Game 1: Yanks VS. Tigers

NY @ DETROIT.

Here’s the lineup (via PA):

YANKEES
Cabrera CF
Jeter SS
Abreu RF
Matsui LF
Duncan 1B
Giambi DH
Betemit 3B
Cano 2B
Moeller C
Igawa LHP

Igawa on the mound and he’ll be opposed by Kenny Rogers. Believe it or not, I’m pretty excited about today’s game. I like to root for the underdog and Kei Igawa can definitely be seen as an underachiever of sorts. Plus, it’s a beautiful day in Seattle and non-Mariner baseball just seems very appropriate.

Breakin’ Bats in Baseball

Jeff Passan has another fantastic read up at Yahoo Sports (what else is new, the guy writes some great features). This time, this one is about baseball bats, which seem to be breaking and snapping at an alarming rate this year (remember Andy Pettitte’s near-miss a few days ago?). This could be a potentially dangerous situation for players, fans or umpires, and Passan outlines a sad story about Don Long, whose face was impaled by a broken piece of bat in 2005 (Long still can’t smile the way he used to). I also remember hearing a White Sox announcer echo such sentiments while the Yanks were in Chicago just recently.

Passan’s article talks about maple bats, which have gained tremendous popularity over the years (about 50% of players now use them). Their popularity skyrocketed after Barry Bonds started using them exclusively in 1999 (bats, steroids, Barry Bonds is a trend setter). Essentially, some ballplayers think that the maple bats hit the ball harder and are themselves, harder than the alternative–ash bats. However, a 2005 study, paid for by the MLB because they were worried about the number of shattered bats, indicated that ash bats actually don’t break as often or as severely as maple bats (ash bats crack, maple bats shatter).

However, players still use them more than ever and feel as if it provides them with a competitive and psychological edge (the study also showed that maple bats and ash bats are basically the same in terms of hitting the ball). Nevertheless, some players are tired of having their bats explode on a regular basis and therefore are making the switch back to ash bats in order to protect themselves and those around them.

Here’s some text on Jorge Posada and ex-Yankee, Doug Mientkiewicz:

All last season, Jorge Posada encouraged New York Yankees teammate Doug Mientkiewicz to switch from maple to ash. Mientkiewicz was tired of his bats breaking.

“They blow up constantly,” said Mientkiewicz, a first baseman now with the Pirates.

I encourage you to the check out the rest of the article. It’s very interesting and sheds light on an aspect of baseball that we often see yet hardly wonder about after it has happened. Passan also discusses baseball’s position on the bats and whether or not they will eventually rule in favor of one bat (the safer ash) over the other (the more dangerous maple). I guess we’ll have to wait until Josh Beckett has to have the splintered remains of a maple bat, surgically removed from his forearm (baseball tends to be a little late with some of its policies).

Ripley’s Believe It Or Not

According to Mike Puma, David Wells, the rotund left-hander and former Yankee, is very interested in returning to NY. In fact, Hank Steinbrenner is even entertaining the idea. Now, I like David Wells, but I don’t see how he can help us a this time (maybe as a long-man). It would make for a fun story, but the Yanks have quality arms that they could go to before bringing this guy back.

Farnsworth Suspension Reduced

The MLB has reduced Kyle Farnsworth’s 3-game suspension to 1 game (for throwing at Manny). He’ll serve the suspension tonight and get it over with. This is actually good news for Yankee fans (who knew?). You know what I think is funny, the way Manny reacted to Kyle Farnsworth after the ball flew past his head. He had a sheepish grin on his face instead of charging the mound (like Richie Sexson did last night), which he has done before in a heated situation.

Maybe it’s because everyone in baseball is scared of “Big Farns”?

Here’s Paul Wilson, a victim of a patented Farnsworth beatdown:

Oh, and let’s not forget this gem that had Kyle Farnsworth tackling Jeremy Affeldt (who Steve Phillips apparently likes a lot):

I guess Manny didn’t want to be the third picture in this post.

Joba Controversy Continues

For whatever reason, the Joba fist pump controversy continues. Joba Chamberlain struck David Dellucci out in yesterday’s ballgame and then proceeded to pump his fist 3 times to demonstrate how amped he was. Don’t forget that Joba had been taken to the woodshed by Dellucci in the second game of the series, blowing the lead and the win. Dellucci hit a 3-run homer off of a less than stellar Joba and last night, Joba was happy to send him back to the dugout with a K.

However, Dellucci didn’t exactly get the celebration:

“If he wants to yell and scream after a strikeout and dance around, I guess that gets him going,” Dellucci said. “My home run was in a much bigger situation, more a key part of the game and I didn’t dance around and scream.”

At least Dellucci brings context into the situation. I actually agree with him somewhat and think that it wasn’t necessarily appropriate for a little celebration after striking him out. That would be the case under normal circumstances. However, this guy also hit a 3-run bomb of Joba in Joba’s last appearance which was also the first time Joba had given up an ER at Yankee Stadium. So, with that stuff in mind (context), I don’t really mind Joba’s antics at all. The kid gets amped, let him have his fun.

I mean, if Frank Thomas, a future HOF player, doesn’t mind when Joba does that, then why should anyone care about what David Dellucci has to say?

Phil Hughes for Jeremy Affeldt?

Steve Phillips, one of ESPN’s talking heads, actually proposed that idea in an article about helping the Reds.

Here’s what he had to say:

4. CALL HANK Have owner Bob Castellini ring Hank Steinbrenner and tell him you’ve got a way to move Joba Chamberlain into the Yankees’ rotation. Offer Jared Burton, who’s whiffing hitters in bunches, and Jeremy Affeldt for Phil Hughes. Sell Burton as Chamberlain’s eighth-inning replacement and Affeldt as the situational lefty the Yanks lack. Throw in Arroyo if they want. Make it an owners deal. Castellini and Hank will love it; GM Brian Cashman will hate it. The bottom line is that Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto, Edinson Vólquez and Hughes would give Cincy four very different looks.

Yes, the Yankees held back on trading Hughes for Johan Santana, the best pitcher in the game, so that they could package him for a 26-year old “prospect” and a situational lefty with a career 4.69 ERA. And people wonder why Steve Phillips was fired by the Mets (oh wait, no they don’t).

Phillips also criticized the Reds for acquiring Josh Hamilton when they did and giving him a chance to play in the Majors. Little did he know that it was a great move for the organization, because when they traded him at the end of 2007, they got Edinson Volquez from the Rangers (one of the pitchers Phillips cites in his feature). Volquez is currently one of the best pitchers in baseball, sporting a 1.06 ERA, 5 wins and 52 K’s in 43 IP.

And this guy is supposed to be helping the Reds? What?