FredLynn

FYI: Mariano Rivera, who has hinted this will be his last season as New York Yankees closer, was carted off the field before Thursday night's game after suffering a right knee injury during batting practice in Kansas City. Rivera was going back on a fly ball during batting practice when his right knee buckled on the Kauffman Stadium warning track. He was helped to his feet by manager Joe Girardi, who sprinted to the outfield, and bullpen coach Mike Harkey. Rivera, 42, was taken by cart off the field. Rivera's 608 saves are the most in baseball history. This spring, he intimated that he had made up his mind on whether 2012 would be his last season, but was not prepared to reveal his decision. Rivera was last on the disabled list in 2003, when he began the year on the DL with a groin strain. He has been remarkably durable, relying largely on his cut fastball to make at least 60 appearances in 14 seasons, also a major league record.

He is probably going on the DL. Heard it from the A's announcers last night. Also, as much as I hate the Yankmees, I cannot wish for anything but good luck to Mo. He is a class act.

Just read this Ortiz. Thanks. And don't worry: you will get my opinion until you are tired of getting my opinion.

I understand that completely and realize that we are just 24 games into the season. Unfortunately, a "small sample size" is all we have to work with that is relevant right now. Last year's statistics are much less relevant than what the players are doing right now. The alternative to using the only sample size we have is to guess, and I prefer to use the stats that ARE available.

All of that would be smart moves by the FO. So none of it will get done. And yes, its much easier as a couch GM. Since there is less pressure the thinking and decisions are much clearer. :harhar:

He did fine. I don't care if he throws at 50mph if he gets guys out. I saw him keeping the ball down and not throwing meatballs in the center of the plate. I would not send him to Pawtucket right now, not until he fails. They already sent Tazawa down again and in six innings pitched so far his ERA is..............ZERO! Smart move by our FO...again.

Not necessarily true. If you can keep the ball down and have good movement you can be successful throwing that kind of stuff. Okajima had success with it along with many other pitchers. Admittedly there is less room for error that way, but it can work.

So tell me, how exactly are we in such bad shape as some of you are claiming? Sure. For starters, the Rays are in first place at 17-9 and we are in LAST place at 11-13. Thats LAST PLACE. After a brief flash in the pan winning streak we have reverted to our old form of beating the snot out of lousy pitching and being shut down by good pitching so that our runs per game looks great, but our W-L is worthy of being in last place. More importantly, there are only three teams in all of baseball with a team ERA over 5; the Twins, Milwaukee, and............US! The Twins are the worst team in all of baseball, and the Brewers are not much better. We are in the same class pitching-wise as those two teams: lower 10% in all of MLB. We have a bullpen that stinks, we have Clay Buchholtz, who has shown us nothing in nearly a year, and we have two inconsistent SP that are young and will be making mistakes that cost us games this year. And what's our record when we don't score at least 4 runs? Its 1-11. Thats because our pitching cannot compete with other ML teams. I don't see any reason to be overly optimistic about this team right now. We will probably hover around .500 for most of the season. We just don't have the talent to do it this year. I wish it were different, but wishing for it does not make it so.

In a year such as this one, where our chances of making a good run into the postseason are not good, it makes sense to trade Youkilis for whatever we can get for him and give Middlebrooks his ABs in the major league. I realize that our FO is not going to do this, but then again, they do a lot of stupid things.

That horrible Orioles pitching staff just shut out the Yankees tonite, 5-0. They allowed them one run last night and two runs the night before-in Yankee stadium. But I am content with our "lower tier" pitching staff because....well...because they are lovable and they are ours.

HAHAHA Reddick thinks he still plays for the Red Sox. Shoulda had that ball.

Mortenson is looking pretty good out there.

Its called a "rebuilding year", Red Sox style. Next year we could have a very strong team.

Is he all you expected? I expected more consistency and more power.

Gonzalez sucks. He is not at all what I expected he would be.

Gonzo will K here.

You're right. I am content to be next to last. Its cozy down here....so little is expected.

He is getting a base hit here

Correct. Right now, I DO wish we were second in the AL in ERA. Don't you?

No. Just kidding.