With just a little over a month remaining in the baseball season, the New York Yankees (-115) are fighting for their playoff lives. While I don’t believe we’ll be seeing the pinstripes in the postseason for a 14th consecutive year, I do think they will make it interesting…including a victory over the Boston Red Sox on Wednesday at 7:05 pm.
I need a win. My current losing streak has been brutal. From dropped balls at home plate, to two-point conversions, to a couple calls that went against the Rays that the announcers called, "The two worst calls they had ever witnessed in their lives." Splendid. Richard Jewell received more justice than I’ve gotten this week.
Hopefully the Yankees at home, going against their legendary rivals from Boston, will get the job done for me. The rivalry has lost a teeny bit of its allure this year, due to the unexpected Rays’ success. But it’s still Sox-Yankees. It always will be. And I believe I have the secret to a Yankee’s victory in this one: Paul Byrd.
Boston acquired righty Paul Byrd (8-11 4.61 ERA) from the Cleveland Indians a couple of weeks ago for a player to be named later, cash considerations, and a half-eaten beef jerky. The 37-year-old fossil has pitched a couple games for the Sox, both against Toronto, winning one and losing the other. You know Boston’s staff is banged up when they felt the needed to make this trade. Probably the most non-intimidating pitcher in the majors, Byrd looks way more likely to bowl a strike than he does to strike someone out.
It’s kind of hard to believe that guy was named in the Mitchell Report for illegal use of performance enhancing substances, isn’t it?
I recently wrote about Byrd’s counterpart for this game, Sidney Ponson (7-4, 4.67 ERA). As down as I was on him at that time, Ponson is still a much better option than Byrd. He is coming off of a start where was roughed up for seven earned runs in two innings. Look for him to keep Boston’s lineup in check…a lineup that will be missing J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell and Julio Lugo, all out with injuries.
New York sits six games behind Boston for the AL Wild Card spot. They face each other five more times. If they are to make any kind of a move, it has to be now. And especially at Yankee Stadium where the Red Sox have lost six of their last 10.
Many of the Yankee’s hitters will enjoy seeing Byrd on the mound. Derek Jeter (.364), Robinson Cano (.308), Hideki Matsui (.364) and Jason Giambi (.316, 4 HR) have all hit him successfully. They should smack him around to the point that the Red Sox ask Cleveland for their half-eaten beef jerky back.
It is time to end my streak, so that Patty Venditto doesn’t take my spot.
I need a win. My current losing streak has been brutal. From dropped balls at home plate, to two-point conversions, to a couple calls that went against the Rays that the announcers called, "The two worst calls they had ever witnessed in their lives." Splendid. Richard Jewell received more justice than I’ve gotten this week.
Hopefully the Yankees at home, going against their legendary rivals from Boston, will get the job done for me. The rivalry has lost a teeny bit of its allure this year, due to the unexpected Rays’ success. But it’s still Sox-Yankees. It always will be. And I believe I have the secret to a Yankee’s victory in this one: Paul Byrd.
Boston acquired righty Paul Byrd (8-11 4.61 ERA) from the Cleveland Indians a couple of weeks ago for a player to be named later, cash considerations, and a half-eaten beef jerky. The 37-year-old fossil has pitched a couple games for the Sox, both against Toronto, winning one and losing the other. You know Boston’s staff is banged up when they felt the needed to make this trade. Probably the most non-intimidating pitcher in the majors, Byrd looks way more likely to bowl a strike than he does to strike someone out.
It’s kind of hard to believe that guy was named in the Mitchell Report for illegal use of performance enhancing substances, isn’t it?
I recently wrote about Byrd’s counterpart for this game, Sidney Ponson (7-4, 4.67 ERA). As down as I was on him at that time, Ponson is still a much better option than Byrd. He is coming off of a start where was roughed up for seven earned runs in two innings. Look for him to keep Boston’s lineup in check…a lineup that will be missing J.D. Drew, Mike Lowell and Julio Lugo, all out with injuries.
New York sits six games behind Boston for the AL Wild Card spot. They face each other five more times. If they are to make any kind of a move, it has to be now. And especially at Yankee Stadium where the Red Sox have lost six of their last 10.
Many of the Yankee’s hitters will enjoy seeing Byrd on the mound. Derek Jeter (.364), Robinson Cano (.308), Hideki Matsui (.364) and Jason Giambi (.316, 4 HR) have all hit him successfully. They should smack him around to the point that the Red Sox ask Cleveland for their half-eaten beef jerky back.
It is time to end my streak, so that Patty Venditto doesn’t take my spot.
like this ( . Y . ).
