Wednesday, July 19, 2017

Montgomery Implodes Early, Yanks Lose

The joy over the Yankees dumping Tyler Clippard, getting Todd Frazier, and reacquiring David Robertson didn't even last 16 hours.

For today, in a getaway-day matinee at Target Field, Jordan Montgomery imploded in the 2nd inning, allowing the Minnesota Twins to score 6 runs, including a 3-run home run by 1st baseman Miguel Sano.

Joe Girardi left Montgomery in to pitch 6 innings, and aside from the inning in question, he was fine. As is sometimes the case with CC Sabathia, today, Montgomery had "Onebadinningitis." Indeed, Girardi let him throw 104 pitches, which is over Girardi's usual limit of 95.

Chad Green pitched the 7th inning, allowing no runs, no hits, and a walk. Tommy Kahnle, also obtained in yesterday's trade, made his Yankee debut, and pitched a perfect 8th inning. Each reliever had 2 strikeouts.

But the Yankees didn't hit. They wasted a leadoff single by Brett Gardner in the 1st inning, the bases loaded with 1 out in the 2nd, a leadoff single by Starlin Castro in the 4th, men on 1st and 2nd in the 6th, a Gregorius single in the 8th, and Todd Frazier's debut, a hit-by-pitch, in the 9th.

The only Yankee run came in the 7th: Clint Frazier (no relation to Todd) led off with a single, Austin Romine was hit with a pitch, and Gardner singled Clint home. But that was it.

Twins 6, Yankees 1. WP: Jose Berrios (9-3). No save. LP: Montgomery (6-5).

The Yankees are now 4 games out of 1st place, 3 behind the Boston Red Sox in the loss column, pending the result of tonight's game between the Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Yankees now fly out to Seatlte, for a 4-game series with the Mariners. Here are the projected starting pitchers, with all starting times Eastern:

* Tomorrow, 10:10 PM: Luis Severino vs. "King" Felix Hernandez.

* Friday, 10:10 PM: Masahiro Tanaka vs. Andrew Moore.

* Saturday, 9:10 PM: Sabathia vs. Ariel Miranda.

* Sunday, 4:10 PM: Luis Cessa vs. Sam Gaviglio.

*

Hours until the U.S. national soccer team plays again: 2, tonight at 9:00, in the Quarterfinal of the CONCACAF Gold Cup, against El Salvador, at Lincoln Financial Field, home of the NFL's Philadelphia Eagles.

Days until The Arsenal play again: 3, on Saturday, 6:30 AM our time, as they complete their 2-game excursion in China. Having beaten defending German Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich on penalties in Shanghai this morning, set up by a last-minute goal by Alex Iwobi, they will play defending Premier League titlists and West London rivals Chelsea, at the 2008 Olympic Stadium (a.k.a. the Bird's Nest) in Beijing.

Days until the Red Bulls play again: 3, on Saturday afternoon at 4:00, making their 1st-ever visit to expansion team Minnesota United. Actually, they're hosting the San Jose Earthquakes at Red Bull Arena as I type this.

Days until the Red Bulls next play a "derby": 18, on Sunday, August 6, against New York City FC at Yankee Stadium. They will next play the Philadelphia Union on Sunday, September 17, at at Red Bull Arena. They will next play the D.C. Scum on Saturday, September 27, at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey. They are not scheduled to play the New England Revolution again this season. The Red Bulls might make the Playoffs, but the Revs probably won't, so they almost certainly won't face each other again until next season.

Days until the Premier League season begins: 23, on Friday, August 11. A little over 3 weeks.
The Arsenal open the season at home to Leicester City, in a game moved back from the intending opening to suit British TV.

Days until the next Yankees-Red Sox series: 23, on Friday, August 11, at Yankee Stadium.

Days until Rutgers University plays football again: 44on Friday, September 1, home to the University of Washington. A little over 6 weeks.

Days until East Brunswick High School plays football again: 51, on Friday night, September 8, home to Sayreville, a "derby."

Days until the New Jersey Devils play again: 80on Saturday night, October 7, home to the Colorado Avalanche. Under 3 months.

Days until the New Jersey Devils next play a local rival: 87, on Saturday night, October 14, against the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden in Midtown Manhattan. Their 1st game against the New York Islanders will be on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn -- and they'll have played the Rangers 3 times by then. Their 1st game against the Philadelphia Flyers will be on Saturday, January 13, 2018, at the Prudential Center in Newark -- and they'll have played the Rangers 3 times and the Islanders once by then. This is a weird schedule. But at least we have it. The NBA usually doesn't release its new season's schedule until August.

Days until the Alex Rodriguez Contract From Hell officially runs out, and the Yankees can spend his salary on new players: 104, on October 31.

Days until the next election for Governor of New Jersey: 111, on Tuesday, November 7. Under 4 months until we elect Phil Murphy, defeat Kim Guadagno, and end Christieism forever. But only if you vote!

Days until the next Rutgers-Penn State football game: 115, on Saturday, November 11, at Beaver Stadium in State College, Pennsylvania.

Days until the next North London Derby: 122, on Saturday, November 18, at the Emirates Stadium. This game could be moved to the following day, for TV purposes.

Days until the next East Brunswick-Old Bridge Thanksgiving high school football game: 127, on Thursday, November 23, at 10:00 AM. A little over 4 months, and thank God it's at home, at Jay Doyle's Green Grove, rather than at that purple shit pit on Route 9.

Days until the next Winter Olympics begins in Pyeongchang, Korea: 209, on February 9, 2018. Under 7 months.

Days until the next World Cup kicks off in Russia: 330, on June 14, 2018. Under months. Has Bruce Arena turned our chances around? Maybe. Or maybe, with the tournament on his soil, Vladimir Putin will tell his bitch Donald Trump to tell Bruce Arena to tank the games. Maybe not. Or maybe only if we end up playing Russia. I don't think Arena will listen. If he doesn't, I hope his life insurance is paid up, because Putin has had people killed for defying him.

Days until September 2018 roster call-ups, when we can finally start to expect seeing most of these wonderful "prospects" for whom Yankee general manager Brian Cashman threw away a chance at the 2016 Playoffs: 409. A little over a year, or 13 1/2 months. Of course, Clint Frazier is already up, but we've hardly benefited. We could end up seeing another of them sooner than that, but since most of them are at Double-A Trenton now, if that, who's kidding who?

Days until the next Congressional election: 475, on November 6, 2018. Under a year and a half, or a little under 16 months.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Mariano Rivera: 539, on January 9, 2019. A little under a year and a half, or a little under 18 months.

Days until the Baseball Hall of Fame vote is announced, electing Derek Jeter: 904, on January 8, 2020. A little under 2 1/2 years, or a little under 30 months.

Days until the next Summer Olympics begins in Tokyo, Japan: 1,109, on July 24, 2020. A shade over 3 years, or 36 months.

Days until the next Presidential election: 1,571, on November 3, 2020. Under 3 1/2 years, or a little under 40 months.

Days until Liberation Day: 1,649, at noon on January 20, 2021. A little over 3 1/2 years, or a little over 42 months. Note that this is liberation from the Republican Party, not just from Donald Trump. Having Mike Pence as President wouldn't be better, just differently bad, mixing theocracy with plutocracy, rather than mixing kleptocracy with plutocracy.

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