Montero's Big Day

The Yankees and Orioles provided a four-hour lesson in how not to pitch today as the teams combined to allow 40 base-runners and New York hung on for an 11-10 victory to move 2 1/2 games up on Boston in the AL East. But the story wasn't about how much Brian Matusz stinks, it was about highly-touted prospect Jesus Montero.

Facing Jim Johnson in an 8-8 game in the fifth, the right-handed hitting Montero went the other way for his first big league home run, a no-doubt shot into the right field bleachers. Vinny from Jersey led the chants for Montero to come out and take a curtain call and the 21-year old obliged. Montero wasn't done. With the Yankees still clinging to that 9-8 lead in the seventh, Montero did it again, crushing a fast ball to almost the same spot in the RF seats for a two-run home run. Curtain call No. 2.

It's really, really early in Montero's career, but so far things have gone well. In four games, he's 5-for-13 (.385) with today's two home runs and three RBIs, and he looks comfortable at the plate. And it'd be easy to say "well, he hit two home runs against the Orioles; the Orioles smell like someone threw up in a sweaty tube sock," and you'd be right. But Johnson has been one of the better relievers in the American League and Montero took him deep twice.

Montero could also be forcing his way onto the Yankees' hopeful post-season roster (they haven't clinched anything yet), which means these last few weeks of the regular season may be the last time we see Jorge Posada and Jorge Posada's ears in pinstripes.

Curveballs for Jobu

Curveballs for Jobu is Off Base Percentage's daily trip around the ballparks.

Today's honorary bat boy is Walt Weiss

Yankees 11, Indians 4. I know Cleveland smells like someone threw up in a sweaty tube sock, but six innings of one-run ball from Dustin Moseley against anyone is a plus for NY. Texieira/Granderson haters beware: Tex walked three times Thursday and now leads the AL in walks and his OBP is up to .375, and Granderson (2-for-4, 2 RBI) has 13 hits in his last 32 at bats (.406).

Marlins 5, Giants 0. Anibal Sanchez did a number of things Thursday. The right-hander held the Giants to one single in a 114-pitch shutout, and halted blog favorite Buster Posey's hitting streak at 21 games, one shy of Willie McCovey's SF rookie record. But Sanchez also extended his record for career wins by an Anibal to 26.

Mets 4, Cardinals 0. Sorry, I'm still adjusting to a world where R.A. Dickey doesn't allow a run to the Cardinals in 8 1/3 innings. The Mutters are hanging around in the NL East, 6 1/2 back in third, despite the fact that the Braves could be the best team in the league and the Phillies have won eight consecutive games and just added Roy Oswalt. In a segment with our friends at thedugs.com, MTD drunkenly predicted the Mets would finish six games out, but even that pick is looking Irabu right now. He also predicted Chuck Finley would make a come back and pitch the Angels into the 2010 post-season, so Mets fans can probably start getting in line for playoff tickets.

Whitesox 9, Mariners 5. I'm also uncomfortable being a part of a society that allows Freddy Garcia to be 10-4 in 2010 and Ramon Castro (2 HR Thursday) to have a 1.021 OPS in 63 plate appearances and just sits there, doing nothing about it.

Curveballs for Jobu

Curveballs for Jobu is Off Base Percentage's daily trip around the ballparks.

Today's honorary bat boy is Tom Niedenfuer




Rangers 8, Redsox 4. The following humans threw a total of 167 pitches for the Redsox Friday: Felix Doubront, Fernando Cabrera, Hideki Okajima, Ramon Ramirez and Dustin Richardson. In a related story, those five are expected to form the rotation for the Ricardo & Son Law Offices 30-over slow-pitch softball team in 2019.

Nationals 4, Marlins 0. Stephen Strasburg, who is involved in a daily battle with Chase Utley and Mike Trout to try and get MTD's early invite to the homecoming dance, threw six shutout innings and struck out seven. Strasburg has now given up a run or less in five of eight starts, but definitely didn't deserve to be on the NL all star team. Yadier Molina did.

Padres 12, Diamondbacks 1. You know your team had a tough night when five guys pitched and the best one was Esmerling Vazquez. Dan Haren started and smelled like someone threw up in a sweaty tube sock (5 IP, 6 ER), then a parade of nonsense followed: Blaine Boyer (1 1/3 IP, 5 H, 2 ER), bullpen stopper Vazquez (2/3 IP, 1 BB), Jordan Norberto (1/3 IP, 3 ER, 3 BB) and Aaron Heilman (2/3 IP, 1 ER, 2 BB). Simply Irabuian.

Cubs 4, Phillies 3. The Phils have had some key injuries, they play in a tough division. These things are true. What may also be true: Philadelphia just isn't very good. Great example: Thursday and Friday they lost to the Cubs.