Baseball Toaster was unplugged on February 4, 2009.
The last time the Yankees played a ballgame in Washington, D.C. was September 30, 1971. Jim Acker gave up two runs in the bottom of the eighth to cap a comeback by the Senators, who had trailed 5-1 after five in their final game in Washington. With the Yankees trailing 7-5 in the top of the ninth, Felipe Alou and Bobby Murcer grounded out only to have the Senators' fans pour onto the field forcing the game to be forfeited to New York, giving the Yankees a winning record of 82-80. The next year the Senators would play in Texas as the Rangers, swapping divisions with the Milwaukee Brewers. Both the Brewers and Rangers would finish in last place.
Thirty five years later the Yanks are back in DC and back in first place (a game up on both the Red Sox and Blue Jays), but the Washington club, wearing red caps that match those of the 1971 Senators, is still awful.
The Nationals don't do anything particularly well, and their two best players are a pair of former Yankee prospects, Alfonso Soriano, who is just two behind the injured Albert Pujols for the major league lead in home runs with 23, and Nick Johnson, who in his peak age-27 season has yet to miss a game due to injury for the first time in his career. Nick the Stick is hitting a robust .309/.436/.554 and has walked nine times more than he's struck out.
The Nationals actually have a fairly dangerous top five in their order, with Soriano inexplicably leading off and followed by Jose Vidro (hitting .309 with a .365 OBP, but virtually without any power), Johnson, 21-year-old phenom Ryan Zimmerman (on pace for 44 doubles, 22 homers and 100 RBIs), and the combative and injury-prone (read: undesirable) Jose Guillen. Guillen has an unimpressive stat line, but has gone 5 for 13 with two doubles, a homer and three walks since being activated following a stay on the DL due to a hamstring injury.
Of course, things drop off a cliff after the five spot. The last three men in the Washington line-up are lead by Royce Clayton's .259/.315/.339. They're so bad that when Livan Hernandez pitches he's the best of the last four hitters in the Nats' lineup. The Nats' bench, meanwhile, is filled with multi-position players, but other than Daryle Ward, whose likely just enjoying a small-sample surge, none of them can really hit.
Then again, the Nats play in one of the most extreme pitchers parks in the majors, which is why their weaker hitters look so darn awful, and why their unexceptional pitching staff appears to be loaded with solid individual performances. The top three in their pen, closer Chad Cordero and righty set-up men Jon Rauch and Gary Majewski have done the job, as have rookie starters Shawn Hill and Michael O'Connor and rookie ROOGY Saul Rivera. What's more, Ramon Ortiz, who was dreadful pitching his home games in the hitter-friendly Great American Ballpark last year, has been on a solid streak of late that has included three games at RFK but also three on the road, while former Yankee farmhand and Expos DL mainstay Tony Armas Jr. has been both active and effective and is still just 28 years old. Last year's ace John Patterson is due to come off the DL soon and the Nats response just might be to deal innings eater Livan Hernandez. He may be their best bottom of the order hitter, but he's their worst starter.
So things are looking slightly up for the Nationals. They have real owners at long last and plans for a new ballpark. Jim Bowden has hired Davey Johnson as a special advisor to save him from himself. Johnson and Zimmerman are a fantastic pair of corner infielders in their 20s, they've got a crop of young pitchers who are contributing to the big club, and to top it all off, Alfonso Soriano is taking walks. Yes, the 30-year-old converted second baseman who entered this season with a career rate of one base on balls per 22.23 plate appearances has been taking ball four once every 12.62 trips this year.
Tonight the Yanks send Jaret "Five Innings Are Just About" Wright to the mound to face 25-year-old righty Shawn Hill. The Canadian Hill made his major league debut with the Expos in 2004, pitched terribly and then missed all of 2005 following Tommy John surgery. Back in action this year, he excelled in eight starts for the Double-A Harrisburg Senators, made one triple-A start and was then called up to replace Zach Day in the rotation. He's since made three starts for the Nationals, all of which have been quality, but two of which have resulted in hard-luck losses. In the two he's made at home, Hill has allowed just one run on seven hits over 14 innings.
Washington Nationals
2006 Record: 30-38 (.441)
2006 Pythagorean Record: 31-37 (.459)
Manager: Frank Robinson
General Manager: Jim Bowden
Home Ballpark (2005 Park Factors): RFK Stadium (93/94)
Who's Replaced Whom?
Current Roster:
1B – Nick Johnson (L)
2B – Jose Vidro (S)
SS – Royce Clayton (R)
3B – Ryan Zimmerman (R)
C – Brian Schneider (L)
RF – Jose Guillen (R)
CF – Marlon Byrd (R)
LF – Alfonso Soriano (R)
Bench:
L – Daryle Ward (1B/OF)
R – Damian Jackson (UT)
L – Marlon Anderson (UT)
L – Robert Fick (UT/C)
R – Matthew LeCroy (C)
R – Brendan Harris (IF)
Rotation:
R – Livan Hernandez
R – Shawn Hill
R – Ramon Ortiz
L – Michael O'Connor
R – Tony Armas Jr.
Bullpen:
R – Chad Cordero
R – Jon Rauch
R – Gary Majeswki
L – Mike Stanton
R – Saul Rivera
L – Bill Bray
15-day DL: R – John Patterson, R – Felix Rodriguez, R – Alex Escobar (OF), R – Santiago Ramirez
60-day DL: S – Cristian Guzman (SS), R – Zach Day, L – Joey Eischen, R – Luis Ayala, R – Ryan Drese, R – Pedro Astacio, R – Brian Lawrence
Typical Lineup:
R – Alfonso Soriano (LF)
S – Jose Vidro (2B)
L – Nick Johnson (1B)
R – Jose Guillen (RF)
R – Ryan Zimmerman (3B)
R – Royce Clayton (R)
L – Brian Schneider (C)
R – Marlon Byrd (CF)
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! :-D
And dare I hope that Torre will start Bubba in RF against the righty pitcher tonight? I know Bernie's hitting well, but it's going to be a lot of real estate for GOB to cover in this park.
2 Good point on Bubba.
Very good, Cliff. LOL!
When was the last time the Yanks had a sweep? Anyone smells one soon?
Damon
Melky
Jeter
Giambi
A-Rod
Cano
Bernie
Stinett
Wright
I guess this year it's Wright who has a personal catcher...
(Not counting games where innings were cancelled by rain before they changed the rules.)
130 AB's .231 AVG .597 OPS
Both Bubba and Gapper could easily top that and give better defense to boot. With this team not scoring runs already, isn't that defense more important? Lost in the A-Rod drama was Gapper's catch in the 1-0 game that saved a run. GOB doesn't make that play.
At the very least, can't someone tell Bernie that his left-handed counterpart died?
Agree his defense is problematic. Both Melky and KT made catches in the OF in that game that Bernie would not have. And I think Bernie's cost us games with his defense. (That pathetic attempt to throw Rouse out in what turned out to be a 5-6 game comes to mind.)
But with Posada out, I'm not surprised Torre went with Bernie. Gotta keep the team average age up, y'know. ;-)
2005: 182 AB's .231 AVG .591 OPS
I can't believe Stinnett is actually being walked intentionally. Too funny. Myself, I'd pitch to him so you could start the next inning with an easy out, and end this one with the same.
All right, A-Rod! A single is good enough.
It's amazing what's happened to his obp this season.
Has he simply lost his eye. Iirc last season he was still walking alot despite his abysmal avg.
Hypothesis: people are throwing strikes to him b/c they aren't afraid of him.
26 Dunno why 'Cadillac' isn't Sori's nickname. How many times did he linger in the box and admire a wallbanger when he was with the Yanks?
Bases loaded. Come on, Johnny!
Our 2 best in the last 10 years. Hard me for me not to think of them as 'our' guys.
homerun Javy
maybe if he'd make a big deal about it we can get some bench warnings...
Bases loaded. No out. Top of the order.
I think I'm gonna be sick.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hhuRMiDz63w
I find myself rooting FOR Nick.
This is hard.
Gawd. Wright's going to be lucky to get 5 innings tonight.
My Gawd!
also, i was surprised bernie even got to that ball.
I watching MLB TV.
I read 77 and saf WTF....
10 seconds later, Cano make a nice play for the last out.
I guess MLB TV is a little behind the times.
(Gawd, what a bad play by Bernie. He actual to a step BACK after that ball was hit... even though he was alreadt way to deep. Poor Bernie. Get him out of the OF).
I think he's staying way back, to keep the ball in front of him. He barely got to that ball, and that may be why he couldn't throw it.
That's what happened last time, with the throw home. He barely caught the ball, which meant the throw was awful.
78 No, the shallowest sac fly in history was when Eric Hinske scored on him last year. Robinson Cano can credit that play with him getting the 2B job.
Bernie looks like a complete spaz.
Has he always been like this? Bad judgement? Bad jumps?
92 Per the above post, the Big Three are good, as is the kid Rivera. The rest . . . nope.
hello proctor.
buh-bye ballgame.
And A-Rod coming to the plate... o_O
Wilson is not enough. We can get Sori in the winter without losing anyone, so I think he's out. Payton's not enough either.
I think the Phils we keep their 2 guys.
I'm not sure who we can get without losing too much blood.
It's weird. The announcers are gushing all over Nick, and I agree with everything they say.
Your pal,
JinC
That last pitch was perfect to hit.
OWWWWWWWWWWW!
I'm taking up a collection for an airline ticket to Tibet!
seriously, a day off migh be helpful.
Coming into this game, the Yanks were tied with Atlanta for the MBL "lead" in lowest BA with runners in scoring position — .183
I think the Yanks are now leading... how the hell this team is in first place, I'll never know. Oh, wait. A 6-10 record by the Sox since Memorial Day...
Maybe we aren't leading... 119
.270 w/ risp 2 outs, 7th in mlb.
.274 w/ bases loaded, good for only 18th in mlb.
Who's self opinion of their sense of humor is more out of synch with their actual funniness, Kay or Buck?
Giambi, Posada and (God Forbid) Bernie are the only one's hitting. Giambi has been carrying this team.
And Posada's in for Stinnett...
2 on, no out. This should add to the math either way...
Cap up with 'em loaded, tying run on second.
Ahead in the game and Tied of behind.
Innings 1-6 Yanks batting .294, 2nd in mlb.
Innings 7 plus -- down to .262 -- tho this is still 8th in mlb.
He's clutch even when he doesn't hit. ;-)
Tie game, Giambi up with the bags juiced. Here comes washed up Yank Stanton. I'm thinking of that game in Oakland when Giambi was still with the A's . . .
And it's a good thing this isn't tennis or A-Rod would lose a point for equipment abuse.
Then again, I miss those days when I know the Yanks have the best chance when Arod comes on with the bases loaded.
"With Mariano, you already know what he's gonna throw..."
It's not what they say...it's their tone...
Sorry guys, I am gonna stop now. I will mute it finally.
He's on a mission to make fools of us all.
(Now if he could only field his position.)
I just could not resist
AVG G AB R H 2B 3B HR RBI BB K OBP SLG OPS
Totals .282 1392 4121 494 1162 232 30 86 503 245 704 .325 .415 .741
Yes! Mo let's go!
And Bernie is probably POTG.
15 innings and still no score.
And it is not due to stellar pitching, neither.
Bernies shot was unreal. he just crushed that thing. It was awsome to hear the crowd trying to pull Bernie out of the dugout. 30-40% Yankee fans so it was pretty loud. GOB = Good old Bernie.
The DC crowd is pretty cool. It can get a little stupid in some places when Yankee fans break out the gear and start to chant but those folks were pretty decent about just drowning it out with Nats chants.
Cano's play in the 4th looked realy good at the park did it translate on T.V.?
there are times I think the baby bombers are going to carry us all the way and other times when the loss looks like those ARE the yanks and i've been expecting too much.
one thing that has never and will never change is that we are watching the greatest yankee in terms of character since lou gehrig or donny baseball. i've never understood why below level arms like matsui and damon get a pass while a lollipop throw from bernie ALWAYS rates some snide comment -- do you nitwits have them cached and ready to go or what. give it a rest. the guy is yankee gold.
if bernie had played for the rsox he would have been traded two seasons ago. you are blessed to see a real team where players are valued beyond their stats and it looks like you don't even know it. you make it seem like watching a great player in his closing years is a pain in the ass. he continues to play through injuries and age with grace and style. his presence is huge, second only to mariano and jeter, whom I can't rank one over the other.
the last player the rsox had was yaz and he stays away from the boston organization like yogi did from steinbrenner all those years. who can blame him?
btw i read a stat the other day that 12 out of 25 yankees are home grown and that does not count the two minor leaguers proctor and bubba. if that was here i apologize but still a stunning stat.
Cano's play looked awesome. That was what I was yelling about in 79. ;-)
KT could be headed back to Columbus...
I think Joe should ride the wave and let Bernie play everyday until he slumps. No reason to tinker too much.
Farnsworth has been shaky anyway, so it will be interesting to see if we can get anything out of Villone and Myers in what figures to be a bit more time for both of them. T.J. Beam is an interesting wild card. He could be great. Let's watch!
And I guess this means KT is back to being a Clipper?
That fact doesn't make me NOT appreciate what he's done for the organization. In fact, I was happy he was brought back for one last hurrah - just sad that Tea wouldn't use him properly.
The guy is an absolute butcher on defense. You mention the arm, but he doesn't have the legs either. When Matsui and Damon get to that point, I'll bash their use too. There's no doubt that in the next four years, both will end up as 13mil DH's killing us on defense.
Combining absolute butcher on defense with ability to only hit from one side of the plate = DH/PH. Instead Bernie's gotten 36 games in the OF - that's 36 too many.
Considering that there are at least two other guys that man the OF better than GOB, and who would hit just as well from against righties, there's little reason not to see them. Bernie would have had a cruicial AB last night as a PH and with those two other OF's, you still don't have to put him out there. Indeed, he would be the best bat against lefties on the bench if that were his role.
So yeah for Bernie , great job last night going against trends! But for all the runs he created on offense he did a nice job taking them away on defense. That's not Bernie's fault - it's the manager.
That fact doesn't make me NOT appreciate what he's done for the organization. In fact, I was happy he was brought back for one last hurrah - just sad that Tea wouldn't use him properly.
The guy is an absolute butcher on defense. You mention the arm, but he doesn't have the legs either. When Matsui and Damon get to that point, I'll bash their use too. There's no doubt that in the next four years, both will end up as 13mil DH's killing us on defense.
Combining absolute butcher on defense with ability to only hit from one side of the plate = DH/PH. Instead Bernie's gotten 36 games in the OF - that's 36 too many.
Considering that there are at least two other guys that man the OF better than GOB, and who would hit just as well from against righties, there's little reason not to see them. Bernie would have had a cruicial AB last night as a PH and with those two other OF's, you still don't have to put him out there. Indeed, he would be the best bat against lefties on the bench if that were his role.
So yeah for Bernie , great job last night going against trends! But for all the runs he created on offense he did a nice job taking them away on defense. That's not Bernie's fault - it's the manager.
But yeah, what his bat giveth, his glove taketh away. He probably gave away two runs yesterday, which balances his two RBI. :-/
I think Matsui was starting to slow down. Everyone says his injury is not age-related. I'm not so sure. I think if he were a few years younger, maybe he'd have gotten to the ball without having to dive like that. He's certainly going to think twice about diving like that again.
There's a school of thought that holds that you start your better defenders, and sub your better hitters in later (the idea being the bullpen is more likely to throw strikes). I would do that tonight, with Obi-Shawn on the mound. He tends to need a lot of help from the guys behind him to work his Jedi tricks.
Start Bernie on Sunday, when Tiger's on the mound. Hopefully, nothing will actually reach the outfield. ;-)
No, I've become convinced of the view that Bernie should never, ever, see the OF grass again. If that means Andy doesn't start at 1B when Bernie DH's against lefties, then so be it. Giambi at first will give up one or two bases occasionally. Bernie will give up that and more because he can't catch or throw.
Even still, Melky should be in right. And this discussion should involve who plays left until Matsui returns in August.
But Torre's not going to switch Melky to right. And he's going to play Bernie, not only while he's hot, but probably for a long time after he's gone cold.
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