Liveblog 7: Ian's Debut

Since the last post, the Yankees haven't gotten any less streaky. They won the final game against Los Angeles, lost three of four to the Tigers to finish a terrible road trip, swept Boston, and then lost a game to Tampa in a blowout. They hold Boston to 6 runs in a 3 game series and then give The Devil Rays 8 in one game. It just goes to demonstrate the sport's crazy nature. The top 3 pitchers have been good, but Phil Hughes has continued to struggle with his command and Mussina has been getting destroyed. His failures have led to the promotion of Ian Kennedy, another highly regarded Yankee prospect, who, like Joba, has gone from single-A ball to the majors in one season. Hopefully he can keep his team in the game.

Top 1 - Ian retired the Devil Rays with just 6 pitches, getting two fly outs and a grounder to second. There wasn't much to see, but he located the fastball well.

Bottom 1 - After two quick groundouts, Bobby Abreu works a walk off Edwin Jackson. Alex Rodriguez hits his 45th home run to take a two run lead. He leads the AL in that category by 12. Really not much power this year. Matsui flies out to left center to end the inning.

Top 2 - Upton flies out to roughly the same area. People say Kennedy's ceiling isn't that high because his raw stuff isn't that good. But he's not throwing junk up there. His fastball sits around 91 and he commands it well. Delmon Young lines a single up the middle. A-Rod drops a foul pop-up by Harris. I've always heard he had problems with them, I just never saw him actually just totally miss a catch like that. Harris then takes the next pitch up the middle as well. It would be easier to be mad at Rodriguez if he didn't just hit a two run homer. Jonny Gomes, who I haven't seen in a while, works the count a bit before taking a called third strike, painted perfectly low and outside. There's Kennedy's first K. Kennedy's the 8th rookie to start for the Yankees this year, and the 6th to make his first MLB start this season. It's been a weird year, but it was necessitated by Pavano's unsurprising injury and Igawa's suckiness. Josh Wilson hits a double to left that splits the outfielders, tying the game. Neither of those runs were earned. Josh Paul, owner of the most redneck mustache I have ever seen, has received two generous low ball calls from the umpire, and has worked a full count. He walks. Seriously, thanks A-Rod. This inning is sweet. Something's happening. Joe Torre talked to the umpire, they conferenced, and now they're talking to the Rays' manager. The announcers think it's related to Iwamura's padding. They're checking his bat now. He has a different bat, and uses it immediately to strike out. Inning finally over.

Bottom 2 - I was in the bathroom so I didn't see it, but apparently Giambi was robbed of another hit by the shift. He had some power at first, but he hasn't done a whole lot since returning from the DL. September has historically been Cano's best month in his short career, but he grounds out in his first at bat this year. Andy Phillips hits a single the other way. Molina strikes out to end the inning.

Top 3 - Kennedy threw exactly six times as many pitches in the second as he did in the first. Let's hope this inning is closer to the latter. Crawford hits a single past awkwardly lunging no-range-Jeter. If you believe in zone rating, he single handedly brings our starting lineup's defense from well-above average to about the same total below. Crawford steals second. I don't know how many times I've seen successful steals off of Yankee catchers throwing to the left of the base in recent days, but I'm getting sick of it. Pena lines out to Cano. Upton walks. You know, if they really wanted to prepare talented pitching prospects for breaking into the majors, they should allow them to add extra baserunners when they wanted, just to get used to it. These guys breeze through weaker hitters, but when they actually get men on base in the bigs, they aren't used to it and don't seem as prepared for that situation. Young grounds into a double play to end the inning.

Bottom 3 - Melky leads off. He's had a good year overall, but he still does annoying things like brutally misplaying the odd flyball, bunting inappropriately (is that redundant?), and sliding into first. He singles. Jeter singles on a grounder to the left. Abreu hits a potential double play ball, but the return throw is bad and a run scores, one out and a runner on second. And now Maddon, the Rays' manager, has something to say to the umpires, and they're checking A-Rod's bat. Yeah, we really need this waste of time in a game like baseball that lasts 3 hours anyway. He hits a single, runners on the corners. A pitch in the dirt and Alex moves to second. Matsui walks. Pena makes a nice play at first to get an out, but a run scores anyway. Cano strikes out.

Top 4 - Hoepfully, Kennedy can pitch a couple more good innings and earn a win. Another groundout on a nice play by A-Rod. According to Pete, Iwamura's bat is flat at the top instead of rounded or cupped, which could be against regulations. It was already approved earlier, but they challenged anyway, and Maddon probably countered just to get back at Torre. So stupid. Anyway, while I was checking this, Kennedy got a quick strikeout and a liner to Jeter, so maybe he could go six.

Bottom 4 - Phillips walks. Molina reaches on a second error by the shorstop. He drove in the two runs for the Rays, so both guys who have hit for their team have also let them down on defense. Crawford catches a lined shot from Melky. Jeter draws another walk, loading the bases. Jackson walks in a run, pitching himself out of the game. This game is loooooooooong. Rodriguez hits a ground rule double, 7-2. Matsui hits a hard grounder to first, two outs. Giambi strikes out on a full count, and we move to the fifth.

Top 5 - The Mustache works the count full before popping out to Cano. Iwamura strikes out again, and Crawford grounds out on a nice play by Cano, another good inning for Ian. If he stays this efficient, he could go 7, though my bet is he doesn't.

Bottom 5 - Cano grounds out again. His average has dipped below .300 again after he fought so hard to get it above. Andy Phillips smacks another single. His power is nonexistent, but he's been a decent replacement player at first. After a long at bat, Molina strikes out, and Phillips is safe at second after a delayed dropped ball call on the attempted steal. Wilson's third error. Melky lines out to end the inning.

Top 6 - Kennedy strikes out Pena on three pitches. Upton hits a home run, Kennedy's first major league earned run. Young lifts a fly out to center on the first pitch. Harris hits another fly out, and Kennedy has 90 pitches through six. I'd put him out there for the seventh.

Bottom 6 -Someone's throwing in the bullpen for the Yankees, which is not surprising. Assuming Kennedy's done, it was a good debut - 6 innings, 5 Ks to 2 BBs, 3 runs, 1 earned, in line for the win. Reliever Salas hits Jeter with a pitch in the back. Weak. Abreu pops out to center. A-Rod follows suit. Matsui gets in on the popping out fun, this time to third, and on we go.

Top 7 - So Seattle just lost their eighth straight, leaving the Yankees in position to go up 2 games in the wildcard race if they finish off this win. Kennedy's given the opportunity to pitch another inning. Gomes is the third straight hitter to fly out off Kennedy on the first pitch. It seems like they want him to go deep. All five of his strikeouts were swinging, which is weird, since all the minor league K's they showed before the game were looking at painted third strikes. Two pitches later, and another lazy fly to Abreu. Three straight called strikes on The Mustache, and there's the looking strikeout I was looking for. His day is done, and he finished with a strike to ball ratio over 2. See, Hughes? You get outs by throwing strikes. Great debut for Ian.

Bottom 7 - Giambi doubles to the gap in left-center. Cano flies out to right, moving Giambi to third. Andy draws a walk. Molina smacks a single the other way to drive in a run. He's worked some good counts today and finally produces. Melky hits another single, Yanks lead 9-3. Here's another pitching change. Looking at the highlight clip, the first strikeout by Kennedy was looking too, so... whatever. 7 5 3 1 2 6 is pretty darn good. Jeter grounds out, advancing the runners. Abreu flies out to end the frame.

Top 8 - Vizcaino in to pitch, Betemit and called-up Gonzalez taking over defensively. Assuming this lead stays where it is, I'd like to see Veras pitch the ninth and get reacquainted with the major leagues. He was also activated with the expansion of rosters in September, and showed some talent last year before injuries kept him down this season. Iwamura walks. Crawford doubles over the head of Melky, driving in Akinori. Pena flies to left, scoring Crawford who went to third on Melky's misplay of the ball he hit. Rivera is now warming up, something I didn't want to see. Upton doubles to left. This is just not what you want to see with a 6 run lead, which is down to 4. How in the hell did Vizcaino rack up 8 wins this season? Very odd. That's at least as many as all but two of the Yankees' starters. Gonzalez bobbles a grounder, allowing the runner to reach. If you're here to be a defensive whiz, you should make plays like this, regardless of any odd hops a ball takes. They gave the Devil Rays a base hit on that play. Harris drives in yet another run on a sac fly. This game is now a save situation. Mariano Rivera is being brought into the game. Horseshit. You don't use your closer, who you swore you wouldn't use for more than one inning before the season started, for more than one inning in a three run game. This is just dumb. A groundout to Cano, and we move on.

Bottom 8 - Betemit's struggled at the plate lately. He strikes out. Matsui grounds out. Just finish up so I can stop typing. Shelley Duncan, pinch hitting for Giambi, flies out to left.

Top 9 - Mo attempts to close it out before this bitch gets to the four hour mark. Called strikeout. Another K, this time on a foul tip. Mariano finishes it off with another looking strikeout, game over.

Wrap-up - Ian and Mariano pitched very well, Luis did not. The offense recovered nicely from their sad state of affairs yesterday, and besides a terrible two third of an inning, it was a very good day. They're 2 games ahead of Seattle in the wildcard. Kennedy showed promise for a hopefully very successful career as one of the Yankees' good young starters.