: Drew Pomeranz vs Luis Severino -- Severino's been their best pitcher by far this year and particularly lately Sunday (the ESPN game of course): Chris Sale vs Jordan Montgomery -- Montgomery has been in and out of the rotation, in now because Sabathia's not. And Sale's been Sale so if the Sawx have already taken the first two the bridges in the Bronx may be crowded well before game time The pain in the ass part is that even though the Yanx are just 3-6 in August, their 2.5 game WC lead has stayed more or less steady as the rest of the WC contenders seem to take turns floundering so no one ever gains any ground.

It feels like the Yankees and Red Sox play each other sixty times a year.

[Guest Mets Willets Point]

It also feels like this is the first significant Red Sox-Yankees series in over a decade.