Miami Vice
Maybe if those two had pinch hit for Posada and Cano in the ninth, the Yankees would have come back to beat the Marlins. Anybody would have been better than Jorge, who popped up with Tex on first, and Cano, who grounded into a double play (which he also did in the ninth against the Nationals on Wednesday).
Instead, the Yanks went down 2-1. It was a pitcher’s duel between the Marlins’ hard-throwing young giant, who was actually good as opposed to lucky,
and AJ, who was very good but very unlucky.
Not only were his teammates’ bats silent, but his three outfielders had adventurous interactions with fly balls due, supposedly, to Land Shark Stadium’s bright lights.
Swisher caught Coghlan’s line drive in the first but was clearly blinded.
In the fourth, Melky let Ramirez’s ball drop in front of him for a single, which made him look awfully clumsy.
And Damon was charged with an error after failing to catch Cantu’s liner in the sixth, turning a routine out into an interesting slide.
The game did have its positives:
Posada nailed Ramirez and Bonifacio trying to steal second.
AJ went six-plus, striking out eight.
Coke and Hughes threw perfect innings in relief.
I’m really beginning to appreciate Phil Hughes in the pen. He seems much freer, less of a nibbler, as a reliever. What an asset he could be down the stretch.
I’m not sure why A-Rod was pinch-hitting in the eighth. I thought he was resting, which means not picking up a bat or going in to play third base. Is it really that hard to follow doctor’s orders?
And what was up with those cowbells the Marlins handed out to fans at the game? Aren’t they a Rays thing?
The funniest line of the game came from YES’s Paul O’Neill: “I love sports. They’re so much better than reading a book because you never know what’s going to happen.”
I love sports myself, Paulie, but memo to you: books have surprising plot twists too. Have you ever heard of Ludlum? Grisham? Jane Heller?
Confessions of a She-Fan 
Ms. Heller,
I have to agree with you here. I think everytime the Yankees had a man on first, a collective sigh went up whenever Jorge, Jeter, Cano come to the plate. I think everyone would rather the Yankees just watch a bad pitch and SO rather than hit into DPs all day.
but you know what? This is the Yankees as a team in a slum, and theyre playing about .500 baseball. If that is a slump, then I will learn to accept that, a holding pattern is better than a losing record.
http://yankeeempire.mlblogs.com/
I totally agree with you, rocklandyanks. DPs are just killers. At least A-Rod worked a walk. But I think the team needs to get another winning streak going. Playing .500 ball is OK until it becomes a pattern. Btw, I’m Jane. No “Ms. Heller” allowed!
These one-run losses are a killer. They have to break out of this pattern and soon.
Is it stupidly obvious to say that this game pissed me off? Oh-yeah-there’s the rollercoaster feeling again. Was it opposite day for The Yanks today? Sure does seem like it. They ALL did exactly what they shouldn’t have done. Damon, Jeter, A-ROD!?! What the hell?
So, this game was irritating-and I was reading a book through it to escape the obvious. Really, I was. Please tell me that Paul O’Neil DID NOT say that watching sports is better than reading a book! Seriously??? And he never corrected himself, never??? How embarassing! YES should make him do a year-long literacy program with every school anywhere near NY.
~V~
http://yankeetruelove.mlblogs.com
What was up with all of the DP’s? That was frustrating. The Yanks certainly had their chances despite the stellar pitching performance by Josh Johnson. It’s great to see that the bullpen is finally starting to come around. I guess eliminating the Veras virus from the pen was an excellent move! Go CC Sabathia!
Scott
http://fotr.mlblogs.com
Jane,
Good catch on the O’Neill comment. I cringed when I heard that.
Maybe Paulie should stick to food criticism. Also, check the profile of Dan Haren in the latest Sporting News (6/22). “I’ve never read a book cover to cover.” You have a lot of missionary work to do.
Dave
Hey Jane …
I’m reporting in from Florida …last night’s game was a well pitched game by AJ which makes me feel good because with a little help in the field and a few less dp’s hit into by our guys he could have easily won that game. He’s had two awesome games in a row and looks like the guy who pitched against us all those times. Johnson pitched terrific and I know people hate when the Yankees tip their caps to pitchers but he really did deserve it last night. Another positive for the Yankees has been the bullpen ….they have been doing a much better job especially when our starters go at least 7 innings and keep them rested.
I’ll be at the game later today …first going out for an early lobster dinner … :o). Let’s hope CC can do the job and get the big W for us so that the Marlins can tip their caps to him.
As far as Landshark Stadium (how many names has this place had ?) it’s hot and not too pleasing to the eye. It’s all orangy boring …it’s really horrible when bb teams have to play in a football stadium but there was a BIG crowd last night with much more Marlins “fans” (the ones who turn out to see the Yankees and ring cowbells…ugh). Too bad those fans don’t support their team for the rest of the season. Still more Yankee fans tho’ ….I guess they gave the cowbells to hopefully drown out the Yankee fans …didn’t work…lol. Is there any worse sound than those dopey cowbells?? It must be a Florida thing since they ring at Tampa too..another reason I’d never live there….
Have a good day !!!
GO Yankees 2009 !!!
Len, one-run losses are a killer – especially when they have Gardner on base and their job is to get him home!
Vanessa, there is definitely a roller coaster feeling lately, and it’s a concern. We’re lucky they had a good streak in May or we’d be climbing out of the cellar.
You’re so right about the pen lately, Scott, although I hope we didn’t just jinx them. LOL. They’ve been much better without Veras, Edwar and Albaladejo.
It’s a funny thing about ballplayers and books, David. Jeter participated in the “Get Caught Reading” campaign for literacy a while back. But for the most part, players who read are considered freakish. Remember Matt DeSalvo, a young pitcher who came up in ’07 for a brief time? He read books in the dugout and the announcers were merciless!
Hey, Peggy. Thanks for checking in from FL. Johnson deserved a hat tip; he wasn’t just another rookie at all. Very impressive. But we had him on the ropes when he got tired and did nothing with it! Grrrrr. Hope you enjoy the lobster (yum) and the game today.
I think Jeter’s DP and Damon’s strikeout in the 8th pissed me off way more than the crap that went down in the 9th. They had men on first and second with no outs before Jeter’s DP! What the hell?! I hereby crown Jeter King of the Double Play.
Josh Johnson is an ace! The Yanks aren’t alone having trouble hitting him.
I’m guessing that O’Neil didn’t get read much past “Where’s Waldo,” because that always has a predicable outcome. He probably went all through school fooling his teachers by saying he READ that book.
http://homerfoodandhistory.mlblogs.com/
Jane – the fielding miscues that the Yankees might have had last night pale next to the Braves today against the Red Sox. The second baseman and shortstop both watched the ball drop between. They just stood there. Too funny!
Julia
http://werbiefitz.mlblogs.com/
I hear you, Serena. The eighth was extremely frustrating. But what’s really maddening is that I’m blacked out of today’s game for some reason. My Extra Innings package isn’t showing it, so I hope MLB.TV will.
Johnson is the real deal, Jeremy. I must not have been paying enough attention to the NL or I would have known that. And yeah, O’Neill probably claimed he read books but was too busy playing sports.
I hope the Braves keep it up, Julia, so the Yanks can take advantage next week when we play them.
We need to face facts, this is not a good baseball team. The look at strikes and swing at balls in the dirt. Can we have a few more hitters making out by swinging at the first pitch. I really can’t watch anymore, it is one thing when other teams just beat you, but when you continually beat yourself, unacceptable. I Can’t wait for Joe and his staff to be fired. I wish some of the players could go with him. What a complete disappointment Jeter has been, between the double plays and first pitch swinging, he looks DONE!!!!! This team is really bad.
We need to face facts, this is not a good baseball team. The look at strikes and swing at balls in the dirt. Can we have a few more hitters making out by swinging at the first pitch. I really can’t watch anymore, it is one thing when other teams just beat you, but when you continually beat yourself, unacceptable. I Can’t wait for Joe and his staff to be fired. I wish some of the players could go with him. What a complete disappointment Jeter has been, between the double plays and first pitch swinging, he looks DONE!!!!! This team is really bad.
We need to face facts, this is not a good baseball team. The look at strikes and swing at balls in the dirt. Can we have a few more hitters making out by swinging at the first pitch. I really can’t watch anymore, it is one thing when other teams just beat you, but when you continually beat yourself, unacceptable. I Can’t wait for Joe and his staff to be fired. I wish some of the players could go with him. What a complete disappointment Jeter has been, between the double plays and first pitch swinging, he looks DONE!!!!! This team is really bad.
It was a tough loss no doubt about it. I like how you said the guys from Miami Vice would have been more effective against the Marlins than Posada and Cano.
-Dillon
http://dillonm.mlblogs.com
I know you’re upset, dmpaccione, but Jeter has had a great season until recently (the sore ankle hasn’t helped). That said, they’ve been playing badly this month after being on fire in May. Still, they’re in much better shape this year than last. They’re just going through a rough patch (I hope).
Another tough loss, Dillon, especially with the chance to come back in the ninth.
O’Neill might read crap, Jane. Some people like to read crap. There are people in the world who think “The Da Vinci Code” is the height of literature.
If I were you, I’d protest at the linking of Kim Jones’s blog at the bottom of your postings considering the way she blew you off while you were working on your book.
http://www.paullebowitz.com/
another quality loss today, heh. I wouldn’t mind losing if these were teams like the Phillies, Red Sox, Angels, Dodgers, Rangers, or even Detroit, or rival Mets, but these are teams that the Yankees should mow down, and it’s not happening. This extends far beyond just “not being able to hit new pitching”. There is a problem much more endemic inside. You have to look back onto their great run in May. What was the difference? Posada. I’m not going to harp on the pitching numbers and ERA, because thats not what I mean.
What i mean is that without Jorge in the clubhouse I feel there was a much different tone. Jorge is widely seen as the bad cop to Jeter’s good cop. I think that maybe his bad cop routine may be rubbing some people in the clubhouse the wrong way. I can definitely see a guy like Posada being a no nonsense kind of guy who will get on your nerves when you screw up. I think we all know how one person can change the whole energy of a group of people.
I appreciate everything Jorge has done for this team, but I think that the Yankees might have to start considering the next step in the future of the Yankee, at catcher, short, and the outfield. They made some great strides in acquiring Teixeira at 1st, Cano is still viable for 2nd, and Rodriguez at 3rd for now. There is good promise behind the plate with Cervelli and even Pena at short, who has good range. Outfield is good defensively with Gardner and Melky, and Melky’s bat has been way more than you could hope for. The third outfield spot is really up for grabs, Damon should be gone by next year, Matsui hasn’t been able to run since last year, and as much as I like Swisher, he has been sort of a debacle. The Starting pitching rotation is still very solid, despite a rough week. There can be no question Burnett, CC, and Wang are all of ace caliber, and that Joba and Hughes both have great potential in many ways for the staff. Andy is probably not long for the league, but he has always been solid.
I dont really know how I ended up writing so much… but yeah, that Yankees are annoying me. 🙂
Oh, and is it bothering anyone else that the Yankees’ losses to the Nats and Fish are the exact same style as their losses to the Red Sox? I mean, you’d think they would breeze through these teams after one run losses to the Sox, but of course, no. 😉
http://yankeeempire.mlblogs.com/
You got to know I am a Miami Vice fanatic Jane.
I used to VCR tape every episode because I was playing football on Friday nights.
“Hey Pal!” classic Sonny Crockett line.
By the way, we let our brethren to the south also do the “cowbell thing since it is a Florida thing.
We are the AL team, they are the NL team, so we share the cowbell tradition to whoever plays the Yankees ( just kidding).
It was probably a closet Rays fan that sneaked away when the Marlins were losing games last year.
I guess the Yankees saw why a retractable roof stadium is the best thing in the 105 degree heat index south with blinding sunlight at 2 pm.
Rays Renegade
http://raysrenegade.mlblogs.com
I don’t think O’Neill reads anything except the sports pages, Paul. Well, maybe the comics. And since his sister was the NYT’ food critic, I guess he reads recipes.
Rocklandyanks, I hear your frustration and share it. I just wrote a post about today’s game. But I honestly don’t think Posada’s the problem. The Yanks had a hot May for a number of reasons: A-Rod came back, Tex got going, Cano was on fire, Jeter was great in the leadoff spot, Damon was hitting bombs, and the starting pitching started to give us innings. Now the bats have gone cold. O’Neill was saying today that Cano has picked up the bad habit of trying to pull everything again. Have faith. Things will get better. But this is definitely a bad stretch.
So you were a Miami Vice junkie, Renegade? It was a cool show for awhile there. And yeah, a retractable roof would have been nice today. I guess playing at the air conditioned Trop is the answer!