First off, of the 54,000 Yankee fans in attendence (or however many), I guarantee you not ONE of them was “upset” because their team managed to eek out a ‘W’ against a depleted Tiger team without their best clutch hitter, a 20-year-old OFer, and a bullpen starter. What the? All they care about is that they won, that the Red Sox lost, and that they are one more game up on the Tigers in the wildcard race. Second…. second… What? How can you possibly not be affected by this loss? This game is yet another shapshot of what has continually ailed this team in its now extremely prolonged slump. Starting pitching excels, offense doesn’t execute. Offense goes gang busters, starting pitching blows. Starting pitching delivers and hands lead to bullpen, bullpen proceeds to throw match into gas refinery. Ordonez is on fire, Sheff can’t hit the broad side of a barn. Sheff is on fire, Ordonez can’t hit the broad side of a barn. One thru five in the order begin hitting like MVP candidates, 6-9 in the order K every other at-bat. Can this team just for a few games hit on all cylinders?

Your comment makes no sense. If I’m a Yankees fan, I’m ecstastic the team took adavantage of opponents mistakes, managed to lay down a handful of key 2-out clutch hits, and executed in general like a playoff team. Besides that, I hardly consider a 5-2 score, just “barely” winning. The Yankees executed and took advantage and the Tigers didn’t.

And who really cares if you manage to pull together a healthy roster with 5 starting pitchers and a solid bullpen by October? By then this team will be watching the action from their livingroom couches. We need to win NOW. Every ‘L’ is a disappointment. But especially ones we gift wrap and hand to the other team with apologies and excuses. We could have easily plated 7 runs with the rallies we had brewing and the runners we had in scoring position (with the lineup we had)… if only we managed just a couple clutch hits and a sacrifice or two. In my estimation, that would have been enough to win this game. Horrible.

If you consider yourself a “contending” team, going against a “contending” team, you have to take adavantage of opportunities given and execute like a contending team. If you don’t, you’re not going to win, and you’re certainly not going to be a contending team for long. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what’s happening here. 1 1/2 games back and sliding.

I just read all the chitter-chatter. lotta good stuff

I like the effort to ge Cam into action. I like it a lot. The season takes its toll as it grinds along week after week and it is total team strength that counts in the roll-up. And I see building that total team strength at Leyland’s major asset.

If Cam could become a left field Grandy! I’m gonna be wathing for progress!!

That don’t mean we don’t need a player like Omar. we do need him; we need guys like Omar a lot because of his versatility. If you look around the field and look at each position you know who the first string player is. but who do ya put in if ya gotta put a guy in? that added strength contributes greatly to total team strength and that helps al lot as the season grinds along game after game

so while some folks fussn’ over what was missed here and there I like to look at the aspects of team building the Leyland is working on

Durbin looked sharp. I think he pretty much matched Clemmes through 5. but when he let the first guy get on in the 6 I though C’mon Jim change pitcher now. should have. hoping for 7 innings from a starter is getting a little optimistin I think — although Durbin had thrown what — 83 pitches when they pulled him? didn’t seem all that high but ya gotta go by how the guy is doing and when you get into that range you need a light trigger on that trip to the mound

Grilli did look better and that was encouraging

I’ll be ready for the game at 1. it’s raining here in Mich for today and tw hopefully it will be a Good Day for Baseball in Yankee Stadiium

Most people in the organization during spring training were saying that he would eventually move Granderson to LF. As good as Grandy has been this year, I don’t see it happening yet.

It is nice to have two CFers in the OF though.

-Sam

Hope we have a good day tomorrow and Polly’s back in the lineup.

And Mike R, it is Maybin’s defensive game that is lagging. I’m sure he’s a great centerfielder, but the problem is he mishandled three plays in two games in a way that a first baseman pressed into the outfield during an extra inning game might. He’s playing out of position and that’s not his fault, but if he fields like the first two games, he’s gonna cost us a game sooner rather than later. From what I’ve seen so far, he’s not an adequate left fielder at this point in time. Again, not his fault, but it’ll cost us all the same.

I don’t think he’s ready for the Majors, but the defensive aspect of this game is not the one that’s lagging.

Neat site that I found a couple years ago during arguments about the efficacy of bunting:

http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/users.....druns.html

There’s a 13% chance of no runs being scored in the 1st/3rd, nobody out situation (1 – .870). That’s based on old data and blends in NL (pitchers hit) data, so it’s probably closer to 10% in the current AL offensive context.