I can feel your halo halo halo

A scene the Yankees have witnessed too many times in Anaheim.

Halos Have Yankees Number Again

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: Alex Rodriguez • andy pettitte • Chone Figgins • Derek Jeter • hideki matsui • Joe Saunders • Kendry Morales • LA Angels • NY Yankees • Torii Hunter • Vlad Guerrero • Yankees 9/22 recap • Yankees vs. Angels

Written for Baseball Digest Online

The last day of Summer provided no solace for the Yankees in Anaheim last night. No matter the season, the Yankees just can’t be the Los Angeles Angeles on the left coast. That trend continued last night when the Angels took an early lead against Andy Pettitte en route to a 5-2 win. On the bright side, the Yankees magic number to clinch the AL East was reduced to 8, thanks to the Kansas City Royals win over the Boston Red Sox.

On the even brighter side, Pettitte who missed his last start with shoulder fatigue, allowed 3 runs in an effective six effective innings and felt good afterwards. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Angels’ starter Joe Saunders was even better. The left-hander was 9-7 with a 5.33 ERA when he went on the DL after his August 7th start. But since then he’s gone unbeaten, posting a 5-0 record in six starts, while posting a 2.11 ERA. He came within two outs of throwing a complete game despite having to pitch with a sore patella tendon in his left leg.

The Yankees put two men aboard in the first but Chone Figgins defense helped Saunders escape trouble. With Johnny Damon on 1st, Mark Teixeira hit a bullet down the 3rd base line that was ticketed for extra bases. But Figgins made a diving stop and fired to 2nd base for a would be force out. But 2nd baseman Howie Kendrick dropped the throw allowing both runners to reach. (Somehow the official scorer ruled it a fielder’s choice rather than a hit or error). Saunders picked up his teammate with a swinging strikeout of Alex Rodriguez and then retired Nick Swisher on a lazy fly. After that the Yankees rolled over, except for solo home runs by A-Rod and Hideki Matsui in the 7th and 8th innings.

The Angels jumped right on Pettitte in the home half of the 1st, though it looked like Pettitte would escape unscathed when Jose Molina threw Figgins out attempting to steal 2nd base for the second out of the inning. But Bobby Abreu singled and scored on Vlad Guerrero’s gapper to right-center. Torii Hunter then followed with a double of his own for a 2-0 lead.

The Yankees’ home runs got them back to 2-run deficits each time, but the Yankees pen let the Angels extend their lead in each instance. Kendry Morales hit a pinch-hit solo home run, his 31st (and RBI #99) off of Brian Bruney in the 7th and Jonathan Albaladejo allowed another run in the 8th.

Game Notes

Derek Jeter had a pair of hits in the game to give him 199 on the season. His next hit will give him 7-200 hit seasons.

The Angels reduced their magic number for clinching the AL West to 6 and won their 90th game for the 7th time in 9 seasons.

Francisco Cervelli got quite a thrill before the game when Reggie Jackson introduced him to fellow Hall of Fame member Frank Robinson. Robby currently works for the commissioner’s office.

Chad Gaudin looks to get the Yankees back on the winning track tonight when he goes up against Ervin Santana.

Kansas City Here I come

The Yankees owe a big thank you to the KC Royals tonight for reducing their magic number for clinching the AL East to 8.

Tim Wakefield and his bad back couldn't throw strikes (7 BB in 5 IP) and the Royals rallied back from a pair of four run deficits to beat the Red Sox bullpen 12-9.

Priceless

New football stadium: over $1 billion


Avg Ticket Price at the new Cowboys Stadium: $159.65

Beating Dallas in their first home game and sticking it to the pig faced Jerry Jones:

PRICELESS

To the Bat Pole

It was time for the annual rookie hazing...and though there weren't as many rookies on the Yankees squad, it was still entertaining to see this year's Batman and Robin theme.

Batman (Mark Melancon) and Robin (video coordiantor Anthony Flynn). Nice gams and camel toe.Mark Melancon as the Caped Cruisader

Ramiro Pena is an uglier Catwoman than Ertha Kitt, though less creepy.

Radar gun operator Brett Weber (the Joker), Flynn (Robin), manager Joe Girardi, Melancon (Batman), Pena (Catwoman), Michael Dunn (the Riddler), massage therapist Lew Potter (the Penguin)

Melancon walks the gauntlet

Teammates and media get their photo-opMike Dunn as the Riddler wins best in show (IMHO)

Joba: Performances That Go Thud in the Night

M’s Thump Joba and Yanks

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: Ian Snell • joba chamberlain • Joba Rules • Ken Griffey Jr. • Seattle Mariners • Yankees 9/20 recap • Yankees vs. Mariners

The Yankees have plans for Joba Chamberlain, I’m just not sure what they are. I’ve been critical of how Chamberlain has been handled in the second half and my thoughts haven’t changed any. No confidence can be gained from the outings Chamberlain has had since the Yankees started limiting his innings and pitches. And yesterday’s showing against the Seattle Mariners was a complete disaster. Chamberlain got hammered for five runs in the 2nd inning and gave up seven runs total in a three inning stint. The result was a lackluster 7-1 Yankees loss and a lost road series.

The Yankees threatened against Ian Snell (5-2 since joining Seattle) in the 1st inning, putting two runners aboard with no one out. But Snell retired Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, and Hideki Matsui to escape the jam and the Yankees offense flopped like a fish after that. The Yankees would manage just five hits on the day, three of them byTeixeira.

Chamberlain retired the first two hitters of the game, but then gave up back to back doubles to Jose Lopez and Ken Griffey Jr., and an RBI single to Adrian Beltre for a 2-0 M’s lead. Things went from bad to worse an inning later with Griffey punctuating the 5-run outburst with a 3-run home run. It was Griffey’s 16th home run of the season, the same output as his 1989 rookie season, and 627th of his career.

Game Notes

On the bright side, Sergio Mitre tossed five innings of 1-hit ball in relief.

The Yankees begin a three game series tonight with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. The AL East lead has been reduced to 5 1/2 games (ahead of Boston), but the magic number is just one to clinch a playoff spot.

Teixeira Continues His Case for MVP

Teixeira Slugs CC to 18th

Written for Baseball Digest


Mark Teixeira knew expectations would be high if he signed to play with the Yankees this past off-season. He had seen players come and go before him- the good (Mike Mussina), the bad (Hideki Irabu), and the ugly (Randy Johnson). He weathered his usual slow start, and his time for coming alive coincided with the return of Alex Rodriguez. The result has been an MVP caliber season that continued last night with a 2-home run, 5 RBI performance in the Yankees crushing 10-1 win over the Seattle Mariners.

The Yankees second best acquisition of this past off-season made their best acquisition, CC Sabathia, the American League's first 18 game winner. The big left-hander, and Cy Young candidate, allowed one unearned run in seven innings of work while allowing just four hits. The Yankees were already up 6-0 when the Mariners got on the board thanks to an Rodriguez throwing error, andTeixeira and company put the pedal to the medal to put the game out of reach.

Teixeira would have had a three home run game if not for the 1st inning effort of Mariners' centerfielder Franklin Gutierrez. With Johnny Damon aboard, Teixeira hit a smash to deep center off starter Doug Fister that a leaping Gutierrez got a glove on as the ball began to go over the fence for a sure home run. Gutierrez couldn't hang on though as he hit the wall and it landed in play for an RBI triple.

Hideki Matsui's 26th home run in the 2nd helped increased New York's advantage to 3-0 as Teixeira came to bat with two aboard in the 5th. This time he pulled the ball down the right field line, just over the 326-ft sign, for his 36th home run of the year and a 6-0 Yankees' lead.

Home run #37 would come after a mere single in the 7th. Teixeira, batting from the right side in the 9th against left-hander Luke French, hit a no doubt about it shot over the 388-ft sign in left-center for his 118th run batted in of the season.

Game Notes

Since the All-Star break, CC Sabathia is 10-1, 2.54 in 13 starts. He's struck out 91 in 92 innings with just 22 walks and 78 hits allowed.

Ian Kennedy is all the way back from aneurysm surgery and in this case that means back on the major league roster. IPK even surprised himself with is return. He'll get more innings over the next two months in the Arizona Fall League.

Freddy Guzman drove in his first run as a Yankee last night with a 9th inning sacrifice fly.

Ichiro Wins Showdown with Mo

Opponent's walk-offs aren't as much fun.

Ichiro Wins Hall of Fame Showdown

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: Felix Hernandez • Ichiro hits walk-off winner • Ichiro Suzuki • mariano rivera • nick swisher • NY Yankees • Seattle Mariners • Yankees 9/18 recap • Yankees vs. Mariners

Written for Baseball Digest Online

Mariano Rivera blew away the first two Seattle Mariners in the 9th inning last night to reach 1,000 career strikeouts and was well on his way to his 37th consecutive successfully converted save chance and a 2-1 Yankees win.

Ichiro Suzuki would never forget the game after being picked off first base not once, but twice. Then an unfunny thing happened on the way to the post-game high fives for the Yankees. Pinch-hitter Mike Sweeney narrowly missed hitting one out, driving a ball on to the warning track in right for a 2-out double. That set up a showdown between two future Hall ofFamers, Ichiro and Rivera. Moments later it was the Mariners celebrating when Ichiro hit a rare home run for a 3-2 Mariners victory.

The loss somewhat wasted a bounce back effort from A.J. Burnett, who allowed one run and scattered seven hits over seven innings. I say somewhat, because Burnett really needed a good outing for his own confidence as well as his manager’s confidence in him. He still could have picked up a victory had his team taken advantages of opportunities they had against “King” Felix Hernandez (16-5).

Derek Jeter led off the ball game with a single and Johnny Damon followed with a double. But the Yankees came away with only one run on Alex Rodriguez‘ sacrifice fly. Nick Swisher was stranded after a lead off double in the 7th and the Yankees had at least one man on in seven of the nine innings.

The Yankees went ahead in the 7th when Damon doubled for the second time, moved to third on a passed ball, and scored on Mark Teixeira’s sac fly.

But despite the one run lead, the Yankees had the ball in the right hands. Rivera hadn’t blown a save since April 24 when Boston’s Jason Bay slugged a 2-run home run off of him up in Fenway Park. He had only been scored upon once in the last two months.

And things seemed normal when Rivera (3-3) struck out John Hannahan looking to give the M’s infielder the “Golden Sombrero” and then blew an inside fastball past a swinging pinch-hitter Mike Carp for the 2nd out.

Mo breathed a sigh relief when Sweeney’s opposite field fly seemed destined to leave the park, but short hopped the wall instead. Then Rivera’s first pitch cutter to Ichiro didn’t move and the M’s right fielder deposited the ball deep into the right field seats for his 10th home run. It was Ichiro’s fourth hit of the game, second walk-off hit of the week and third game winning home run of the season for the Mariners.

Game Notes

The Yankees announced that Sergio Mitre’s turn will be skipped when the Yankees open a series with the Angels on Monday. Chad Gaudin, who pitched effectively against the Blue Jays, will take his turn.

CC Sabathia goes after his 18th win this afternoon (4:10 p.m. ET) when he faces rookie Doug Fister.

The 10 Worst Baseball Movies Ever Made

I won't talk about some ill advised sequels (any "Major League" movie after the original) or straight to video. And I can't include what I haven't seen, but was told was horrible (Mr. 3000 for example).

Here ya go:

The Grand Prize Clunker - Rookie of the Year

Rookie of the Year (1993)

Thomas Ian Nicholas, best known for the "American Pie" movies stars as a 12-yr old who is suddenly blessed with a three digit fastball when he breaks his arm. I haven't really seen much of Nicholas' work, but he was absolutely awful as an overly precocious, obnoxious tweener.

Gary Busey is not believable as a has-been great pitcher (okay, the has-been part is completely believable). Eddie Bracken as the team owner essentially plays the same role he did in "National Lampoon's Vacation". Daniel Stern must have really needed the money as he took on the role of the village idiot, in this case, the pitching coach.

The only good performance was Albert Hall as the Chicago Cubs' manager, who is a combination of Lou Piniella and Norm Crosby.

Cheesy and Predictable from start to finish.

The Babe Ruth Story (1948)

Veteran movie actor, and later the star of TV's "Life of Riley", William Bendix stars as the great Bambino himself, Babe Ruth. Bendix comes off as completely unathletic, not that the Babe was built like a great athlete, in one of the corniest movies ever made.

Two scenes stand out for corn - Prior to the 1932 series with the Chicago Cubs, the Yankees had traded shortstop Mark Koenig to the Cubbies, who mistreated the former Bronx Bomber. The movies depicts Ruth (Bendix) standing outside the Cubs dugout, razzing each of the players as he takes the field.

The worst scene is the penultimate near-death scene as the Babe lays gravely ill in a hospital bed. All the children in the area gather in the street below and start singing, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game". Take me out to the lobby.

Ed (1996)

Matt LeBlanc stars with a baseball playing chimp. 'nuff said.

The Slugger's Wife (1985)

Michael O'Keefe (Caddyshack) is Darryl Palmer, a slugger for the Atlanta Braves. The movies centers around O'Keefe's relationship with Rebecca DeMornay (Risky Business) as well as his pursuit of Roger Maris' single season home run record.

One look at O'Keefe's swing and you realize he couldn't break a pane of glass. The only amusement comes from cameos by Al Hrabosky as himself and Braves owner Ted Turner as a fan.

This movie will make you want to slug the screen writer(s).

The Babe (1992)

Another movie about the Sultan of Swat. This time starring Roseann's John Goodman in the lead role. I love John Goodman, but I so didn't love this movie. Possibly because they make the Babe very unlikeable.

While I realize his life has been glamorized and not everything is true or portrayed accurately, I could have done without the over the top drunken, womanizing, ill tempered portrayal.

Sandlot (1993)

Blasphemy will be shouted by some, including my brother, but this movie stunk. It's a rip-off of just about every movie ever made - think "Stand by Me" + TV's "The Wonder Years" + the original "Bad News Bears" + "A Christmas Story" and many, many more.

Everything in the movie is predictable - the scary man who isn't scary, the narration talking about the past, the kid who can't really play but will make a big play, and the fat catcher.

Bad News Bears (2005)

You do NOT re-make one of the best movies ever made. The original, the difference being "The" before the rest of title, appealed to any kid whether they were in little league or not. It's a classic.

And while I said I wouldn't talk about movies I didn't see, I refused to see this one. One more reason to not like Billy Bob Thornton.

The Scout (1994)

We like Brendan Fraser, but his portrayal of phenom Steve Nebraska is not believable. We can't stand Albert Brooks, but he was good as scout Al Percolo. Go figure.

Little Big League (1994)

Here we go again with a 12-yr old at the major league level. This time as the team owner and manager after he inherits the Minnesota Twins. Yeah, baseball allowing a 12-yr old manager, okay.

Like Gary Busey, Timothy Busfield is the washed up player who mentors the kid, etc. And the team improves and blah blah..snooooooooooore.

Summer Catch (2001)

Freddie Prinze Jr. as a pitcher...yeah real believable...in the Cape Cod League. Jessica Biel does her hottest best to keep the movie going, but this is major league bad. Mild spoiler - Prinze leaves his no-hitter in the 9th to stop Biel from leaving town. What, you couldn't get the last out and then follow her? No one has cell phones? C'mon.

Minors Get Some Majors

Congratulations are in order for the Tampa Yankees (FSL) and Staten Island Yankees (NYPL), aka "Baby Bombers", who both won their respective league championships.

Tampa was tied 2-2 in the Best of Five Florida State League series with the Charlotte Stone Crabs (who came up with that name?). Trent Lare tossed five scoreless innings in the finale to boost the team to a 5-2 win.

David Adams delivered a key 2-run single and the bullpen trio of Hector Noesi, Pat Venditte, and Noel Castillo shut things down.

Ben Watkins got it done when needed most.

The Baby Bombers captured the New York Penn League title for the 5th time, and first since 2006. Pitcher Ben Watkins kept the Yankees within a two run deficit to the Mahoning Valley Scrappers with five innings of 1-hit ball and his teammates rallied. Star player Neil Medchill (who will have off-season wrist surgery) knocked in the winner in the 8th inning and Staten Island went on to a 5-2 win.

25 or 6 to 4

All that slugging (not Posada and Carlson) going on in the Bronx..and on the road (Take note FOX and ESPN) has the Yankees on the brink of a new team record.- Players with 25 or more home runs.

The team is currently tied with the 1938 squad with 3 players and with Johnny Damon (1) and Robinson Cano (2) on the brink of reaching the season milestone, this year's team should set a new standard.

Hideki Matsui's game tying home run on Wednesday was his 25th, joining Mark Teixeira (36), Nick Swisher (27), and Alex Rodriguez (25) who had already eclipsed the mark.

The '38 team members with 25 or more were Joe DiMaggio (32), Lou Gehrig (29), Bill Dickey (27), and Joe Gordon (25).

Always overlooked on the great Yankees team is the pitching and the '38 starting rotation is no exception.

Red Ruffing 21-7, 3.31
Lefty Gomez 18-12, 3.35
Monte Person 16-7, 3.97
Spud Chandler 14-5, 4.03

Ruffing and Gomez are both in the Hall of Fame.

And now some classic Chicago.

Cisco Gets His Pie

Mystique and Aura..and Exuberance

Written for Baseball Digest Online

A certain blowhard pitcher can make fun of mystique and aura all he wants, but it looks like they those two have been joined this season by exuberance in the new Yankee Stadium. There was plenty on display tonight as the Yankees came up with their 14th walk off win of the season, 5-4 over the Toronto Blue Jays. The victory was also the Yankees' 34th come from behind triumph, the most since the 1932 Yankees.

Despite a solid outing from spot starter Chad Gaudin, the Yankees slept their way through seven innings of dull baseball and trailed 4-2 in the 8th. Phil Hughes started things out with a dynamite top of the inning and then the bats came to life. Alex Rodriguez dunked n a 1-out single off lefty Scott Downs and then it was time for Godzilla to destroy another city. Hideki Matsui entered the game with nearly half his 24 home runs coming against southpaws. Number 25 landed in the right field stands and tied the game at four apiece.

"Pie Anticipation" set in after Mariano Rivera tossed a scoreless 9th and Brett Gardner kept the momentum going with a lead off single against Jays' closer Jason Frasor in the home half of the inning. The speedster swiped his 22nd base in 27 attempts and moved to third on Derek Jeter's ground out up the middle. With no third catcher available due to Jorge Posada's suspension, Joe Girardi had no choice but to let Francisco Cervelli bat for himself. The "Cisco Kid" didn't let his manager down, singling through the left side for yet another last at-bat win for the Pinstripes.

Cervelli also showed the exuberance that has affected both the youngsters and the veterans. He joyously rounded first and headed towards right field in an attempt to out run his teammates/mob scene. But a smiling Robinson Cano and Melky Cabrera caught him, setting up another raucous Bronx celebration that culminated when A.J. Burnett gave the rookie catcher his first taste of victory pie.

The Yankees were in the game because Gaudin, starting in place of Andy Pettitte, was solid through five plus innings. He allowed a solo home run by Jose Bautista, but got out of other jams with run producing ground outs. The Blue Jays tacked one on against Brian Bruney in the 7th, but mystique, aura, and exuberance were waiting in the wings.

Game Notes

Mariano Rivera won his 3rd game of the season and the 71st of his career.

The Yankees have Thursday off and will travel to the west coast for games at Seattle and LA (Ana).

Yankees Go Down With a Fight

Yankees Show Fight, But Lose

Written for Baseball Digest Online

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: Adam Lind • Jesse Carlson • Jorge Posada • Roy Halladay • Sergio Mitre • Toronto Blue Jays • Travis Snider • Yankees 9/15 recap • Yankees vs. Blue Jays

The final score was lopsided with the Yankees on the wrong end, but the Bronx Bombers showed plenty of fight in last night’s 10-4 loss. Reacting to Mark Melancon hitting Aaron Hill with a pitch, the Blue Jays Jesse Carlson threw behind Jorge Posada in the 8th inning. Posada quickly told Carlson and catcher Rod Barajas that “You don’t want to be doing that”. The benches emptied, but order was quickly restored, both sides were warned, and played resumed.

But when Posada scored on Brett Gardner’s double, he threw an elbow in Carlson’s direction and was immediately ejected. The two mouthed off to one another, then went at each other as the benches again emptied. When it was all over, Carlson was sporting a large knot on his forehead and had been ejected, and Joe Girardi had a cut on his ear thanks to a wild swing from Blue Jays infielder John McDonald. It was no small coincidence that McDonald had been hit by Melancon earlier this season. There was a bit of comic relief too, provided by scrawny Edwar Ramirez, who restrained the beefy Barajas.

The game itself wasn’t much of a contest after the Yankees had taken an early 2-0 lead against Doc Halladay. Sergio Mitre was pounded by the Jays for four of the five home runs they hit on the night. Travis Snider, especially stood out, hitting a pair of bombs into the second deck in right field. Adam Lind and Edwin Encarnacion also took Mitre deep and Jose Bautista added a late home run against reliever Mike Dunn.

The Yankees had 11 hits against Halladay, who wasn’t at the top of his game, but still good enough for his third victory against the Yankees this season. Gardner and Derek Jeter singled in runs in the 2nd inning, but the Yankees couldn’t anything after that until the final two innings when they added a run in each frame.

Game Notes

Both Posada and Carlson were suspended 4 games by Major League Baseball.

Pettitte to Skip a Start

Andy Pettitte is suffering from a tired arm, so he'll miss his scheduled start against the Toronto Blue Jays on Wednesday. Chad Gaudin will fill in.

Nothing to worry about right now as Pettitte will go Monday against the Angels when the Yankees head west.

Mitre vs. Halladay

Probably a good night to watch last season's finale of NCIS.

Okay we originally had this as Gaudin vs. Halladay, but the paper was wrong. However, the sentiment remains.