Mrs. DF is walking the dog, I just got home so I figured I'd watch the game along with you, loyal readers, and share my thoughts in real time.
Jorge and Phillips are out of the lineup. Jorge surprised me, Phillips not so much. I think his days as the every-day first baseman are coming to an end. His bat has cooled off, and Joe has a soft spot for Betemit already. We'll see how he can handle first defensively.
Carmona is a stud. 1, 2, 3 in the top of the first.
No Haffner in the lineup for Cleveland, advantage Yankees. Hughes is taking the mound now...
Michael Kay is doing what we in the biz call, "Managing expectations," about Phil Hughes. I quote, "Phil Hughes is a fifth starter, all you want him to do is keep you in games." F that. I want excellence out of the kid, and I don't think he's going to be the fifth starter for long.
Hughes missed his spot badly (18 inches) on the double to Victor Martinez. You can't miss in to power hitters.
NASTY, back-door slider to get Peralta looking. No runs, that's all that matters.
A-Rod just took a dump on a Carmona sinker. Straight-away center bomb. 1-0 Yanks.
HR for the first run, bunt followed by a ground out for the second. Atta boy Donnie! (Mattingly is managing tonight, Joe is serving his 1-game suspension.) 2-0 Yanks.
Nice change to Trot Nixon, lazy fly ball to left. I still think Hughes isn't using the change enough. He might be trying to get through the lineup once without using it, and then mix it in later in the game.
Excellent inning for Hughes. Three up, three down.
Rough inning for Fausto, and really not his fault. Damon hit a weak pop up over second that Peralta botched, Jeter hit a grounder to Peralta that he booted and Abreu hit a grounder to Peralta that shouldv'e been a double play, he only got 1. Godzilla ends the inning on a double play. 3-0 Yanks.
Here's a shocker, Michael Kay thinks the new Yankee stadium is going to be, "The best stadium in the world."
Hughes is cruising, K, 1-3, K (backwards). He's retired 7 in a row.
11 out of the first 12 outs have been ground outs for Carmona. Live by the sinker, die by the sinker, I guess. Especially when your infield defense is shoddy. Three up, three down for the Bombers.
73 MPH curve that broke about 2 feet from Hughes to get Victor Martinez. Sick pitch.
His fastball has picked up some steam, he's been living at 93-94, his slider is in the low eighties, and his curve in the low seventies. This is impressive.
2-out double for Peralta, stranded when Hughes sits Blake down on another sick curve.
15-game hitting streak for the Melk Man.
Jeter plates Melky with a single up the middle. Abreu caught stealing to end the inning. 4-0 Yanks.
Solo bomb for Josh Barfield, fastball right down the middle. 4-1 Yanks.
After the HR Hughes immediately went to the change, twice in a row. 80 mph and 82. He got Sizemore to fly out on a fastball to end the inning.
Ethan Hawke on CenterStage this week. Awesome.
A-Rod got hit, and the benches didn't clear. That's refreshing.
GIDP for Godzilla, again.
Lofton led off with a single, and I was a little worried about velocity. Then Hughes reached back and hit 93 on his 86th pitch of the night. Good sign.
3-2 yakker to Peralta for a K to end the inning. 95 pitches through six, I'll be surprised if Hughes comes out for the seventh.
It's a good thing the Yanks got to Fausto early, because he looks un-hittable now.
Hughes for 6, now Joba in the 7th. I love it.
Joba touched 98 mph, just threw a straight change at 82.
1, 2, 3 for Joba. 8 pitches. I say leave him in for the eighth. He can be a two-inning bridge to Mo tonight.
Single for Jeter, triple for Abreu. 5-1 Yanks. IBB for A-Rod, cowards.
RBI ground out for Matsui, 6-1 Yanks.
Joba is dominating. He struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth. 2 innings, 0 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 4 Ks!
This game was a thing of beauty. I wasn't too far off on my predictions for the night.
Let's hope Joe sees Joba in this role the rest of the way (although he could just use him for one inning once in a while).
Letter to the Skipper and Player of the Game coming shortly.
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