Posts Tagged ‘Travis Hafner’

Another Injury?

Tuesday, May 14th, 2013

Photo: AP/Mark Duncan

I couldn’t believe it when, as I was cheering the return of Granderson, I read that Hafner was out with a sore shoulder and that MRI results are pending. Jeez. Am I wrong in thinking the injury bug has invaded all of baseball, not just the Yankees? It’s crazy out there.

Granderson clearly needs some major league games under his belt. He looked rusty, but it was nice having him back. I missed a lot of the game (I went to see “The Great Gatsby”), but caught enough of it to see that CC notched quite a few strikeouts and Mo got yet another save. I did not get to see the Overbay/King Felix collision except for replays. Sounds like Felix was in command before that happened though.

What was so heartening to read about was the comeback aspect of the Yanks. Being down a few runs against The King isn’t a happy prospect, but they clawed their way back and stole it. Bravo.

 

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The Bash Boys!

Friday, April 19th, 2013

Photo: Jim McIsaac/Newsday

NYPost

Photo: Elsa/Getty Images North America

I didn’t watch any of tonight’s win over Toronto – I was glued to the manhunt in Watertown – but it sounds like the combination of power and pitching did the job.

Pettitte was his reliable self, and the bats did the rest. I have to tip my cap to Cashman for putting together a team of castoffs who have turned out to be more than a little motivated to show what they can do.

 

 

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Pronked!

Wednesday, April 17th, 2013

Yes, Travis Hafner has a candy bar named after him. At least he did when he was a slugger in Cleveland. Maybe with a few more tie-breaking homers like he hit tonight, he could get the candy company to revive it with him in pinstripes.

His homer saved me from having to gnaw on my fingernails for longer than necessary, so I was grateful. Nice move by Girardi pinch hitting him for Francesco who, despite his first hit, hasn’t shown much.

I didn’t have a good feeling about this game in the early going. CC didn’t look sharp and the Diamondbacks pitcher, Miley Cyrus Wade Miley, was very “on,” throwing strikes and throwing them in quick succession. But CC settled down and the Yankees fought their way back, which is such a good sign on both fronts. And, of course, it all set the stage for Mo to come in and do what he does best. Game over.

There were no Pronk Bars around my house, so I celebrated with this. Much healthier. Tasty too.

 

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The First Janer Of The Season!

Monday, April 8th, 2013

I’ve said many times that blowouts are my favorite kind of win, so Friend of the Blog Barbara (where are you, Barbara?) coined the term “Janer” whenever the Yankees score 10 or more runs. You can have pitcher’s duels. They’re exciting but too nerve wracking for me. I like my wins to be no-doubters with enough room to breathe.

Today’s game against the Indians was just the ticket. The bats were red hot. Cano had a great day with those two homers, showing us he’s alive after all. Hafner seemed thrilled to be back in Cleveland so he could show everybody that he, too, is still alive. Wells continued his resurrection. It was all good.

Kuroda? He went five and got the win. He looked shaky early, but his finger is probably still sore. The only downside to the game for me was Joba. He shaved off the mustache since it wasn’t bringing him any luck, and while he didn’t get hammered today he made the ninth a trial in an already looong game. Full counts are not the way to succeed. I wish he got that. It made me mad that he even allowed the possibility that Mo would have to get loose after throwing all those pitches yesterday.

But it was a very nice way to open the series. Andy goes tomorrow and who doesn’t want a repeat of his last start? Not me.

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The Pronx Bombers?

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2013

Photo: Getty Images

The Bronx Is Vernon?

Those were John Sterling’s calls, apparently, not mine. I was watching on ESPN. In any case, the Yankees got their first homers of the season from these two.

It wasn’t enough.

Not only did the rest of the team fail to look alive at the plate, but chalk up yet another injury, this time to Kuroda. Very relieved that the x-rays of his finger were negative, but I’m guessing he’ll miss a start (it’s cold, he’s old, the Yankees will be cautious). I do wish pitchers could refrain from reaching for balls. I know it’s a reflex, but it almost always ends badly.

The only remotely interesting thing about the game was Adam Warren, who mostly excelled in long relief.

Oh, wait. The other remotely interesting thing was their bullpen guy, Andrew Miller.

Photo: Matthew J. Lee/Boston Globe

(As the Globe’s Pete Abraham said, he looks like Tom Hanks in “Castaway” with all the hair.) Why did he plunk Ben Francisco, who was pinch hitting for Ichiro? Was it because Kuroda hit two Sox players while he was nursing a bruised finger and, therefore, erratic? If so, how bizarre. Or was it because of some carry-over from last season? If so, how doubly bizarre since Miller had never faced Francisco. Maybe it was just the cold weather that got to Miller. But I sure wouldn’t want to see that big guy with the big fastball coming at me.

Notice how I didn’t say a word about Eduardo Scissorhands’ error? It really was a tough chance, so I’m giving him a pass this time.

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And Our New Raul Ibanez Is….

Thursday, January 31st, 2013

I was skeptical when Cashman signed Rauuul last year, especially after his slow start in spring training, but he turned out to be a life saver. Will Hafner? I just hope we don’t have to call him “Pronk,” his nickname with the Indians. (Apparently, it’s a cross between “project” and “donkey.” Don’t ask.)

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