Larry Mahnken and SG's

Replacement Level Yankees Weblog

"Hey, it's free!"


The Replacement Level Yankees Weblog has moved!  Our new home is:
http://www.replacementlevel.com

Featuring:
Larry Mahnken
SG
sjohnny
TVerik
Sean McNally
Fabian McNally
John Brattain


This is an awesome FREE site, where you can win money and gift certificates with no skill involved! If you're bored, I HIGHLY recommend checking it out!



Web
yankeefan.blogspot.com

Disclaimer: If you think this is the official website of the New York Yankees, you're an idiot. Go away.


June 26, 2006


Wasting Chances
by SG

Over at there's a discussion thread about the inferiority of the National League to the American League this season. This is not exactly earth-shattering news, but the thread was based on research by the Red Sox that there is about a 10 game difference in quality between the two leagues.

Unfortunately for us as Yankee fans, the Yankees have not used this opportunity to build up their record against their weaker sisters. While interleague play is in general a farce and hugely flawed due to the fact that teams do not play to the same strength of schedule, here are the records against the NL for the likely playoff contenders this season.

Boston 10-1
Chicago White Sox 10-2
Detroit 10-2
Oakland 7-5
Yankees 6-6
Texas 6-6
Toronto 4-8

New York's performance against the NL has cost them 4.5 games in the standings this season. Granted, Boston has fattened up on Atlanta and has not yet faced the red hot Mets, but the Red Sox swept Washington, who beat the Yankees in two out of three games, and have gone 4-1 against Philadelphia so far, with one more game today. Now I find myself in the sickening position of rooting for the Mets for three games.

The Yankees split a double-header yesterday, winning the opener 2-1 behind a very solid start by Mike Mussina, who rebounded from a rough stretch of starts to pitch very well. Moose started very strongly then seemed to struggle in the middle innings, but gave the team seven innings of one run ball over 105 pitches, 71 of which were strikes. His curveball was back after a few starts without it, and he used it to good effect.

Kyle Farnsworth continues to be an enigma, as he gave up two hits and and IBB but managed to pitch out of it with a scoreless eighth. Farnsworth is killing me right now. I have no faith in him. Mariano Rivera closed it out in much easier fashion thankfully.

In the second game, the Yankees lost 5-0, becoming the last team in the majors to get shut out. Shawn Chacon had another less than stellar outing, although his defense killed him, primarily Jason Giambi. It didn't end up mattering though, as a lineup with Kelly Stinnett and Bubba Crosby mustered no offense.

More of a problem than the loss was a Robinson Cano injury in the sixth, as he doubled but then pulled up lame going into second. The diagnosis is a strained left hamstring and he'll probably miss at least a couple of games.

The Yankees get a struggling Atlanta team at home now for three games. Anything less than a sweep will not satisfy me.

And if you haven't had a chance yet, please take Larry's clutchness survey below.