jacksonianmarch

The Yankees lost 3 in a row, but are expected to be a playoff team and really had no major internal drama in the offseason, for once. The sox were a highly publicized team in the spring due to unpredictability and the rifts in the media with Schilling and Francona spouting s***. Their first series did nothing to dispel that. The media is eating it up. This is Boston, it's a city all about over-reaction

Aaron Cook is the only one still stretched out. He'd get the call

A closer needs a short memory. He's trying to publicly display a short memory. It's a non-issue as of right now

Once again, I was only gamecasting, but Beckett's velo seemed down. When he's right, he can fire it up there mid 90s and get away with a few pitches up or out over the zone. When he's throwing 91 letter high, he cannot. His location was an issue, as was Buchholz's, Kuroda's, CC's, etc. It's early and location is going to be an issue for everyone. But the velo seemed down. I need someone to corroborate this or shoot it down. Like I said, I was gamecasting.

Well, that was an abortion of a series. I watched the first 3 innings before I had to work. Hughes actually had good stuff, but he once again lacks a put away pitch. His changeup could be one, but he doesnt seem to have confidence in it. His curveball could be one but he also lacks confidence in it. If you throw 93mph fastballs, even on point, you won't put away good hitters. He has to throw his off speed stuff or he will be a 5IP pitcher with marginal results

EEI was saying that Beckett was told he will eventually need surgery but can play with it.

The hitting early on is a combo of the opening series adrenaline and the poor start by our pitchers.

I wish I could have watched the game. Gamecast had him mostly low 90s. The highest I saw was 93, but he was mostly in the 90-92 range. Was that true?

I couldnt watch, and aside from the first 40 minutes or so, I wont be watching tonight either. Joe is trying to get innings out of his starters early, even though it is early and at least CC and Kuroda showed nothing. Surprised he didnt go to the pen with Wade in the 6th. If he had, we might have won the game. 0-2 is annoying, but we are playing a hell of a team on their home turf

It's about CONSISTENCY. West was awful today for both sides. But when you are calling one pitch consistently, then take that pitch away, it can have a massive impact on the outcome of the game. He was calling the pitch Rivera threw three consecutive times to Pena all day. It was the only consistent spot until that final at bat. I know Rivera gets big zones, but this was a consistent area of the zone all game long. This had nothing to do with Rivera getting a wider zone. This has everything to do with Joe West sucking monkey testicles and being one of the worst umpires in baseball

Not the point. It's called comprehension. Learn it

SFF, you need to look at the last AB to Gardner. He K'd on a 3-2 pitch, but 5 of the 6 pitches were down the middle. West was equally awful all night. But when a pitcher finally pitched to his zone, he flip flopped on them.

You have to watch the game to see. West was AWFUL today. Cockshots were called balls, pitches off the plate were strikes. West was calling the game as if the plate was 6 inches more outside for some reason and didnt see the inner half of the plate. All game, the outside pitch was a strike and from the heart of the plate to the inner half was a ball. Really strange. Rivera saw that, and started painting where he had been calling a strike all game. Too bad he waited until a run was in and the bags were packed to do it. But the three pitches prior to Pena's walkoff were in the exact same spot. They were all balls, but they were intended to be thrown where West was calling strikes. 2 of them were strikes, one a ball. That inconsistency and ridiculous zone caused Rivera to have to come in and voila, game over

April 6th AAA Dellin Betances had a good start to the yr. 5IP 4H 2ER 1BB 6K. If he can keep his control in check, he'll dominate Offensively, AAA is a mash unit of backups (Cervelli) or AAAA players ready to suck at their next big league call. The only prospect is Brandon Laird, who did hit a double today, but is 1 for 7 on the young season AA Abraham Almonte was the big star of the night. 2 for 4 with a double and a HR. Otherwise, the offense did squat. Graham Stoneburner was okay in his debut, allowing 5 hits and a walk in a 4IP 1ER performance. He was on a 60 pitch count it would seem, as he was pulled at 66 pitches A+ Shane Greene and Branden Pinder threw very well in their debuts. Closer Mark Montgomery did not. Offensively, JR Murphy was 2 for 4 and non-prospect Zach Wilson was 3 for 4. A My favorite level this season to watch will be the SAL Riverdogs. They 1 hit the opposition today, behind 6 masterful innings from Jose Campos. 6IP, 1H, 0ER, 3K, 1BB and he only needed 65 pitches. This kid is the balls. Power armed closer Phil Wetherell threw 2 perfect innings of relief striking out 4. Offensively, Mason Williams went 2 for 4 with 2 doubles. This a night after hitting a triple in his first at bat before the game was suspended. He's 3 for 5 with 2 doubles and a triple on the young season. Dante Bichette was 1 for 4, Gary Sanchez was 2 for 3 and Kelvin DeLeon went 1 for 3 with a solo homer

sorry, close thread please

I'm not worried about Rivera or CC, who both sucked it hard today. I am just upset that we have more of the same s*** on offense. Tons of baserunners, nobody to step up and knock them home. We got Shields' pitch count up and knocked him out after 5IP. And in the 4IP from the Rays shaky pen, they held us scoreless. Unacceptable

We have a just a little more of a track record with Mo. Just a touch.

Cue the Mariano is losing it, sky is falling BS. We handed the best closer in history a lead and he blew it. It happens. I am just sickened by the fact that we had 19 baserunners (9 hits, 7 walks, 1 error, 1 botched FC, 1HBP) and we scored 6 runs. 13 baserunners eliminated or stranded on day f***ing 1. They had 19 baserunners as well, but 2 were from IBB's and the runs didnt mean s***. So effectively, 17 runners, 7 runs. 19 runners, 6 runs. Both teams sucked at bringing em in, but we are better than that

still here **********

Mariano having a little better luck hitting the roving Joe West strike zone. Apparently he doesnt give a s*** that the plate is where it is. If it's a foot outside, it's a strike, but only when he wants it to be. Mo threw 3 pitches in the EXACT same spot to Pena. Two were strikes and one was a ball. Then he has to come in, Pena hits the ball off the wall and we lose. Listen, Joe West was equally horrible for both teams and he isnt the reason we lost. The reason we lost is that we got a horrible outing from our starter, an awful outing from our usually automatic closer and we left a weeks worth of baserunners on base. Every single aspect failed in game 1. f***.

Doesnt matter that it was high. It does matter that it caught the plate. He needs to run that in on the hands and he didnt

1-2 pitch splits the plate and Jennings gets on. Cutter that didnt cut nabs Zobrist a triple. Seems like everyone is off today. f***