The New York Yankees six-game road trip started out very promising, with a three-game sweep over the Minnesota Twins. That was coupled with a Red Sox loss to the K.C. Royals in the first game of their current four-game series at Fenway, which resulted in a tie at the top of the AL East.

Since that very beautiful view in first place, the Yankees lost two games to the L.A. Angels, 10-6 and 14-8; and, the Red Sox won their next two games against the Royals, 1-0 and 15-9.

[note: check-out July 12th update on the final game, at the end of this post]. 

So, if anyone asks why the teams play a 162 game schedule? — the answer lies in the last two days. Events can turn around very quickly in baseball on a day-to-day basis. A team can be in first place one day, and, then, two games [or more] behind at the whisk of a broom.

The Yankees left their broom in Minnesota after a clean sweep of the Twins, only, to maybe, be swept themselves [if they lose Sunday’s contest] under the hot Pacific sand by an even bigger broom, the L.A. Angels.

Over the last five years, the New York Yankees are 7-17 against the Angels in Anaheim, and 18-32 in overall games played.

It really cannot get any worse for the Bronx Bombers, as they blew a 5-1 lead in the first game, a 10-6 loss; and, then, gave away a 4-0 lead in the middle game of this series, in which they also wasted five home runs in this very shocking 14-8 victory by the L.A. Angels.

As goes the pitching staff, so goes the team.

Every pitcher Manager Joe Giradi paraded to the mound in the first two games of this series was “awful’.  

In the first game, starter Joba Chamberlain was hit hard, lasting only 4.1 innings, while allowing five runs (four earned); on nine hits, including a three-run homer to Kendry Morales; one walk, and four strikeouts. Chamberlain has given up nine runs, on 27 hits in 13.1 innings over his last three starts for an ERA of 6.75. Joba has not lost any of those starts; but, also, has not earned any wins either.

Mark Melancon [just called up from AAA-SWB] was hit hard, allowing three runs (two earned); on three hits, in 2.1 innings. Melancon (0-1) was the losing pitcher in this game.  

Brian Bruney was also hit hard, relieving with one runner on base, and two outs in the 7th inning, and the Yankees behind 7-6, he gave up a walk, and, then, a three-run homer to Erick Aybar that completed the scoring in this game.

The seventh was a bizarre inning for the Yankees, as it featured Derek Jeter dropping an easy pop-up by Mike Napoli, a la the Luis Castillo play, but this time with one out in the 7th.

Without this error, the inning would have been a quick one-two-three performance for Melancon. But, after Gary Matthews, Jr made the second out, Girardi decided to bring in Bruney with the runner on base, which cost the Yankees three runs.

After the home run, next batter, Chone Figgins hit a high pop-up right above the home plate area. As Jorge Posada settled under the ball to make the catch, Figgins clearly, unintentionally, interfered on the play, bumping into Posada. Jorge managed to stay with the ball, even though he lost his glove in the process, and made the final out catch “bare-handed”.  

Those are two plays, by Jeter and Posada, that have never been seen before, and probably will never be seen again, certainly, not in the same inning.  

Derek Jeter was (4-for-5), with one run scored in this game; and, Alex Rodriguez was (3-for-5), including his 15th home run; two runs; two RBI’s.

For the Angels, former Yankee Bobby Abreu  had a great game, hitting (2-for-5) from the plate, with one run; two RBI’s; a stolen base; and, a beautiful running catch in right-centerfield.

Seeing Abreu play again, made it very clear that the Yankees made a major mistake not re-signing him.

Bringing Bobby Abreu back to the Bronx was a move that I wanted the Yankees to make from the end of the 2008 season; and, to this day, I’m still puzzled and outraged that the New York Yankees braintrust just let him walk away from the team without even making an offer or trying to work out a deal that would have kept Abreu in rightfield and in the middle of the batting order.

Bobby Abreu finally accepted way less than he, and many other free-agents, thought the market would pay. The L.A. Angels were the big winners bringing Mr. Abreu to Southern California.  

In the second game of this series, the Yankees jumped out to a 4-0 lead for starter Andy Pettitte (L,8-5), who lasted only 4.1 innings on the mound, allowing six runs; on seven hits; including a homerun by Brandon Wood; two walks; and one strikeout.

David Robertson replaced Pettitte, and was also hit hard, giving up three runs; on three hits; one walk; and three strikeouts.

The Angels scored one run in the 4th; seven runs in the 5th; and one run in the 6th, to take a 9-4 lead into the top of the 7th inning.

The Bronx Bombers added two more runs in the 7th, and two runs in the 8th, as the Angels continued to pound Yankee pitching for a run in the bottom of the 7th, a homerun by Mike Napoli off Brett Tomko; and, four runs in the bottom of the 8th off Phil Coke, that completed the scoring in this 14-8 victory by the Angels.

Angel pitching was also obviously ineffective in this game, giving up “five” Yankee homeruns: two by Alex Rodriguez (#16,17); two homers by newcomer, Eric Hinske (#3,4); and, Hideki Matsui (#14).

Angels starter, Jered Weaver (10-3), was the winning pitcher, working six innings, while giving up four runs (three earned); on four hits; two walks; and, nine strikeouts.

Abreu had another “superstar” performance, with two hits in four at-bats; one run scored; and, three RBI’s.

* Note: Update, Sunday July 12th … In the final game of this series, Bobby Abreu was (2-for-4), including a double; one run; and one RBI.

In the three-game series, Abreu batted .462 (6-for-13), with one double; three runs; six RBI’s; and, one stolen base.  

Bobby Abreu  is now batting .311; with a .407 OBP; .443 SLG%; and .849 OPS.

In 80 games, Abreu has 92 hits; 48 runs; 17 doubles; 2 triples; 6 HR; 58 RBI’s; 50 BB; 19 SB, in 296 at-bats. Also, Abreu is one of only four players in the Major Leagues to have at least 50 RBI’s and 50 walks so far this season.  

Mr. Abreu’s numbers would look excellent in the middle of the Yankees batting order.

— Jimmy, “BY&L”

Update: Sunday, July 12, 2009 … Final Score:  Angels 5, Yankees 4

With this win, the L.A. Angels completed a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees. The Angels have now won 16 of their last 21 home games vs. the Yankees.   

John Lackey (4-4) was the winning pitcher, throwing 111 pitches over seven solid innings, while allowing two runs, on six hits, three walks, and six strikeouts.

CC Sabathia (8-6) took the loss for the Yankees, turning in only an okay performance in 6.2 innings of work. CC threw 114 pitches, and gave up five runs, including four runs in the 4th inning; on nine hits; three walks; and, six strikeouts.

The Angels were leading 4-1 as the game entered the top of the 7th inning, when the Yankees put together a rally that could have tied the game, or moved the Yanks into the lead.

Melky Cabrera led off the 7th with a double, and scored the Yankees second run on a pinch-hit, RBI single by Jorge Posada. Brett Gardner then reached first on an error, and advanced to second on a Derek Jeter single, that loaded the bases. Posada was held up at third on the hit, as Yankees third base coach Rob Thomson did not want to chance Jorge getting thrown out at the plate with Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez coming up with no outs. Teixeira then struck-out swinging for out number one; and, A-Rod grounded into a 5-5-3 double play to end the Yankees threat, keeping the Angels lead at 4-2.

The Angels scored an insurance run in the bottom of the 7th, on a two-out triple by Chone Figgins, and a RBI single by Maicer Izturis, that increased the Angels lead to 5-2. 

Then in the top of the 8th Inning, the Yankees had another golden opportunity to comeback in his game, thus avoiding a sweep.

The Yankees loaded the bases again with no outs, and Melky delivered a big RBI single to cut the lead to 5-3. Jorge Posada, who stayed in the game as catcher after pinch-hitting for Jose Molina in his last at-bat, was up next. Jorge lofted a fly ball to right field for a sacrifice fly that cut the Angels lead even further to 5-4. 

With one out, Nick Swisher was called into the game to pinch-hit for Brett Gardner. Swisher hit a solid line drive up the middle towards the pitcher that looked like it would travel into center and score the tying and go-ahead runs for the Yanks. But, pitcher Darren Oliver made a beautiful catch of the hard liner, and then quickly threw the ball to first base to complete the inning-ending, 1-1-3 double play, that kept the Angels in the lead at 5-4.

Brian Fuentes, closed out the Angels 5-4 victory, by retiring the heart of the Yankees line-up: Jeter, Teixeira, and Rodriguez, in order, in the top of the 9th, recording his 26th save of the season.

The New York Yankees started this road trip by sweeping their three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. 

Now, they end what turned out to be a very disappointing six-games before the All-Star break by losing three games to the L.A. Angels. 

“The sweeper was indeed also swept” !!!

The Boston Red Sox (54-34) won three of the four games they played against the K.C. Royals this past weekend at Fenway Park, including, a complete game, three-hit, 6-0 shutout by Josh Beckett in the final game.

The Red Sox now have a “three” game lead over the second place New York Yankees (51-37) in the AL East.

Enjoy the All-Star break, and All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 14th in St. Louis.

— Jimmy Curran, “Baseball, The Yankees, and Life”