Posts Tagged ‘White Sox’

Our Lead Is Now Three Little Games

Wednesday, August 22nd, 2012

Getting swept is never fun, but getting swept on a night when your rival is celebrating a win is seriously not fun. Yes, our division lead is now down to three, following the Rays’ victory over the Royals. U.S. Cellular Field, it turned out, was a house of horror for the Yankees.

 

Hughes wasn’t bad at all. But the offense – and I have to keep excluding Jeter, who has been superhuman – was cringe worthy. I’d like to blame the lack of scoring on the home plate ump, who rang up Ichiro and Tex on questionable calls. No matter. The hitters just aren’t hitting. I hope tomorrow’s day off will be rejuvenating. They should all go to a spa or something.

And while they’re getting massages and mud masks, Nova will be getting examined by a doctor. Suddenly, he has a sore shoulder. Well, not “suddenly,” but after the sixth inning of last night’s game. Are pitchers made of glass? All they do is get hurt. It’s a miracle they make it through an entire season in one piece.

Getting back to our three-game lead, maybe the Yanks will go on a tear this weekend and put some distance between them and everybody else.

Or maybe the Baseball Gods just want a more exciting pennant race.

Share

Uh-oh, Nova. KO’d Again.

Tuesday, August 21st, 2012

I’m not sorry I missed seeing Ivan Nova get hammered by Kevin Youkilis’ grand slam tonight. I didn’t see most of the game, first because I was with Friend of the Blog Audrey and her husband Larry, who drove up to Santa Barbara during their west coast trip and honored us with a visit (and brought some delicious chocolate truffles) and then because I had a dinner date at a local restaurant. So I saw highlights (or, more appropriately, low lights) when I got home. What a bummer. Thank God the Rays lost.

So. Is Nova no longer good? No longer a winner? No longer a starter we would trust in the playoffs? I’d feel better if he merely threw a couple of bad pitches tonight, but the fact is he’s been trending downward for awhile. He’s shown glimpses of his former glory but glimpses aren’t good enough in September and we’re almost there.

As for Derek Lowe, I think we’re seeing why he was dumped by the Indians. Enough said.

I loved that Jeter got us off to another early lead, but what’s going on with Cano? He’s been invisible, offensively, and we need him to be the Cano of last season.

But I don’t mean to sound so negative. The Yankees are in first place in the AL East – a very nice place to be. They’re not playing well right now, that’s all. Maybe they’re allergic to Chicago. Maybe they’re saving their talents for games against division rivals. Maybe they’re waiting for CC to come back.

Salvaging tomorrow’s finale would be very much appreciated.

 

Share

That Game Was Nausea Inducing

Monday, August 20th, 2012

I know the Yankees flew into Chicago in the wee hours after playing their ESPN game on Sunday night. But the hitters looked lively. It was the pitchers who seemed groggy.

Sweaty Freddy, along with a parade of relievers, kept giving back the lead and the result was a loss to the White Sox that should have been a win. I mean, how do you drive their starter out of the game in the second inning and still not get a “W?”

I’ll tell you how: you leave Joba in too long, for one thing. Yes, he’s still coming back from major injuries, but shouldn’t he be working out the kinks in the minors then? The Rays won. Our lead in the division narrowed. We don’t have the luxury of watching Joba rehab. It’s not fun at all.

I won’t even bother talking about Eppley and Logan. The point is that the bullpen, aside from Robertson and Soriano, have not done the job lately.

Very happy to see Tex back and apparently feeling fine.

Not very happy to read about Pineda’s DUI arrest.

Nice mug shot. Anyhow, so far he’s been quite the bust as far as trades go.

 

Share

Was That Game The Pits Or What?

Saturday, June 30th, 2012

I wasn’t going to post this weekend, but my plane ended up landing just as the game was starting. Considerate of the pilot, wasn’t it?

Warren got bombed and Phelps wasn’t much better, but Cory Wade – I hate to keep harping on him because he’s probably a nice guy – just stinks. Yes, he was good last year and early this year, but he’s not good anymore and we need to bid him a fond farewell.

Dewayne Wise. LOL. His outing didn’t have the outright campiness of Nick Swisher’s pitching performance – the fact that Swisher’s was at the Trop gave it more levity – but he was great just the same. I’m starting to love Wise and hope he hangs around all season.

All kidding aside though, I wish we had a kid in AAA who could throw 98 mph, come to the majors right now and become the next great hope. We need somebody.

Yes, it’s hot in NY but fortunately I like the heat!

Share

Is “The Babe Curse” Baaack?

Saturday, April 21st, 2012

The reason I asked….Well, you know why I asked. Today’s game had a definite otherworldly quality to it – as if the ghosts of Fenway were stirred up by all the festivities yesterday. I know there have been wild comebacks over the course of The Rivalry – with both teams playing the part of the comebacker – but the onslaught mounted by the Yankees after being down 9-0 was seriously amazing.

Where to begin with this one? At the beginning, I guess.

Sweaty Freddy was horrible. I wanted him gone after the first minute. I wish Pettitte could get ready fast – especially now that Pineda is off the radar for the time being.

Phelps has been great, but even he looked over-matched.

Fortunately, the cast of characters that followed out of the pen were stellar, giving the offense a chance to do some damage.

How much damage? None that I could have predicted. I get that the Sox’s middle and late relievers haven’t been effective (poor Aceves), but how about the power of Swisher and Tex, in particular?

Fifteen unanswered runs. One after another after another. I don’t recall anything like it.

When the crowd booed Valentine as he walked to the mound to make a pitching change, I actually felt sorry for him. As Suzyn Waldman pointed out, “it’s not as if he had Goose Gossage out there.” Maybe they should have been booing their front office. (I wonder how Bobby V’s subtle tip of the cap was perceived.)

I saw a clip of his press conference after the game when he said the team had hit rock bottom. But isn’t it too early in the season to say that? The Sox got off to a slow start last year and they did just fine until the fateful collapse.

Who knows. I’d rather dwell on the euphoria I felt when the Yankees scored all those runs. Pure bliss.

Sounds like they’ll be rained out tomorrow, which would be a shame. I like the momentum they have going.

In other news, interesting about the perfecto by White Sox pitcher Phil Humber. I’d never heard of the guy but I read that he’d been traded a bunch of times and picked up on waivers. Not exactly a perfecto-type pedigree. But then the Mariners have been no-hit three times and if you’re going to throw a no-no they’re the team to be facing, no offense to Jesus Montero. Anyhow, congratulations to him.

 

 

Share

Welcome, Jayson Nix, Whoever You Are

Monday, November 28th, 2011

Actually, I do remember him from his stint with the White Sox. He was a good looking second baseman who hit well against us, I think. But mostly, he’s one of those guys who was supposed to be a star and never realized his potential.

According to his very own Wikipedia page, he’s been DFA-ed a lot but continues to provide utility-man options for teams that hope he’ll hit too. Will he make it to the Bronx after landing a minor league deal with the Yanks? Sure. Cashman is always looking for this.

Share

Nova Was Delicious

Thursday, August 4th, 2011

(courtesy: Russ and Daughters)

Aside from his bizarre pitch-out that ultimately led to a White Sox run, Ivan Nova gave the Yankees a lot to think about tonight. Remember when he couldn’t get out of the 5th inning? So much for that problem. He was superb – the best he’s ever looked, particularly his command of the slider. He kept the hitters completely off balance and didn’t walk anybody. Plus, he was throwing 93 mph in the 8th.

How do you send him down to the minors?

You don’t.

On the other hand, a six-man rotation doesn’t work. It just doesn’t.

I’m glad I’m not Cashman.

I’m also very glad Cano hit that homer early to give the Yankees the lead. Humber was impressive and I was afraid we wouldn’t get to him. Nice manufacturing of runs after that. And then came Martin’s monster homer against Bruney. Wow.

I didn’t get my 10 runs, but I’m not complaining. Great game.

So the Indians beat the Red Sox and we go to Fenway tied for first. What a huge series this will be.

Share

Another Incomplete For Me

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

It’s 17-7 in the 7th and I’m done for the night. I’m hoping we’ll end up scoring 20, but I’ll settle for a win – especially given AJ’s dismal performance.

Is there anyone who faults Girardi for pulling him in the 5th? As Michael Kay said, it’s the manager’s job to get the team a win, not the pitcher a win. It just stinks that the Yankees finally gave AJ some real run support and he couldn’t hold it together. He was seriously mad when he stormed into the dugout. He ripped off his shirt like guys do in the movies before they’re about to punch someone or something.

Yes, the offense was fabulous but AJ is the story of the night. Now do we wish we’d traded for a #2 pitcher?

It was fun seeing Bruney again. Maybe he did get robbed on that call at first base, but his ejection reminded me of the episode when he had words with K-Rod. Good, good times.

I’m almost afraid to turn off the TV. I feel a brawl coming on – or at least a few plunkings of Yankees batters. I hope I’m wrong and this blowout ends peacefully. It’s not our fault that the White Sox are awful this year.

Share

I’m Going To Sleep

Tuesday, August 2nd, 2011

First, there’s a rain delay in Chicago because there’s a threat of rain. Now, there’s a rain delay because it’s actually raining. And I’m not waiting up to see if they’ll resume play because they should have started the game on time to begin with!

Well, and because I’m really tired from traveling and changing time zones and all of that.

Besides, the Yankees seem to have this one well in hand.

How great was Hughes? I’ve been knocking him for weeks (okay, months), but he really turned it up a notch tonight, throwing quality strikes with velocity and keeping his pitch count down and getting swings and misses. Maybe Cashman was right and we didn’t need another starter after all.

And Tex. Wow. Homers from both sides – the most ever. I was sure Mickey Mantle would have had more, but apparently not.

So I’m going to bed figuring the Yankees won this, hoping the Red Sox lost their game and dreaming that we’re back in first place where we belong.

‘Night.

Share

Hello From The East Coast

Monday, August 1st, 2011

Yes, it’s humid here. But I love the heat, so it doesn’t bother me.

And it doesn’t bother my mother, the Original She-Fan. She may be 94 and counting, but when I showed up at her house last night, she hadn’t aged a bit since the last time I visited.

One of the first things I did this morning was whip out the She-Fan Cam to get a few words of wisdom from her. We focused on the upcoming series with the Red Sox. Take a look.

Why didn’t I inherit her sane genes?

Aside from our reunion, the best thing about my trip east so far was the guy who picked us up at JFK last night. He was born and raised in the Bronx – a huge Yankee fan, needless to say – and his grandson is great friends with Mo’s oldest son so he’s been to Mo’s house. That’s right. He knows where God lives! And now so do I!

Anyhow, the Yankees just beat the White Sox, speaking of Mo. I’m too tired to recap but CC did what he had to do, Cano made some cool defensive plays and Grandy was Grandish. Very nice, tidy win to open the series.

Share