Sox ready to deliver knockout blow

[jacksonianmarch]

The sox were running into a buzzsaw. Houston started playing well and Tampa just didnt quit. But then the trip to NY. Usually a tough trip, but now, the sox are ready to do something that hasnt been done officially since 1993. With TB playing their asses off and the yankees now 9 games back of TB in the loss column, the sox may be the only chance the yanks have at making the playoffs. And now, after watching Rasner squander a 3 run lead vs Beckett, I think yankee fans all over are seeing the demise of the yankee playoff run.

 

Wang is out for likely the yr

Hughes was never right and is out until August

Kennedy is coming back but has missed 6 weeks

Matsui has been in and out of the lineup and now looks to be out for 2 more weeks

Posada hasnt thrown a ball with good velocity since last yr and has spent a good amount of time on the DL

Cano and Giambi started out awfully and are somewhat to blame for our slow start

We have Darrell Rasner, Sidney Ponson and Dan Geise throwing meaningful games in the same turn of a rotation in July.

Alan Horne, our hotshot AAA pitcher has had arm trouble.

Humberto Sanchez, a hotshot AAA pitcher coming off TJ has been slow to heal

Damon has been solid, but in and out of the lineup as well being dinged up and is now out for likely the rest of the series with a shoulder contusion

Jeter is having the worst yr of his career

ARod was down for 3 weeks, and we went 6-11 in his absence.

Hawkins and Farns have been less than stellar.

Alabaldejo, who looked really good in limited time is out for the yr

Betemit was out for a long time, limiting who was available when ARod was out.

 

the injuries combined with an older team and a ravaged pitching staff has led to this team being nothing more than a bit over .500. And now, 2 games into this series, we are staring directly in the face of a 4 game sweep and if that is the case, we'll be looking at a playoff-less yr. It might be time to become sellers soon

 

Move Abreu to a team needing an RBI man.

Move Mussina and Pettitte to teams that need veteran arms for the playoff run.

Hell, see if Giambi is amenable to a deal, as he would likely be worth a bunch.

Cut Pavano at the end of the yr

 

and then sign Sabathia and Tex at the end of the yr. With a little luck, some MiLB player devt and some health, we could be younger and much better next yr. But this teams health and age has made this team mediocre. And mediocre will no longer make the playoffs.

[a700hitter]

Good to see you Jackson.

[BoSox21]

lol @ this thread

[Jayhawk Bill]

Out of curiosity, I notice that Jacko joined here in 2006, right after the simultaneous injuries at the trade deadline. The Yankees' situation now is analagous to Boston's back then: what advice did he offer for Red Sox Nation when he was new around here?

[MANNYHOF24]

Out of curiosity' date=' I notice that Jacko joined here in 2006, right after the simultaneous injuries at the trade deadline. The Yankees' situation now is analagous to Boston's back then: what advice did he offer for Red Sox Nation when he was new around here?[/quote']

 

He was actually here before that, under a different named that is now banned.

[Soxfan1]

http://www.talksox.com/forum/fights-crap/6288-over-under-rivernator-gets-banned-before-4th-july.html

[Optimist]

The next four games are gonna define what happens over the rest of the season. I only hope this team knows that and plays like it.

[Jayhawk Bill]

You know, after browsing old threads for about 30 minutes, I've decided that the stuff that Jacko wrote that got people most upset was largely the truth.

 

Not entirely--nor always delivered politely--but in the 100+ posts of his from 2006 I've read, I'm in no position to throw stones.

 

***

 

Jacko, the Yankees have a great deal of talent, a strong FO, and a good in-game manager. It's too early for this thread.

 

Suck it up and root for the Yankees tomorrow. I'm hoping that we beat you.

[a700hitter]

You know, after browsing old threads for about 30 minutes, I've decided that the stuff that Jacko wrote that got people most upset was largely the truth.

 

Not entirely--nor always delivered politely--but in the 100+ posts of his from 2006 I've read, I'm in no position to throw stones.

JayHawk Bill, you need to get some other hobbies.

[Jayhawk Bill]

JayHawk Bill' date=' you need to get some other hobbies.[/quote']

 

 

Thanks for the kind advice.

 

Still, I like stats: stuff like knowing that Yaz had 3419 hits, or knowing that Fred Lynn in 1979 was almost certainly better than Jim Rice in 1978, or knowing that you've posted almost seven times more than I have, with a posts per day stat almost double mine (11.74 vs. 6.40). That's impressive. Your posts aren't all one-liner fluff, either: you raise and defend points well.

 

And you do that while balancing a full-time job with your posting...impressive.

 

I enjoy reading your posts. Thanks for the contribution! :thumbsup:

[a700hitter]

 

Thanks for the kind advice.

 

Still, I like stats: stuff like knowing that Yaz had 3419 hits, or knowing that Fred Lynn in 1979 was almost certainly better than Jim Rice in 1978, or knowing that you've posted almost seven times more than I have, with a posts per day stat almost double mine (11.74 vs. 6.40). That's impressive. Your posts aren't all one-liner fluff, either: you raise and defend points well.

 

And you do that while balancing a full-time job with your posting...impressive.

 

I enjoy reading your posts. Thanks for the contribution! :thumbsup:

I too need to get some other hobbies.

[Soxfan1]

I suggest:

 

http://www.lakewoodconferences.com/direct/dbimage/50117894/4_wheel_Scooter_For_Old_People.jpg

[yankeessuck013]

The Yanks are in trouble, plain and simple. Unless they trade the farm and Cano I don't think they can get the pitching they need. Being realistic I think Boston needs to add a bat, the trouble is where? Tek is struggling, Manny is struggling, Papi is down and who knows how effective he will be if/when he comes back. Drew, Coco, Pedroia, Lowell, and Youks are all that are hitting. That's not horrendous, but without the huge, hot home run hitter can they win in the playoffs?

 

It's a tough situation, they could use more pop out of left field, although Jacoby got three hits today it seems like a month of 1 for fives with no steal lately. But if they sit him they retard his growth, There is simply no option for Tek who has beem horrible with the stick since May, I'm not sure where the tipping point is between intangibles, pitch calling, and toughness and virtually no offensive prodution. If Manny isn't being Manny he kills us in the middle of the lineup especially with no Big Papi. That being said, they are much better off than the Yankees.

[Cocos Disciples]

JHB, one-liner fluff is my forte, thank you very much!

[Soxfan1]

I can't see Hank being a seller. No way no how.

[YAZMAN]

JHB' date=' one-liner fluff is my forte, thank you very much![/quote']

 

You enjoy being a fluffer?

[Optimist]

The next four games are gonna define what happens over the rest of the season. I only hope this team knows that and plays like it.

 

And they go 4 - 0 in those games. Hopefully a sign of things to come.

[jacksonianmarch]

Well, the sox sweep and the yankees 4 in a row has us in good position. 4 games ago, the yanks were struggling and facing 4 must win games and they won them all. With Oakland dealing away Harden, they have fallen from the ranks of the wild card contenders even though they are right behind the sox. The twins sweep coupled with the yankees wins will put them a game ahead of the yanks.

 

For the sox, the yankee wins have meant something significant. 3 straight TB losses = 3 consecutive gained games on the previously streaking Rays. And it also starts to beg the question...Can the Rays hold out? They have played 50 of their 90 games at home thus far and to this point are a worse road team than they are a home team. The sox OTOH, are a miserable road team, but the sox have 37 homers left vs only 31 roadies. Also, the DRays have a hell of a stretch to end the yr. To end august, they play 15 of 18 vs .500 or above teams then go into September where they play 6 vs NYY, 6 vs the sox and end with a 4 game roadie in Detroit. To be honest with you, the rays are the kind of team that I think will limp to the finish and likely will be passed by a few teams if they dont have a lead going into that stretch.

[a700hitter]

The Yankees are pulling out all of the stops just to stay alive. Mo has pitched in 3 of their last 4 games not counting the off day. He has gone 2 innings in 2 of those outings. It's early July , and Girardi is whipping him for two inning twice in 4 days. I hope he keeps it up. mo will continue to take the ball. Mo wants the ball, but this kind of use will kill the goose that has been laying the golden eggs for the last 12 years. It's only a matter of time before it all starts to crumble. Rasner has already shown that he is a pig. I expect that he'll be back in the minors by the first week of August. Ponson is a pig. You can put lipstick on him, but he is still a pig. It's only a matter of time before he comes apart like a cheap pinata. They need Matsui to get healthy. Posada was an excellent offensive catcher, but he is not a great DH. They are holding it together with bubble gum and rubber bands right now. When the dog days come, they will crumble. They are old at key spots, and the organization is too thin in talent to fill the voids when injuries occur. It's a very bad combination.

[26 Reasons to Hate Us]

The Yankees are pulling out all of the stops just to stay alive. Mo has pitched in 3 of their last 4 games not counting the off day. He has gone 2 innings in 2 of those outings.

 

Look closer at those 3 outings, and you'll see that he really is not being overused.

 

*3 days off*

July 5 v. BOS 1 IP, 25 pitches

July 6 v. BOS 2 IP, 16 pitches

*2 days off*

July 9 v. TB 2 IP, 30 pitches

 

That's 3 appearances in 8 days. Yes, he's been brought in for 2 innings since the offense can't get it done, but his pitch counts are within reason, and he's on pace for 75.1 IP this year. If our closer can't throw 71 pitches in 8 days, we have larger problems than overuse.