Move to Hughes Not a Panic

You can't blame Joe Girardi if he's a little antsy (anskY?) right now. His team has slept walked it's way through the last 15 games. Ten of those games have resulted in losses. The two biggest issues have been poor starting and relief pitching, and a lack of timely hits. Maybe I should consider that three issues.

With the team really in need of win, both for the standings and psychologically, Girardi and/or Brian Cashman decided that Phil Hughes should face the Red Sox tonight instead of Dustin Moseley. This was originally Hughes' regular spot, but the Yankees decided to push back Hughes to Wednesday in order to preserve his innings limit (app. 175) and possibly have him pitch closer to the beginning of the playoffs.

After having lost four straight games, dropping into second place in the AL East, and seeing the Red Sox suddenly pull to within 5.5 games of them in the wild card race, the Yankees obviously realized they needed to try to do something different tonight. Something to give them a boost in the arm.

So while it's not a panic, it is certainly time for a shake up and wake up.

Ugly, Uglier, Ugliest

The last 3 games could be described in the title above, pretty much in any order you choose. Just as things were looking back up again - 4 wins in 5 games, a 2.5 game lead in the AL East - things went to pot again. Three straight losses and back into 2nd place in the division.

It started out on Wednesday when a 2 hour-11 minute rain delay forced starter A.J. Burnett from the game. Now obviously you know what you're going to get from Burnett on any given evening, but when play resumed Joe Girardi chose to go with the back end of the bullpen to finish the final six innings. Why?

Girardi continues to baffle the mind with his moves. Did he figure he had his ace CC Sabathia pitching the finale against the Rays and since he had a 2.5 game lead he could just reserve the top pen guys? He seemed to forget that the Rays were throwing David Price against Sabathia and nothing is ever a given.

Needless to say the pen completely put Wednesday's game out of reach (7-2 loss). Then came Thursday and Sabathia didn't have it. Price wasn't as sharp as he was either when the two locked horns the prior week in Tampa, but he was able to watch as Sabathia lost the strike zone and the game, 10-3. Javier Vazquez also added some comic relief by hitting three straight batters. (I hope Cashman doesn't plan on bringing Vazquez back in 2016.)

The lead in the east had shrunk back to a half-game with the Boston Red Sox coming to town for the last regular season series at home this year. Andy Pettitte was making his second start since being activated off the DL last Sunday. As good as he was that day in a no-decision against Baltimore, that's how bad - actually more like 10 times worse - he was last night.

The Red Sox took batting practice against Pettitte and then Jonathan Albaladejo came on to throw some feul on the fire (Albaladejo looks like Mark Melancon 2.0 - great minors, poor majors) as the Yankees faced a 10-1 deficit. The Bombers banged out six home runs - two each by A-Rod and Mark Teixeira, and one apiece for Nick Swisher and Curtis Granderson - but still came up short 10-8.

The Yankees now find themselves looking up at the Rays, a half-game back in 2nd place. Today they have to face Jon Lester and we have to listen to the idiots on Fox (Hopefully we'll be spared Buck, who may be already at an NFL site to set up for Sunday). Ivan Nova goes for the Yankees.

The series finishes Sunday night (Miller and Morgan, oy) with the unpredictable Dice-K going against the more unpredictable Dustin Moseley. What's the over/under on how many times Miller say Adrian "Bel-TRAY"?

Nothing Like a Good Beckett Smashing

Getting ready for today's Yankees-Red Sox series finale, but still smiling over last night's Josh Beckett drubbing. A 7-2 win made even better by a remarkable performance by Dustin Moseley.

Subbing for A.J. Burnett, Moseley was solid all night, leaving after 6.1 innings with just a Bill Hall home run allowed. Moseley was given a heads up on Saturday after Burnett bullpen session led to back spasms on Friday.

The Yankees busted the game open and sent Beckett to the showers with a 5-run 5th inning. Derek Jeter drove in 3 runs on the night and passed Babe Ruth for 39th place on the all-time MLB career hits list. He's now one hit behind another Hall of Fame member, Mel Ott, for the next spot on the list.

Mark Teixeira continued his hot second half, with his fifth home run in eight games. It was also the first time Tex had success against Beckett. And Tex became the 4th players with 25 home runs or more in each of his first eight seasons.

Lance Berkman, for now, quieted the idiot boo birds with a 3-hit night and Alex Rodriguez got over his banged up shin to steal his 300th career base. He's just the third player, Willie Mays and Barry Bonds are the others, to have 600 home runs and 300 steals. A-Rod also became the 10th player with 300 steals, 200 home runs, 2,500 hits, and 1,500 runs scored. Seriously, they actually keep track of this.

One down note in this game was Joba Chamberlain. Yes, he was victimized by a cheap infield RBI single by Mike Lowell, but it was his 3-2 pitch to punch and judy hitter Marco Scutaro that was disturbing. A slider. A guy with a plus fastball and he threw a slider. Needless to say, Scutaro walked and Joba exited. He really needs some mental pitching lessons.