Wow! Joba Chamberlain pitched two shutout innings against a very good, and very pateint, Indians teams and struck out four. Combined with Phil Hughes' six innings of one-run ball and six K's, the Yankees look like they have broke the drought of inexpensive, quality pitching from their own system! To quote The New York Times:
"Delicious"? Maybe I shouldn't quote the NYT.
Joe Blanton's nine earned-run performance is enough to make anyone drop him from their fantasy rotation. He hasn't been good for a while, his previous start notwithstanding. I his last seven starts, he has allowed one run once and at least four in the other six. It could be worse, though, you could have had the Tigers star...No, it couldn't. Blanton was staked to a 8-1 lead, and no one had Jordan Tata starting. If they did, then his two innings and seven earned runs would have...Geez, who knows what would happened if a fantasy owner had two opposing pitchers combine for 16 ERs in 6 innings.
If reports are true that the Padres claimed Yankees' bust Kei Igawa and that the Yankees haven't send him off to the West Coast yet, then Yankees GM Brian Cashman is going to hide behind the Chamberlain/Hughes success and get away with a blunder. Igawa may be good pitching at Petco, but he will never be anything in the Bronx. Sink the cost ($26MM posting fee) and move-on.
So Shaun Marcum had a no-hitter through 6 innings. After a weak single broke-up the no-hitter, he added another 2/3s innings of work before being removed with a calf issue. Fortunately, his bullpen held on for a 2-1 victory.
No sooner do I think Tom Gordon is through collecting saves for the Phillies, he gets one filling-in for Brett Myers, who was given the night off following use during the previous two days. Is Flash worth a pick-up for the chronically- desperate for Saves?
Rajai Davis had three hits last night for the Giants, and stole his 10th base. With his AVG up to .329, that Matt Morris trade keeps getting worse and worse for the Pirates. FWIW, he has stolen five bases in the 10 days he has been a Giant compared to the five in two months as a Pirate.
Speaking of Morris, he threw six innings and gave-up five earned runs on seven hits, five walks and zero strikeouts - against the Giants.
C.J. Wilson has three saves since Eric Gagne was dealt. So do the Rangers. It is safe to conclude Wilson has won the closer's job in Texas.