On the Yankees beat

Not since Paul Foytack has one pitcher given up 4 consecutive blasts.

WOW!

Let them hit their solo homers.

No biggie. Solo homers mean very little.

As for the Yankee bats, do players today not know what a sac fly is anymore.

How many times can you leave a runner on third with less than two outs before you realize that all you have to do is hit a ground ball to one of the infielders (if they're playing back) or a regular fly ball and you've got one easy out?

I meant to say "easy run" in the above comment.

Given how many veterans and long time baseball people are on this team I'm sure someone gave him some ribbing on the bench for giving up the four shots - no point in letting the kid get too down on it.

Scary sight with Nieves being hurt - Phelps is the back up catcher.

soft tossing Bean vs. Ortiz, this should be interesting

Can please someone confirm this so I'm not just hearing things: Did Miller just call Josh Phelps a rookie?!?!?

Yes, Jeff, he did. In fairness, the guy has been out of the majors since June 2005

what do you think of dice-k?
he gave up a double to mientky, which on its own should send him to double AA...
i think he's got great stuff and is not using a wide variety 1st couple of times through the lineup.
if today represents his best then we're just fine, but i doubt it.
oops, jeter just crushed him...

Matsuzaka was all hype. He is not turning out to be this domineering, lights-out, fireballer.

A glorified Irabu.

Couldn't be happier it is happening to the Sox. Haha.

i can't believe torre is warming up petitte! i remind you the guy is injury prone with history of arm touble and not too young. i guess old clueless is not content was simply burning out the pen, he's going after the starters as well.

p.s. our young pitchers are not throwing strikes, walking people and having super long at bats.

Yankees stink, A-rod is the only one hitting. So whos to balme now?

Chase Wright just doubled the value of my Paul Foytack baseball card ... or did he cut it in half?

I read some post on here a few days back and you all were raving about the "young gun" Wright. Boy did that guns blow up in your faces huh?

This is just an example of what the Yankees lineup can do to a guy. He is definately a good pitcher don't sell him short. He throws ~94 upto 97 [rarely] with pretty much every pitch in the book.

Seriously, despite the 4 homers the early pull i think is a mistake, Wright pitched well other than a few misplaced pitches... the pen cannot take this kindof abuse. Do people realize after this game the Pen will have pitched only ~10 less innings than the starters?

As much as i don't want to say this.... i think they need to bring Hughes up to replace Karstens and hope that Wang/Moose come back strong.

Back to AA ball. Go strike out another 19 no-bodies that no one will ever hear about. Win the "Never Made It" League Pitcher of the Year Award.

Great stuff this "young gun" has. He sets up his change with....his change up. Then he changes speed swith his change up. When your change up is your featured pitch, well its time to change up pitchers.

Please.

If giving up only four runs in an inning qualifies as "blowing up" then even Roger Clemens or Pedro Martinez or Curt Schilling must have "blown up" a ton of times over the years.

torre is nuts sending petitte in regardless of how this game ends. i don't care that this the day he is scheduled to throw a side session - it's nothing like real game pitching intensity wise.
why not bring back karstens on 0 days rest?...
the guy is in full panic mode, and i'm sure the players are sensing it.

Blowing up is when you failed in historical proportion like no one has allowed that to happen in fifty years. A once ever fifty year negative accomplishment is blowing up.

Don't be jealous Tweeter. He is still very much a young gun.

If anything, I'm more impressed with Wright than if he had not showed a little vulnerability.

It's how they can come back from setbacks that make the great ones...well..great.

How many times has Roger Clemens allowed four consectutive HR's????

Chrissakes JT just got 2 scoreless from Colter Bean...They do have a game tmrw.

What did I tell you guys about Torre.

Time to let that old man go.

I am also always impressed by pitchers that self distruct in a heart beat. I am impressed that they were ever able to get to the big leagues and fool enough baseball people to get the oppurtunity to stink up the joint.

and 1 scoreless from Pettitte !

Gil - Today is Andy's throw day anyway, what's the difference if he throws 20 in the pen or 20 in the game?

Twester - it isn't like Wright was facing even an average AL lineup - he faced Boston in a park that is hard on lefties to start with. In his fourth start above A ball by the way.

As for Matsuzaka - I think he has some control issues, which are good against a free swinging team because they will chase, but the Yankee lineup is going to make you throw strikes - from my perspective the first time a pitcher faces a lineup for the first time the pitcher obviously has the edge - I'm going to hold off on judgement until his second or third start against the Yankees - see how he adjusts to their adjustments and so forth.

So thats great. A pitcher who cant face good teams or teams in their home park. I call that a AA pitcher.

Tweeter, It's difficult enough for a Double A pitcher to make a jump to the bigs ,but also to be thrown into the fire at Fenway against the most hyped pitcher since I can remember .Chill!The Yanks have scored 5 runs thru 6 against dice-k and hold the lead .

I am loving Torre's use of Pettitte in middle relief. LOVING IT! That elbow will be shot by June, and another $16MM down the tubes.

What a complete moron. What an utter jackass. What is this, Orel Hershiser in the 1988 playoffs? It's APRIL. What a complete buffoon.

Torre would be happy if Cashman re-acquired Cone, O'Neill, Brosius, and Nelson. Paranoid old man trapped in 1998.

Zander pointed out on another thread, don't know how many of you saw it, that Dice-K has some problems throwing from the stretch and so is more vulnerable to a team that gets on base frequently enough to make that a factor.

Tweeter - I can laugh off four consecutive solo homeruns (and like I said, I'm sure the veterans will force him to laugh at it too). I would be a lot more annoyed if he were walking the ball park and giving up 2 and 3 run shots.

Tweeter you nitwit.

I haven't checked but even Roger Clemens has given up multiple homeruns in one inning and I'm almost certain he has given up a lot more than four runs in one inning at some point.

What does it matter if you gave up four runs on homeruns or on some other kind of hits?

Homeruns don't carry more weight.

I've seen teams hit 5 or 6 homeruns in a game and lose at the same time, I know there were occasions when a team won despite getting no-hit.

The bottom is that you need to score one more run than your opponent.

It doesn't matter how you got those runs.

Please, before his first start people on here were talking about how Dontrelle Willis made the jump from AA and never looked back. AA + 24 years old = Sayonara

Chip - you've obviously never played baseball higher than T-ball. Throwing in live game action is nothing like throwing a side session in the bullpen. Torre is a complete idiot.

And this with 3 starters on the DL already. Priceless.

What's the big deal? When Pettitte is on the DL in June, you'll know.

Tweeter - you're seriously going to call a guy a failure because he struggled in his fourth start above A ball against one of the best lineups in baseball? Really? That's how quick your hook is for him?

BTW for those of you freaking out over Andy being used in relief, he threw 9 pitches - probably a total of 30 counting warm ups - which is exactly what he would throw between starts anyway.

Eric,

Read carefully....How..many..games..has..Clemens..given..up..four..consectuive..HR's

I wrote it slowly so you dont call me a nit wit for something you wrote and not me. So just answer the question I wrote and not the one you want to use to divert from the fact that your pitcher gave up 4 consectutive HR's which had not been done in 50 years.

By the way Eric....I dont beleive Clemens was pitching 50 years ago, was he?

Tweeter,

So he's not Dontrelle Willis - not every pitcher has to be an All-Star to be effective.

Chip, that's not the point.

The inning could very easily been a lengthy one and he could have had to throw a lot more pitches than that.

Just a boneheaded move by this desperate old man who's more concerned about coming back again next year than the health of his players.

Time to send him off to a retirement home.

And dont insult Clemens by caomparing him to this bum. Interesting last name...didn't the Yankees have another pitcher with the last name of Wright?

WHO CARES - he gave up four solo home runs, they only count for 1 each - would it be better if he walked Manny, Drew, Lowell and then Varitek hit a grand slam?

Yankees are still up 5-4

His not Willis from Diferent Strokes!!!

chip,
i think it was zander who commented that you've become an automatic apologist for whatever torre and the yanks do.
if it's so natural and normal for a pitcher to convert his side session to real game action, as it seems you deem the 2 identical, why isn't everyone doing it? why isn't it regular procedure around the league for a starter to contribute an inning of relief between starts? obviously that would save a lot of bullpen innings and allow for more fielders to be on the roster.
probably because real game situations are nothing like side session + don't forget the warm up bullpen pitches petitte had to take today + game pitches.
the rarity of such a move, usually saved for extreme playoff situations (2003 ALCS game 7 for example), proves it's not considered as obvious as you claim it is.

Eric,

I would like to think that Torre would have him on a strict pitch count and would go get him if he got to that count, regardless of where he was in the inning.

Your right! Who cares that he gave up 4 runs in an inning. What difference does it make how. Stink Is and Stink Does.

Tweeter, I called you a nitwit not because I didn't understand you. It was because you can't seem to get it through your thick skull that giving four home runs, while it may be a feat that hasn't occur for awhile, does not automatically show that the pitcher is lousy.

The point is that many pitchers, including the great ones that I named have had a bad inning every now and then, some had even worst in other ways like giving 8 consecutive hits or something.

Do you still not get it or are you really that dense?

So now that you guys have immortalizes Stink Wright by comparing him to Dontrelle Willis and Roger Clemens, I guess he can retire and await his induction into Cooperstown.

Gil

I've said time and again that I hate the way Torre has over used the pen.

But the fact remains that thanks to Karstens giving him nothing yesterday, Torre had to go to the pen early and may not have as many guys available to him today. I don't know, neither do you. Was using Andy in relief a sign of desperation, absolutely, but maybe it was necessary desperation - what the hell do you want me to tell you?

nieves is calling a TERRIBLE game. proctor just gave two straight hits with the count 1-2. the hitters are easily outsmarting him.

Not a big fan of bringing in Petitte in relief-need to keep him healthy!

Tweeter, now you're starting to get it. Now if we could just get you to realize that lots of pitchers have given up four runs in an inning - hell Proctor just gave up three - if he gives up another one, he and Wright will be tied. S**T happens.

Eric,

I find it difficult to get through to you. You evade the question every time. Give me the list of hall of fame pitchers that have given up 4 consectutive HR's in an inning.

If that is not an anathema then there certainly are contrary examples.

If not I will have to assume that a pitcher that does that is not very good and not long for the big leagues.

Proctor just gave up a 3-run bomb 7-5 sox

I also can't believe how how bad the bench is-you would think w/ this payroll, you could get a backup catcher would could at least bat .200

i think the yanks can take some positives from this lost week, almost all on the offensive side, but you have to admit that the sox have many more. their bottom half of the lineup killed us. lowell 2 HR's today, varitek, drew, even crisp, all clicking against whomever the yanks got there.
the wear and tear of the bullpen is already showing. poor proctor had no chance.

And Chip, have you been keeping up with the conversation? you seem to be in a parellel one.

Exactly Chip. Likewise, some major leaguers have very auspicious starts like homering in their first two or three at bats but you never hear from them again.

You cannot rely on one or two starts to determine who a pitcher is, much less an inning.

You have to see how he does over the long term like an entire season.

Has the light bulb finally turned on, Tweeter?

But proctor is as good as Clemen since Clemens has given up 3 run bombs before...dont you think?

You know what, you guys are all right - I've seen the light. Almost 17 games into the season, Yankees might slip to 8-9 on the year - I think it's time to tear it down and look to next year.

I don't mean to mock you (well OK I do) I'm just asking for a little perspective.

Obviously this hasn't been Joe's best series as a manager, Rivera didn't pitch well, Karstens didn't pitch well, Wright didn't pitch well, but I'm not holding four runs against him - I don't imagine that the Yankees are going to make wholesale changes as a result of this weekend.

let's hope Igawa gives them 7+ solid innings tmrw.

Apparently, the room in Tweeter's noggin is still dark...

The only guy who is playing well is the guy you have booed and is going to opt out at the end of the year. How sweet is that?

Like Muddy Waters once said
"Everything is gonna be all right,oh yah "

Tweeter - Wright has made four (easy number for you to remember, same number of home runs he allowed) starts above A ball - I'll say it again slowly for you - A b..a..l..l; I don't think anyone was annointing him a hall of famer, I think the point was that even hall of famers have been known to allow four runs in an inning.

Eric,

Explain that quirky comment to me. It really lacks any sense of cleverness or relational humor at all. You didn't make that up yourself I hope.

ruse,

got a question for you buddy, yesterday on the radio broadcast there was some talk that the Yankees, given how badly Karstens pitched, might send him to Triple A when Mussina comes off the DL and keep Wright around until (if) Pavano comes back - what do you think?

Chip ,Why give this guy the time of day ? Let's elevate the discussion !

ruse,

i'm going to take a very strong "under" on that number you put up for igawa.

you just have to feel bad for the yanks' bullpen. they have taken a lot of losses this year already + blown saves, a lot simply due to the fact that they are constantly out there pitching.

Chip,

Thats because ....HE STINKS.

There are 10 thousand pitchers that never pitched more than 4 games iabove a-ball. They went into the insurance business, sold used cars, cleaned the halls in our schools. But the Yankees promote them to the big leagues.

the guy warming up in the pen I think will be big for the development of Chase Wright. Henn and Wright are good friends and if anyone can talk to Wright about dealing with failure after dominating AA and getting called to the bigs early it is Henn who was attrocious when he spot started for the Yankees a couple of years ago.

Now I think he might be the best lefty the Yankees have had since Stanton in his prime out there.

Chip , I'm surprised at the decision to send Rasner out ,he's been pitching OK .I would think keeping Wright around for a couple of starts could work out.Let Karstens get a couple of starts under his belt at Scranton would help stretch him out a little bit.Will see tmrw.

Ok, I'll take your bait one more time Tweeter - Pavano, Mussina, Wang all on the DL - Karstens and Rasner already pressed into service - who did you want the Yankees to promote? Would you call Hughes a bum if they called him up and he gave up four runs to Boston?

Ruse,

Ha, ha ,ha.....elevate the discussion. You crack me up.

Lets see, I'll help. I dont see why after these 2 start the Marlins could trade dontrelle for Wright since they like AA players. And when A-Rod opts out Cabrera will come here because the Yankee pinstripes. and blah balh blah .....26 championships...blah balh blah..tradition...blah blah blah.

Is the discussion high enough yet?

Ruse, I actually understood sending Rasner down because they wanted another arm for this series (Joe Morgan just threw a Bernie Williams bone to Rick) the move that surprised me was sending down Britton and keeping Bean around.

Gil ,Of course it's wishful thinking on my part...Igawa has gone deeper each time out ,let's just hope the trend continues!

I really dont care who they promote. If they stink like this thats fine with me. You guys are just hilarious trying to act like you have a diamond in the rough when you have a lump of coal. Then you sit here trying to convince each other that he really is a diamond. Then when someone disrupts your alternate reality you have scatalogicals arguments.

For the record, for all the hype that the Sox rotation got coming into this series the Yankees have scored five runs off each of their top three starters - the only Yankee pitchers who got roughed up who aren't reserves or injury replacements are Proctor and Rivera

Tweeter ,so don't blog with us ,find someone else to trade tirades with!

It amazes me how poor Joe Torre is at managing his bullpen after all of these years. I am convinced that he is intent on ruining Scott Proctor's career. What is it now? 12 out of 16 games? It this a joke? Meanwhile, we have Kyle Farnsworth who can't pitch on back-to-back days because his arm is sore.

What needs to happen is Torre needs to sacrifice a starter's interests for the good of the team. Meaning that if Chien-Ming Wang or Kei Igawa struggle for the Yankees in the beginning innings, they are going to have to stick it out for the team. Make it a point that they are going to go 7 IP no matter the circumstances. This is just absurd in every which way and Torre is adding to the problem.

The ONLY ones?

Mariano is the only reason the Yankees had as much success as they have had. You guys have no idea what you have, but you will once he walks at the eand of the season and now Proctor is your closer.

I blame Damon and Myers If the Yankees lose tonight.I mean Yankees scores five runs against Matsuzaka, and The pitchers failed them again. They're both Rats who giving out tips and secrets to their former teammates. Damon's probably using his cellphone by texting messages to his former teammates about Certain pitchers from Yankees and giving them out.

I think this is the Redsox Master Plan all along to get back on their hatred towards The Yankees. They had to Let Damon and Myers hits a free agency and fool the Yankees going after these two guys. The Redsox Management so smart that They had to Pretend that They can't afford to resign these two guys.

Tweeter, I know exactly how good Mariano is, which is why him blowing the save friday night doesn't worry me - I view it as a blip on the radar screen rather than something to get jittery about.

Ruse
Tirades?

There is no anger here, this is pure enjoyment. No no no I lave reading your fiction. Yankee vision is histerical to those of us grounded in reality. Its like being the only sober guy at the party of drunks!

Did I just hear someone concede tonights game? What has happened to the Yankee invincibility? The fans talking about how "WE" pulled it out in the ninth?

Posada did a nice job there working the count to 3-3 and getting a walk after he already struck out looking.

Wow now it's legal to actually reach out and grab for infielders trying to make the pivot too?

It's really amazing you people find a way to complain about anything. I've already got 4 outs this inning, but tying run's at third!

J Phelps, catching? Boy now you guys have someone to compare to Johnny Bench.

ALL THESE GAMES WERE WINNABLE !!

1. mGR STRATEGY SUCKED THIS SERIES.

2. BOSTON HIT THOSE HR'S OFF A SHOOKED PITCHER TORRE SHOULD HAVE BEEN THERE AFTER MANNY'S SHOT. HE WAS LEFT FOR DEAD .

3. THE GAME CALLING HAS BEEN AWFUL NIEVES NEED TO BE PLACED ON WAIVERS AND PRATT OR DAVIS SIGNED.

IN REALITY

THE YANKEES THOUGH THEY WILL LOSE BEAT UP THE SOX'S BEST THREE PITCHERS WHILE THE SOX BEAT UP ROOKIES PLUS A SORRY ASS MO.

Anonymous,

You dont understand, Yogi Berra called a bad game one time, and so did Johnny Bench and Thurman Munson. So you must not understand baseball in the Yankee way. Nieves has only played 4 games above AAA. Read all the posts on here and you will understand the Yankee way. Nieves and Wright will be the starting battery in the All Star game.

By the way, whos first palce in the Beating up the Sox best three pitchers standings. I haven't seen that one posted in the paper lately.

I think the soxs are first place in the 4 consecutive home runs off the young gun standings.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE FROM CALLING AND PLAYING A BAD GAME HE HAS ISSUES WITH BALLS IN THE DIRT. AFTER TWO HOMERS SOMEONE NEEDED TO RUN OUT AND TALK TO HIM . yANKEE MGMT IS SETTING UP CASH AND TORRE TRUST ME. BY LETTING THIS PLAY OUT WITH ALL THEIR COMPLAINING ABOUT WANTING TO RUN THINGS BY THEM SELVES.

IF BUCK OR LOU WAS MGR THE LEAD WOULD HAVE REMAINED. CHESS MGMT WAS NEEDED IN THIS SERIES