Actual Yankee lineup:

Jeter SS
Granderson CF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez DH
Cano 2B
Jones RF
Nix LF
Nunez 3B
Stewart C

I hope CC feels like pitching a shutout tonight.

After tonight, ARod will have 17 games started at 3B and 8 at DH this year.

He DH’d 10 times in 2011, 12 times in 2010, and 9 times in 2009. Hey Girardio, what gives?

Probably trying to be a bit more proactive about Rodriguez’s health.  Plus having a crappy DH situation.  Plus trying to get a handle on if Nunez is a historically horrible defender or just a terrible one.

[2] - What gives is Gardner is out with an injury and Chavez and Nunez were taking most of the starts.  Given that… why not?*

*Yes I know Chavez got injured playing the field.

Take this for what you will…

http://twitter.com/#!/BryanHoch/status/198515605396140032

[4] He was DH’ing at a much higher rate even before the Gardner injury. His 2nd game at DH this year was Game 8 of the season (Gardner was injured during Game 11.) In 2011 it was Game 39 and in 2010 it was Game 38.

I understand the desire to protect ARod from injury but he’s on track to DH 32% of his games. He looked great in the field last year also. Our DH situation sucked last year so I don’t think that’s it. Nunez….ehhh

According to Mark Feinsand of the Daily News, Rivera had this to say. 

“I am coming back. Write it down in big letters. ... I’m not going out like this,” said the closer.

This brings a big fat stupid smile to my face.

[5][7]

Can we stop with the career retrospectives/eulogies now?

When do 2013 season tickets go on sale? Yay Mo!

Jeter/Grando and the 7 Dwarves

  “I am coming back. Write it down in big letters. ... I’m not going out like this,” said the closer.

This brings a big fat stupid smile to my face.

Yes. Oh my, YES!

Can we just skip ahead to next season now? This one has become irrelevant.

So-thoughts on Robertson’s song coming out of the bullpen?

[12]  You’re all missing the point entirely.  It’s not an either/or situation.  It’s a both/and.  They must win, both now and then.  Goddamn it people.  Shake this flaccid defeatism.  Mo would be embarrassed for your weakness.  Show some fucking sack!

Robertson should enter to Jailbreak by Thin Lizzy since he’s the master of the escape act.

[14] I wasn’t saying I’ve given up on this team’s chances of winning. I’m saying I want to watch a Mo season vs. this non-Mo season. Though if Teix, A-Rod and Cano keep this up, the point will be moot.

Now THAT is worth some Suzyn Waldman hyperventilation.

And yes, I grinned a big shit-eating grin.

[14] You new here?

Why not have Robertson enter to “Sad but True” since it’s the second track on Metallica’s Black Album, both as homage and since it’s heavy as hell itself?  Plus, the first 30 seconds are particularly rough.  So good.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8BRbM52gpc

[18]  There are plenty of times for snark…hell, even now.  But the amount of season write-offs I’m seeing here, even before Mo’s catastrophe, surprise me.  It’s like the Simpsons where the truculent teen is asked if he’s being sarcastic, and he doesn’t even know anymore.  Fuck it.  I live in Denmark and work late half the time just so I can drone my way to 3 am watching the first five innings of games.  I’ve been coming here for donkeys years, and I’m just going to be an asshole because my volume of posts earns me the right to be a persnickety old fart.  I’m goddamn sick of the bitching and write offs.  Mo just went down.  Jeter’s batting .400. Pettitte’s coming out of retirement.  If people can’t get amped up, I’m going to turn into a blood sucking troll and tell them all to fuck off to high hell.  So you, fuck off to high hell.  The Yanks are going to make a run.

heheheh.  double post.

I’ll become a believer when Tex gets his OPS above .800.

“my volume of posts earns me the right to be a persnickety old fart”

I too have been exploiting this lately.

Here, here, [14].

[19] My thoughts exactly. Also [14]. Do it for Mo.

Dave, can we be positive and still hate Teixeira ?

[20] - Agreed.

[26] I guess I always just thought hating Teixeira was being positive.  Do I need to reevaluate?

I’m goddamn sick of the bitching and write offs.

This reads like a complaint.

38 y/o SS is out-OPS’ing 32 y/o 1B by 400 points

Dave, can we be positive and still hate Teixeira ?

I know you’re probably kidding, and I get the frustration, but hating Teixeira doesn’t seem especially fair or rational.  Even with a .239 BABIP in 2011 he hit 39 HR’s and put up 4.2 Fangraphs WAR.  His BABIP this year is .226.  He’s been unlucky and/or hurt by the shift, but has still been productive.  It’s not like he has a bad attitude or doesn’t work hard.  He’s off to a typically slow start, and when he turns it around, I’ll be happy to say that I never hated him when things weren’t going well.

[29] Oh, I’m sorry, it is.  I must be on the wrong thread…can you direct me?

You see…because I’m six hours ahead of you, I’m also six hours drunker than you.

“Standard fangraphs churn” as some would say. It’s not a coincidence that his BABIP has declined every year since 2007. And it’s not just the shift because his LD% has too.

[31] Not really kidding. Well, maybe 80-85% not kidding. I’ve been underwhelmed with Teixeira for a long time, and I’m running out of enthusiasm.

He’s a two-true-outcomes hitter. Unfortunately, those two outcomes are popup and grounder into the teeth of the shift.

Yeah, but he spent the offseason working on bunts so he can discourage the shift. . .

[35] He spent the offseason working with BobbyV. If he’s that dumb, he may actually think he’s bunting now.

[20] That there was a righteous rant. 

FWIW, I have not written off the season.  I never said it, and never felt that way.  I did, however, feel crappy about the injuries.  Sue me, grumpy old man. 

I feel [37] would have driven the point home more clearly if the words “monkey butt face” had been included.

[32] I’m just jealous that you’re six hours drunker than us East Coast folks…

Nine hours drunker than Pin and me.

[38] I don’t remember posting any pictures here, but it’s a fair cop.

Rob, it wasn’t directed at you…more just at the general malaise.  And I don’t mean the kind that the genius possess and the insane lament.

It’s been hours, now, and Teix seems to be giving me the silent treatment on Twitter.

Obviously, what Teix needed is my swift kick in the pants.

‘twas a fine jack.

Watching Nunez play defense is like watching a dog attempt to operate a bulldozer.

118 more OPS points till I’m a believer!

Derek Jeter is batting .409 on May 4th.

Cashman and Girardi look stupid when Nunez plays baseball for the Yankees.

Way to hold’em, CC.

Whew. I was getting downright optimistic there for a second.

You can’t expect a fat man to play sports in this oppressive heat.

There’s actually a gravy puddle on the mound.

Let’s go Yankees.

=(

Nix?!,  Nu nE and Stewart starting for baseballs richest team

Is CC trying to set a single game doubles record?

On the eve of the perigee Chens starting vs us and townies.

[41] Best use of an Austin Powers quote ever. Dave, as much as I’ve always respected your game…You done did better. Mo better.

56 Oscar Levant “there’s a fine line between genius and insanity.  I have erased the line,” preceeded Austin by 50 years.

Well done, Robbie. Man is he in a funk.

Another promising inning ruined.  Why bother even putting men on unless its in front of Jeter.

Who’s the genius put the steal play on with Teix ?

Right now, Cano can’t hit a 85 mph fastball down the middle.

@60. Sorry dude. It was me. I just figured my favorite baseball player ever was capable of great baseball doings. Wrong again are I.

Nix was a great signing.

If they IBB Jeter, I call a Granderson HR.

Derek Jeter’s Frozen Head is thawing.

Two runs vs Bruce Chen! WTF?

QS in the books.

[66] Yes baby, the offense is on fire tonight!

Noooooneyyyyy.

Nunez 1 for 20!!! And that’s actually good news…

Steweeeeeeee. 4-2 Yanks.

Last two PA do not compute.

Jeter’s is COLD AS ICE ! In a good, head-freezing sense.

Holy Captain dinger!!!

Toast!

Wow…Derek Jeter!

MVP

DEREK JETER WILL NOT BE DENIED TED WILLIAMS’ FROZEN HEAD.

If Stewart and Nuney get back to back hits, you know Jeter’s about to go yard.

How long has it been since they scored 6 runs in a game?

1.500 OPS for Jeter against LHP!

Wow. When was the last time Jeter looked this good at the plate for over a month. has he ever?

MVP?  Too early for flapjacks?

Anyone have any solid Derby plays for tomorrow? Hard not to like Union Rags, but that’ll be short money. Thoughts on exotics?

82-1999.

Solid DP all around.

Cano 1 for 4 seems to be his line every night.

[87] Which would explain his .255 AVG

[88] Yep, we’re really making deep statements tonight.

It would be super sweet if Jeter wins MVP this year.

@88. 1 for 4 is .250 I have this thing on my phone that tells me that. Please explain dem extra 5 points. Betcha can’t.

I just fucking love David Robertson

I just hope Robertson closing the game in a non-save situation does not mean that Girardi will use Soriano in save situations…

[91] Just because I can’t do math, doesn’t mean I can’t….ehm….Dude, you should throw that phone into the East River with all the spreadsheets.

He’ll do

I’m sure Robertson was just getting some work. Man, he’s awesome. Thank goodness the Yankees have him.

What else can you say….Yay Mo! Yay DRob! Yay win!

That seemed like fun.
God knows we needed it.

Just saw the video of Mo getting hurt. I had gotten the impression he was leaping against the wall, but he fell on the edge of the warning track. Blaming Mo for what happened is absurd.

[98] Mo knew.
[94] Drownded it. Sleeping with the Fredo’s.
[99] Where the eff were you last night? I was pulling out hair I haven’t had since the 90’s.