Goosebumps: Yanks-Sox Gamer X

There's a buzz in the air tonight. The Rivalry seems to have returned in full force.

We've got two hard-throwing righties on the mound, the current ace of the Red Sox vs. the future ace of the Yankees.

We've got the return of David Ortiz to a Fenway Park crowd.

We've got the Red Sox in first place and the Yankees just three games behind.

We've got controversies: Papelbon vs. Mariano, Youkilis vs. Joba, Yankee-fan treatment of Red Sox All-Stars.

In short, we've got a Red Sox-Yankees matchup of import. It's the first time in a while we've felt this much excitement about a contest between the two -- perhaps the first time since as recently as last September's Wang-Beckett face--off. Perhaps as long ago as the ill-fated five-game series of 2006.

Both teams are charging hard on the fading Rays; the Yankees could conceivably end the weekend tied with Boston (and Tampa) for first place. Both teams are hurting, but both teams are hitting. For the first time this season, the Red Sox and Yankees are playing games that feel important.

It's not 2004 just yet. It's not even 2005. But it might be getting back there. It's Sox vs. Yanks and everything that entails. Comment away!

Baseball-reference.com game preview

New York Yankees
Johnny Damon, DH	.315	.384	.463	127
Derek Jeter, SS	.285	.347	.404	102
Bobby Abreu, RF	.275	.348	.440	111
Alex Rodriguez, 3B	.318	.398	.593	163
Jason Giambi, 1B	.256	.399	.533	149
Robinson Cano, 2B	.265	.301	.391	85
Melky Cabrera, CF	.248	.305	.349	76
Jose Molina, C	.222	.260	.300	51
Brett Gardner, LF	.161	.238	.179	15
Joba Chamberlain, RHP	2-3	71.3	2.52	163
Boston Red Sox
Jacoby Ellsbury, LF	.262	.330	.359	81
Dustin Pedroia, 2B	.321	.365	.461	116
David Ortiz, DH	.354	.486	118	102
Kevin Youkilis, 1B	.311	.381	.551	142
Mike Lowell, 3B	.287	.350	.483	116
J.D. Drew, RF	.291	.407	.555	150
Jed Lowrie, SS	.292	.338	.400	93
Jason Varitek, C	.217	.300	.355	72
Coco Crisp, CF	.251	.312	.392	84
Josh Beckett, RHP	9-6	120.0	3.98	110

Comments

[AndrewYF]

OPS+ of 15 for Gardner. Yikes. Watch him hit a Green Monster pop-fly homerun.

[Paul SF]

Dinner awaits (salmon, yum!), but I'll be listening throughout and be back afterward....

[Devine]

Two on, one out early for the Yanks. Damon made him work for that out too.

[nettles]

cmon A-Rod!!!

[attackgerbil]

Nice 1-0 breaking pitch and a 1-1 fastball on the inisde of the black to ARod.

[attackgerbil]

nettles in the house! It's been ages!

[nettles]

Any flying pizza slices yet? :)

[attackgerbil]

ARod suckered on the deuce to go down swinging.

[nettles]

'stache time!

[Devine]

Beckett out of the jam, locating the corners very well so far.

24 pitches.

[attackgerbil]

Giambi is down 1-2 and crowding the plate. The 1-2 is away. Deuces: called a strike on the inside corner. Maybe in.. but very close. He was right on top of the plate.

[nettles]

Arrgh...four pitches away, then Josh busts one inside for the K. Nice work on his part.

[attackgerbil]

Agreed Devine, great location by Beckett.

[Devine]

Chopper by Ellsbury, out. Think it should have been Pedroia-Drew at the top of the order, but ya know, whatever. Pedroia singles.

ORTIZ!!! WELCOME BACK, DUDE!

[attackgerbil]

Pedrioa ropes a single to center. Big reception for Papi.

[nettles]

Oooh, belt-high fastball to Pedroia gets launched into center. Don't do that with Papi up, Joba!!!

[nettles]

Way ahead now...

[attackgerbil]

Joba starts off with a strike on the outside corner. Then a foul. The 0-2 is inside. 1-2: breaking pitch on the floor and in. A throw to first to check on Dusty. Deuces: ripped up first but foul.

[attackgerbil]

Reset deuces: was that a change? Hung high and a bit outside, fouled back. Another throw to first. The 2-2 again: great looking pitch but just a bit away to make it full. Wow. thought that was a strike.

[attackgerbil]

Payoff: breaking pitch fouled up first. Another payoff: Papi down swinging but Pedroia takes second on as he was on the move. Throw was there, Jeter missed the tag.

[Paul SF]

Pedroia steals second as Ortiz strikes out. Too bad, because Ortiz looked good that at-bat...

[Devine]

Ortiz gets the welcome-back K, Pedroia somehow gets that stolen base...he's out on the latest replay, I think.

[attackgerbil]

Man, that throw beat him by a mile. Couldn't tell by the replay if Jeter got the tag on so I can't be too pissed, yet I am pissed too.

[attackgerbil]

Okay, on that angle, he was gone. Oh well. Dealing to Youk, who uses drama on the 1-2 to make the inside pitch look closer than it was. Just off the black. Joba misses way outside to make it full. Payoff: Popped high and foul up third.

[Paul SF]

Sox making Joba work, as they should.

[attackgerbil]

Up first rather.

[attackgerbil]

Another payoff: wow... just flummoxed Youk. Great, great great pitch. He swings like he's hacking vegetation as an afterthought.

[Devine]

Ugly, short swing by Youk to end the inning.

20 pitches. So far, looking like a bullpen battle might ensue.

*feels sick at that thought*

[Paul SF]

Blech. Youk strikes out. Still, 20 pitches for Joba. Half an hour for the first inning, so we're on track for our typical 4.5 hour game.

[attackgerbil]

I have to check out in a few minutes, but I really like the game Marty Foster is calling thus far.

[Paul SF]

The Red Sox and Yankees are each putting out four starters with an OPS+ below 100 (and a total of seven below 90). I wonder when was the last time that happened.

[Paul SF]

Beckett needs to stop giving hits. Like now.

[Devine]

Beckett pitches away, so Cano hits that way...to left. Then Melky flies out.

[attackgerbil]

Cano takes a pitch on the outside corner for strike one. Breaker misses away for 1-1. The next pitch is fouled up third. 1-2: wow.. great pitch on a breaker on the outside corner but Robi went with it to single to left. Maybe it hung a bit high. Melky pops to left.

[Devine]

Then Molina flies out.

[attackgerbil]

The Yankees are in the "we give outs away like candy at Halloween" part of the order.

[Paul SF]

Cabrera and Molina helping Beckett's pitch count out. He says, "Thank you."

[attackgerbil]

Beckett is working that outside part of the plate against lefties really well.

[Devine]

Curve drops in on strike three. Sweet. Thought strike two was a gift, though.

35 pitches. (11 that inning.)

[attackgerbil]

Hahaha... Gardner sits looking, knees buckled. Welcome to the show, meat. Sheesh.

[Paul SF]

Only 11 pitches that inning for Beckett, ending with the sweet K of Gardner. Now it's time for the Sox to actually score some runs early...

[attackgerbil]

Yeah, Devine, I thought the strike two was a bit away, but his pitches are so well framed right now. As long as the zone stays steady.

[Devine]

Looooooong single for Lowell, maybe 10 to 20 feet from the top of the Monster.

[Paul SF]

The Wall taketh away on that one, Lowell hammers Chamberlain's pitch against the very top of the Monster.

[attackgerbil]

Lowell singles high off The Monster. Good play by Gardner to bring it back in fast. Fat pitch, Joba. Be careful.

[Paul SF]

Crap.

[attackgerbil]

AWESOME diving grab by Melky robbing Drew of a double.... WOW

[Devine]

Drew's OBP is over .400. That is a NICE EFFING CATCH by Melky there on a sinking liner courtesy of Drew.

[Lar]

Melky!

[attackgerbil]

When Joba is missing tonight, he's really missing.

[Lar]

A DP started by Cano and the inning ends.

[Devine]

Awwwwww, shoot. That's a sick DP. Gar.

[Paul SF]

Wow, Yankees' D saved Joba that inning. Suck.

[attackgerbil]

ROBI!!! Great way to start the 463! WOW!

[attackgerbil]

Those are two amazing defensive plays to save Joba's ass that inning.

[nettles]

Sweet...pitcher's best friend. The DP. 9-pitch inning...much better!

[Paul SF]

Easily would have been two runs and nobody out without Cabrera and Cano flashing the leather. Those type of innings keep me awake at night...

[attackgerbil]

Hello, Rivalry. Fricking great baseball so far.

[Devine]

Sucks. Three balls hit hard are (eventually) three outs.

[Lar]

Hahah, probably sounded unexcited by my last post - that was a disgusting DP turned by Cano and Jeter with the hesitation shovel pass, and Giambi scooped it out of the ground to finish the DP.

Just got in, so a little hot, but that was great!

[Devine]

You wanna sit down a little faster this time, Johnny? For old times' sake? 1-1...

[Lar]

Damon up.

[nettles]

Time to do some damage, Yankees!

[Lar]

and Damon strikes out for a quick first out.

[attackgerbil]

Damon takes a strike at the letters to start the top of three. Inside for ball one. The one-and-one is low but Johnny chases and chops it foul up first. 1-2: another fantastic Beckett curve that Damon gets suckered on for strike three.

[Lar]

Beckett at 35 pitches, Joba at 29 pitches.

[Devine]

Thanks, Johnny. Josh sits him down in 4 as opposed to the quarter-million or so pitches from the first AB.

[Paul SF]

Beckett, meanwhile, looking better. Four Ks now. He keeps pitching like he just did to Damon, he'll be fine tonight.

[attackgerbil]

Jeter fouls the first pitch off... man, that was fat. He was late though. The 0-1 is a curve that gets called for a strike on the outside corner. The 0-2 is a fastball away, fouled off.

[Lar]

Jeter with weak contact for the second out.

[attackgerbil]

Another 0-2: curve low away, but Jeter takes a check swing and kicks it back to Beckett for two away.

[Devine]

Jeter defending the plate at 0-2...Josh's fastball lighting up the gun a little more as the game goes along. Really defensive swing grounds it to Beckett softly. 2 down.

[Paul SF]

I'm listening on the radio, but apparently Beckett's curve is filthy tonight.

[attackgerbil]

Beckett with a first-pitch strike to Abreu. The 0-1: fouled up first to put Abreu deep in the hole. 0-2: big curve misses just low. Man, that was a hard pitch to lay off. The 1-2: singled up the middle.

[Lar]

Abreu with his second hit - a liner up the middle on a 1-2 pitch.

[Lar]

Here's ARod.

[attackgerbil]

Paul: Yes, his curve has a fantastic snap tonight.

[Devine]

Just a leeeeeetle bit higher than that 0-2, Beckett. Nice movement, though.

Single is rocketed up the middle. Darn, was hoping for A-Rod to lead off an inning, you know, not have runners on.

[Paul SF]

Of course, then he puts the fastball right down the middle and Abreu hits it hard for a single. Everytime there's a runner on, I think of how many runners he's allowed to score.

[Lar]

Beckett taking his team with ARod..

[Paul SF]

Last two starts, Beckett has worked in super slo-mo.

A-Rod with another hit, Abreu into third. Grrrr.

[Devine]

Ack! Corners, 2 down. Pitch was outermost part of the plate, too.

[attackgerbil]

ARod up with two away. He gets confused and swings meekly on a pitch way inside, then takes away. The 1-1 is a decent pitch outside but ARod extends and lines it to left center for a single. Beckett probably wanted it a bit lower.

[John - YF]

All 4 Yankee hits coming on counts where JB is ahead. Two of the four with two strikes. Great sign.

Comments few and far between keeping score.

[John - YF]

All 4 Yankee hits coming on counts where JB is ahead. Two of the four with two strikes. Great sign.

Comments few and far between keeping score.

[Lar]

ARod hits a flare to center for a single. Giambi hits it the other way, a weak grounder on the shift and Abreu comes in to score - 1-0 Yanks.

[Devine]

Shift on crappy grounder gives Yankees a run. Booooooo.

[attackgerbil]

Giambi singles a weak chop on the weak side and the shift allows a run to score.

[Paul SF]

Son of a bitch. Giambi beats the shift with a little dribbler to score a run. This game is going to suck. I can feel it.

[Lar]

John - I'm having trouble with either typepad or my browser, since I usually do make the small comments.

[Lar]

Here's the red-hot Cano.

[Lar]

Beckett at 52 pitches + Cano.

[Paul SF]

Last two games, Beckett has been pitching in super slo-mo. And last start, he got hit pretty hard, too. He doesn't seem to have any rhythm. Maybe he needs to take pointers from Lester about quickening his delivery...

[Paul SF]

Typepad seems to have trouble loading through comments from time to time. Annoying as hell.

[attackgerbil]

Cano in the hole 0-2: Beckett misses _JUST_ low. The 1-2: way outside to make it deuces.

[Lar]

Paul - ya, I was about to wonder if it's just me, but it does seem like he's really taking his time today for some reason..

[Devine]

Damage limited. But 57 pitches.

[Lar]

Cano hot, but not hot enough as he pops it up to left field, and Beckett gets out of it.

56 pitches through 3.

[attackgerbil]

Cano at 2-2: popped high to short left to end the inning. Middle three: Yankees 1, Red Sox 0.

[Lar]

Sorry, 57 - 43 for strikes.