I'm Going to Make a Fool of Myself

Okay, those probably were not Ian Kennedy's words to his wife before yesterday's game ("I woke up today and told my wife, 'I have a feeling I'm just going to make these guys look stupid,'" said Kennedy, laughing. "I'm trying to say it humbly, it doesn't matter..) But making his first big league start since being sent to the minors back on May 4, Kennedy (0-3) was just as ineffective as before. Yes, he was more aggressive, but the results were no better.

Kennedy was hammered for 5 runs in 5 innings and the Rays coasted to a 5-2 victory. Scott Kazmir (2-1) and four relievers limited the Yankees to 7 hits. Troy Percival easily retired the Yankees in order in the 9th for his 10th save.

Kennedy got off on the wrong foot from the get go when Rays lead off man Aki Iwamura hit his 3rd home run of the season in the 1st inning. The long ball bit Kennedy on the behind again in the 4th when a 2-0 game became 4-0 on Shawn Riggans long home run into the left field seats. Kennedy's only improvement? He only allowed 1 walk.

The Yankees continued its lifeless form, finally scoring 2 runs in the 7th inning on RBI singles by Melky Cabrera and Derek Jeter. The Rays have good pitching, but the Yankees made them look like vintage Dodgers or Orioles staffs. The Yankees managed just 6 runs in the series as they plummeted into last place for the first time on May 15 sine 1969.

Kazmir was making his first start since agreeing to a 3-yr, $28.5 million extension that will run through 2011. He improved to 2-1, with a 1.69 ERA.

News and Notes

The Yankees bullpen was impressive as LaTroy Hawkins, who struck out the side, Jose Veras, and Edwar Ramirez each tossed a scoreless inning.

To make room on the roster for Kennedy, Kei Igawa was jettisoned back to the minors. Kennedy's days could be numbered again as Jeff Karstens is close to returning.

May 15, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0		2	7	0
Tampa Bay	1	0	1	2	1	0	0	0	X		5	5	0

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF-1B	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	.255
Cabrera, CF	4	0	2	1	0	0	0	.268
Jeter, SS	4	0	2	1	0	0	1	.302
Giambi, DH	4	0	0	0	0	1	4	.181
Duncan, S, RF-1B	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	.200
b-Matsui, PH-LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.314
Ensberg, 1B-3B	2	0	0	0	2	1	2	.217
Cano, 2B	4	1	1	0	0	1	2	.207
Gonzalez, 3B	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	.281
a-Abreu, PH-RF	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.282
Molina, C	4	1	1	0	0	2	2	.203
Totals	34	2	7	2	3	7	17
a-Popped out for Gonzalez in the 7th. b-Struck out for Duncan, S in the 8th.
BATTING TB: Cabrera 2; Jeter 2; Duncan, S; Cano; Molina. RBI: Cabrera (19), Jeter (19). 2-out RBI: Cabrera; Jeter. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Duncan, S; Damon; Ensberg; Giambi. Team LOB: 8.

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Kennedy (L, 0-3)	5.0	5	5	5	1	3	2	8.48
Hawkins	1.0	0	0	0	0	3	0	6.05
Veras	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.93
Ramirez	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

Tampa Bay	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Iwamura, 2B	3	2	2	1	1	0	0	.265
Crawford, LF	3	0	0	1	0	0	1	.276
Upton, CF	3	0	0	1	0	0	2	.273
Pena, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.212
Floyd, DH	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	.367
Longoria, 3B	3	0	0	0	0	3	0	.210
Hinske, RF	3	1	1	0	0	1	0	.261
Gross, RF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.218
Riggans, C	3	2	2	2	0	0	0	.250
Zobrist, SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	27	5	5	5	1	7	5
BATTING 2B: Hinske (8, Kennedy), Iwamura (5, Kennedy). HR: Iwamura (3, 1st inning off Kennedy, 0 on, 0 out), Riggans (3, 4th inning off Kennedy, 1 on, 2 out). TB: Iwamura 6; Hinske 2; Riggans 5. RBI: Iwamura (13), Crawford (24), Riggans 2 (10), Upton (26). 2-out RBI: Riggans 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Pena 2. SF: Crawford; Upton. Team LOB: 2.

Tampa Bay	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Kazmir (W, 2-1)	6.0	3	0	0	3	3	0	1.69
Glover	0.2	4	2	2	0	0	0	3.65
Miller (H, 4)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4.15
Wheeler (H, 10)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1.23
Percival (S, 10)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2.25

HBP: Zobrist (by Kennedy).
Pitches-strikes: Kennedy 78-49, Hawkins 16-12, Veras 12-7, Ramirez 14-9,
Kazmir 100-59, Glover 19-13, Miller 2-2, Wheeler 9-7, Percival 14-11.
Ground outs-fly outs: Kennedy 7-5, Hawkins 0-0, Veras 1-2, Ramirez 0-2,
Kazmir 5-10, Glover 0-2, Miller 0-1, Wheeler 0-1, Percival 0-1.
Batters faced: Kennedy 22, Hawkins 3, Veras 3, Ramirez 3, Kazmir 24,
Glover 6, Miller 1, Wheeler 3, Percival 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Miller 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Dale Scott. 1B: Dan Iassogna. 2B: Chad Fairchild. 3B: Rob Drake.
Weather: 72 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 2:44.
Att: 19,976.

I'm Going to Make a Fool of Myself

Okay, those probably were not Ian Kennedy's words to his wife before yesterday's game ("I woke up today and told my wife, 'I have a feeling I'm just going to make these guys look stupid,'" said Kennedy, laughing. "I'm trying to say it humbly, it doesn't matter..) But making his first big league start since being sent to the minors back on May 4, Kennedy (0-3) was just as ineffective as before. Yes, he was more aggressive, but the results were no better.

Kennedy was hammered for 5 runs in 5 innings and the Rays coasted to a 5-2 victory. Scott Kazmir (2-1) and four relievers limited the Yankees to 7 hits. Troy Percival easily retired the Yankees in order in the 9th for his 10th save.

Kennedy got off on the wrong foot from the get go when Rays lead off man Aki Iwamura hit his 3rd home run of the season in the 1st inning. The long ball bit Kennedy on the behind again in the 4th when a 2-0 game became 4-0 on Shawn Riggans long home run into the left field seats. Kennedy's only improvement? He only allowed 1 walk.

The Yankees continued its lifeless form, finally scoring 2 runs in the 7th inning on RBI singles by Melky Cabrera and Derek Jeter. The Rays have good pitching, but the Yankees made them look like vintage Dodgers or Orioles staffs. The Yankees managed just 6 runs in the series as they plummeted into last place for the first time on May 15 sine 1969.

Kazmir was making his first start since agreeing to a 3-yr, $28.5 million extension that will run through 2011. He improved to 2-1, with a 1.69 ERA.

News and Notes

The Yankees bullpen was impressive as LaTroy Hawkins, who struck out the side, Jose Veras, and Edwar Ramirez each tossed a scoreless inning.

To make room on the roster for Kennedy, Kei Igawa was jettisoned back to the minors. Kennedy's days could be numbered again as Jeff Karstens is close to returning.

May 15, 2008

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
NY Yankees	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	0	0		2	7	0
Tampa Bay	1	0	1	2	1	0	0	0	X		5	5	0

NY Yankees	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF-1B	5	0	0	0	0	0	4	.255
Cabrera, CF	4	0	2	1	0	0	0	.268
Jeter, SS	4	0	2	1	0	0	1	.302
Giambi, DH	4	0	0	0	0	1	4	.181
Duncan, S, RF-1B	3	0	1	0	0	0	1	.200
b-Matsui, PH-LF	1	0	0	0	0	1	0	.314
Ensberg, 1B-3B	2	0	0	0	2	1	2	.217
Cano, 2B	4	1	1	0	0	1	2	.207
Gonzalez, 3B	1	0	0	0	1	0	0	.281
a-Abreu, PH-RF	2	0	0	0	0	1	1	.282
Molina, C	4	1	1	0	0	2	2	.203
Totals	34	2	7	2	3	7	17
a-Popped out for Gonzalez in the 7th. b-Struck out for Duncan, S in the 8th.
BATTING TB: Cabrera 2; Jeter 2; Duncan, S; Cano; Molina. RBI: Cabrera (19), Jeter (19). 2-out RBI: Cabrera; Jeter. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Duncan, S; Damon; Ensberg; Giambi. Team LOB: 8.

NY Yankees	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Kennedy (L, 0-3)	5.0	5	5	5	1	3	2	8.48
Hawkins	1.0	0	0	0	0	3	0	6.05
Veras	1.0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1.93
Ramirez	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	0.00

Tampa Bay	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Iwamura, 2B	3	2	2	1	1	0	0	.265
Crawford, LF	3	0	0	1	0	0	1	.276
Upton, CF	3	0	0	1	0	0	2	.273
Pena, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	2	2	.212
Floyd, DH	3	0	0	0	0	1	0	.367
Longoria, 3B	3	0	0	0	0	3	0	.210
Hinske, RF	3	1	1	0	0	1	0	.261
Gross, RF	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.218
Riggans, C	3	2	2	2	0	0	0	.250
Zobrist, SS	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	27	5	5	5	1	7	5
BATTING 2B: Hinske (8, Kennedy), Iwamura (5, Kennedy). HR: Iwamura (3, 1st inning off Kennedy, 0 on, 0 out), Riggans (3, 4th inning off Kennedy, 1 on, 2 out). TB: Iwamura 6; Hinske 2; Riggans 5. RBI: Iwamura (13), Crawford (24), Riggans 2 (10), Upton (26). 2-out RBI: Riggans 2. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Pena 2. SF: Crawford; Upton. Team LOB: 2.

Tampa Bay	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Kazmir (W, 2-1)	6.0	3	0	0	3	3	0	1.69
Glover	0.2	4	2	2	0	0	0	3.65
Miller (H, 4)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4.15
Wheeler (H, 10)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	1.23
Percival (S, 10)	1.0	0	0	0	0	2	0	2.25

HBP: Zobrist (by Kennedy).
Pitches-strikes: Kennedy 78-49, Hawkins 16-12, Veras 12-7, Ramirez 14-9,
Kazmir 100-59, Glover 19-13, Miller 2-2, Wheeler 9-7, Percival 14-11.
Ground outs-fly outs: Kennedy 7-5, Hawkins 0-0, Veras 1-2, Ramirez 0-2,
Kazmir 5-10, Glover 0-2, Miller 0-1, Wheeler 0-1, Percival 0-1.
Batters faced: Kennedy 22, Hawkins 3, Veras 3, Ramirez 3, Kazmir 24,
Glover 6, Miller 1, Wheeler 3, Percival 3.
Inherited runners-scored: Miller 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Dale Scott. 1B: Dan Iassogna. 2B: Chad Fairchild. 3B: Rob Drake.
Weather: 72 degrees, dome.
Wind: Indoors.
T: 2:44.
Att: 19,976.

American League Around the Horn - 4/28

We can't think of too many people who would have predicted they would wake up on April 28 and the Tampa Rays and Baltimore Orioles would be atop the AL East. Or the Detroit Tigers would be in the AL Central basement. Or for that matter, the Oakland A's would be six games over .500 and tied with the Los Angeles for first place in the AL East.

The Rays are riding the hottest streak now. They went into Boston and took three straight and have won six in a row overall. The Red Sox were starting to roll, a six game winning streak of their own. Then they lost a pair in a row before the Rays came to town and out did them. The Rays (11-6) and Yankees (9-8) are the only teams with winning records against their AL East foes.

There were some classically pitched games in the series. The Red Sox Clay Buchholz had a 1-hitter going entering Saturday's 8th inning. Two seconds later he was losing 2-1 when Dionner Navarro singled and Aki Iwamura hit his first home run of the season. On Sunday, Josh Beckett gave up 4 hits and struck out 13 in 7 innings, and lost! James Shields threw a complete game 2-hit shutout to beat him.

The Mariners lost 2 of 3 to Oakland after doing the same with the Orioles. Felix Hernandez was dominating the A's on Sunday, but gave up 4 runs in the 8th inning to take the loss in a 4-2 game.

The Rangers were involved in another blow out, except this time they were on the winning end. Vincente Padilla blanked the Twins, who had scored 12 runs on Saturday, 10-0.

The White Sox and Orioles had a great pitcher's duel on Saturday. Sox starter John Danks had a perfect game through five innings, before Adam Jones singled and eventually scored. Guillermo Quiroz then hit his first major league home run. Orioles starter Brian Burres allowed just 3 hits in 8 innings for the win. The White Sox Carlos Quentin managed to get with the bases loaded in both games to get a pair of bruises and RBI.

American League Around the Horn - 4/28

We can't think of too many people who would have predicted they would wake up on April 28 and the Tampa Rays and Baltimore Orioles would be atop the AL East. Or the Detroit Tigers would be in the AL Central basement. Or for that matter, the Oakland A's would be six games over .500 and tied with the Los Angeles for first place in the AL East.

The Rays are riding the hottest streak now. They went into Boston and took three straight and have won six in a row overall. The Red Sox were starting to roll, a six game winning streak of their own. Then they lost a pair in a row before the Rays came to town and out did them. The Rays (11-6) and Yankees (9-8) are the only teams with winning records against their AL East foes.

There were some classically pitched games in the series. The Red Sox Clay Buchholz had a 1-hitter going entering Saturday's 8th inning. Two seconds later he was losing 2-1 when Dionner Navarro singled and Aki Iwamura hit his first home run of the season. On Sunday, Josh Beckett gave up 4 hits and struck out 13 in 7 innings, and lost! James Shields threw a complete game 2-hit shutout to beat him.

The Mariners lost 2 of 3 to Oakland after doing the same with the Orioles. Felix Hernandez was dominating the A's on Sunday, but gave up 4 runs in the 8th inning to take the loss in a 4-2 game.

The Rangers were involved in another blow out, except this time they were on the winning end. Vincente Padilla blanked the Twins, who had scored 12 runs on Saturday, 10-0.

The White Sox and Orioles had a great pitcher's duel on Saturday. Sox starter John Danks had a perfect game through five innings, before Adam Jones singled and eventually scored. Guillermo Quiroz then hit his first major league home run. Orioles starter Brian Burres allowed just 3 hits in 8 innings for the win. The White Sox Carlos Quentin managed to get with the bases loaded in both games to get a pair of bruises and RBI.