(high, far, gone, etc. Sally Field Alex Rodriguez caps off a productive week)
A pair of dingers for A-Rod, 3 doubles for Bobby Abreu, and 6 strong innings (4 hits, 1 solo HR to Torii Hunter) from Darrell Rasner, making just his 2nd big league start. Other than Michael Kay jinxing my lunch by revealing what was in the microwave, this was a throughly successful Sunday for the Yankees.
LF Hideki Matsui is expected to start for Double A Trenton on Wednesday night. Earlier this week, Trenton had the dual distinction of a) clinching the Eastern League’s Northern Division and b) watching their assistant GM round the bases some 500 times in a fund-raising effort for The New Jersey Center for Outreach and Services for the Autism Community. There’s no truth to the rumor Greg Coleman was asked to circle the sacks a 501st time, only with Carl Pavano’s neck laying on home plate.
With two games left in the regular season, rain on the East Coast played havoc with the Eastern League’s unresolved playoff scenario. Portland, holding a 2 game lead over Binghamton for 2nd place in the Northern Division, saw their home game with New Hampshire rained out. Binghamton’s afternoon clash with the former Norwich Navigators was a washout as well, and doubleheaders are scheduled for Monday afternoon. If the B-Mets sweep tomorrow and New Hampshire do likewise, Binghamton will face Phillip Hughes and the Thunder on Wednesday night.
In other Sea Dogs’ news, alumnus Kevin Millar (above) was elected to the club’s Hall Of Fame. And that, my friends, is the first and last time you will see the words “elected”, “Hall Of Fame” and “Kevin Millar” in the same sentence.
Another of Millar’s former clubs, Portland’s parent Boston Red Sox, have a chance to gain ground on Minnesota and the White Sox (7-3 losers to K.C. earlier today) in the AL Wild Card chase, but the consistently inconsistent Josh Beckett is having a rough go of it with the Blue Jays, as Toronto leads 3-0 in the top of the 4th.
Hayden Penn has looked awfully sharp for Ottawa of the International League this season, but suffice to say his first Major League start of ’06 didn’t go according to plan. Baltimore’sPenn never made it out of the first inning, allowing 8 runs as Oakland put up a 9 spot in the home frame. Penn’s ERA for the year stands at an otherworldly 108.00. If the Orioles are looking for some consolation, at least they’ve finally identified the perfect spot for Russ Ortiz — early mop up duty with an 8 run deficit.
I can’t believe the Sea Dogs elected scabs to their hall of fame.
ziller + philly phil = wednesday. god gerard, don’t you know anything?
I guess not! Though you have to admit, while many of the other minor league contenders are losing their best players to September callups, there’s something thoroughly wicked, evil, etc. about the Yankees providing Trenton with a star so shining as Matsui.
Nothing stopping Boston and Portland from doing the same, of course. Manny had an awesome time with Pawtucket a few years ago. If I recall correctly, he didn’t want to leave.