On Thursday, the Yankees won their second game in a row and first series since the Mariners in early May.  The Yankees benefitted from great pitching performances from Rasner and Kennedy, respectively, thank God!
                                   
When I watched Joba throw 35 pitches on Wednesday from my seat in the right field bleachers, I knew that the Yankees were preparing him to start in the near future.  I am not crazy about Joba a starter but that's management's decision.  I would be a little less reluctant if Bruney was healthy to take Joba's eighth inning spot.  Farnsworth, Ramirez, Hawkins, Ohlendorf, and others will have to step up.

Once Joba is back aboard as a starter, our pitching staff should be set as follows (touch wood):

Joba, Wang, Pettitte, Rasner, Mussina. 

Let Kennedy, Hughes, and Igawa continue to improve in AAA and the bullpen for this year.  One of them can take Mussina and/or Pettitte's spot(s) next season and the other(s) can be trade bait, spot starters, or bullpen.  (I think Pettitte will come back for one more and call it a career.)
                                                     
Just as important, the Yankees may have found their passion and groove.  New manager Joe Girardi was thrown out of Thursday's game after arguing a call with home plate umpire.  Though the ball just hit Giambi's bat, Girardi got his money's worth and was thrown out of the game.  He even kicked up some dirt and threw his hat.  Great theatre and it ignited the Yankees to victory on Thursday. 

That momentum thankfully continued into Friday.  The Yankees scored double the amount of runs, eight in Friday in the fifth inning of tonight's (Friday's) game as they did in the entire Rays four game series last week.  Granted, the Rays had great starting pitching but the Yankees started to heat up against the Mariners, touch wood.
                   
The Yankees 13 - Mariners 2.
                   
Bottom Line: Have the Yankees turned the corner?  The Yankees are still below .500 but hopefully shifting into gear, touch wood.  Keep the Faith!
         
Posted by a cautiously optimistic Tank reporting live from Yankees Stadium in the Boogie Down Bronx.             

MLB | Yankees Analysis (MLB)

Saturday, May 24, 2008 9:27:29 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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It's hard to draw too much from a single baseball game.  But, Thursday may have been the tipping point for Willie Randolph and a turning point for Joe Girardi.

The Mets lost their fourth straight at the dreaded Braves.  More importantly, Willie Randolph is on the hot seat after his racial reference remarks.  He apologized to the fans and the Wilpons but they won't return his calls according to ESPN 1050 AM. 

I am not African American so it is difficult to me comment on how Willie's perception of the public.  However, I care most about winning and losing, NOT black and white.  I don't want to win, but need to win.  It consumes me and I am a nervous wreck from April through October. 

I never thought of Willie as an African American but one of my favorite Yankees who happened to be African American.  I am rooting for Willie to pull through this crisis but his issues are bigger than race.  They are the following:

(1) Lack of Leadership: Who is the leader of this team?  Is it David Wright?  Carlos Delgado?  Jose Reyes?  Will someone please assert themselves as the leader of the team.

(2) Lack of Discipline: Even after a team meeting, Billy Wagner continues to spout off on teammates.  Granted, he can back it up with a stellar performance but it puts more pressure on his teammates.  Baseball is a sport where you fail more than you succeed.  Putting more pressure on yourself and others causes more grief and hardship.

(3) Injuries: Moises Alou, Pedro, El Duque, Ryan Church, etc.  Heck, my right hamstring tightens as I write this.

Bottom Line: I unfortunately join Steve on the "Willie Watch".  The Wilpons should give Willie through the end of the season.  Willie has earned the right to right the ship.  Mid-season managerial changes rarely work. 

As always, I am here as a counselor on the Yankee and Met Crisis Hotlines (which is a large part of this blog).  
     
Posted by a nervous Tank on the Willie Watch in NY.

Mets Analysis (MLB) | MLB | Yankees Analysis (MLB)

Friday, May 23, 2008 4:03:01 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Joba Chamberlain will be joining the Yankees’ starting rotation soon. As part of the transition to get his pitch count up Joba pitched the 8th and 9th inning last night, throwing 35 pitches.

“This is the timetable that we had set,” Girardi said. “It’s going to (take) him a while to (get) where he’s going be - a hundred pitches. But this is what we had planned all along, and we’re sticking to our plan that we talked about over the winter and in spring training.” Sorry Joe, but this has Hank Steinbrenner written all over it. Welcome to the Yankees.

This is actually good news, the Yankees need a jolt to their starting rotation. Joba may have to make a start or two in AAA (that will be fun to watch, after spending this time in the majors he should tear up the minor leagues.).

Posted by Steve on Willie-Fired watch :(

Yankees Analysis (MLB)

Thursday, May 22, 2008 7:23:58 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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It is time to hit the panic button? The Mets and Yankees keep losing to bad teams. The Yankees lost 12-2 to Baltimore after losing 11-2 to the Mets on Sunday. The Mets got swept in a double header in Atlanta, losing to a pitcher who has never won a MLB game. Add insult to injury, the Mets top hitter, Ryan Church went to the hospital with a reaggravation of his spring training concussion.

It is almost June. Almost time to hit the panic button.

Posted by Steve, sitting next to the panic button.

Subway Series (MLB)

Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:59:38 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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There were some signs of life this weekend in the Bronx, but not from the hapless Yankees, the signs of life were from the hapless Mets. After losing 3 out of 4 to the hopeless Nationals, Billy Wagner called his teammates out, the second public outburst this year by Wagner (who trumps Joba or any other relief pitcher in the league with a 0.00 ERA.)

The Mets out hit, out pitched and out played their crosstown rivals at Yankee Stadium. They stole bases, they hit and ran, had 2-out RBIs, home runs and also dead on pitching. They were firing on all cylinders. They even touched the unhittable Joba for a run. More importantly, they looked like they were having fun. The look on Jose Reyes (two home runs in two games) face in the dugout was the Jose of old, the wise guy joker. Even Carlos Delgado looked like he was having fun. (Even after an obvious three run home run was called back.)

We will see if this was a weekend sighting of the spunk that the Mets need or a real change. The Mets head to Atlanta to play a team that is not as good as them, but seems to be inside their heads. The NY Media was all over the Nats and Yankees series being "tests" for the Mets, a test that they get a collective B- on (D+ against the Nats, A+ against the Yankees, but the Yankees is weighted higher due to the pressure and national stage.)

The real test begins at 1pm tomorrow against their old friend Tom Glavine. A pounding on Tom would just what the doctor ordered.

Posted by Steve in Washington, DC

Mets Analysis (MLB)

Monday, May 19, 2008 4:33:13 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Chien-Ming Wang has gotten a rap as someone who does not win the big games. While it is only late May, the Yankees have lost 4 out of the last 5 to bad teams (Mets included), and are 3 games under .500 and also falling further and further behind in the AL East.

While it is not October, the Yankees are in a rut and it is also the final game in an abbreviated subway series with the crosstown rivals Mets. While it may "just be another game" the Mets already won the first game and will be going for the series win tonight on national TV. If ever the Yankees needed a big win (as the Mets did yesterday), the do tonight.

The Mets had their stopper, ace Johan Santana pitch yesterday. He did what he was paid to do, going 7 2/3 innings and stopping the losing streak with a big win at the Stadium. Chien-Ming Wang is 6-1 this year. Can he do the same as Johan Santana and stop the Yankees' slide? Or will he still earn his big game rap. We'll know in an hour.

Posted by Steve in New York

Subway Series (MLB)

Sunday, May 18, 2008 6:00:53 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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Hola Johan,
    Amigo, hermano Dominicano.  Escucho que no quieres hablar con media ingles.  No problema.  Esteban Y El Tanque comprendemos Espanol.
                                                                 
Hi Johan,
    Friend, Dominican brother.  I've heard that you don't want to speak with the English speaking media.  No problem.  Steve and The Tank understand Spanish.
                                           
    Question Uno: Piensas que Los Mets no se anotan mas carreras para ti?  (Claro que no.)
   
    Question One: Do you think that the Mets score enough runs for you?  (Of course not.)   

    Question Dos: Que piensas de Guillermo Wagner criticando Perez?  Quieres a gritar a Billy?  

    Question Two: What do you think of Billy Wagner criticizing Perez?  Do you want to yell at Billy?

    Question Tres: Te gusta los umpires?

    Question Three: Do you like the umpires?

El Tanque escribe en Nueva York.

Written by The Tank in NY.

Interviews | Mets Analysis (MLB)

Saturday, May 17, 2008 1:09:19 AM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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After Steve and I were rained out last Friday night at Shea, I didn't even bother going to the Stadium tonight for the Subway Series.

As blogged in 2006, the Yankees and Mets dropped the ball in NOT putting retractable roofs on the new stadiums opening next year.

Posted by The Tank building an Ark.

Environment | Mets Analysis (MLB) | MLB | Subway Series (MLB)

Friday, May 16, 2008 11:13:25 PM (Eastern Standard Time, UTC-05:00)
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