Ugly, but not the end.

So the Yanks fell to the Orioles last night 8-2.  I watched most of it but the week just caught up with me and I passed out just as Edwar took the mound.  Hughes was very good through 5 innings but got into a jam at the end and Joe told him to take a seat.  The bullpen has been quite good at keeping the games within reach, but Hawkins decided not to pitch well against his former team instead.  So, Edwar Ramirez ascended to the hill and told the Birds to sit down and shut up, tossing 2.1 innings and giving up only one hit (RBI single against the first batter) and one walk.  Hughes was charged with 5 earned runs over 6 innings, dropping his ERA slightly.  Hawkins was charged with the other three after going five straight outings without giving up one.

As far as the offense, it was a one man show.  Not A-Rod, not Jeter, not even Damon, Abreu, Giambi, Posada, Matsui, Cano, or Cabrera…  It was third string backup catcher Chad Moeller who batted in both of the Yankees’ runs.  Maybe if we could have 9 back-up catchers in the lineup we’d have won, but alas, it is difficult to pull that off.  Daniel Cabrera threw a good game and only gave up two runs through 6+, the last being a solo shot by Moeller.

The defense wasn’t perfect by a long shot, either.  Giambi missed a sharp grounder hit almost right to him to allow a single that didn’t score, and A-Rod’s throw to first in the 6th was about ten feet wide.  There wasn’t going to be an out on the play, but Jones did get second base on the throw, setting up an intentional walk and three RBI on two singles.

Hughes was better tonight than his line shows – he threw first pitch strikes almost all the time, got his curve in the strike zone, fooled ‘em with the slider and change, and generally did a good job.  He wasn’t throwing poorly when he got yanked, either, but he was getting hit.  Much better than his last two, but still not as good as his first.  My guess is he’ll be up and down throughout the rest of the season as he’s learning the hitters and the hitters are learning him.  He will probably have a few more flashes of brilliance, but he’ll also have flashes of crapulence.  I think by the end of the season he’ll be a lot closer to being the pitcher he can be, but I’ll be content to ride the storm out until then.  The same thing goes for Kennedy, though I think he will either get there either much faster or much slower because he’s a precision pitcher.  Once he starts spotting his pitches like he will be able to he will be rokken like Dokken.  Or something like that.  Will it happen tonight?  We’ll just have to watch and see!

Red Cross Medical Watch:  Posada is ticked at always being asked when he’ll be ready to catch again, so I’ll be sure to just ask him “How ’bout them Knicks” when I see him.  He’s still not likely to sit behind the dish tonight.  Harlan Chamberlain is doing much better, breathing on his own and sitting up.  Joba will return to the Yankees tonight.  I hope for his sake that’s the right decision.  I know I would have a hard time leaving my father if he were still in the hospital.  Let’s home we can welcome Joba back with a nice 7 inning outing by Kennedy followed by our favorite Joba-Mo-Let’s Go 8th and 9th.  Joba did throw twice while in Nebraska to keep his arm ready.

Mike Mussina White Board Watch:  “No cookies and no ice cream make Moose a dull pitcher”