Angels Series

The Yankees did a great job coming back to split the four game series with the Angels. After coming off a  sweep of the Red Sox and winning the first two games their series with the Yankees, the Angels looked like the team to beat in Major League Baseball, and still might be, but the Yankees for the first time in awhile played like they did during their latest dynasty.

Down 5-0, the Yankees showed heart, combining power with small-ball causing the opposition to make mistakes. The key was they finally came through in the clutch. They only left two runners in scoring position (Surprise: one of them was by A-Rod), stole bases, hit and ran (looks weird in the past tense), and got great bench play. Justin Christian was the player of the game as a pinch runner, immediately stealing second then causing an errant throw when stealing third allowing him to score. The Yankees have not had the Homer Bush/Dave Roberts speed guy off the bench in awhile and it is a good weapon to have.

Pudge

I think I like the Pudge for Farnsworth deal. Pudge is batting .295/5/32, a huge upgrade over either Molina or Moeller offensively. I haven't seen him play at all this year, but supposedly he is still a pretty good defensive catcher but nowhere as good as he used to be. I wonder how he is relative to Molina defensively.

Farnsworth, although having a good year since Joba moved to the rotation, still sucks. No matter how hard you throw people will hit it if the ball doesn't move. Answer me this: Would you trust him in a big situation? Girardi showed he didn't when quickly called for Mariano with one out in the eighth in Boston the other night once Farnsworth gave up two base runners (granted on weak hits) making him dispensable. Also, he is probably fourth to come out the pen behind Edwar Ramirez, Jose Veras, and Damaso Marte. Basically they gave up nothing to get a little. One other plus, Pudge's contract is up after this year so there will not be any position battle next year when Posada comes back.

Finally, I wonder if Moeller gets optioned to the minors. Earlier this year Girardi kept three catchers but that might have been because he understood Posada could not throw. Moeller has helped Rasner out (his ERA more than doubles when someone else catches him) and has entered games at third to try to increase his value. Still, it is hard to see Girardi keeping three catchers in this situation. One would think that the Yankees would have to call up another reliever to fill in for Farnsworth. Perhaps stud prospect Mark Melancon might finally get a chance. He could relieve for now and possibly start a game or two if Rasner and Ponson continue to suck. 

O's Series

It was a tough series to lose two of three from the Orioles. Making it especially hard was Boston getting swept by the Angels leaving a huge opportunity to pick up multiple games on Boston. 

Mussina and Robertson got shelled in game one. Guess you can blame me for jinxing Moose. I only hope he can turn it around his next start. Game two included a valiant comeback attempt that fell a run short. Aubrey Huff's homer off of Mariano in the top of the 9th proved the difference. It was frustrating to see Cano and Betemit both whiff after Gardner had successfully stolen second with one out. Christian got a great jump and beat a great throw on an easy pitch to throw off. Cano looked like a bigger fool than Betemit missing a 2-strike slider that was way outside. Cano, like many lefties, is susceptible to a sweeping curve coming from a low arm-angle throwing lefty. Betemit struck out by swinging at a ball. 

Today's victory included yet another impressive outing from Chamberlain. Missed the Edwar throwing at Millar's head so I can't really comment on it. Robertson came in and looked ok. Abreu had two HRs, A-Rod added another, and Xavier Nady had two doubles. Nady, along with the today's addition of Pudge (see newest post) will lengthen the lineup. 

As a whole the series was a disappointment for the Yanks, but at least they salvaged today's game to pick up a game on Boston, while only netting a loss of one to Tampa this week.

Commercial

The commercial currently running that rates highest on the unintentional comedy scale (ty Bill Simmons) has to be the MLB playoff ad where Spanish from Old School or the ghetto-drug-dealing-on-and-off-the-team-whose-uncle-is-actually-a-big-time-dealer-gets-shot-therefore-said-character-cries-on-Samuel-L.-Jackson's-shoulder-and-then-has-a-dramatic-quote-about-what-he-fears-most-in-life-player (however you wish to remember him) relives his memories of the past few playoffs before saying, "I cannot even remember where my keys are." That commercial is hilarious. 

In other news, this entry definitely contains a run-on sentence.