Results tagged ‘ Orioles ’
Yankees Should Have Used LIFO Method When Handling Jonathan Albaladejo
Yankees reliever Jonathan Albaladejo was ultimately the last player added to New York’s 25-man roster coming out of spring training.
As fans and sports announcers scrambled to learn the correct pronunciation of his surname, others (like me) questioned his selection over a proven long man like Brett Tomko or Alfredo Aceves.
All that Aceves has done after finally being called up is win three games in just one week’s time.
His 1.32 ERA, 0.95 WHIP, 12-to-3 K/BB ratio, and .200 BAA show how important he has become to a struggling Yankees bullpen.
Albaladejo never deserved to be on the roster, and perhaps there was a reason that he was the last man considered for the job.
He has pitched to a 6.00 ERA overall, and a startling 8.18 ERA over the entire month of April. Hitters are getting on base at a .379 clip against him, and are producing nearly a 1.000 OPS.
Like most relievers, his ERA is skewed to the low end, as he has allowed countless inherited runners to score when he enters an inning in progress.
Regardless of his struggles, manager Joe Girardi has developed an unhealthy obsession with him.
“Alby” always seems to find himself on the mound in key situations, although every knowledgeable fan knows the scoreboard is about to light up like MLB Featuring Ken Griffey Jr. on Nintendo 64.
In last night’s game against Baltimore, Alby took the ball after another masterful performance by Aceves.
Aceves had pitched three and one-third innings of scoreless baseball after an untimely injury to starter Joba Chamberlain.
Alby proceeded to turn a laugher into a pulsating drama, as a 7-0 lead quickly disintegrated to 7-4. Half of the runs scored via home run balls that still have not landed.
Mariano Rivera was forced to close out the game in the ninth inning due to Alby’s ineptitude, likely making him unavailable for the first game of a critical series with the World Champion Phillies.
A game that should have had Nick Swisher closing it out amidst chuckles and early celebration suddenly became a save situation.
If Rivera is indeed unable to go tonight, Yankees fans can anticipate watching Phil Coke attempt to retire Ryan Howard and Chase Utley in the ninth tonight.
For all readers not “privileged” enough to take accounting courses somewhere along their educational roads, I would like to give a quick lesson on managing inventory.
(Don’t worry, it applies to baseball)
Companies can take two general stances with regards to inventory calculations for tax purposes, one of which is referred to as LIFO (last in, first out).
This implies the assumption that assets produced or acquired last are the ones that are used, sold or disposed of first.
To make this example relevant to the New York Yankees, let’s focus on the “acquired” and “disposed of” terminology.
Albaladejo was the last man to be added to the Major League roster as spring training concluded, and his performance has been nothing short of a disaster.
By using a LIFO method of managing their assets, New York could have already “disposed” of Albaladejo long ago in favor of Aceves, Tomko, or anyone with a pulse.
It may be too late for proper accounting practices, but it is long since overdue for a replacement.
The Yankees already have enough vowels on their roster with Mark Teixeira, and Albaladejo’s services are no longer required.
If Girardi’s strange commitment to the derisory reliever is not resolved quickly, his accounting techniques will likely be audited.
Also Seen At: Heartbeat of the Bronx
A-Rod Writes Script Fit for the Oscars: Why We Can’t Expect Instant Encore
Like a story fit for Hollywood, Alex Rodriguez launched the first pitch he saw in 2009 over the left field wall.
Time seemed to stop momentarily as his bat connected with the pitch, and the Yankees quickly opened up a 3-0 first inning lead.
It is amazing how one pitch can completely change a team’s outlook on the season, but A-Rod provided a much-needed resurrection of hope in the Bronx.
Though the bullpen, lineup, and starting rotation still have more questions and riddles than a law school final exam, New York finally had its superstar back.
More importantly, New York had a superstar with intensity and fire, ready to play with a large and persistent chip on his shoulder.
The glare that Rodriguez sent in the direction of the mound during his first at bat produced venom potent enough to kill an elephant in seconds.
A-Rod was on a personal mission to prove he could again be the player he always was, regardless of a debilitating injury and his subsequent shunning of PEDs.
The journey back from surgery is not always going to play out like the final scenes of a feature film in which Rodriguez wins the Academy Award for “Best Actor.”
A-Rod will likely struggle with breaking balls in the weeks to come; unable to simulate the depth and sharpness of Major League off-speed pitches during his rehab process.
Hitting a fastball after a long hiatus is like getting back onto a bicycle.
Everything seems to come back to form naturally, and it feels as though your cleats had not been covered in dust just days earlier.
Off-speed pitches, however, are an entirely different animal.
In much the same way that pitchers need time to develop the feel for throwing them, hitters need repetition to master handling them at home plate.
It takes times to recognize the rotation of a baseball as it leaves a pitcher’s hand, as well as determining the variation of velocities from pitch to pitch.
There was no better example of this intricacy than Rodriguez’s second and third at bats.
Orioles starter Jeremy Guthrie learned from his first inning mistake, snapping off a sharp two-strike curveball into the dirt. A-Rod feebly waved at it, removing some of the luster from his storybook homer.
Rodriguez’s third at bat featured the same pitch recognition issues. Again faced with two strikes, he anticipated receiving another sharp curveball low in the zone.
Guthrie instead threw a hard fastball on the inside corner at waist level, and A-Rod was caught frozen.
It will take a period of weeks for Rodriguez to become comfortable with this area of the game, so do not expect many more moments of instant heroism in the short-term.
It is important to remember that A-Rod did not at all participate in spring training, and he first has some rust and cobwebs to eradicate.
Rodriguez will not produce his fourth MVP season in 2009, but he doesn’t have to for New York to succeed. His mere presence has energized the roster, and Teixeira should finally be able to relax.
Teixeira even admitted recently that he “was going to give (A-Rod) a big hug” when he saw him on Friday.
As far as the offensive production that A-Rod will produce…it is anyone’s guess.
The important thing is that New York’s embattled star and lightning rod has again returned to his self-proclaimed “family.”
Though he is sometimes treated like an estranged uncle, this “family” is ecstatic to plus him into the lineup card hitting cleanup.
“Blast” from the Past: Kyle Farnsworth Still Up to His Old Tricks
Bucky “f#@king” Dent was given a new middle name by Red Sox supporters after his 1978 home run in Fenway Park. It stuck with him for decades into the future.
Kyle Farnsworth earned that same name middle name from Yankee fans as a result of his unreliable and putrid relief efforts.
Well, Kyle “f#@king” Farnsworth was busy introducing himself to a new set of uneasy fans on Tuesday afternoon. This time he was wearing a brand new Royals uniform.
In the eighth inning, Farnsworth was brought in to preserve a slim 2-to-1 Royals lead over the offensively inconsistent Chicago White Sox.
As if still traumatized by his years spent heckled in the Bronx, he began 2009 the way he seemed to end every game of years past…
Defeated, and with his tail tucked firmly between his legs.
Farnsworth gave up four hits including a back-breaking three-run homer off the bat of White Sox DH Jim Thome. The pitch all but sealed the Royals fate as Opening Day losers.
Perhaps the most memorable moment of Farnsworth’s turbulent baseball career involved his apparent skills on the football gridiron.
Farnsworth twice tackled pitchers to the ground with absolutely perfect NFL form, leaving Paul Wilson and Jeremy Affeldt asking, “Did anyone get the license plate number of that truck?”
He may have had a more successful future playing linebacker than he has amassed thus far in Major League Baseball.
Farnsworth has simply been unable to harness the 100 MPH fastball and biting slider that still makes 25 general managers drool across the league.
The other five have employed Farnsworth in their bullpen, and are well versed in the ulcer-causing nature of his pitching prowess.
Many supporters of the Chicago Cubs hoped that Farnsworth could become as electric as Rob Dibble once was for their division rival Cincinnati Reds.
With a career 4.47 ERA and 30-48 record, Farnsworth instead reminds fans of Billy Koch. He represents just another flamethrower that never learned how to pitch.
Upon his departure from the Bronx in a trade for catcher Ivan Rodriguez, Farnsworth surprisingly wept tears and seemed crushed by the decision.
For the first time in my life, I felt genuine sympathy for the man that is responsible for my current blood pressure medication.
Perhaps he truly believed he belonged on the big stage. Perhaps he envisioned one dominant October revitalizing his career and earning him the respect he always clawed for.
That day will likely never come for the underachieving Farnsworth.
It is only a matter of time before the Royals realize that cutting his salary from the payroll is more valuable than his innings on the mound.
Teams like Tampa Bay may be calling for his services to attempt to plug another veteran into a budding bullpen.
Unfortunately for him, it appears that you truly can’t teach an old dog new tricks.
At almost 33 years of age, Farnsworth can still throw a baseball through a brick wall. However, he still can’t throw one to a catcher’s glove on the outside corner.
Yankees Victim of “Fowl” Play: Orioles Fly High on Opening Day
The 2009 season began with hopes and dreams of a deep October playoff run.
The Yankees hoped to turn back the clocks and recreate dominance reminiscent of the late 1990s.
Monday’s season opener was not quite the initial progress they had hoped for, as the Yankees were surprised by an upstart Oriole team with something to prove.
Prized pitching acquisition C.C. Sabathia had hoped to have a New York debut so successful that fans would think his initials stood for “Chevy Chase.”
Unfortunately for the hefty lefty, his pitching prowess reminded much more of the post-Friends acting career of “Courtney Cox.”
Though there is absolutely no reason whatsoever to hit the panic button after nine innings of baseball, the loss provides dissenters some early fuel for their Yankee-hater fire.
Even if you had not watched one pitch of yesterday’s game, a single statement could explain the day’s events for the Yankees.
Of all the high-priced free agents obtained by New York during the offseason, it was Nick Swisher (1-for-1, ground rule double) who had the most promising Opening Day performance.
Considering Swisher was not in the starting lineup, and managed to accumulate about 60 seconds of field time, it is clear that Sabathia and 1B Mark Teixeira struggled in game one.
When taking a much broader perspective on the game’s events, there were many positives to cling to.
Injury concerns Jorge Posada and Hideki Matsui both hit mammoth home runs, and rookie CF Brett Gardner displayed the skills necessary to start in the league.
Additionally, the unveiling of the Derek Jeter leadoff experiment was a success. Both he and Johnny Damon had multi-hit games and helped to jumpstart a stagnant offensive attack.
The Yankees did nothing to quiet the voices of those who questioned their defensive abilities or bullpen depth.
They struggled mightily in each area, and will need to make adjustments quickly in order to keep pace in the league’s toughest division.
Luckily for New York, there are 161 games remaining on their schedule. It is only a matter of time before their talented roster straightens themselves out.
It could begin tomorrow night in Baltimore, as former Yankees ace Chien-Ming Wang takes the mound to prevent an immediate 2009 losing streak.
Regardless of the Opening Day disappointments, it feels incredible to once again be talking about meaningful baseball.
Buckle your seatbelts. It is going to be a wild ride.
Yankees Opening Day: When Baseball Returns, Nothing Else Matters
The calendar thankfully flips over to April each year, ensuring baseball’s most passionate fans another season enamored with America’s Pastime.
As millions of fans don pinstriped jerseys and fitted caps, they can smell tulips and freshly cut grass even amidst cold and rainy days.
The spring takes on a different meaning to those who depend on bats, gloves, mounds, and rotating seams to survive.
Allergies become baseball’s ultimate nonconformist, attempting to impact the sights and smells of the sport’s initial months.
Sneezing accompanies relentlessly itching eyes; running fans the risk of having to scratch during a timeless moment in baseball history.
Stubbornly clogged nostrils make it nearly impossible to sense the presence of a hot dog or pretzel vendor.
Restricted airways impede fans’ ability to scream and chant with 52,000+ other baseball die-hards.
Sufferers like me understand that none of these fruitless attempts by nature will affect our memories or appreciation for the game.
When Baltimore Orioles pitcher Jeremy Guthrie releases the season’s first pitch from his trembling hand, time will stop as we all hold our collective breath.
It will appear as though we can all count the seams on his incoming fastball. At that exact moment…nothing else matters.
Not persisting unemployment or escalating problems at home. Not a recent breakup or a fender-bender in the parking lot. Not even the monthly statement from TD Ameritrade regarding your investment status.
Nothing else matters because baseball is once again officially part of our lives.
Songs and chants begin to replay in our heads like a broken record, and we can’t help but to participate or sing along.
Though it would require a second mortgage for you to “buy me some peanuts and Cracker Jacks” in the new Yankee Stadium, the economy and astronomical prices take a back seat to double plays and ground rule doubles.
Once fans begin to hear “da da da Da da Da da…,” they can’t help but think about their swelling credit card debts. Regardless, they thrust their arms into the air and yell, “CHARGE!”
Following the tragedies of September 11, baseball helped to save New York City from a time of depression, regret, shock, and fear.
It provides an escape from the things others turn to alcohol or illicit drugs to avoid. It provides a refuge for those who simply need a distraction.
America’s Pastime succeeds in putting smiles back onto even the most miserable of faces.
Once the game that we love most begins again…nothing else matters.
The Calm before the Storm: Yankees Opening Day Arrives Tomorrow
The New York Yankees broke camp on Saturday following two exhibition games in the new stadium with the Chicago Cubs.
They finished spring training with a league-best 24-10 record, and displayed the ability to excel in all areas of the game.
The Yankees generated plenty of thunder in launching seven home runs into their newly built stands.
Now experiencing the calm before the storm, players must play the waiting game for Monday’s Opening Day matchup with the Baltimore Orioles.
The pitching matchup features C.C. Sabathia and Oriole ace Jeremy Guthrie.
Making more money per start than Guthrie will make for all of 2009, the pressure is on Sabathia to perform well out of the starting gates.
The Yankees should start off strong in 2009, as the Orioles have not put up a fight since a benches-clearing brawl in 1998.
After closer Armando Benitez drilled Yankees 1B Tino Martinez in the small of the back, the Orioles took their best swings of the next decade.
Unfortunately for them, they were made by their fists instead of their wooden bats.
The wait is finally over, and baseball has returned to all of our lives. Spring training and the World Baseball Classic are now forced into the rearview mirror as we look forward to meaningful competition.
It should certainly be an exciting year, as New York is buzzing with excitement in 2009 like no other year in the last decade.
Whispers of a Subway Series have already begun to carry in the wind from town to town.
However, the only words that mean anything to baseball fans right now will be emphatically yelled by a home plate umpire in only a matter of hours.
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