He’s hardly my idea of a perfect ballplayer and I wince every time he makes a throw from shortstop, but can he ever hit. He was even one of tonight’s defensive stars (after yet another shaky throw in the first inning) and I have to admit I’ll miss his bat and his speed when Jeter comes back.
That said, there were plenty of other heroes in tonight’s series opener with the Mets – from Nova and Martin working together to escape tough situations to Tex picking up a couple of A-Rod’s errant throws. And how about those bunts by Nova and Logan?
The Yankees caught a break on the ump’s blown call on Reyes at third (nice fake, A-Rod), but so it goes. Our bullpen is a thing of beauty right now and I can’t believe I was in such a panic about it. When Michael Kay mentioned that Soriano was throwing again and could be ready to join the team after the All-Star break, I said, “Who’s Soriano?”
I hope Swisher’s okay after fouling that ball off his foot. Granderson did the same thing the other night. I wish they’d stop it already.
That high wall at Citi Field is ridiculous. A-Rod’s ball would have gone out in any other ballpark. I’m not saying every stadium should be a bandbox, but if I were the Mets I’d give their hitters a break. Who would want to play there other than a pitcher?
Anyhow, the Yanks must be enjoying Interleague, which is another way of saying that the AL East is a bear.
I’m not at all fond of Nunez, Jane. He had a great day offensively but the purpose of any backup player when they are filling in for a regular is to at least be adequate defensively. His constant errors have become laughable at this point. I really don’t see Nunez being the heir at SS when Jeter inevitably retires when his current contract ends. I don’t see how the organization was so high on him that they weren’t willing to include him in the almost Lee trade last year yet were willing to ship off Montero. But anyway I’ll give him credit today in that his offense had certainly helped us win. The RISP numbers were not great but at least the hits they did get got some runs and were enough to win the game. Nova wasn’t stellar but he got the job done and limited the damage with some great defense behind him (one in particular was Cano’s double play). I am also upset that Citi Field’s wall prevented a home run but hopefully that’s a sign of A-Rod getting his power stroke back to compliment his hot hitting. As for his almost errant throws, we’re just so lucky to have an excellent hitting but also a great fielding first baseman in Tex. Feels so long but I’m looking forward to Colon’s start tomorrow. It should be must see TV as his previous starts if he’s completely healthy and not rusty.
I cringe every time Nuñez gets a ball hit his way. And after that ball got away from Cano and it hit him in the ankle, dribbling away, he didn’t hustle after it to prevent Reyes from popping back up and attempting to take third. Come on, man! You’re not the only one with blazing speed at this level! He’s a work in progress, but so are many rookies in one way or another. Hopefully he’ll get way better with time. And hopefully he’ll learn to adjust once everyone learns how to pitch to him…
A-Rod was robbed of a home run by CitiField with that shot. No doubt about it. I had a sneak peek of that stadium a few weeks ago when a very insistent gal friend of mine practically begged me to join her there. (no, no. calm down everyone! she is not a met fan, so it’s all very kosher and she is very much so on the up-and-up. she’s more a mariners fan, but i’m slowly but surely converting her to yankeeism with a little help from the warmth and divinity of the holy navy blue light!) The outfield is ridiculous… It’s humongoid. I’ll actually be sitting just a little to the left of that spot in the outfield seats on Sunday with said gal above and the same cousin that brought about so much ire in us all the other day (the wannabe yankee gm), so be sure to look for me! Hopefully A-Rod hits a shot straight to me that will also be a no doubter…
Anyway, the jerk of a Met fan at work decided to put on the PIX-11/SNY feed of the game, so I didn’t get to hear our YES guys tonight. He made the mistake of first going to SNY, and once I caught notice that they wouldn’t be broadcasting the game tonight (because the Mets’ feed would be on PIX instead), I changed it to the Yankee pregame show on YES. It’s where I knew for sure we can watch the game. The jerk mumbled and groaned, looking up where the SNY feed would be instead, and then changed it to PIX. I said, “Hey, why the hate? It was already on YES where the game was anyway!” He acted like he didn’t hear me or something, which is impossible because I’m Dominican and we talk pretty damn loud! But I thought, ‘Let him act like a child then. Let him hear his whiny announcers.’ It was pretty funny though to hear the commentary and see the perspective from the losing side… lol. Let him cheer his one run. I didn’t clap or celebrate any runs, plays, or the win. I act like we’ve done this before…
And speaking of whiny Mets announcers, there was a ‘stat’ about how 48% of home runs hit to right in Yankee Stadium wouldn’t be home runs at CitiField. As if saying that Yankee Stadium makes a mockery of the sport. And I thought, ‘Well that’s a dumb ‘stat’ to tell people.’ How about for all ballparks? 48% of those home runs probably would still be over the fence at a good number of stadiums. Such a stupid thing to say. Who cares about your stadium, really? Every ballpark is so different, so just shut up… (meanwhile there’s talk of finally bringing in the fences at Citi finally, mind you…)
http://yankeecase.mlblogs.com/
PS, cute Yankee teddy bear. I think I’ll have to get one for that girl… ;) “Mariners who?!”
Left Field calling, with a few quick comments…
Must have patience with these young ones. Frequent errors drive everybody bonkers, but there’s been many a great major leaguer (and many more long-time capable ones) who started their careers as error machines. Often, a change of position bails them out. I can recall going to a “Mickey Mantle Day” in the old Stadium in ’65, and they had a rookie SS who made several errors named Bobby Murcer(!!). Not comforting, understandably, when Our Boyz will need an everyday SS and right soon, however.
Yup, lucky with the play at 3B. The ump had a bad angle; from where he was, the throw beat the runner (which usually dooms him), and it looked like A-Rod coulda brushed him. Of course, from the third base coach’s angle, it’s obvious he didn’t. That’s beisbol. Ump crews are far more likely to revisit a call nowadays than they used to if another ump got a much better angle…in a Nats-Chisox game last weekend, I saw a play at 1B where a rookie 1B ump called the runner out on an off-line sweep tag…then the umps got together, reversed the call and called him SAFE!! Nats had 2 guys ejected on that one — unbelievable to me that they did that — but they really are trying harder to “get it right.” C’est la guerre, mes amies…
I can’t add anything to all this but I have to say – that is a damn cute photo of “Nunie”
Please, let’s give Nunez a chance to mature. There are many ballplayers who were mediocre at best when they first arrived in the ‘bigs’ who developed into all-stars. And don’t we wish we had held on to Lance Berkman?
Yesterday was one of those rare days when the Yankees appeared on TV here in Arkansas so I got to see Reyes’ phantom catch. I was puzzled when the Mets’ announcer called a double play. He, too, thought that Reyes had caught the ball and thrown to second in time to catch the runner off base. Poor Cano, didn’t know what to do. But we were all fooled.
Nova seems to be improving with every outing. He’s another one that needs a little maturing.
As I have often heard… THEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYankees win! And that is what is important.
As Melissa pointed out the other day, Leo, Cano made a lot of errors when he first came up. No, not as many as Nunez, but sometimes a player needs maturing. He has a very strong arm and he seems to rush every throw. Is he Jeter’s heir apparent? We don’t have anyone else in the system, so the Yankees need to work with him to get him right. Ah, Tex. Every time he makes a great pick on a throw from an infielder, I say a silent thank you to the Yankees for bringing him to us. What a first baseman he is. I’m a little nervous about Colon’s start today. Will he be as great as he was before the injury? We’ll see.
I was lucky to get YES for the game, YankeeCase, since I usually get the “away” team’s feed as part of my Extra Innings package, but for some reason the baseball gods decided to give me the good guys. Today will be another story and I’m sure FOX will black me out and I’ll have audio only, plus the Spanish FOX channel for video. Who knows. Glad you’ll be there Sunday. Bring a sign saying hello to us and hold it up. The whole thing about whose stadium is better is silly. At hitters’ ballparks, there’s more offense and the players love coming to them. The pitchers like the big places like Citi Field. The trouble is, the pitchers need offense or they won’t win. So if I were a player, I’d rather have a Yankee Stadium any day.
I don’t see the Yankees moving Nunez to another position, particularly the outfield, Dave, but you never know. He does have a strong arm, as I said to Leo. And they had Pena play in the OF when they needed versatility from him. I’d rather see him in left than Andruw Jones, who doesn’t seem to bring anything to the team except for the very occasional power off the bench. I don’t like when he starts.
He does look cute in that pic, Peg!
Yup, yankeefansince1941. See my comment to Leo. But no, I don’t wish we held on to Lance Berkman! I’m glad he’s having a good year but his success is in the NL and I’m beginning to think the difference between the two leagues is more extreme every day. Glad you got to see the Yankees on TV – and that they won for you!
NIce picture of Nunie! He usually is so serious.
As I said before, he needs time to mature. People (not necessarily here!) were clamoring for Cano to be traded when his fielding was so shabby and now he’s great. We have Jeter, so Nunie has time to mature and learn.
Speaking of fielding, Swish has worked on his and has made some very nice throws to the plate.
I agree about Swisher, Melissa. I used to think he was just a joke in right field, doing cartwheels and throwing himself all over the place. But he’s more disciplined now and his arm strength always surprises me.
Nunez is in the midst of his big shot at it all, and just needs to calm down and make the best of it. He wouldn’t be starting at SS for anybody in the majors, let alone the Yankees, if he didn’t have major potential. If Texiera at first can’t make you look good as an infielder, nobody can. The guy is like a black hole…throw it anywhere near him, and he snags it up, no matter how ugly a throw it is. What a solid player he is.
I’m excited to finally see Bartolo Colon on the mound again. If he even lasts till then, I bet the pen is busy around the fifth inning. Go get ’em, big Bart
Ok I am by no means asking Nunez to be Jeter, Hanley, Tulowitski, or Reyes. Its unrealistic to expect him to be a star in their caliber. If it happens great. If not you accept it and move on. I just hope that if he really is going to be our future starting shortstop going forward, he absolutely needs to improve on his defense and make it a priority. He’s got to have at least some potential about him if Cashman was not willing to trade him for Lee yet almost traded Montero. We shall see what the future brings but we’ve still got a couple more years of Jeter left.
and Nunez drops a throw from Martin, a sure out on Reyes,a dangerous baserunner in the first inning. Very inauspicious start. Colon is hitting the mid nineties on the gun, and looking sharp, though
I wouldn’t spend too much time comparing Nunez to Montero, Leo. Something tells me that if the Yankees thought Montero was ready for prime time, he’d be with the team by now. Until he can prove he’s able to block balls in the dirt and really be a major league catcher, he’s still be a work in progress. Nunez can play at this level. He just needs work on his defense – a lot of work, I agree.
Colon’s looking great so far, NYL. Hope it continues.
I’m glad you get YES Jane, I forgot you have those MLB packs. At this rate you think we could call Nova Mini CC? The game yesterday definitely had more electricity between these two teams in a long time. Who would have guessed our bull pen would be so lights out?
Oh yeah, I’m not sure if anyone said, but Reyes got tagged on the dreadlock, that counts right? :P
The bullpen has been terrific, seindsfeld. Cory Wade has been a really nice surprise in addition to the others.