Ian Kennedy's last pitch was smacked off the center-field wall for a Ramon Hernandez two-run double.
This was not in the seventh inning. It was even in the fourth inning. It in the third inning with two outs. However, judging by Kennedy's pitch count (85 pitches), it seemed like it was the seventh inning.
The Yankees are trailing 4-0 heading to the top of the fourth. Four runs this early doesn't seem like a lot, but with the way the offense has been, it seems almost insurmountable.
The Yankees seem committed to going with young starters, but through 19 games, it does not appear to be working. Moves need to be made and moves will be made if the Yankees want to contend.
April 19 or not, something needs to change.
Joba Chamberlain needs to begin the transition process as soon as possible. Darrell Rasner and Scott Patterson need to be called up.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Kennedy done after 2 2-3
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9 comments:
Yes. It's time to let Joba start a game and call up Scott Patterson.
They both deserve a chance.
Joba cannot be moved from a bullpen that without him is one of the most pitiful I have ever seen. Good luck having Hawkins and Farnsworth bridging the gap to Mariano. That bridge wouldn't be safe with a 10 run lead. They could take a chance on Rasner or Patterson, but we could very well get the same out of Rasner that we did last year (1-3 with a 4.01...better than Kennedy, Hughes, or Moose, but still). As far as Patterson, he could be worth a shot, but ultimately, I think a move is gunna have to be made from outside the organization for some form of an established starting pitcher.
Cashman seems to want to run this organization like a small market team, but there is only one problem with that: these are the fucking New York Yankees! No Yankee fan is going to accept anything close to the definition of a "transition year" (YOU INCLUDED, FLETCH!), and especially not with a $200 million payroll.
As far as the hitting is concerned, it will come. It may not be timely, but it will be enough to beat up on the sub .500 teams. You can't have four legit 100 rbi threats (Rodriguez, Abreu, Matsui, and Cano) and not win games.
I used to think that about Joba too, but tonight sent me over the edge. They can't win with this rotation as it stands tonight. As far as trades are concerned, I think it would be easier to acquire a solid reliever instead of an established starting pitcher.
Shift Ohlendorf deeper into the bullpen, call up Rasner as the long reliever and begin the Joba transition process. His stuff is too good to be wasted in the bullpen. We can't have three starters that can't get through five innings.
Trade 'em all.
Should have gotten Santana.
Let me see...well, the only ace available out there is CC Sabathia, now 0-3 with a 13.50 ERA.
As we have seen over the last few years this offense is notorious for its slow starts. By season’s end they will lead the league in runs scored. However, if available, I would be interested in offensive stats for some scenarios that may be more revealing than the standard numbers we use. This is my opinion but I suspect that if you looked at a distribution of offensive categories and suitably broke them down I suspect that the Yankees feasted on weaker starters and relievers (padding their stats so to speak) more than the average team and were noticeably weaker against the better pitching (weaker than their talent should have been); weak enough that it could not overcome other problems as it had done in the regular season and would cost them in the playoffs. This offense is extremely streaky (more so than what is average) and goes from feast to famine and back again. Again this is my opinion and I would be interested in seeing the results quantified to see it is an erroneous perception on my part.
When you consider that even mediocre pitchers (NL trash) were getting ridiculous contracts over the off-season there is not much available outside the organization unless the Yankees allow themselves to be fleeced of their young talent and if that’s the case they should have traded for Santana.
Joba is perfect where he is right now, the best in the game, and should not be moved. But if the Yankees want to move him they should do it now. The longer Joba remains as a setup man the harder it will be to stretch him out and use him as a starter without the risk of injury.
What's the use of having one of the best setup men in the game if he's never handed a lead to protect?
Food for thought.
I agree 100%, Joba should be moved into the rotation. I don't think our bullpen is that bad, it is only beginning to crack because it is being overworked.
However, Patterson should have been called up a while ago, before Albaladejo and Edwar 'I make Mike Mussina's fastball look good' Ramirez.
As for the offense: I would bench Jason 'I miss HGH' Giambi and Johnny Damon. Hit Jeter leadoff, play Shelley at 1B and Matsui in LF.
Well, Giambi is playing first and Damon is in left and leading off this afternoon.
Two-by-four,
I agree that many of the hitters in the lineup are bullies. They do seem to feast on the dregs of the American League and then spit the bit in the playoffs. We've seen this the last few years, yet the lineup has remained relatively the same.
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