Michael Kay and Skip Bayless: SHUT UP!

Please, please, pretty please with a cherry on top, stop talking about how the mighty Ichiro could hit 30 or 40 home runs in a season if he so felt like it! That doesn't make any sense, a home run is the best thing you can do when you are at bat, and this guy has the ability to and chooses not to? Bullshit. If it were the bottom of the 9th inning of a game with the Mariners down a run with men on base, why wouldn't he hit a home run? He'd rather hit a single? THE GUY CAN NOT HOMER AT WILL. PERIOD. END OF STORY.

Clueless Joe strikes again

Can ANYONE figure out exactly why Pettitte was left in the game for the 7th, when he was clearly tired? If Joe's going to let the players decide when they play, we might as well not have a manager at all.

That said, this series should have never happened as it did. Losing 2 out of 3 to one of the worst teams in baseball should not happen, particularly not in a pennant race in September. No excuse for the disgusting display of baseball which took place this weekend. The combination of poor starting pitching on Friday, poor hitting on Friday and Sunday and more management on Sunday should never happen, regardless of if we're playing Tampa Bay or Boston. It is ridiculous.

Ian Kennedy's Report Card

Ian Kennedy pitched a great game today in his debut for the Yankees posting a line of 7 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 6 Ks and one HR. Here are my grades on his performance

Control: While the 2 BB seem a little high for someone that is a control pitcher, Kennedy did a good job of locating his pitches and keeping the ball away from the middle of the plate. He lived up to his hype on this account, any pitch in any count. Besides giving up the HR to Upton(who is having a great season) he did a good job of commanding his pitches. B

Stuff: Kennedy has better stuff than I expected. His fastball seemed to have good movement and his slider seemed to be a bit better than "average." His curve had good late break and his change-up was as good as proclaimed, a true Plus pitch A

Poise: Not only Kennedy throw the ball well but he kept his cool on the mound. Getting into jams didn't seem to phase him much and he seemed pretty relaxed for his major league debut at Yankee Stadium A+

Overall: Kennedy had a great start to his ML career today. He kept a pretty good offense in check and kept the Yankees in the game, something that Mike Mussina couldn't do. Other than the HR to Upton I couldn't ask for much more from a 22 year old in his first year of professional baseball. A

What to Expect From Ian Kennedy

The number one first round draft pick out of USC, Ian Kennedy, makes his debut Saturday afternoon against a good offensive team in the Devil Rays. Kennedy's college track record is quite impressive and his career at USC matches those of Mark Prior's and Randy Johnson's but unlike Prior and Johnson, Kennedy has a much lesser fastball. The scouting on Kennedy is mixed. Some scouts have him listed as a solid #2 and the next coming of Mike Mussina while others think he won't be anything better than a #4/#5 starter.

here is an idea of what Kennedy throws...

Fastball: Kennedy sits comfortably at 90-92 and according to a report at Trenton, he hit 95 on the gun once. His fastball doesn't have amazing velocity or movement but he is an artist at locating it ala Mike Mussina

Curveball: Kennedy's curve is his second best off-speed pitch. I've heard mix things about it but from what I've gathered it seems to be a pretty good pitch. Its not a plus pitch but its pretty close to it. He has pretty good control of this pitch also

Change Up: Kennedy's change is a plus pitch and like his fastball he can throw it in any count. He uses it effectively and mixes it well with his fastball. Its his best weapon

Slider: Its not his best pitch but he still mixes it well with his repertoire. Its an average pitch.

I think Kennedy could end up being a really solid #3 starter. While his ERA may not be a pretty 3.00 ERA every year, he can provide solid pitching and give innings to an already strong rotation for the future. With a tactical baseball mind and impeccable control, I see no reason why Kennedy can't be extremely successful.

Josh Beckett: King of Punks

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bzlcHGQAN_Q

If you can't read his lips, he says "get out of here you [expletive] [expletive]"

The same guy who is notorious as a head hunter and who isn't afraid to hit anyone on purpose. The same guy who whined about Ryan Howard not running out a pop up and Shea Hillenbrand walking to first on a pitch he thought was ball 4- both in ST.

Yanks beat Bosox behind Damon, Pettitte

Damon since the All-star break: .304/.390/.466

Pettitte pitched a solid game, giving the Yankees length so that we'd only need Joba for one inning before turning it over to Mo, allowing us to have a well rested Kyle Farnsworth and Luis Vizcaino for tomorrow. He looked very sharp against a very potent offense aside from the home runs allowed to Manny and Varitek. Damon came up big with his 2-run shot and as the stats above show, he has done a nice job since the all-star break.

Stick a fork in him..