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Holiday Weekend: SatanFish-Yanks Gamer XIII

Still working, so no pithy gerbil droppings. Can't believe we've played these guys 12 times. Yanks are down early in the first with Phil on the mound and the SatanFish running at will. Comment away.

Holiday Weekend: O's-Sox Gamer XII

Looks like everyone headed out early for the holiday. Not gerbil. Here's your Sox gamer.

Paying My Respects to the Enemy

Just walked by this while on vacation and was able to restrain myself from doing something foolish (or illegal!). Don't want to tempt the baseball Gods.

So You're Telling Me There's a Chance

All it took was a sweep of the first place Boston Red Sox, but it seems as if the hope is back in Yankeeland.  Seattle has hit a rough patch (3-7 in their last 10) and it has opened a window for the Yankees to take the Wild Card lead.  In fifteen days these two clubs meet again for a 3 game series in Boston.  Is it possible for the Yankees to get close enough over the next two weeks to turn the battle for the AL East into a legitimate race?  Before the September 14th - 16th match-ups the Yankees will play twelve games, six at home, six on the road.  The Red Sox will play thirteen games, nine at home, four on the road.  The Yankees are 31-35 on the road and 44-24 at home.  While the Red Sox are 40-31 on the road and 40-23 at home. 

Sweep! Yanks Take Would-Be InstaClassic, 5-0

A brilliant game on a brilliant afternoon today, marred only by a little late-inning weirdness, and perhaps a certain lack of serious drama at the end. It looked like we might get it. Chien-Ming Wang took a no-no into the 7th, only to have it broken up by a Mike Lowell single following on the heels of a Jeter error. (Derek was 4-for-4, so no complaints about his day). Wang was nearly matched by Curt Schilling, who went 7 innings (and looked like he might have gone further), allowing but two solo dingers to Robi Cano. The Yanks broke it open with 3 in thee 8th off Hideki Okajima, 2 runs coming off a throwing error by the other Captain, Jason Varitek, looking to nab Alex on the back end of a double-steal. There was some controversy in the 7th, when Youk was called out for running outside the baseline (Tito ejected), and a bit more in the 9th, when Joba was bounced for tossing at Youk's head. Edwar Ramirez finished up. The Yanks are now 5 back of the Sox, and .5 up in the WC pending tonight's M's game. A fun day of baseball, especially for YFs. Talk amongst yourselves.

Looking Back On The Dog Days: Sox-Yanks Gamer XV

On May 4th, The Boston Red Sox laid claim to the best record in the American League.  The Sox briefly relinqueshed that title to the Halos on July 1st and 2nd, and traded it off with the Halos and the Tigers on July 17th-23rd, but have held that distinguishing mark since that time, meaning that the Sox have been, by record, the best team in the AL for 143 out of the 150 days since the beginning of the season way back in April.

Tuesday's and Wednesday's back-to-back losses to the Yankees are only the second time in the month of August the Sox have lost consecutive games.  Since August 1st, the Sox have gone 16-11 which is their best month of ball by winning percentage since May, and Boston has allowed 13 fewer runs in one less game played compared to that month.  The Bombers have gone 17-10, but have been less consistent in their play and have had several truly horrific outings (including two shutout/blowouts); the 158 runs allowed (their worst month by 33 runs) is a significant stigma to their record.

Today's getaway game sees Chien-Ming Wang on the bump for the Yankees as Curt Schilling gets the ball for the Sox.  Wang experienced a slight hiccough with a horrific outing in Toronto and a mediocre start in Baltimore, but has been victorious in his last two outings, both against the Tigers.  Schilling returned to action August 6th against the Halos and has gone six innings in each of his four starts, allowing 11 runs on 25 hits and only 1 walk on his way to two victories in his last two starts including an excellent three-hit performance against the ChiSox.

The Sox head home to Fenway to host the Orioles while the Yankees lay out the welcome mat for the Fish tomorrow, but in the mean time we have afternoon baseball with the rivalry rolling on in the fifteenth of eighteen meetings in the reggalar.  Game time is in one hour, lineups are in the extended.  Comment away.

MLB: Fair & Balanced

George King reports:

The Post has learned Bob Watson entered the Red Sox dugout during last night's game to talk to Terry Francona about not wearing a uniform jersey while managing. Francona opts for a red pullover, which is sanctioned by MLB properties.

Upon seeing baseball's top cop, who was ushered into the dugout by an MLB resident security agent, Francona snapped at Watson.

"Get out of the dugout during the game," Francona firmly told Watson, who left.

There's a long and documented history of former Yankee general manager Watson showing he still bleeds pinstripes -- even in his current job. I'm not all about the conspiracy theories, but Watson makes it pretty easy to believe he has some biases he hasn't quite resolved. Showing up in a dugout during a game at Yankee Stadium to talk about uniform jerseys and pullovers? Get real.

It's time to end Bob Watson's tortured tenure as baseball's inconsistent, combative disciplinarian.

Onward & Upward

The Yanks have played at top level the past two days, taking a pair of hard-fought, well-pitched games from the Sox' top starters. Yesterday, Rocket gutted his way through 5 no-hit innings before David Ortiz put a definitive end to his bid with an upper-deck shot. By then the Yanks had a 3-0 lead on Josh Beckett, who was en route to giving up a career-high 13 hits, but showing his mettle by repeatedly striking his way out of trouble, and finding what he needed to keep the Sox in the game. Alex finally chased him with two outs in the seventh, with a line-shot home run to the left-field corner on a curveball falling out of the zone. It was a game outing. The Yanks got a solid inning of relief from the Viz, but Farns was up to his usual tricks, allowing a 2-run shot to Kevin Youkilis, and forcing Mo into a 4-out save. He accomplished this with apparent east, finally getting Dustin Pedroia to end the game on a comebacker, with Papi in the on-deck circle. Phew. Did we mention that Manny was dressed but sat out with a strained oblique? I'm sure that disappointed some of his hometown contingent. But it sure makes things easier. Elsewhere, the M's lost again at the Angels, so the Yanks are in an essential tie for the WC. Tonight, the M's play at Cleveland, and tomorrow in Toronto—that's tough. Another promising matchup for baseball fans today in an afternoon Bronx start: Wang vs. Schilling. Yanks sure could use a sweep.

Kick Him Back to Texas: Sox-Yanks Gamer XIV

This is Josh Beckett's time.

He's on the mound in a game that is arguably the Red Sox' best shot at easily securing the one win they need to effectively seal a division title. His boyhood hero opposes him on the Yankee Stadium mound. Want to seal your place in Red Sox lore? Here's where you start, kid.

Do what Pedro did in 1999, when he struck out 12 Yankees in the ALCS while Clemens did what he always seemed to do in the postseason -- find a way to blow it. Pedro didn't blow it. He outpitched Clemens in Game 7 in 2003, he outpitched him in 1999, the same postseason in which he came into a key game despite an injury (as opposed to leaving a key game because of one).

Now it's Josh Beckett's turn. This isn't 1986 Roger Clemens. This isn't even 1995 Roger Clemens. This isn't even close to 1999 Roger Clemens. This is the most expensive league-average pitcher in baseball history, a starter who has allowed at least four earned runs in every start against the Red Sox since May 2003. Never even mind the three-inning disaster he produced with the season on the line for the Yanks in Game 7. This Clemens is beatable, decidedly so.

Beckett, on the other hand, is in Clemens' mold. Fiery. Outspoken. Texan. Good. Very damn good. No pitcher in baseball has more wins. No pitcher in baseball has a better combination of strikeouts-, walks- and home runs-per-9. He was 4 years old when Clemens made his Major League debut, and he's the undisputed ace of a Red Sox team that is rolling to a probable division title. It's time to show why it was a mistake for the aging, lumbering veteran to tempt this rivalry again.

Beckett v. Clemens. It's on.

Kick Him Back to Texas: Sox-Yanks Gamer XIV

Pedro Martinez: The Yankees' daddy. Discuss.