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The Bronx Block
Game 114: Yankees at Rangers (W)
| New York Yankees (61-52) vs. Texas Rangers (60-54) |
| Sidney Ponson (6-2, 4.23) vs. Tommy Hunter (0-0, 10.80) |
| August 6, 2008 @ 8:05 p.m. @ Rangers Ballpark in Arlington |
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | R | H | E | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 12 | 0 | ||||||
| Texas | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 2 | ||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||
Preview:
Sidney Ponson gets the ball for the Yankees as they try to avoid dropping the first three games of this four-game set. A Rangers’ win would pull them to within a half a game of the Yankees for third place in the Wild Card standings.
Ponson had the best outing of his season five days ago. In that game, he allowed zero runs on just two hits over seven innings. However, he hasn’t put up back-to-back good starts since May 1st and 6th. The last time he faced his former team was on July 2nd, when he allowed seven runs over five innings.
Pitching for the Rangers is 21-year-old right-hander Tommy Hunter. Hunter made his major league debut on August 1st against the Toronto Blue Jays, allowing six runs on eight hits over five innings.
Hunter started out the year in single-A but impressed the Rangers so much that he moved all the way up to the majors in four months. In five starts at AAA, he had a 3.24 ERA and a 1.20 WHIP. He only got 17 strikeouts in 33.1 IP, but allowed just four walks. In his entire Minor-League career, he allowed 30 walks in 161.2 IP. That comes out to 1.67 BB/9.
Joba Chamberlain was put on the 15-day DL today. Chris Britton was called up to take his roster spot. Melky Cabrera will get the day off today, with Johnny Damon starting in center field. Melky is 0 for his last 13 and 3 for his last 24. Alex Rodriguez will get the start at DH with Wilson Betemit playing the field.
Recap:
Well, Sidney wasn’t dominant, but he delivered a quality start, which was enough to get the Yankees the win.
His only really bad inning was the second. He loaded the bases with no outs on two singles and a hit by pitch before giving up a two-run single. Then, with runners on first and second and two outs, he gave up a single to right-field. Bobby Abreu made a fantastic throw, and Pudge Rodriguez managed to hold onto the ball after a prodigious collision at the plate. Unfortunately, both Pudge and the runner, David Murphy, had to leave the game. The good news is that the Yankees are saying that Pudge just has a bruised knee and should just miss a game or two.
After being retired in order in the first two innings, the Yankees figured out Tommy Hunter in the third. They regained the lead with a three run inning on four hits and an RBI groundout. They would cushion their lead in the fourth and fifth innings with a Jason Giambi solo homer and a Derek Jeter RBI double, respectively.
Finally, some good news on the Joba front. Dr. Andrews reportedly told the Yankees that Joba has no long term damage. He will rest a week before starting a throwing program. This is just my own extrapolation, but it seems that if everything goes well, there’s a chance that he could start for the Yankees not too long after he is eligible to come off the DL in 15 days.
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on Wednesday, August 6th, 2008 at 5:46 pm and is filed under Joba Chamberlain, Sidney Ponson, Ivan Rodriguez, Chris Britton, Game Thread / Recap.
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16 Responses to “Game 114: Yankees at Rangers (W)”
August 6th, 2008 at 6:45 pm
Pet Abe has Joba update below:
“This from Brian Cashman: Chamberlain has what is being described as rotator cuff tendinitis. He will be rested for “about a week” and then start a throwing program after being evaluated again.
He will return to New York.
Just for your own reference: “tendinitis” is a nice way to say he has a little tear in his rotator cuff.
Joe Girardi said before the game he was optimistic Joba would play again this season. But a rotator cuff issue is nothing to mess around with. Don’t expect to see Chamberlain any time soon this season, if at all.”
Not sure about that, Pete. Boatmyster gave this eerily similar comparison to a Wang injury several hours ago on another thread. Good call, Boatmyster:
“Do you recall Wang making that trip to Andrews his very first year in the Bigs? It was also for a shoulder injury, and although his status for the rest of the year was questioned, he returned in late August and was good as new. Check this out:
July 19, 2005
Chien-Ming Wang met with Dr. James Andrews on Monday, and the Yankees said Andrews agreed with their diagnosis from last week of a torn rotator cuff, according to Newsday. Wang will go through an exercise program for two weeks and then throw. If his shoulder has not improved, he is expected to have surgery.
To read the rest of that thread, http://www.rototimes.com/mlb/player/4418/notes/2005 “
August 6th, 2008 at 7:15 pm
Don’t know where this guy gets his MD degree talking about tendinitis being “code” for a little tear. I was just at the doctor yesterday for tendinitis in my elbow. With anti-inflamatories and ice, there is no reason why it can’t be brought under control. Don’t know where he got the tear definition from. Now for Joba, as a professional athlete throwing 98 mph, the scary thing is that tendinitis can linger, so you don’t want to try and come back too soon and re-aggravate it. So, it is just going to be a wait and see thing. The good news is having a full staff of highly paid trainers should help to ensure he gets well ASAP.
Here you go from MayoClinic.com
Definition
Tendinitis is inflammation or irritation of a tendon — any one of the thick fibrous cords that attach muscles to bones. The condition, which causes pain and tenderness just outside a joint, can occur in any of your body’s tendons. Tendinitis is common around your shoulders, elbows, wrists and heels.
If tendinitis is severe and leads to the rupture of a tendon, you may need surgical repair. But many times, rest and medications to reduce the pain and inflammation of tendinitis may be the only treatments you need. You can also take preventive measures to reduce your chance of developing tendinitis.
August 6th, 2008 at 7:19 pm
By the way, just want to say that I am DISGUSTED by the Yankee hitting of late. What happened to their plate discipline? Now, I should not be surprised by inconsistent hitting, that has been the trend for much of the year. But yesterday, against a young Rangers pitcher with 6 career starts and a career 6.46 era, they went down meekly. Then, tonight, they get another young Rangers pitcher, with one career start and a 10.80 career era and go down 1-2-3 in the 1st inning. How is it possible that a team with hitters like A-Rod et al. can be the one team that rolls over for these pitchers while the same pitchers get lit up against everyone else? Anyone understand that one?
August 6th, 2008 at 8:12 pm
I missed it. What happened to I-Rod?
August 6th, 2008 at 8:17 pm
He got run into by David Murphy, had to be helped to the locker room. Didnt look great.
August 6th, 2008 at 9:31 pm
Some day someone in baseball will get the bright idea that running down the catcher should be illegal and an automatic out. I presume that will happen after a catcher gets killed. Short of that, the managerial intelligencia who run the game can’t seem to ever drum up one pro-active, original thought to head off inevitable disasters.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
KO thats retarded…its a sport serious injury is a part of the game, i dont know of anyone getting that badly hurt throughout baseballs history so even if one person died it would be a freak accident thing…considering the contact made in other sports, baseball has the least to worry about…enough with the pussification of america
August 6th, 2008 at 11:47 pm
Maybe death is a bit strong, but let’s face it, you’ve got people, sometimes big ones, bearing down at full speed and unloading on a helpless catcher waiting for a throw - if that’s not a severe accident waiting to happen, then what is? Why should that be allowed?
August 7th, 2008 at 1:01 am
Was it just me or was ARods game today pathetic? I wouldn’t mind seeing a little fire out of the guy. Heck, show you’re disappointed when you hit into another double play. Try running a little harder down to 1st base for crying out loud. With a runner on 3rd & 1 out, he should have beaten out the double play, allowing a run to score, but he didn’t run hard the whole way. When you’re having a bad game, the one thing you can control is how hard you try and that was an example where he didn’t try that hard. Man up Arod!
August 7th, 2008 at 1:49 am
I just got home now, and only saw the 9th inning at a bar. I’m pleased the Yanks won, but with 12 hits (I don’t know how many walks, yet) they must’ve left a ton of men on base…..again. Their lack of discipline and lack of big hits will be the demise of this team long before the rotation or bullpen does them in.
About Joba, thanks for the props, Tom. I’m extremely relieved to hear it’s only tendinitis, which was by far the best-case scenario. Tendinitis comes and goes, and can even be pitched through (as David Cone and Andy Pettitte can well attest to). Clearly the Yankees want to be crazy-cautious with Chamberlain, and for damn good reason. This kid is our future, unlike any homegrown pitcher since Ron Guidry. Also, if he misses 3 weeks or so, they have a lot less to worry about in terms of his innings limit, which is rapidly approaching.
To quickly chime in about tendinitis, yeah, this can not be called a small tear in anyone’s anything. Like I cited before, even if it were torn (ala Wang’s in ‘05), it would still be premature to write off the Joba in ‘08. We’re not even looking at anything torn, so I really think it’s time we Yankee fans depress our Hummer-sized Panic Button.
August 7th, 2008 at 1:53 am
About Joba’s innings limit, I take back what I said to a degree. I believe they said about 160 will be his limit, which he is 70 away from. If he went 35 innings each of the next two months (which was his July total), he’d hit 160 exactly. The problem arises, however, when you factor in his Game 1, Game 3, Game 4, and Game 5 Division Series starts.
August 7th, 2008 at 9:03 am
The play at the plate is one of the most exciting plays in baseball, both players usually are wearing helmets, and the catcher has equipment and padding from his neck to his feet.
If someone were to be killed on a play at the plate (maybe a concussion turns into a coma turns into death or something), the only thing I can see changing are chinstraps to keep the helmet on all players (catchers and baserunners) at all times. Christian voluntarily threw his helmet off while running from third the other day and made me think of it.
A-Rod did look like one of the worst players on the field last night, even though he was just the DH. Personal problems taking a toll on his game?
August 7th, 2008 at 11:11 am
“I wouldn’t mind seeing a little fire out of the guy. Heck, show you’re disappointed when you hit into another double play.”
Dan, can’t say I agree with you. Throwing your helmet, or yelling, or whatever accomplishes nothing. Maybe it’d make some fans feel better, but I am pretty sure that A-Rod’s teammates know he is trying and he doesnt need to be demonstrative about it. And let’s face it, if he started pulling antics like that it would just cause him more grief from the media like more “A-Rod wilting under pressure” stories.
If you think he is not running hard, that is your opinion but I kind of get sick of hearing that “A-Rod doesnt show enough fire” comments.
That said, I agree with your earlier comment about yankees facing young pitchers…I think that has been the case for years. Generally, we dont seem to beat up on a lot of the rookie scrub players that other teams do.
August 7th, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Listen, you guys have gotta wake up. Do you have any idea of where this team would be right now without Arod? In the past, I would pile on Arod as much, if not more than almost anyone else. It has just gotten to a point where it’s ridiculous. I know his numbers with men on base suck. OK, fine, there are other guys in the lineup whose numbers just suck, period.
I’m one of the biggest Jeter apologists you’ll come across, but his performance this year is just pathetic. We are witnessing the worst year of his career, and by a wide margin. His OPS is .738, down 100 points from last year and his career average. Do you guys realize that Jeter would have to OPS .857 the rest of the year just to pull his stats up to his prior worst year (1997). Ordinarily that wouldn’t be a stretch, but Jeet’s only had one month this year where he’s OPS’d over .800, and that was his .801 June. Moreover, if he wanted to pull this year up to his career average, he’d have to OPS 1.083 the rest of the way - or slightly better than Arod’s OPS last season.
Bobby Abreu’s OBP is down 40 points from his career average.
Please don’t make me do those calculations for Cano, they’re just too depressing. Suffice it to say that I don’t care much about comparing his stats to his career OPS, since he’s such a different player now than his rookie year, which really pulls it down. His OPS is down 150 points from last season, and 200 points from the ‘06 season.
Last AND least is Melky Cabrera. Since his great April that inspired hope in everyone for his long-term potential, he’s had 14 xbh’s and 18 bb’s. Melky is one of the worst everyday players in baseball.
Now, separate your infantile emotions for a moment…what were you guys saying about Arod being the worst player on the field?
August 7th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
Geez, talk about separating your emotions…Is that you, Madonna? And yes, A-Rod was the only one who grounded into two DPs and had a K, while not playing the field. So, the argument can be made that he was the least helpful person on the field for the Yankees, and therefore one of the worst last night. So A-Rod has reached the point where he can’t be called out for poor play without his fanboys coming to his rescue?
He is the best player on the field most nights. Just not last night. Please don’t hit me with your ‘infantile’ barbs anymore…my emotions can’t handle it. And thanks for doing all that math for me. You’re really smart.
August 7th, 2008 at 3:03 pm
Not sure why it is necessary to put down others because of their opinions about the Yankees. You can agree or disagree, but no need to make it personal. No doubt the Yankees wouldn’t even be in the hunt without A-Rod this season. Since the circus during the off-season, I actually have cut him a lot more slack than I had in previous years, now that he has made a commitment to the team long term. And when I say fire, I’m not necessarily talking about pulling a “Paul O’Neil”, even if I did love Paulie for wearing his heart on his sleeve. Personally, I love the guys that show their emotions, as long as they are not showing up any other players. Loved McEnroe and Connors in tennis and even the guys in golf that show their anger when they screw up. Just when I see A-Rod fail in critical situations, even just the look on his face just seems to exude “I don’t care”. Maybe I’m wrong and hopefully I am, just wouldn’t mind seeing him look even the slightest bit disappointed when he lets his team down. And no matter what, I demand as a fan, to see players give it their all. Not running hard on a potential dp with a runner on 3rd is unacceptable. Had the Rangers come back to tie the game or go ahead by 1, that run would have been the difference. There’s no doubt that Jeter and Cano and others have not pulled their weight this year in a far more glaring fashion than the fewer times that A-Rod has come up short. I was just calling A-Rod out for yesterday, not as a general comment for the season.
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