WW IV tonight. Time to stoke the embers.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 21, 2008 5:18 AM EDT

Well they're back at it tonight. Yanks conspire to dodge bullets - and Elliot Johnson - again (or wuss out if you prefer) by pitching Rasner and letting Wang pitch a AAA game. They've still got plenty of tacklers - er, minor league players - on the roster and available for the late innings and/or fireworks.

Do they have those in Tampa at Friday night games? Guess not, since the Rays play in a dome.

Oh and attached for your viewing pleasure, a link to a sequence of photos of Shelly Duncan, Borderline Criminal (he's had business cards made up), on a headfirst dive into home with the plate blocked by the Toronto (same team against whom he slid hard into 2B and kicked the SS's glove and the ball into LF last season) catcher in Spring Training where he...

extends his left hand to touch home plate and rolls away. Scored the run. Yanks won, but not on this play alone.

Good, hard, winning baseball play.

Disclaimer: No catchers were harmed in this photographic sequence.

http://emedia.thetimes-tribune.com/Blogs/SWBYankees/tabid/552/Default.aspx

It's gonna be fun talking baseball with you all this season. Hope you see the tongue firmly placed in cheek. Have fun at the game, your local watering hole or wherever. It's Friday Night Baseball in Tampa!

This post was written by a member of the DRaysBay community and does not necessarily express the views or opinions of DRaysBay staff.

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Re: WW IV tonight. Time to stoke the embers.

I see the cheek puffed up with tongue planted there. But I feel obligated to point out that I watched that game and the catcher was not blocking the plate. At least 3/4 of it was exposed.

Didn't Gardenhire say his coaches do not send runners in during the spring if they anticipate a close play at the plate? I guess the Yankees do not subscribe to that particular approach to spring training caution.

by bobr on Mar 21, 2008 8:05 AM EDT reply actions

Re: WW IV tonight. Time to stoke the embers.

The Yanks are having a minor controversy now with their 3rd base coach, Bobby Meachum. Came from Fla where he worked with Girardi. Has sent a few runners in ill advised situations - remember the A-Rod standing tag at home against Rays last week? Did the same with A-Rod in another game this week; Alex made it back to 3B after going 30' down the line. Supposedly loud comments were made in the clubhouse later. Pete Abe at LoHud commented the other day he's already seen more misjudgements by Meachum this spring than with Larry Bowa in 2 seasons.

But hey, it's spring - time to work out the kinks.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 21, 2008 11:58 AM EDT up reply actions

Re: WW IV tonight. Time to stoke the embers.

And you know of course many NY fans feel Cervelli wasn't really blocking the plate either. The video shows him straddling the line at the front of the batter's box - that's line is supposed to be about a foot in front of home. Now his back (left) leg is blocking it as he's bracing himself to catch the ball - the pix of Zaun in the above gives me no idea where he is relative to the plate and I didn't see the play live or on video. But Yanks fans seem to contend Johnson went a bit in to make contact - that Cervelli's legs are just reaching back to the plate after he was hit and rolled suggests to some that he was more out front. The shadow over home on the video doesn't help with a clear view.

Not saying that's the actual case - just the party line of some observers relative to how blocked the plate was in that case. Sounds a bit like the magic bullet theory - it's past and put away.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 21, 2008 12:06 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: WW IV tonight. Time to stoke the embers.

As you say, most of the discussion is party line. Seeing the play develop yesterday, I was sure before the slide that there was plenty of room behind the catcher. Of course, although I do not see UFOs, ghosts or the outlines of religious figures on the sides of buildings or in groves, I have misjudged quite a few fly balls in my day and been sure runners were safe when the replay showed incontrovertibly that they were out.

by bobr on Mar 21, 2008 12:39 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: WW IV tonight. Time to stoke the embers.

I once had a Twinkie where I could swear I saw Bill Clinton and Monica Lewinsky... Oh, never mind.

by nyyfaninlaaland on Mar 21, 2008 12:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Re: WW IV tonight. Time to stoke the embers.

I don't see the Rays initiating anything. Maddog doesn't want us to be a bunch of bullies, just a team that sticks up for eachother. That said, they have no problem finishing something if Rasner has some "control" issues. With Aki & the real Beej day-to-day this may be the last chance for guys like Weber, J-Rod, Helliot, and some of the other fringe guys to make a name for themselves.

by Sandy Kazmir on Mar 21, 2008 12:36 PM EDT reply actions