NFT: Yankees (12-7) @ Red Sox (11-9), Thursday Tanakatime Ed.

Masahiro pitched like a hero for 8 innings

.

in Fen-fucking-way....What a beautiful win!

What a great series at Fenway. I know the Sox have talent, but it's just different without Ortiz.

from Tanaka

a gem. Holliday maybe with one of those breakout moments as a Yankee. Loving this start.

by Severino and Tanaka...someone forgot to tell them the rotation was the Yanks weak link this season

Would love to sweep the O's and move into first

Would have had back to back shutouts in Fenway.

The Sawx have some good contact hitters, but no one that really scares you anymore.

Great game!

In comment 13446418 Greg from LI said:

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Would have had back to back shutouts in Fenway. The Sawx have some good contact hitters, but no one that really scares you anymore.

Without Ortiz they are toothless. Like I said last night, nobody scares me in Boston...

but the possibilities looking forward are fun. If this team, who none of us expected to compete for a playoff spot this year, is actually this good and can stay healthy, they have a TON of trade chips to add a big time pitcher at the deadline if they so choose. I'm not sure what pitchers would even be available, or if the need would be there if we keep getting pitching like this, but it's fun to think about. Yes I know I'm thinking ahead and expectations are likely getting a bit high, but damn, that's why we are fans! Think positive!

who cares about this high school football team !!!!!!!!!

my bad

Tanaka was the man tonight ...

Gotta get some revenge on the O's this weekend for that series down at their place. Keep it rolling!

12-3 after that ugly start.

lol, not sure what I thought he was like, but he's a different personality than I expected. Low key to put it mildly.

In comment 13446651 Greg from LI said:

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12-3 after that ugly start.

Exactly - silly that those two losses so early in the season still nag at me but they do. We'd be in first but for them. And I have no love for the O's, never have, going back to the Frank and Brooks Robinson days.

since Mike Mussina in 2002.

gotta say, we obviously need Sanchez back big time, but Romine is a very credible guy and calls a great game. I can see how pitchers would like him to be back there, not that they don't like Gary. What a great problem to have. Sanchez should DH occasionally.

at this point, it's getting hard to remind oneself that it's only April. If this is the kind of pitching the Yanks are going to put out there regularly, look the fuuuuk out!

but this sure is fun. If Severino is gonna pitch like a legit #2/3 and Judge hits 30 HRs, this is a dangerous team.

It will crash some, but they are playing with house money..

In comment 13446732 Del Shofner said:

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since Mike Mussina in 2002.

Remarkable - I remember that game, and can't believe it was 15 years ago

Mussina will never get the fullest credit he deserves for pitching the way he did in the AL East during the height of the steroid era

As for this version of the Yanks - on top of amazing pitching so far, the defense has been better than expected...lots of big plays the last couple weeks from guys not considered top glove men

into the ninth? or was it actually a perfect game?

In comment 13447097 jgambrosio said:

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into the ninth? or was it actually a perfect game?

I think that was 2001...if memory serves, Mussina also pitched a shutout against Pedro at Fenway in 2002, that's the game I was thinking of

too bad he'll never get the acclaim he really deserves. so collected on the mound, just took care of business

Nice 2 game sweep. Feeling empty after the draft, so good to know I have my Yanks!

- that may mean we see the same starting lineup as tonight, and no Didi (or Bird, or Gardner) until Saturday.

In comment 13447097 jgambrosio said:

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into the ninth? or was it actually a perfect game?

Ugh. Fuck Carl Everett

fan going nuts when they got a hit. It was like "Really? They still are going to lose." He was always amped for the Yankee-Red Sox games. At that point they were just a team that choked away a World Series against the Mets to me.

"the first pitcher to shut out the Red Sox on fewer than 100 pitches since James Shields in 2008."

Tanaka threw 97 pitches tonight. Old school ...

Didn't break a sweat.

into the season, which is a growing sample size. We're tied for second in the AL overall and are the AL leaders in run differential by a large margin. With our two best all-around position players sidelined so far.

OK ... I know I'm smoking something. Could I please have some more?

Love watching this team so far.

season...as of this morning the Yanks lead all of MLB with a 2.90 team ERA, .214 BA against, fewest runs allowed at 63, and fewest walks allowed at 51.

Wow.

In comment 13447548 Del Shofner said:

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into the season, which is a growing sample size. We're tied for second in the AL overall and are the AL leaders in run differential by a large margin. With our two best all-around position players sidelined so far. OK ... I know I'm smoking something. Could I please have some more?

I don't think you're smoking anything. To me, the key was always going to be SP. I think their offense will level off a little, but not much with Didi and Sanchez coming back. Their SP isn't likely to b as good as the last 2 weeks, but it doesn't need to be. They just need to be consistently decent and keep games close. Thear pen is still top notch to close things out or hold teams.

Continue to pitch as well with Sanchez putting down the signs.

Romine has done an incredible job with the staff.

If Holliday continues to struggle, I wouldn't mind seeing Sanchez get a healthy number of DH appearances with Romine catching.

In comment 13447711 Toastt34 said:

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Love watching this team so far.

I am generally not a fan of a 6 man rotation, but once we get into the dog days it might actually make some sense for this team. We have some good candidates for 6th starter and Tanaka and CC would both probably benefit from the extra day in there.

In comment 13447773 bigbluehoya said:

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n incredible job with the staff. If Holliday continues to struggle, I wouldn't mind seeing Sanchez get a healthy number of DH appearances with Romine catching.

I think Holliday is coming around.

Sanchez was calling good games last year.

Funny thing is, as well as Romine and Torreyes did filling in, the bump in offense will really not be that much, except the power numbers will be up. Romine and Torreyes did above and beyond at the plate. Also, while Romine and Torreyes were bottom of the order guys, Sanchez and Didi will be closer to the top, pushing Headley down and maybe Ells.

In comment 13447773 bigbluehoya said:

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Continue to pitch as well with Sanchez putting down the signs. Romine has done an incredible job with the staff. If Holliday continues to struggle, I wouldn't mind seeing Sanchez get a healthy number of DH appearances with Romine catching.

Interesting to say this after the game Holliday had.

In comment 13447820 Del Shofner said:

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In comment 13447711 Toastt34 said: Quote: Love watching this team so far. I am generally not a fan of a 6 man rotation, but once we get into the dog days it might actually make some sense for this team. We have some good candidates for 6th starter and Tanaka and CC would both probably xbenefit from the extra day in there.

I also don't normally like the 6 man rotation, but I agree with you for this team. They should at least consider it for the second half. Tanaka especially thrives with the extra day.

These are four pleasant surprises of this young season. Hicks has played well enough to supplant Gardner in left and Headley has made this HIS team.

I'm concerned that once Didi and Sanchez come back that Romine and Torreyes are going to get a hand shake for a job well done and offered a permanent 6 day a week seat on the bench for the rest of the season. They've made themselves a big part of what is happening here. Torreyes has played stellar defense, been part of almost every important rally. Romine has been masterful in his handling of the pitching staff and his situational hitting has move runners into scoring position more times than I can count. Successful teams all have role players in the every day lineup that help others shine. Didi and Sanchez are superstars in the making, it's going to be a different team when they come back, better on paper, but different and that concerns me. I like this team.

In comment 13447850 Matt M. said:

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In comment 13447773 bigbluehoya said: Quote: Continue to pitch as well with Sanchez putting down the signs. Romine has done an incredible job with the staff. If Holliday continues to struggle, I wouldn't mind seeing Sanchez get a healthy number of DH appearances with Romine catching. Interesting to say this after the game Holliday had.

It really isn't though. He has struggled. I'm not saying to bench him and never play him, but he isn't a bat that needs to play every single night right now. Given how important Sanchez is to the lineup and how well Romine has handled the SPs, giving Sanchez a good amount of rest while keeping his bat in the lineup seems pretty logical. Some of those days may be at the expense of Holliday's bat.

with Hicks and Gardy playing the OF, against righties of course. Ellsburys hitting pretty well so far and stealing some bases, what usually knocks him back to mediocrity is nagging injuries, maybe some of "half days off", as Torre used to call them, would help him stay healthy.

Yay to him for filling in successfully while Sanchez was hurt, but he's not actually a good hitter.

giving 6 innings each time, 7+ consecutively now for Sev, CC and Tanaka. Pineda the ??, but he's looked good the last 2 times.

AND they make their starts every turn.

Didi back tonight, Sanchez next week. Bird looking better. Judge cooming ino his own. This is shaping up to be a fun season.

Inexplicably, two Yankee castoffs have been absolutely dominant in the White Sox bullpen. Anthony Swarzak has thrown 9.2 IP, allowed only three hits, struck out 12 and walked 1. He has not allowed a run in seven appearances. Tommy Kahnle had pitched 7 innings, 6 H, 1 BB, 15(!)K. One run allowed.

David Robertson has been excellent for them as well.

but this has been the most fun I've had watching the Yankees in a while

against lefties this season. WOW.