Any chance the Yankees could lose a freaking game at some point?

That ####### Russell Martin is a SCOTT BROSIUS CLUTCH GOD.

Does anyone else find it suspicious that with two down an the bases empty in the top of the ninth, Robert Andino was hit in the head with a pitch thrown by a Sox pitcher?

No. Should we? Any history between them? Or are the Sox deciding to help the Yankees to show there's no hard feelings from last year's close of the season?

Does anyone else find it suspicious that with two down an the bases empty in the top of the ninth, Robert Andino was hit in the head with a pitch thrown by a Sox pitcher?

It was an accident pitch that got away. I mean, Andino did some jawing, but that was more because getting hit in the head hurts a lot.

Any history between them?

Well, there was the end of last season.

Or are the Sox deciding to help the Yankees to show there's no hard feelings from last year's close of the season?

Um, did you watch the end of last season?

You're suggesting that the Sox waited all this time to plunk a guy who hit a single in extra innings. Makes no sense to me whatever. Sorry. Besides, the head? Intentionally?

No, I'm not suggesting that Melancon (shouldn't there be cedilla in his name?) intentionally hit Andino; I've been informed that intention and location have little relation when he pitches.

But there is certainly history between the Red Sox and Andino. Back when the Sox were pretending to contend, settling scores by hitting batters would have been stupider than usual; now, however, they have absolutely nothing to play for. The revenge narrative says they can pay the O's back either by beating them or beaning them. Having failed at option 1, well, it just looked pretty bad when Andino got hit.

Any chance the Yankees could lose a freaking game at some point?

Aren't Yankees fans saying the same thing about the Orioles (5 in a row, 8 out of 10)?

Anyway...is this the White Sox collapse I've been praying for?

Aren't Yankees fans saying the same thing about the Orioles (5 in a row, 8 out of 10)?

Yes. All credit to both teams though, seems like whoever wins the AL East is going to win it, no backing in here.

I think the Tigers have finally figured out a way to catch the White Sox. Don't play.

But there is certainly history between the Red Sox and Andino

There is? The guy had a couple of clutch hits against the Sox but I don't recall anything contentious. Andino evokes awful memories of course but I don't think there is/was any animosity there. It's possible I'm projecting my own feelings though. I don't dislike Andino at all.

And Melancon wasn't on the team last year, Valentine wasn't here last year and Niemann(pitching coach) wasn't here last year so I can't see it begin ordered. I mean it's possible it was intentional but I'd be surprised.

Either way the warnings were incredibly stupid. There was no chance the Orioles, in the thick of a pennant race, were going to retaliate and the warning could have made it more challenging to pitch inside.

Wasn't Andino the guy who said it was fun to see the Red Sox crying last year?

"End of season like this, to make Boston go home sad, crying, I’ll take it all day,” Andino said."

Yeah, there's zero chance that was intentional.

Short answers:

Any history between the Red Sox and Andino? Yes.
Any chance that this was intentional? No.

Remember how much pants-pissing Yankees fans were doing a couple of weeks ago? Looks like the ship is righted.

And the Red Sox organization is nothing but no-class punks from the top to the bottom.

I don't see the Orioles catching New York unless the A's can do the Yankees some damage; after this series the NYY have 3 against the Twins, 4 more against Toronto, 3 against the Red Sox.

Clown plunking, bro.

The O's have Boston TWICE, Jays, and Rays. In 10-12 games, most anything can happen. I'm rooting for a 1-game playoff for the division winner.

If the Yankees can go 7-5 (the easiest path to which is splitting the next two with Oakland, then taking two from each of their remaining series) it's going to tough for Baltimore to tie them, and really tough to pass them outright.

But like TomH said, with 12 games left, it's basically a coin flip. It wasn't long ago (August 20-September 4) the Yankees lost 10 of 14. If they have another streak like that, Baltimore is going to win the division going-away, and the Yankees will be fighting for a spot in the one-game playoff.

(And of course, it is just as possible that Baltimore falls apart and loses 8 of 12 or something, and ends up battling the Angels for the WC. I'd like to see that, not only because I'm a Yankee fan, but it would be fun to see the O's-Rays series that ends the season mean something. TB is actually playing a bit better lately, but I suppose that 1-5 road trip at Baltimore and New York basically killed their season.)

This is looking like a down-to-the-wire race. I'm enjoying it tremendously.

Good show Baltimore!

And the Red Sox organization is nothing but no-class punks from the top to the bottom.

I will let Joey B's colorful statement stand on its own, but I think this franchise has really done harm to its image since the "white flag" trade.

Since the trade? They've been doing harm to their image since last year's game 163.

Remember how much pants-pissing Yankees fans were doing a couple of weeks ago?

And into red diapers!

The Yanks have a slight schedule advantage over Baltimore, but if the Rays are out of it by the end of next weekend, that might not be the case. And sorry, but that Yankee rotation has blown hot and cold so many times this year that I'll believe their newly discovered resurrection when they actually win the division.

Not to mention that their Bronx Bombing offense has lately been led by a seeing eye singles hitter, a .200 hitting catcher (I love the guy, but come on), and Derek Jeter. Somehow I don't think that's going to be enough to get them past the Division Series, let alone the LCS.

OTOH there's a certain nobility in the Yanks' current position, best expressed by the Bard of BTF:

4. Joba To The Stars (YR) Posted: September 19, 2012 at 11:19 PM (#4240725)
How inspiring are these gritty, hardscrabble Yankees? Dogged by a team riding an unprecedented wave of good fortune, crippled by devastating injuries all season long, their hard-earned wealth made little more than a slush fund for the league office for the benefit of well-connected cronies, and yet these Yankees, written off again and again, somehow manage to defy the odds and the prognosticators and continue to win. America loves their plucky underdogs and these never-say-die Yankees seem prepared to continue their uphill climb towards the postseason. If you aren't inspired, you aren't paying attention.

last year's game 163

I missed that somehow.

Any chance the Yankees could lose a freaking game at some point?

And they are still hitting fewer home runs than earlier in the season (even if they have driven in--a near-historically high--27% of their runners on base via the HR this year.)

      Split   G GS   PA  AB HR     BA     OBP     SLG     OPS  BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+   ISO AB/HR
April/March 219 22  871 763 37  0.273   0.350   0.472   0.822  0.286 110    130  0.199   21 
        May 284 28 1044 943 39  0.261   0.325   0.445   0.770  0.289  97    110  0.184   24 
       June 331 27 1033 908 46  0.248   0.329   0.453   0.782  0.274 100    113  0.205   20 
       July 280 26  980 883 42  0.271   0.334   0.470   0.804  0.304 105    119  0.199   21 
     August 280 28 1066 957 36  0.268   0.331   0.439   0.770  0.302  98    112  0.171   27 
   Sept/Oct 229 19  709 612 21  0.239   0.327   0.391   0.717  0.281  86    101  0.152   29 

Last 7 days  55  5  179 149  4  0.242   0.337   0.376   0.713  0.314  85    101  0.134   37

I think this franchise has really done harm to its image since the "white flag" trade.

What have the Sox done since the trade? Don't get me wrong, the Sox have handled pretty much everything since Game 162 about as badly as they could have but since the trade it's been just kind of "let's watch Bobby Valentine go down in flames."

And the Red Sox organization is nothing but no-class punks from the top to the bottom.

If only we could all conduct ourselves with the dignity and class that Joey brings to the table on a daily basis.

Ground rule double by Thome to plate Jones in the top of the 12th today. Baltimore now up 7-6.

THOME!

And now it's 8-6 after Endy Chavez scored Xavier Avery (pinch-running for Thome).

Make it 9-6. Machado came through with another hit and Chavez scored another run.

Looking like yet another extra-innings win for Baltimore. The chances of this Red Sox team scoring at least 3 in the bottom of the 12th are...slim, to say the least.

And now Oakland has loaded the bases in the top of the 11th against the Yankees.

Yeah. I wouldn't put my money on Lavarnway, Gomez and Aviles getting to closer Jim Johnson for the start of a 3 run rally.

Steve Pearce!

Jesus, I must have gone through three remotes today, between the Yanks and the O's.

And that's a wrap. Johnson closes out the 12th for another extra inning win.

Love hearing the audible "Let's Go O's" in Fenway Park.

The next extra inning O's win ties the all-time consecutive record set by the 1949 Indians. I can't believe that any team can win that many extra inning games in a row.

P.S. The 1949 Indians finished 3rd, 8 games behind the Yanks.

Now let's push over one goddam run and put the O's ahead for the first wild card. This is torture.

Ibanez running like Bryce Harper in the 12th.

The next extra inning O's win ties the all-time consecutive record set by the 1949 Indians. I can't believe that any team can win that many extra inning games in a row.

The Indians also lost an extra inning game that season, and played 19 overall. That's like 12% of their schedule. That's pretty incredible.

Expanded rosters and the Yankees can't get a pinch runner for Ibanez? Btw, how close was the play at the plate?

Not that close. Might have been closer if Ibanez had made any effort to touch the plate (before knocking down Norris).

Facing a pitcher who had just thrown 10 straight balls in a situation where a walk is as good as a hit, and swinging 2-0. sigh

And......wow. Lookin' a lot like the O's are about ride back into first place.

I love this ####### sport.

Why couldn't Oakland have done this an hour ago and saved me some damned agita!

You're welcome Baltimore. (Though I tempt fate counting chickens...)

And......wow. Lookin' a lot like the O's are about ride back into first place.

Tied for first place.

Big game for the Yankees tomorrow, if they win that one, they're still on the pace where they feel comfortable taking the division unless Baltimore just goes nuts.

Damn it. I knew I shouldn't have chalked this one up yet. ####.

Well, that was ####### useless. ########.

This is excruciating.

I just really hate baseball.

I am pleased.

HOLY ####### ####!!!!

Why is Neshek facing a lefty?

####### #### = Ibanez, Raul

Something like sixty-seven pitchers are active for this game, and yet we get to watch Freedy Garcia blowing it followed by Pat Neshek facing a lefty to undo all of Freddy's hard work.

This is a bonkers game, by the way. No one scores a damn run in innings 9-12, then they score 4 each in the 13th?

By the way, I assume the Yankees are running either Thomas (if there's lefties) or Wade out there for the 14th, so you have to like Oakland's chances.

As an Orioles rooter, this is the kind of game I'd like to see both teams lose. I guess this is the closest thing to that we can get.

Game of the day (today): Take a wild guess.

As an Orioles rooter, this is the kind of game I'd like to see both teams lose

.

Not me. At this point the Orioles wild card spot is all but assured if we don't crap the bed, but we didn't come this far to wash out in a one-game playoff. We have to win the division. Go A's.

To elaborate a bit, if B-R and Fangraphs' WPA numbers end up being remotely comparable, this game is already guaranteed to end up in the top 5 of the season to date, and if it goes another inning, will almost certainly end up in the top 3.

That's without accounting for the pennant race implications.

Not me. At this point the Orioles wild card spot is all but assured if we don't crap the bed, but we didn't come this far to wash out in a one-game playoff. We have to win the division. Go A's.

This comment is why I think the new version of the playoffs (for all its problems) might make Septembers pretty awesome.

This game hasn't quite surpassed the Jeter Dive game and the dueling Game 162s last year for craziness, but it is up there.

It had to end that way. I mean, it couldn't just be a normal thing. Crazy.

Worth repeating yet again:

How inspiring are these gritty, hardscrabble Yankees? Dogged by a team riding an unprecedented wave of good fortune, crippled by devastating injuries all season long, their hard-earned wealth made little more than a slush fund for the league office for the benefit of well-connected cronies, and yet these Yankees, written off again and again, somehow manage to defy the odds and the prognosticators and continue to win. America loves their plucky underdogs and these never-say-die Yankees seem prepared to continue their uphill climb towards the postseason. If you aren't inspired, you aren't paying attention.

AND THOSE SCRAPPY UNDERDOGS DID IT AGAIN!!!!

Ugh.

Now they're torturing poor Nunez by asking him questions his English is clearly not equipped to answer. That was painful.

Cued, spin, whatever...Moss should have come up with that.

Worth repeating yet again:

How inspiring are these gritty, hardscrabble Yankees? Dogged by a team riding an unprecedented wave of good fortune, crippled by devastating injuries all season long, their hard-earned wealth made little more than a slush fund for the league office for the benefit of well-connected cronies, and yet these Yankees, written off again and again, somehow manage to defy the odds and the prognosticators and continue to win. America loves their plucky underdogs and these never-say-die Yankees seem prepared to continue their uphill climb towards the postseason. If you aren't inspired, you aren't paying attention.

A-#######-MEN.

That's a killer loss for Oakland and for Baltimore. What a comeback.

Final(ish) result: Roughly tied with the #3 game of the year so far. Which is pretty spectacular.

That's a huge win for the Yankees.

Posts 26, 67, and 72 are why people hate Yankee fans.

The only comeback I can remember that tops this game is this 2004 game against Diego.

Bottom of the 9th, Yankees Batting, Behind 0-2, Padres' Trevor Hoffman facing 5-6-7
b9 0-2 0 --- 3,(0-2) O NYY J. Giambi T. Hoffman -5% 5% Flyball: CF (Deep CF)
b9 0-2 1 --- 5,(1-2) O NYY J. Posada T. Hoffman -3% 2% Strikeout Swinging
b9 0-2 2 --- 3,(2-0) R NYY H. Matsui T. Hoffman 3% 5% Home Run (Fly Ball)
Kenny Lofton pinch hits for Tony Clark (1B) batting 8th
b9 1-2 2 --- 4,(2-1) R NYY K. Lofton T. Hoffman 49% 54% Home Run (Fly Ball)
b9 2-2 2 --- 6,(3-2) O NYY M. Cairo T. Hoffman -4% 50% Strikeout Looking

Top of the 12th, Padres Batting, Tied 2-2, Yankees' Bret Prinz facing 7-8-9
Bret Prinz replaces Paul Quantrill pitching
t12 2-2 0 --- 5,(2-2) SDP R. Hernandez B. Prinz -8% 42% Single to CF (Line Drive)
t12 2-2 0 1-- 4,(1-2) O SDP T. Long B. Prinz 8% 50% Groundout: SS-2B/Forceout at 2B
t12 2-2 1 1-- 2,(0-1) SDP K. Greene B. Prinz -8% 42% Single to LF (Ground Ball thru Short LF); Long to 2B
t12 2-2 1 12- 4,(3-0) SDP S. Burroughs B. Prinz -13% 29% Walk; Long to 3B; Greene to 2B
t12 2-2 1 123 5,(3-1) RO SDP M. Loretta B. Prinz -11% 18% Flyball: LF/Sacrifice Fly; Long Scores
Felix Heredia replaces Bret Prinz pitching
t12 3-2 2 12- 2,(1-0) RR SDP B. Giles F. Heredia -14% 4% Single to RF (Line Drive); Greene Scores; Burroughs Scores/Adv on E9/unER; Giles to 3B
Xavier Nady pinch hits for Kerry Robinson (DH) batting 4th
t12 5-2 2 --3 3,(1-1) O SDP X. Nady F. Heredia 1% 5% Lineout: 2B
3 runs, 3 hits, 1 error, 1 LOB. Padres 5, Yankees 2.

Bottom of the 12th, Yankees Batting, Behind 2-5, Padres' Rod Beck facing 1-2-3
Rod Beck replaces Scott Linebrink pitching
b12 2-5 0 --- 5,(3-1) NYY B. Williams R. Beck 5% 10% Walk
b12 2-5 0 1-- 3,(1-1) NYY D. Jeter R. Beck 13% 23% Double to RF (Line Drive to Deep RF); Williams to 3B
b12 2-5 0 -23 4,(1-2) RO NYY A. Rodriguez R. Beck -10% 13% Groundout: 3B-1B; Williams Scores
b12 3-5 1 -2- 3,(1-1) NYY G. Sheffield R. Beck 10% 23% Single to CF (Line Drive to Short CF); Jeter to 3B
b12 3-5 1 1-3 2,(1-0) R NYY J. Giambi R. Beck 24% 47% Single to CF (Fly Ball); Jeter Scores; Sheffield to 3B
Jay Witasick replaces Rod Beck pitching
b12 4-5 1 1-3 3,(1-1) R NYY J. Posada J. Witasick 38% 85% Ground-rule Double (Line Drive); Sheffield Scores; Giambi to 3B
b12 5-5 1 -23 4,(3-0) NYY H. Matsui J. Witasick -1% 84% Intentional Walk
Ruben Sierra pinch hits for Enrique Wilson (2B) batting 8th
b12 5-5 1 123 3,(1-1) RO NYY R. Sierra J. Witasick 16% 100% Flyball: CF/Sacrifice Fly (Deep CF); Giambi Scores

Posts 26, 67, and 72 are why people hate Yankee fans.

No pity for the tongue-in-cheek challenged!

At what point does the A's confidence start to crack? Really tough stretch for them...

So does the Wild Card #1 always get HFA for the play-in game? Or is it based on HTH record?

For some reason I can't find this on mlb's site.

Posts 26, 67, and 72 are why people hate Yankee fans.

Christ, who wrote that absolute bilge quoted in 67?

So does the Wild Card #1 always get HFA for the play-in game? Or is it based on HTH record?

I think it is WC#1, although MLB could make enough of a mess of things that it is based on inter-league player or some damn fool thing.

At what point does the A's confidence start to crack? Really tough stretch for them...

I still think the A's or the Orioles are the best team in the AL at this point (the Yanks are running on air, with no more off days), but they've also got the most brutal schedule of the lot. I bet both of these teams kind of wish they'd re-schedule tomorrow's game for 8:00.

That's a killer loss for Oakland and for Baltimore. What a comeback.

It's just one game. Oakland can boune back as soon as tomorrow and if Baltimore keeps doing what they've been doing, the Yanks will stumble eventually.

The O's have Boston TWICE, Jays, and Rays. In 10-12 games, most anything can happen. I'm rooting for a 1-game playoff for the division winner.

It's so weird that the Red Sox is regarded as a pushover now, going from powerhouse to laughing stock intraseason is quite a trick.

Christ, who wrote that absolute bilge quoted in 67?

That was the esteemed Yankee Redneck. I see that it apparently went over your head, too.

It's just one game. Oakland can boune back as soon as tomorrow and if Baltimore keeps doing what they've been doing, the Yanks will stumble eventually.

I know one thing: Kuroda best give them 7+ solid innings tomorrow. When you're down to Corey Wade....

This ALE race is reminding me a lot of the one the Yanks and the O's staged in 1974. The O's swept a 3 game set at Shea in mid-September to take a 1/2 game lead, and they fought tooth and nail right down to the final weekend before Baltimore clinched it. Of course that was when Baltimore was the dominant ALE team and the Yankees really were "scrappy underdogs".

Posts 26, 67, and 72 are why people hate Yankee fans.

Haters always find a reason, but this is supposed to be fun, no?

No pity for the tongue-in-cheek challenged!

Haters always find a reason, but this is supposed to be fun, no?

Here's the thing: everyone got the joke the first time. Posting it three times on one page turns it into exactly the kind of bragging and high-fiving that, as I say, makes people hate Yankee fans.

I know one thing: Kuroda best give them 7+ solid innings tomorrow. When you're down to Corey Wade....

It's not that bad. Soriano and Robertson didn't pitch today, plus Joba only went 1, and Phelps should be available for long relief.

Posts 26, 67, and 72 are why people hate Yankee fans.

No, he reason people hate Yankee fans are because the Yankees are winners - the greatest winners in the histort of sport, and losers hate winners.

Here's the thing: everyone got the joke the first time. Posting it three times on one page turns it into exactly the kind of bragging and high-fiving that, as I say, makes people hate Yankee fans.

Exactly.

Look: everyone with a soul hates the ####### Yankees. 'Joking' about how they're gritty underdogs, especially when said 'joke' is repeated over and over in a context that seems increasingly stripped of its original ironic sentiment, is a great way to remind us all of why we hate them in the first place.

I hope the Yankees lose out for the rest of the season and are sitting at home come October. Oh dear lord how I hope.

Posting it three times on one page turns it into exactly the kind of bragging and high-fiving that, as I say, makes people hate Yankee fans.

The first Yankee-hater to post something that isn't dour and dull in this thread gets a prize!

I'm a fan of the Mariners and Padres. I have EARNED the right to be dour and dull!

The first Yankee-hater to post something that isn't dour and dull in this thread gets a prize!

Oh they'll find a sudden change in mood if the Yankees lose a few. That's why I liken the Yankee-hating vermin to cockroaches - only when things are dark do they emerge from their dank hives to frolic and celebrate. In the full light of Yankee victory they hide in their warrens, their basements, and the league office, bitterly bemoaning the continued success of America's most beloved sporting franchise. It's sad, really.

Melky Mesa rounded third base as if he'd spotted A-Rod's wallet lying in the grass behind the bag.

Oh they'll find a sudden change in mood if the Yankees lose a few. That's why I liken the Yankee-hating vermin to cockroaches - only when things are dark do they emerge from their dank hives to frolic and celebrate. In the full light of Yankee victory they hide in their warrens, their basements, and the league office, bitterly bemoaning the continued success of America's most beloved sporting franchise. It's sad, really.

At least now you're acting like that on purpose.

It's been a rough week for Melkies. Melkii?

Raul ######' Ibanez. How do the geriatric always perform for the Yankees?

The Yankees have shown some nice character, but need to get those runners in from 3rd (Granderson, Martin) to give the pitching a break. Before Nova's turd the rotation was on a nice stretch, so I think they take out Mr. Griffin tomorrow and then can mow through the Twins/Jays/Red Sox fairly comfortably.

I think Ichiro is in the OF everyday into the postseason at this point, given his arm/defense already.