Results tagged “dereklowe”

It’s really good to be CC Sabathia right now. The Yankees, desperate for starting pitching, have opened their negotiations with the free agent by offering the most-lucrative contract ever offered to a pitcher. The Yankee offer is believed to be for six years and $140 million, just a bit more than the Mets gave to Johan Santana earlier this year. And, Sabathia is not expected to accept the proposal because plenty of teams are interested in his services and the bidding will be intense. But, the Yankees have clearly shown they mean business and they are expected to make offers to A.J. Burnett and Derek Lowe as well this weekend. One thing is certain, the seven unsold luxury suites at the new Yankee Stadium are not causing the Yankees to lose any sleep.

• Mets 13, Dodgers 9: While Tom Glavine was on the mound attempting to win his 299th career game, the Mets were trying to win their first game against the Dodgers this year. In an trip to Los Angeles earlier this season, the Mets were swept in a three game series. The Mets jumped out to a 6-run lead in the first inning last night and never trailed, but Glavine couldn't keep the Dodgers from scoring in his brief outing. Then again, no pitcher seemed to have an answer for either team's offense in this game. Although Glavine didn't come close to winning his 299th victory, the Mets did finally pick up a win in L.A. In the combined 22 run slugfest, Glavine was removed after only two innings, allowing 10 hits and 6 earned runs. Derek Lowe, the starter for the Dodgers, hardly fared better - 10 hits and 8 earned runs over three innings. Each position player that started the game for the Mets, had at least one hit. The two teams combined for 35 hits in the game.
• Blue Jays 3, Yankees 2: The Yankees were going for a four-game sweep of Toronto and for their 6th win in a row. All was well until they reached the 7th inning. Chien-Ming Wang pitched well through 6, holding the Jays scoreless, but it all unraveled in the 7th when Wang allowed Toronto to score 3 runs. The Yankees jumped to a quick two-run lead in the 1st inning, but Toronto starter Dustin McGowan shut them down for the rest of the time he was pitching, allowing only 4 total hits over 7 innings. Wang was eventually pulled from the game in the 8th inning after already giving up the go ahead run in the 7th. The Yankees start another four-game series Friday against the Devil Rays, who they took three of four from just last week.
• Crosscutters 4, Cyclones 2: The Cyclones fell to Williamsport for their first loss in seven games. Brooklyn had a one run lead entering the 7th, but the Crosscutters scored 3 unearned runs to take the lead for good. Brooklyn scored only one run in the 8th despite having the bases loaded and were unable to score in the 9th despite having two runners on base with no outs.

After a cruise-control regular season, the Mets have hit a speed bump before the playoffs start. The health of their pitching staff has downgraded from bad to worse. After they learned Pedro Martinez would miss the postseason -- and half of next season -- with a torn muscle in his calf and a torn rotator cuff, the Mets got more bad news Tuesday when Orlando Hernandez pulled his calf during a workout. The Mets now hand the game 1 ball over to 25 year-old John Maine, who has played in only 27 Major League games and has no playoff starts. Maine was 6-5 with a 3.60 ERA in his 16 starts this season. Hernandez, in comparison, is 9-2 with a 2.64 ERA in his 14 postseason starts.

...It just lays down and loses four straight games to its biggest rivals. In the span of four days, the Yankees managed to lose four games to become the first team in baseball post season history to be up three games to none and lose a seven game series. Gotta give credit where credit is due, the Red Sox have guts and they pulled off a miraculous series of wins. The biggest comeback and the biggest collapse in baseball history. You have to wonder though, where did the Yankees vaunted comeback ability go? Where did Mr. Everything/Mr. Clutch/Mr. Captain Derek Jeter go? He hit .200 with one extra base hit. Nothing quite like a lead off man who doesn't set the table.

When did it become acceptable to act like a jackass and risk the safety of the players and umpires on playing field by throwing baseballs onto the field. It's one thing to express your displeasure with a call by booing or even cursing, but there was no excuse for the Yankee "fans" that threw balls onto the field in the 8th inning of last night's game. Those that threw the balls last night are no different than Giant fans who threw packed snowballs onto the field in 1995. They deserve to lose season ticket rights and be brought up on charges. The fans at Yankee stadium may not have had the benefit of instant replay, but that is no excuse. What would happen if someone in the upper deck threw a ball that landed in a field level seat? The actions of a few, ruined what was a well played baseball game, and how the real fans are perceived. To the "fan" that Fox 5 reported threw his cell phone onto the field, you're the not only a jackass, but stupid too.

Game one of the series came down to the 9th inning, where Mariano Rivera failed to close the game and the Red Sox eked out a 3-2 win. Rivera's performance Friday, was very un-Rivera like, and was his 4th blown save of the season. Saturday afternoon, Jon Lieber nearly no-hit the Red Sox as the Yankees rolled 14-4. Derek Lowe was horrendous, giving up seven runs in less than two innings of work. Lieber didn't give up his first hit until David Ortiz's home run in the 7th inning. Mike Mussina, not to be outdone, was also lights during his start on Sunday. In his 7 innings on the mound, Mussina only allowed 1 run and 7 hits. Pedro Martinez was hit by the Yankees, and hit often, continuing his team's losing ways against the Yankees when he pitches. After yesterday's performance, the Red Sox are a mere 11-18, including the playoffs, with Pedro on the mound.

Mussina tossed eight shutout innings while scattering three hits and one walk and striking out eleven. Mussina had it all going and looked unhittable. The Yankees will need Mussina in the postseason if they are to have any chance of advancing and last nights game was a huge lift in a positive direction.

Despite three solo home runs by Johnny Damon in the 1st and 3rd and David Ortiz in the 6th, the Red Sox could not hold off the Yankees. Derek Lowe's sinker was done in by the poor play behind him (errors on Nomar Garciaparra and Kevin Millar), the power in the Yankee bats, and speed on the base paths.

Yesterday, the Yankees finally beat the Red Sox at Fenway, taking the 3rd game of the four game series, 7-3 (box score). Paul Quantrill got the win, after bailing out starter Jose Contreras in the third inning. A well rested Derek Lowe got the loss, giving up seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. Despite the victory, one has to wonder if it was the Yankees that performed well, or if it was the pitching of Derek Lowe.

This weekend brings us the first meeting this season of the Yankees and the Red Sox, in a four game series that any baseball fan can enjoy. The two teams have not met since last October when Aaron Boone ended the ALCS with a home run and when there was an incident between Don Zimmer and Pedro Martinez. Boone and Zimmer are gone, and Martinez is not scheduled to pitch, but the rivalry has only heated up since. During the off season, the Red Sox signed Curt Schilling and tried to trade for Alex Rodriguez, who was eventually acquired by the Yankees, making him the new person to hate.