I mean really. When the Yanks went into the game with D-Rob and Joba not available and Mariano probably only available in a save situation and you end up in the 11th inning with Wood and Logan already out, who do you expect Girardi to go to? He stole an inning with Gaudin in the 10th, and Mitre is likely going to make the postseason roster as the long man, so why wouldn't Joe bring him in in a pressure situation? And when the guy has pitched once in the past 16 days, you almost have to expect him to be rusty and give up something.
The Yanks got everything they could ask for from CC last night, which you expect from your ace. The Rays just happened to get everything they could have asked for out of their ace too, which is why both of those guys are aces. It was a masterful display of pitching on both sides and in the end the Yankees having a depleted bullpen came back to bite them in an extra-innings game. The writing was on the wall, people just need to read it.
If you're going to be mad, be mad at Brett Gardner for getting thrown out trying to steal 3rd in the 10th. Or be mad at Joe for not using Mitre enough lately, but not for bringing him in last night. I like to get on Joe for his bullpen management as much as the next guy, but you really can't last night. It was a great game full of great pitching by both sides and the home team won in their half of the inning against the 5th or 6th best guy in the Yankee bullpen.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
3 Reasons Why This Yankees-Rays Series Matters
The Yankees have 7 regular season games against 2nd place Tampa and they'll play 3 of those games over the next 3 days starting tonight at The Trop. The Yanks will be sending CC, Ivan, and Phil to the mound against David Price, Matt Garza, and James Shields for Tampa in what could be the first preview of the ALCS. Knowing that those are the high stakes in place later down the line while the more immediate benefit of division lead also being in play, it goes without saying that this is a big series for both teams. But it's not for the cliche, ho-hum reasons you'll probably hear on Baseball Tonight or the YES pregame show. It's not about the Yankees "righting the ship" after a horrendous weekend and a 6-out-of-the-last-7 losing stretch, nor is it about one team "building momentum" or "gaining a mental advantage" over the other for the playoffs. No sir, there are plenty of real, actual baseball reasons while this series matters for both teams. Here are, in my mind, the 3 biggest.
1) We get to see how the young pitchers respond to a high-pressure, playoff-style atmosphere.
This might seem like another cliche, ESPN-fabricated talking point, but when you look back over the history of the playoffs, there are plenty of pitchers who have completely shit the bed on the mound with the spotlight on them, both young and old alike. And using some basic logic, those younger pitchers without any experience of pitching in a playoff setting would seem the most likely candidates to get a bit of that gag reflex when put into that setting.
There are candidates on both sides: Wade Davis, David Price, Jeff Niemann, Jeremy Hellickson for the Rays. Hughes, Boone Logan, and Ivan Nova for the Yanks), and although we will probably only see one or two from Tampa, one outing is enough for an opposing team to tell if the moment is too big for a particular guy, especially veteran hitting teams like those 2. Price hasn't pitched all that well against the Yanks this year, and his only postseason experience came out of the bullpen in 2008 when he was rookie with unknown stuff and lower expectations, not the ace of his staff as he is today.
For the Yankees particularly, this series should be telling. Hughes struggled mightily in the playoffs last year out of the bullpen, and hasn't exactly been lighting the world on fire lately as a starter. Another rough outing for him could put his playoff rotation spot in jeopardy. The opposite holds true for Ivan Nova, who could do himself a great service in securing a playoff roster spot with another good outing against a quality team.
2) Both teams can experiment with bullpen roles/matchups for the postseason.
Us Yankee fans know that Joe loves to play the matchups when it comes to his bullpen. Joe Maddon, also a known in-game strategist, is no stranger to playing the mix-and-match game himself. Seeing as how these teams haven't played each other in a while, this series should serve as the first round in playing the odds and determining what approach each manager may take in late-game situations.
Should Teix be walked with A-Rod behind him? Is it worth bringing in a lefty to face Robbie Cano? Who do the Yanks use to neutralize Longoria in the later innings? Will Maddon use Rafael Soriano for more than 3 outs? The answers to those questions could start to be answered in some close games this series.
3) Brett Gardner vs. Carl Crawford.
This looks more towards 2011 than anything related to this year. But Crawford is the big free agent positional prize this offseason, one the Yanks seemingly had their eye on heading into this year, and Gardner is the younger, much cheaper current leftfielder for the Bombers who has greatly outperformed expectations this year, possibly to the point that Crawford no longer becomes as big a need as he might have been at the beginning of the season.
Crawford is hitting .305/.357/.494 this year in 522 at-bats with 100 runs scored, 159 hits, 30 doubles, 12 triples, 15 HRs, 78 RBIs, and 42 stolen bases while continuing to play Gold Glove-caliber defense in left. He has a wOBA of .376, a UZR of 22.0 in LF, and is rated at 6.4 WAR for the season. He also made $10 million this season and should make more than that next year.
Gardner is hitting .280/.388/.379 this year in 428 at-bats with 85 runs scored, 120 hits, 17 doubles, 5 triples, 5 HRs, 45 RBIs, and 40 stolen bases while also playing Gold-Glove caliber defense in left and center field. Gardner has a wOBA of .360 for the season, a 17.1 total UZR (16.9 in left, 0.2 in center), and is rated at 4.9 WAR, all for the lovely price of $452,500 for the year. Gardner has also performed incredibly well hitting from the leadoff spot, something he could conceivably do next year with the Yanks given Derek Jeter's 2010 decline.
Now that stats show that Crawford has been the better player this year, but not by a significant margin. And when you factor in that he has been an MLB regular for years now and this was really Gardner's first full season, and that Gardner is 2 years younger, it does make Gardner look like the more attractive option for next year, especially considering the strength of the rest of the Yankee lineup. But we all now how enamored George used to get with certain players, and there has to be some of that DNA left somewhere within Hank and Hal. A monster series from Crawford against the Yankees and the talks about bringing Crawford into the fold next year could start to heat up again, even if the Yanks do get great approximated Crawford-level value from Gardner.
AP Top 25 Yankee Playoff Roster Poll For The Week Of Sept. 13-19
Another week, another batch of changes to the playoff roster poll. Some new guys getting some look from the voters after September call ups. Their chances to make the roster, although slim, were greatly improved by the continued injuries to Yankee regulars (Swish and Jorge) and the season-ending injuries to Alfredo Aceves and Damaso Marte. Here's the latest look of what the roster should be after last week:
Top 25:
1) Mariano Rivera (hiccup aside)
2) CC Sabathia
3) Robinson Cano
4) Mark Teixeira
5) Brett Gardner
6) Kerry Wood (absolutely lights out since donning the pinstripes)
7) Curtis Granderson (becomes more valuable w/ OF injuries)
8) Nick Swisher (knee not getting any better)
9) Dave Robertson (value increases w/ rotation struggles)
10) Phil Hughes (needs to rebound this week)
11) Jorge Posada (somebody get him a crash helmet and safety bubble)
12) Boone Logan (dude has been almost automatic since his call back)
13) Alex Rodriguez (still looks strong)
14) Francisco Cervelli
15) Derek Jeter (still too many groundouts)
16) Marcus Thames
17) Austin Kearns
18) Lance Berkman (looking a little more Puma-ish)
19) Sergio Mitre
20) Joba Chamberlain (always bad at the worst times)
21) Ramiro Pena
22) A.J. Burnett
23) Ivan Nova (could improve chances w/ a good start against TB)
24) Javy Vazquez
25) Dustin Moseley (will be off once Andy comes back)
Also Receiving Votes:
26) Andy Pettitte (due back this week)
27) Eduardo Nunez
28) Chad Moeller (depends on Jorge's health)
29) Jonathan Albaladejo (could sneak in if guys keep f'ing up)
30) Greg Golson (Joe loves speed)
31) Chad Gaudin (just to make him feel special)
Top 25:
1) Mariano Rivera (hiccup aside)
2) CC Sabathia
3) Robinson Cano
4) Mark Teixeira
5) Brett Gardner
6) Kerry Wood (absolutely lights out since donning the pinstripes)
7) Curtis Granderson (becomes more valuable w/ OF injuries)
8) Nick Swisher (knee not getting any better)
9) Dave Robertson (value increases w/ rotation struggles)
10) Phil Hughes (needs to rebound this week)
11) Jorge Posada (somebody get him a crash helmet and safety bubble)
12) Boone Logan (dude has been almost automatic since his call back)
13) Alex Rodriguez (still looks strong)
14) Francisco Cervelli
15) Derek Jeter (still too many groundouts)
16) Marcus Thames
17) Austin Kearns
18) Lance Berkman (looking a little more Puma-ish)
19) Sergio Mitre
20) Joba Chamberlain (always bad at the worst times)
21) Ramiro Pena
22) A.J. Burnett
23) Ivan Nova (could improve chances w/ a good start against TB)
24) Javy Vazquez
25) Dustin Moseley (will be off once Andy comes back)
Also Receiving Votes:
26) Andy Pettitte (due back this week)
27) Eduardo Nunez
28) Chad Moeller (depends on Jorge's health)
29) Jonathan Albaladejo (could sneak in if guys keep f'ing up)
30) Greg Golson (Joe loves speed)
31) Chad Gaudin (just to make him feel special)
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Garbage Weekend
Get it? It's a visual metaphor for how the Yankees played like trash all weekend. Pretty clever, huh?
I got nothing else to say tonight. Updated playoff roster coming tomorrow...
A Bad Omen?
Well it's a good thing the internet connection was fucked at my apartment all day yesterday, because after the last 2 games, my immediate postgame responses would have been much harsher than this morning's will be. As it is, the Yankees have opened the door for the competition and their critics with 2 consecutive losses against a likely playoff opponent in 2 games that they could and should have won.
Let's start with Friday. Another "meh" start by Javy gets picked up into a potential win situation heading into the bottom of the 8th after a bases-loaded walk to Teix in the 6th put the Yanks ahead 5-4. Enter Joba in the 8th and exist baseball into the bleachers on his first pitch to Nelson Cruz. Goodbye lead and goodbye win after 13 innings when the Yanks could do nothing in extras off the Rangers bullpen and Cruz put on an encore home run performance off of Chad Gaudin.
The Yankees were a combined 3-17 with RISP on Friday night, and in the 12th and 13th innings had the go-ahead run at 3rd with 1 out and couldn't get anything across. Joe also showed how important winning that game was, using Phil Hughes out of the bullpen in the 9th and Mo for 2 innings in the 10th and 11th. The Yanks couldn't scratch a run across and that extra work on Mo would come back to haunt them the next day.
Now yesterday. Another close game, another "meh" starting performance by A.J., who was pulled after 4 innings and 88 pitches, and another late-inning Yankee lead courtesy of an A-Horse 3-run double in the 8th. Mo entered the game in the 9th and commenced with a Joba-like meltdown. Leadoff walk, single, double, and just like that the lead was gone. After an intentional walk to load the bases and an out, Mo hit Jeff Francoeur with a pitch to force in the winning run.
Mo looked completely awful yesterday. 21 pitches, only 9 of which were strikes, a day after he worked 2 innings by throwing 20 of his 23 pitches for strikes. Joe had said he didn't want to use Mo for more than an inning during the regular season, but in the last 2 days he has not only broken that rule, but then brought him back the day after to close out a game in which Mo was clearly not ready to be used again. While it's always a little strange to see Mo that off his game, it almost should be expected from a 40-year-old pitcher who worked multiple innings the day before. Sometimes we need to remember that Mo is human, and he is old, and yesterday we saw the end result of an old pitcher who had been overworked.
The offense cost the Yanks more on Friday (even though they were just 3-13 with RISP yesterday) and Joe cost them the win yesterday with his decision making on Friday. But the bottom line is the Yanks lost 2 close, playoff atmosphere-style games in a row in which they had the late in the 8th inning or later and now the Yanks find themselves just a half game up on a surging Tampa team and on the verge of getting swept by a club they could face in the postseason. The suddenly mortal (and possibly injured) Cliff Lee is on the hill today for Texas against the always-mortal Dustin Moseley, and even though their playoff ticket is all but punched, with Tampa breathing down their necks and a big series in the Trop looming, I say this is a must-win for the Yankees today.
Let's start with Friday. Another "meh" start by Javy gets picked up into a potential win situation heading into the bottom of the 8th after a bases-loaded walk to Teix in the 6th put the Yanks ahead 5-4. Enter Joba in the 8th and exist baseball into the bleachers on his first pitch to Nelson Cruz. Goodbye lead and goodbye win after 13 innings when the Yanks could do nothing in extras off the Rangers bullpen and Cruz put on an encore home run performance off of Chad Gaudin.
The Yankees were a combined 3-17 with RISP on Friday night, and in the 12th and 13th innings had the go-ahead run at 3rd with 1 out and couldn't get anything across. Joe also showed how important winning that game was, using Phil Hughes out of the bullpen in the 9th and Mo for 2 innings in the 10th and 11th. The Yanks couldn't scratch a run across and that extra work on Mo would come back to haunt them the next day.
Now yesterday. Another close game, another "meh" starting performance by A.J., who was pulled after 4 innings and 88 pitches, and another late-inning Yankee lead courtesy of an A-Horse 3-run double in the 8th. Mo entered the game in the 9th and commenced with a Joba-like meltdown. Leadoff walk, single, double, and just like that the lead was gone. After an intentional walk to load the bases and an out, Mo hit Jeff Francoeur with a pitch to force in the winning run.
Mo looked completely awful yesterday. 21 pitches, only 9 of which were strikes, a day after he worked 2 innings by throwing 20 of his 23 pitches for strikes. Joe had said he didn't want to use Mo for more than an inning during the regular season, but in the last 2 days he has not only broken that rule, but then brought him back the day after to close out a game in which Mo was clearly not ready to be used again. While it's always a little strange to see Mo that off his game, it almost should be expected from a 40-year-old pitcher who worked multiple innings the day before. Sometimes we need to remember that Mo is human, and he is old, and yesterday we saw the end result of an old pitcher who had been overworked.
The offense cost the Yanks more on Friday (even though they were just 3-13 with RISP yesterday) and Joe cost them the win yesterday with his decision making on Friday. But the bottom line is the Yanks lost 2 close, playoff atmosphere-style games in a row in which they had the late in the 8th inning or later and now the Yanks find themselves just a half game up on a surging Tampa team and on the verge of getting swept by a club they could face in the postseason. The suddenly mortal (and possibly injured) Cliff Lee is on the hill today for Texas against the always-mortal Dustin Moseley, and even though their playoff ticket is all but punched, with Tampa breathing down their necks and a big series in the Trop looming, I say this is a must-win for the Yankees today.
Friday, September 10, 2010
How Did I Miss This???
The Jesus had ankle surgery??? For an infection??? How in his father's name does that happen??? He's The Almighty, The Savior, The Chosen One. Regular human injuries should not even happen to his celestial, otherworldly body. And if they do, one would think that The Jesus could just heal himself, no?
Light a candle and say a prayer tonight for The Almighty, Yankee fans. He needs our love and faith now more than ever.
Get well soon, sweet prince. Rest and heal and return in 2011 ready to begin your legacy.
Light a candle and say a prayer tonight for The Almighty, Yankee fans. He needs our love and faith now more than ever.
Get well soon, sweet prince. Rest and heal and return in 2011 ready to begin your legacy.
Postseason Questions, Anyone?
Chad from LoHud had an interesting piece yesterday about all the questions facing the Yankees as they head towards the postseason, and there are plenty of them. Being the helpful guy that I am and seeing as how I was spot on with pretty much everything playoff-related last year (check the posts from last October and November if you don't believe me), I decided I would answer those questions today. Here we go...
ROTATION
Big decision: Who else gets a start in the playoffs?
- Andy Pettitte will most certainly get a start as long as he stays healthy upon his return to the rotation. A.J. will most likely get one just because he's making $16.5 million this year and he has the experience. And as long as he doesn't start to show significant effects of his increased workload this year, Phil Hughes will be the 4th starter.
Smaller decisions:
• How do the starters lineup after Sabathia?
- The starters should line up Hughes for Game 2, Pettitte for Game 3, and A.J. for Game 4. That gives the Yanks the best chance to win a short series and at least come out up 2-1 heading to a Game 4 while keeping their most volatile and unpredictable starter off the mound for as long as possible. But they will, in all likelihood, line up A.J., Andy, Phil.
• How much consideration does Ivan Nova get?
- Unless any of the previously-mentioned 4 get hurt, Nova won't get much consideration even though he should. Seeing how Joe has managed him so far, and seeing how he's managed A.J. throughout the season, I don't see Joe giving Nova a shot over A.J., regardless of how shitty A.J. may pitch down the stretch. Nova would be a good option against any of the teams the Yanks will face in the playoffs because none of them will have seen him more than once if at all, but knowing Joe I just don't see it happening.
LINEUP
Big decision: Is Brett Gardner still the No. 9 hitter?
- Yes he is. Even though he probably shouldn't be. Gardner is obviously a better choice for the leadoff spot than Jeter, but again, unless Jeter gets hurt Joe is never going to take him out of the leadoff spot. The best lineup would be Gardner, Jeter, Teix, A-Horse, Cano, Swish, Jorge, Berkman/Thames, C-Grand, but Joe's loyalty to Jeter and unwillingness to do anything that could be seen as an insult to Jeter will prevent that lineup from ever seeing a lineup card.
Smaller decisions:
• Does Marcus Thames get any DH consideration against right-handed pitchers?
- If he continues to produce then he certainly should. Thames' tripleslash against righties this year, while not as good as his numbers against lefties, is nothing to sneeze at. Joe is already working on riding the hot hand and trying to get Thames ABs however he can now. If Thames stays hot, he can't be ignored as the ideal DH option no matter what hand the opposing pitcher is throwing with.
• Is Austin Kearns an automatic starter against left-handers?
- No, and he shouldn't be. C-Grand has been much better against righties and lefties since working with Kevin Long and the fact of the matter is he's a better player across the board than Kearns. Going into the playoffs, the outfield should be set with Gardner, Grand, and Swish. If Granderson does struggle against lefties then Kearns becomes a bigger possibility, but in no way should he be considered an automatic starter.
• Is there any chance Jorge Posada catches A.J. Burnett?
- Chad didn't think so, but I say hell yes to this. With the extra off-days that come with the postseason, Jorge has more time to rest his bumps and bruises. And with the way Cervelli has hit since May, the Yankees can't afford to sacrifice a more productive bat for his just to make A.J. feel warm and fuzzy out on the mound. It's put up or shut up time for A.J., and if the Yanks are facing a must-win game with him on the mound they need their best lineup out there. That means Jorge and his bat behind the plate and Frankie and his bat on the bench.
• Is there any reason to give Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter a day off?
- Not unless they absolutely need it. See the logic above for Jorge. Extra off-days in the schedule means free off-days for the old guys. The postseason isn't the time to rest, it's the time to win. You manage your players' off-days accordingly during the end of the regular season so you can ride them to a title in the postseason. Period.
BULLPEN
Big decision: Who fills the back of the bullpen?
- Like Chad said in his post, Mo, Wood, D-Rob, Joba, and Boone Logan are shoo-ins. I think the Yanks are taking 12 pitchers, so with the 4 starters locked in that leaves 3 spots. Sergio Mitre should and will be the long man with Ace on the shelf, and Javy will make the roster just because of who he is and how much he's making. The last spot should go to Nova, but with Mitre and Javy the Yanks will have 2 guys who can go long innings if needed. With that in mind, don't be surprised to see Jon Albaladejo take the 12th spot if he pitches like he did all year in Triple-A for the rest of the season.
Smaller decisions:
• Do the Yankees need a defined eighth-inning guy?
- Hell no. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind them using any of the 4 they have setting up Mo right now for one batter at a time in the playoffs just to keep the other team on their toes. The beauty of having Wood, D-Rob, Joba, and Boone Logan available is that it gives them options for any situation that could crop up in the 7th and 8th innings of close games. Not to mention Joe will be more willing to use Mo for more than 3 outs if he has to. I get on Joe all the time for how he micromanages the 'pen, but the mixing and matching has been working for a while and with all these guys dealing right now there's no reason to change the formula come playoff time.
• Does someone take the Gaudin role?
- See: "Mitre, Sergio" or "Vazquez, Javier" if the Yanks are really in a pinch.
BENCH
Big decision: Is there room for a fifth bench player?
- As long as everybody is healthy then no, and there shouldn't be. Pitching is what wins in the postseason and it's why the Yankees won the title last year, not because they had Freddy Guzman on the bench. Cervelli is your backup catcher, Kearns is your 4th outfielder, Thames is your one-man wrecking crew, and either Pena or Nunez is your utility infielder. Combine that with the flexibility that Swish and Gardner provide in the field and you're covered for every conceivable scenario.
Smaller decisions:• If there’s room for only one, which utility infielder makes the roster?
- Smart money would be on Ramiro Pena. Nunez has shown flashes since being called up, and he is a better hitter than Pena, but I don't think he's shown enough to supplant Pena from his spot. Pena is the better glove and has more experience, which always factors into managers' decision making come playoff time.
• Is there something about the individual matchup that affects the bench?
- No. Like I said before, the Yankees are covered for every possible scenario. You want your 25 best guys for the playoffs so there's no sense in trying to get cute and add a speedy runner or another lefty bat or something quirky like that at the expense of a better overall player.
• If they do carry a pinch runner, is Golson or Nunez a better bet?
- Nunez. He's already had some Major League success and is more of an asset in the field and at the plate than Golson would be if he had to stay in the game. Nunez would provide better defense if he ran for A-Rod whereas Golson subbing for any of the regular outfielders is almost a wash while also being a downgrade from any of them at the plate.
ROTATION
Big decision: Who else gets a start in the playoffs?
- Andy Pettitte will most certainly get a start as long as he stays healthy upon his return to the rotation. A.J. will most likely get one just because he's making $16.5 million this year and he has the experience. And as long as he doesn't start to show significant effects of his increased workload this year, Phil Hughes will be the 4th starter.
Smaller decisions:
• How do the starters lineup after Sabathia?
- The starters should line up Hughes for Game 2, Pettitte for Game 3, and A.J. for Game 4. That gives the Yanks the best chance to win a short series and at least come out up 2-1 heading to a Game 4 while keeping their most volatile and unpredictable starter off the mound for as long as possible. But they will, in all likelihood, line up A.J., Andy, Phil.
• How much consideration does Ivan Nova get?
- Unless any of the previously-mentioned 4 get hurt, Nova won't get much consideration even though he should. Seeing how Joe has managed him so far, and seeing how he's managed A.J. throughout the season, I don't see Joe giving Nova a shot over A.J., regardless of how shitty A.J. may pitch down the stretch. Nova would be a good option against any of the teams the Yanks will face in the playoffs because none of them will have seen him more than once if at all, but knowing Joe I just don't see it happening.
LINEUP
Big decision: Is Brett Gardner still the No. 9 hitter?
- Yes he is. Even though he probably shouldn't be. Gardner is obviously a better choice for the leadoff spot than Jeter, but again, unless Jeter gets hurt Joe is never going to take him out of the leadoff spot. The best lineup would be Gardner, Jeter, Teix, A-Horse, Cano, Swish, Jorge, Berkman/Thames, C-Grand, but Joe's loyalty to Jeter and unwillingness to do anything that could be seen as an insult to Jeter will prevent that lineup from ever seeing a lineup card.
Smaller decisions:
• Does Marcus Thames get any DH consideration against right-handed pitchers?
- If he continues to produce then he certainly should. Thames' tripleslash against righties this year, while not as good as his numbers against lefties, is nothing to sneeze at. Joe is already working on riding the hot hand and trying to get Thames ABs however he can now. If Thames stays hot, he can't be ignored as the ideal DH option no matter what hand the opposing pitcher is throwing with.
• Is Austin Kearns an automatic starter against left-handers?
- No, and he shouldn't be. C-Grand has been much better against righties and lefties since working with Kevin Long and the fact of the matter is he's a better player across the board than Kearns. Going into the playoffs, the outfield should be set with Gardner, Grand, and Swish. If Granderson does struggle against lefties then Kearns becomes a bigger possibility, but in no way should he be considered an automatic starter.
• Is there any chance Jorge Posada catches A.J. Burnett?
- Chad didn't think so, but I say hell yes to this. With the extra off-days that come with the postseason, Jorge has more time to rest his bumps and bruises. And with the way Cervelli has hit since May, the Yankees can't afford to sacrifice a more productive bat for his just to make A.J. feel warm and fuzzy out on the mound. It's put up or shut up time for A.J., and if the Yanks are facing a must-win game with him on the mound they need their best lineup out there. That means Jorge and his bat behind the plate and Frankie and his bat on the bench.
• Is there any reason to give Alex Rodriguez or Derek Jeter a day off?
- Not unless they absolutely need it. See the logic above for Jorge. Extra off-days in the schedule means free off-days for the old guys. The postseason isn't the time to rest, it's the time to win. You manage your players' off-days accordingly during the end of the regular season so you can ride them to a title in the postseason. Period.
BULLPEN
Big decision: Who fills the back of the bullpen?
- Like Chad said in his post, Mo, Wood, D-Rob, Joba, and Boone Logan are shoo-ins. I think the Yanks are taking 12 pitchers, so with the 4 starters locked in that leaves 3 spots. Sergio Mitre should and will be the long man with Ace on the shelf, and Javy will make the roster just because of who he is and how much he's making. The last spot should go to Nova, but with Mitre and Javy the Yanks will have 2 guys who can go long innings if needed. With that in mind, don't be surprised to see Jon Albaladejo take the 12th spot if he pitches like he did all year in Triple-A for the rest of the season.
Smaller decisions:
• Do the Yankees need a defined eighth-inning guy?
- Hell no. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't mind them using any of the 4 they have setting up Mo right now for one batter at a time in the playoffs just to keep the other team on their toes. The beauty of having Wood, D-Rob, Joba, and Boone Logan available is that it gives them options for any situation that could crop up in the 7th and 8th innings of close games. Not to mention Joe will be more willing to use Mo for more than 3 outs if he has to. I get on Joe all the time for how he micromanages the 'pen, but the mixing and matching has been working for a while and with all these guys dealing right now there's no reason to change the formula come playoff time.
• Does someone take the Gaudin role?
- See: "Mitre, Sergio" or "Vazquez, Javier" if the Yanks are really in a pinch.
BENCH
Big decision: Is there room for a fifth bench player?
- As long as everybody is healthy then no, and there shouldn't be. Pitching is what wins in the postseason and it's why the Yankees won the title last year, not because they had Freddy Guzman on the bench. Cervelli is your backup catcher, Kearns is your 4th outfielder, Thames is your one-man wrecking crew, and either Pena or Nunez is your utility infielder. Combine that with the flexibility that Swish and Gardner provide in the field and you're covered for every conceivable scenario.
Smaller decisions:• If there’s room for only one, which utility infielder makes the roster?
- Smart money would be on Ramiro Pena. Nunez has shown flashes since being called up, and he is a better hitter than Pena, but I don't think he's shown enough to supplant Pena from his spot. Pena is the better glove and has more experience, which always factors into managers' decision making come playoff time.
• Is there something about the individual matchup that affects the bench?
- No. Like I said before, the Yankees are covered for every possible scenario. You want your 25 best guys for the playoffs so there's no sense in trying to get cute and add a speedy runner or another lefty bat or something quirky like that at the expense of a better overall player.
• If they do carry a pinch runner, is Golson or Nunez a better bet?
- Nunez. He's already had some Major League success and is more of an asset in the field and at the plate than Golson would be if he had to stay in the game. Nunez would provide better defense if he ran for A-Rod whereas Golson subbing for any of the regular outfielders is almost a wash while also being a downgrade from any of them at the plate.
Another Pitching Prospect!!
(Photo used courtesy of Mike Ashmore)
He looks a little old to still be in Double-A, but this Pettitte guy looked pretty damn good to me last night.
4 shutout innings, only 2 hits allowed, no walks, and 4 Ks. That'll get the job done 25 hours a day, 8 days a week. His fastball lived in the high-80s, but he can locate it well to both sides of the plate, and his cutter and curveball can also both be thrown anywhere at any time to induce weak grounders and swings and misses.
It was the first I've heard of this Pettitte character pitching for Trenton this year, but something tells me if he keeps pitching like that he's definitely got a future in the Yankee organization.
Thursday, September 9, 2010
How Good Was Ivan Nova Yesterday?
The answer would be "very good." Nova rebounded nicely from his rough outing last time against the Blue Jays, throwing strikes and attacking a weaker lineup that was not familiar with him. He got ahead in a lot of counts early and put hitters away with ease the first time through the lineup, and more importantly, showed some toughness and ability to work out of jams when they started adjusting to him the 2nd and 3rd time through the lineup in his last 2 innings of work. All in all, Nova continued to justify his place in the rotation while the question marks continue to swirl around him.
Through the first 4 innings, Nova allowed just 2 hits and struck out 5 batters. He was working quickly and economically, and the Orioles didn't seem to have any idea what he was doing. In the 5th he ran into a little trouble, and his at-bat against Matt Wieters wasn't good (fell behind 3-0, gave up a 2-run homer on a meatball), but that was really Nova's only mistake of the day and he was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. Particularly telling was his inning-ending strikeout of Ty Wigginton after the Roberts double and intentional walk to Markakis in which he threw 3 straight curveballs that Wigginton swung and missed at. That takes some balls to throw those pitches with runners on and talent to make them look appealing enough for a batter to not lay off of, and is something that I would bet A.J., Javy, and Phil couldn't do right now.
Nova got himself into another 2-on, 2-out situation in the 6th before retiring Cesar Izturis to end the threat, once again working out of self-made trouble created by wild pitches and intentional walks. To be able to bear down and get an out after throwing 4 straight balls is something that we've seen plague other pitchers, but Nova handled it coolly and calmly.
At the end of the day, Nova's line looks very good by any standards: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 6 K. But his total performance was actually better than those numbers indicate. He threw first pitch strikes to 19 of the 26 batters he faced, a very solid 73.08%, and while his strike percentage (60/91 or 65.93%) doesn't blow you away at first glance, you have to remember that 8 of those balls thrown were intentional. Eliminate those and re-calculate and you get a better strike percentage of 72.29% (60/83), which is much more indicative of how well Nova pitched yesterday. He threw strikes, was usually ahead in the count, and did not unintentionally walk anybody. He pitched more than well enough to win and only lost out on one because of the pathetic Yankee offense.
Once again, Nova pitched beyond his limited experience and continued to impress as a vital member of this year's rotation and a potential asset to the back end of the 2011 rotation. At this point he is more of a known commodity than other younger Yankee pitchers, and he doesn't have the "blow you away" stuff of a Dellin Betances or Manny Banuelos, but Nova can certainly hold his own in the Majors and should continue to be a key contributor for the Yankees going forward.
P.S.- 3 innings of scoreless, hitless, walkless, 6-K relief to back up Nova wasn't too shabby either.
Through the first 4 innings, Nova allowed just 2 hits and struck out 5 batters. He was working quickly and economically, and the Orioles didn't seem to have any idea what he was doing. In the 5th he ran into a little trouble, and his at-bat against Matt Wieters wasn't good (fell behind 3-0, gave up a 2-run homer on a meatball), but that was really Nova's only mistake of the day and he was able to get out of the inning without any further damage. Particularly telling was his inning-ending strikeout of Ty Wigginton after the Roberts double and intentional walk to Markakis in which he threw 3 straight curveballs that Wigginton swung and missed at. That takes some balls to throw those pitches with runners on and talent to make them look appealing enough for a batter to not lay off of, and is something that I would bet A.J., Javy, and Phil couldn't do right now.
Nova got himself into another 2-on, 2-out situation in the 6th before retiring Cesar Izturis to end the threat, once again working out of self-made trouble created by wild pitches and intentional walks. To be able to bear down and get an out after throwing 4 straight balls is something that we've seen plague other pitchers, but Nova handled it coolly and calmly.
At the end of the day, Nova's line looks very good by any standards: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 BB, 2 ER, 6 K. But his total performance was actually better than those numbers indicate. He threw first pitch strikes to 19 of the 26 batters he faced, a very solid 73.08%, and while his strike percentage (60/91 or 65.93%) doesn't blow you away at first glance, you have to remember that 8 of those balls thrown were intentional. Eliminate those and re-calculate and you get a better strike percentage of 72.29% (60/83), which is much more indicative of how well Nova pitched yesterday. He threw strikes, was usually ahead in the count, and did not unintentionally walk anybody. He pitched more than well enough to win and only lost out on one because of the pathetic Yankee offense.
Once again, Nova pitched beyond his limited experience and continued to impress as a vital member of this year's rotation and a potential asset to the back end of the 2011 rotation. At this point he is more of a known commodity than other younger Yankee pitchers, and he doesn't have the "blow you away" stuff of a Dellin Betances or Manny Banuelos, but Nova can certainly hold his own in the Majors and should continue to be a key contributor for the Yankees going forward.
P.S.- 3 innings of scoreless, hitless, walkless, 6-K relief to back up Nova wasn't too shabby either.
Get Some, Kim Jones!!!
Get some indeed, you dirty, dirty girl. You knew exactly what you were doing getting yourself that close to Swish yesterday during the postgame interview, positioning yourself perfectly in the line of fire from A.J. You wanted to get pied. You NEEDED to get pied. And darlin', you got you some pie right in the old facepiece.
And we were all a little bit happier because of it.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
Thank God For Nick Swisher
Shit was looking pretty grim until Swish put a little super polish on the turd that was today's game. That knee must be feeling better. Ball's in your court now, Tampa.
Swish-a-licious!!
Swish-a-licious!!
A Little Wednesday Bad News
From the always reliable LoHud:
"Girardi said Alfredo Aceves will not be back this season. He’s being evaluated by a doctor again for this back problem that has sidelined him since May. Girardi said Aceves didn’t feel good after his last rehab outing, and that surgery could be an option.
Girardi also said Damaso Marte probably won’t be back this season. The lefty was very useful out of the pen in the postseason last year. But his shoulder is still problematic. Marte hasn’t given up on October, but he said it’s some sort of a labrum issue and that he feels he’s just at 40 percent."
Looks like Boone Logan and Sergio Mitre's postseason roster spots just got a lot safer. And that leaves the door open for Gaudin and Nova too. Hope you all keep wearing the big boy pants, gentlemen. Shit's about to get real in a month or so.
P.S.- Hughes having his next start skipped. He won't be pitching again until a week from today. Extended rest hasn't done him a whole lot of good so far this year, but with the way he's been scuffling as his innings continue to increase, it might not be a bad move.
"Girardi said Alfredo Aceves will not be back this season. He’s being evaluated by a doctor again for this back problem that has sidelined him since May. Girardi said Aceves didn’t feel good after his last rehab outing, and that surgery could be an option.
Girardi also said Damaso Marte probably won’t be back this season. The lefty was very useful out of the pen in the postseason last year. But his shoulder is still problematic. Marte hasn’t given up on October, but he said it’s some sort of a labrum issue and that he feels he’s just at 40 percent."
Looks like Boone Logan and Sergio Mitre's postseason roster spots just got a lot safer. And that leaves the door open for Gaudin and Nova too. Hope you all keep wearing the big boy pants, gentlemen. Shit's about to get real in a month or so.
P.S.- Hughes having his next start skipped. He won't be pitching again until a week from today. Extended rest hasn't done him a whole lot of good so far this year, but with the way he's been scuffling as his innings continue to increase, it might not be a bad move.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Hey, CC!!
Ummm, CC. Buddy? Did you misread my post from earlier today? Did you misread the part where I said:
"CC is a stud, we know that... The only thing keeping him from being the #1 starter in the postseason rotation is serious injury, kidnapping, alien abduction, or death."
Did you? What did you think I said? What could have possibly upset you so much that you would go out and be so unfocused that you pitched like shit against the fucking Orioles??? Seriously, tell me!! Because I can't think of any other logical reason for why you would be so unfocused that you went out and pitched like shit against the fucking Orioles!!! I know they're so inconceivably bad at baseball that you might have thought they actually were aliens and gotten scared, but seriously, dude. They were just the fucking Orioles.
Seriously, dude. What? The? Fuck?
"CC is a stud, we know that... The only thing keeping him from being the #1 starter in the postseason rotation is serious injury, kidnapping, alien abduction, or death."
Did you? What did you think I said? What could have possibly upset you so much that you would go out and be so unfocused that you pitched like shit against the fucking Orioles??? Seriously, tell me!! Because I can't think of any other logical reason for why you would be so unfocused that you went out and pitched like shit against the fucking Orioles!!! I know they're so inconceivably bad at baseball that you might have thought they actually were aliens and gotten scared, but seriously, dude. They were just the fucking Orioles.
Seriously, dude. What? The? Fuck?
A Horseless Lineup
via LoHud:
1) Brett Gardner LF
2) Derek Jeter SS
3) Mark Teixeira 1B
4) Robinson Cano 2B
5) Nick Swisher RF
6) Lance Berkman DH
7) Jorge Posada C
8) Curtis Granderson CF
9) Ramiro Pena 3B
Apparently Joe is "playing it safe" with the A-Horse tonight, giving him a night of oats and a good brushing in his stable rather than a 3rd straight game on wear and tear on his body. Can't argue with that logic when the team is still 2.5 up on the Rays and has back-to-back big series' against the Rangers and Rays after the Orioles leave town. Better to keep those 4 legs fresh for when the Yankees really need them.
At least Gardner is back in the leadoff spot tonight...
1) Brett Gardner LF
2) Derek Jeter SS
3) Mark Teixeira 1B
4) Robinson Cano 2B
5) Nick Swisher RF
6) Lance Berkman DH
7) Jorge Posada C
8) Curtis Granderson CF
9) Ramiro Pena 3B
Apparently Joe is "playing it safe" with the A-Horse tonight, giving him a night of oats and a good brushing in his stable rather than a 3rd straight game on wear and tear on his body. Can't argue with that logic when the team is still 2.5 up on the Rays and has back-to-back big series' against the Rangers and Rays after the Orioles leave town. Better to keep those 4 legs fresh for when the Yankees really need them.
At least Gardner is back in the leadoff spot tonight...
Time For Another Evaluation?
After A.J.'s horrible start against the White Sox, Joe said he was going to "evaluate" the rotation and make some decisions. The only real decision he made after that day was to re-insert Javy Vazquez into the rotation for Dustin Moseley, but since then there really haven't been any solutions to the problems plaguing the rotation. A.J. has pitched better since Joe dropped the "E" word, but as of this morning we are still looking at more questions than answers.
- CC is a stud, we know that. He rebounded from his little bump in the road by one-hitting the A's last week and in his start today he'll be gunning for his 20th win of the season. The only thing keeping him from being the #1 starter in the postseason rotation is serious injury, kidnapping, alien abduction, or death.
- A.J. hasn't been great in his last 2 starts, but he also hasn't been awful, and for A.J. that's pretty damn good. He has at least given his team a chance to win in his last 2 outings, something he hadn't been doing, and his curveball has looked much better the last 2 times out. If the playoffs were starting today, he would most likely be getting the ball in Game 2. Joe has shown a willingness to stick with A.J. and let him work his problems out, so it's on A.J. to improve and start to maintain some consistency moving forward.
- Phil Hughes is having real problems right now. He's not pitching horribly, but he is also not pitching efficiently. He had 2 starts in a row in which he walked 5 batters, and though he was able to fix that in his last outing on Sunday, he still got slapped around for 6 runs and 7 hits, including a couple of 2-run homers on horribly-located pitches. His biggest issue is he can't put batters away right now. He gets to 2 strikes and then guys foul off the shit out of everything until Phil makes a mistake. His stuff still looks good, so we still can't point to fatigue as the cause, but something is definitely amiss with Phil right now and he's getting pushed to the back of the playoff rotational line.
- Javy continues to be a riddle wrapped inside a mystery inside an enigma with a big old conundrum bow on top. After being demoted, he was lights out in his 2 outings out of the bullpen and earned his rotation spot back after his 4+ innings of shutout ball in relief of Dustin Moseley. His velocity was up, his sharpness on his breaking pitches was back, and he looked more confident on the mound. On Saturday all that went away. The low-90s fastball was gone, the break was gone, the demeanor on the mound was gone, and it was Moseley coming in to bail him out in the 5th inning. At this point, it might be worthwhile to ask whether Javy is better coming out of the 'pen.
- Ivan Nova continues to be the wild card in all this, and his stock took a hit with his last subpar outing. For now he will stay in the rotation, but his future in it, with Andy possibly coming back this time next week, could be in jeopardy if he lays an egg the next time out. There still isn't much of a book on Nova, but Joe doesn't seem willing to give him some lead on the leash and let him work out of trouble when he gets into it, so if he's not on, he isn't going to be out there for long.
- Andy will make a rehab start for Trenton on Thursday with a 45-pitch limit. After that, he should have another one more with a 75-pitch limit and then would be set to rejoin the team either a week from this Sunday or early the following week. However, given the Yanks current rotational struggles and the fact that they are set up to have CC, Nova, and Javy start in what could be a crucial series against Tampa next week, if Pettitte feels good after Thursday, there's a chance he could be back with the team taking Javy's spot against Tampa.
Personally I don't like this idea. If 2 rehab starts were planned then Andy should make 2 rehab starts before coming back. He's already been delayed once from trying to come back too soon, and the Yanks are still ahead in the division and playoff races right now, rotation issues aside. Seeing as how they are already having trouble getting length from guys like Hughes and Javy right now, it makes no sense to bring a guy back off injury and put him on a 75-pitch limit at the Major League level. Let Andy get fully healthy, get his stamina back, and put him back in the rotation when he can give you a full start.
In the mean time, Joe needs to figure out what he's going to do with the rest of the crew. Clearly something needs to be done with Phil's approach right now, clearly Javy is still a major question mark and somebody that Joe doesn't trust, and clearly Joe doesn't seem to have any kind of plan for Nova. If he can put his last start behind him, Nova could be the dark horse that stays in the rotation and sneaks onto the playoff roster. But, like with Javy's arm strength, A.J.'s mental stability, and Hughes' innings limit, that is a big "IF."
- CC is a stud, we know that. He rebounded from his little bump in the road by one-hitting the A's last week and in his start today he'll be gunning for his 20th win of the season. The only thing keeping him from being the #1 starter in the postseason rotation is serious injury, kidnapping, alien abduction, or death.
- A.J. hasn't been great in his last 2 starts, but he also hasn't been awful, and for A.J. that's pretty damn good. He has at least given his team a chance to win in his last 2 outings, something he hadn't been doing, and his curveball has looked much better the last 2 times out. If the playoffs were starting today, he would most likely be getting the ball in Game 2. Joe has shown a willingness to stick with A.J. and let him work his problems out, so it's on A.J. to improve and start to maintain some consistency moving forward.
- Phil Hughes is having real problems right now. He's not pitching horribly, but he is also not pitching efficiently. He had 2 starts in a row in which he walked 5 batters, and though he was able to fix that in his last outing on Sunday, he still got slapped around for 6 runs and 7 hits, including a couple of 2-run homers on horribly-located pitches. His biggest issue is he can't put batters away right now. He gets to 2 strikes and then guys foul off the shit out of everything until Phil makes a mistake. His stuff still looks good, so we still can't point to fatigue as the cause, but something is definitely amiss with Phil right now and he's getting pushed to the back of the playoff rotational line.
- Javy continues to be a riddle wrapped inside a mystery inside an enigma with a big old conundrum bow on top. After being demoted, he was lights out in his 2 outings out of the bullpen and earned his rotation spot back after his 4+ innings of shutout ball in relief of Dustin Moseley. His velocity was up, his sharpness on his breaking pitches was back, and he looked more confident on the mound. On Saturday all that went away. The low-90s fastball was gone, the break was gone, the demeanor on the mound was gone, and it was Moseley coming in to bail him out in the 5th inning. At this point, it might be worthwhile to ask whether Javy is better coming out of the 'pen.
- Ivan Nova continues to be the wild card in all this, and his stock took a hit with his last subpar outing. For now he will stay in the rotation, but his future in it, with Andy possibly coming back this time next week, could be in jeopardy if he lays an egg the next time out. There still isn't much of a book on Nova, but Joe doesn't seem willing to give him some lead on the leash and let him work out of trouble when he gets into it, so if he's not on, he isn't going to be out there for long.
- Andy will make a rehab start for Trenton on Thursday with a 45-pitch limit. After that, he should have another one more with a 75-pitch limit and then would be set to rejoin the team either a week from this Sunday or early the following week. However, given the Yanks current rotational struggles and the fact that they are set up to have CC, Nova, and Javy start in what could be a crucial series against Tampa next week, if Pettitte feels good after Thursday, there's a chance he could be back with the team taking Javy's spot against Tampa.
Personally I don't like this idea. If 2 rehab starts were planned then Andy should make 2 rehab starts before coming back. He's already been delayed once from trying to come back too soon, and the Yanks are still ahead in the division and playoff races right now, rotation issues aside. Seeing as how they are already having trouble getting length from guys like Hughes and Javy right now, it makes no sense to bring a guy back off injury and put him on a 75-pitch limit at the Major League level. Let Andy get fully healthy, get his stamina back, and put him back in the rotation when he can give you a full start.
In the mean time, Joe needs to figure out what he's going to do with the rest of the crew. Clearly something needs to be done with Phil's approach right now, clearly Javy is still a major question mark and somebody that Joe doesn't trust, and clearly Joe doesn't seem to have any kind of plan for Nova. If he can put his last start behind him, Nova could be the dark horse that stays in the rotation and sneaks onto the playoff roster. But, like with Javy's arm strength, A.J.'s mental stability, and Hughes' innings limit, that is a big "IF."
Monday, September 6, 2010
AP Top 25 Yankee Playoff Roster Poll For The Week Of Sept.6-12
Top 25:
1) Mariano Rivera
2) CC Sabathia (becomes even more important w/ the current rotation issues)
3) Robinson Cano
4) Mark Teixeira (injury wasn't a big deal)
5) Brett Gardner (almost as hot as he was to start the season)
6) Nick Swisher (knee doesn't look good)
7) Phil Hughes (can't put anybody away right now)
8) Jorge Posada
9) Curtis Granderson
10) Kerry Wood
11) Dave Robertson
12) Derek Jeter (tough to watch your favorite player of all time fall off a cliff like this)
13) Francisco Cervelli
14) Boone Logan
15) Alex Rodriguez (looks good so far... )
16) Marcus Thames
17) Austin Kearns
18) Joba Chamberlain
19) Sergio Mitre (looking like the main long man w/ Aceves still out)
20) Ramiro Pena (definitely going to get in over Nunez)
21) Lance Berkman (Fat Elvis is back)
22) A.J. Burnett (looked better in his last 2 starts)
23) Ivan Nova (first bump in the road)
24) Javy Vazquez (still a big question mark)
25) Dustin Moseley (just holding Andy's spot)
Also Receiving Votes:
26) Andy Pettitte (first rehab outing this week)
27) Eduardo Nunez (should be first position player in if somebody else goes down)
28) Chad Gaudin (still has a shot w/ Ace's latest setback)
29) Alfredo Aceves (not looking good... )
30) Damaso Marte (probably done for the year)
1) Mariano Rivera
2) CC Sabathia (becomes even more important w/ the current rotation issues)
3) Robinson Cano
4) Mark Teixeira (injury wasn't a big deal)
5) Brett Gardner (almost as hot as he was to start the season)
6) Nick Swisher (knee doesn't look good)
7) Phil Hughes (can't put anybody away right now)
8) Jorge Posada
9) Curtis Granderson
10) Kerry Wood
11) Dave Robertson
12) Derek Jeter (tough to watch your favorite player of all time fall off a cliff like this)
13) Francisco Cervelli
14) Boone Logan
15) Alex Rodriguez (looks good so far... )
16) Marcus Thames
17) Austin Kearns
18) Joba Chamberlain
19) Sergio Mitre (looking like the main long man w/ Aceves still out)
20) Ramiro Pena (definitely going to get in over Nunez)
21) Lance Berkman (Fat Elvis is back)
22) A.J. Burnett (looked better in his last 2 starts)
23) Ivan Nova (first bump in the road)
24) Javy Vazquez (still a big question mark)
25) Dustin Moseley (just holding Andy's spot)
Also Receiving Votes:
26) Andy Pettitte (first rehab outing this week)
27) Eduardo Nunez (should be first position player in if somebody else goes down)
28) Chad Gaudin (still has a shot w/ Ace's latest setback)
29) Alfredo Aceves (not looking good... )
30) Damaso Marte (probably done for the year)
Same Old Situation
For some reason, the Yanks continue to be baffled by shitty pitchers. Brett Cecil yesterday and Brian Matusz today and it's more opportunities wasted to extend their division lead and cut down on the magic number. This team seems hellbent on dragging the division race on for as long as they can.
I've been trying to figure this out for the last couple years and I'm still no closer to coming up with an answer. If the Twins and Rangers were smart, they would just roll out their worst starters to face the Yankees in the postseason and keep Francisco Liriano and Cliff Lee on the bench.
And somebody needs to explain to Joe that Brett Gardner should be the leadoff hitter for the rest of the year. Dude has been killing it since Joe moved him up there (.467 OBP since mid-August), but with Swish back in the lineup today Joe decides to move Jeter back up and Gardner back down to the 9-spot. I love Jeter, and I'm all for loyalty, but sooner or later loyalty needs to take a backseat to winning.
I've been trying to figure this out for the last couple years and I'm still no closer to coming up with an answer. If the Twins and Rangers were smart, they would just roll out their worst starters to face the Yankees in the postseason and keep Francisco Liriano and Cliff Lee on the bench.
And somebody needs to explain to Joe that Brett Gardner should be the leadoff hitter for the rest of the year. Dude has been killing it since Joe moved him up there (.467 OBP since mid-August), but with Swish back in the lineup today Joe decides to move Jeter back up and Gardner back down to the 9-spot. I love Jeter, and I'm all for loyalty, but sooner or later loyalty needs to take a backseat to winning.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Galloping Back Into The Lineup
Today's the day. After a well-timed, much-needed trip to the 15-day DL, The Horse makes his gallant return to the gates of the Yankee lineup today. All indications are he looks good and healthy after his rehab work, and Kevin Long has said he expects A-Rod to hit the ground running and perform like the MVP he has been, but only time will tell.
Deserved or not, The Horse will be back in the cleanup spot in the lineup and it should be interesting to see how that affects Teix and Cano, who have both benefited from each other's presence in front of and behind each other in the lineup while A-Rod was out. But at the end of the day, the Yankee lineup is getting a 600-HR guy back in their lineup in place of Ramiro Pena, and that's an upgrade anyway you look at it, especially when that 600-HR guy has his groins, hips, calfs, hooves, and pasterns all back to 100%.
Deserved or not, The Horse will be back in the cleanup spot in the lineup and it should be interesting to see how that affects Teix and Cano, who have both benefited from each other's presence in front of and behind each other in the lineup while A-Rod was out. But at the end of the day, the Yankee lineup is getting a 600-HR guy back in their lineup in place of Ramiro Pena, and that's an upgrade anyway you look at it, especially when that 600-HR guy has his groins, hips, calfs, hooves, and pasterns all back to 100%.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Well Good Morning To You
(Photo courtesy of The AP)
Hey there, big fella? How's my buddy feelin' this morning? Did you get a good night's sleep after your 8 innings yesterday? That's good.
Why don't you go brush your teeth and I'll make you some chocolate chip Eggo waffles? How does that sound?
Thursday, September 2, 2010
T-H-E M-A-N
That's how you spell CC Sabathia, in case anybody was wondering. Dude was on point today. He barely even broke a sweat out there in his 8 one-hit shutout innings of work, attacking the zone, hitting his spots, and letting the pathetic A's lineup do what they could with his offerings, which was nothing. Dallas Braden put up a solid effort, but it was a wasted one with Carten on top of his game at The Stadium. Essentially, CC went out there today and told Braden...
... and there wasn't a goddamn thing Braden could do about it. Barring injuries down the stretch, you can pretty much pencil CC in for his first career 20-win season.
P.S.- Brilliant strategy by Joe today having Swish fake an injury early in the game so he could get C-Grand out there and have him put on a HR derby display for the fans.
What's that you say? Swish actually left with legitimate knee stiffness? Oh, well that sucks. But Granderson was still a monster today and I'm sure Swish will be fine. The way he's played this year, the dude deserves a few days of rest.
(Picture used courtesy of River Ave. Blues. Major props to whoever came up with that graphic)
... and there wasn't a goddamn thing Braden could do about it. Barring injuries down the stretch, you can pretty much pencil CC in for his first career 20-win season.
P.S.- Brilliant strategy by Joe today having Swish fake an injury early in the game so he could get C-Grand out there and have him put on a HR derby display for the fans.
What's that you say? Swish actually left with legitimate knee stiffness? Oh, well that sucks. But Granderson was still a monster today and I'm sure Swish will be fine. The way he's played this year, the dude deserves a few days of rest.
(Picture used courtesy of River Ave. Blues. Major props to whoever came up with that graphic)
Joe Pushes The Right Buttons To Get A.J. A Win
Normally I'm not a huge fan of Joe's decision making when it comes to his pitching staff. I've seen him leave starters in too long or take them out too soon and then micromanage the shit out of his bullpen when the situation didn't call for it enough times that it's a miracle I haven't put a beer bottle through my TV screen. But what he did yesterday was a masterful job of decision making, motivation, and support all rolled into one. And the best part was, it all happened before A.J. even stepped on the mound.
In my opinion, the key to A.J.'s outing yesterday was Joe's announcement prior to the game that Javy would be taking Dustin Moseley's spot in the rotation on Saturday and Moseley was now out of a job as a starter. It seems insignificant, but with all the speculation surrounding Joe's "evaluation" comments after A.J.'s last start, it was a good bet that if A.J. bombed yesterday he was heading for the 'pen. At this point we all know that A.J. is mentally fragile and he's probably already put enough pressure on himself to perform, so Joe making that call yesterday to insert Javy for Moseley was essentially him saying to A.J. "you're my guy, and you're staying in the rotation. Now go out and pitch." It was a statement of confidence in A.J., even though he probably doesn't deserve it, and it probably allowed A.J. to go out and pitch a little easier without the burden of his spot in the rotation resting on his shoulders.
Now did the Javy-for-Moseley announcement actually have anything to do with A.J.'s better outing yesterday? Who knows? But I don't think there's any doubt that Joe meant it as an announcement to A.J. that he was going to keep his rotation spot regardless. And it's a fact that A.J. looked much better on the mound yesterday than he had in his last couple of outings. His fastball had more zip to it, and his curveball was working better than it has in a long time (24 of 36 thrown for strikes, 8 swings and misses). He made a few mistakes, but he worked through them and kept the Yankees in the lead, tying his season high K mark with 8 in the process. It wasn't a lights out performance, but it was a quality start, which is a good jumping off point for A.J. as he moves towards trying to straighten himself out for the postseason.
So a tip of the cap to Joe for that move yesterday. He certainly didn't have a reason to be committed to A.J., but he did it anyway. Players need to know that managers have their backs and Joe gave A.J. that knowledge yesterday. Now A.J. needs to go out and show Joe that he made the right call.
In my opinion, the key to A.J.'s outing yesterday was Joe's announcement prior to the game that Javy would be taking Dustin Moseley's spot in the rotation on Saturday and Moseley was now out of a job as a starter. It seems insignificant, but with all the speculation surrounding Joe's "evaluation" comments after A.J.'s last start, it was a good bet that if A.J. bombed yesterday he was heading for the 'pen. At this point we all know that A.J. is mentally fragile and he's probably already put enough pressure on himself to perform, so Joe making that call yesterday to insert Javy for Moseley was essentially him saying to A.J. "you're my guy, and you're staying in the rotation. Now go out and pitch." It was a statement of confidence in A.J., even though he probably doesn't deserve it, and it probably allowed A.J. to go out and pitch a little easier without the burden of his spot in the rotation resting on his shoulders.
Now did the Javy-for-Moseley announcement actually have anything to do with A.J.'s better outing yesterday? Who knows? But I don't think there's any doubt that Joe meant it as an announcement to A.J. that he was going to keep his rotation spot regardless. And it's a fact that A.J. looked much better on the mound yesterday than he had in his last couple of outings. His fastball had more zip to it, and his curveball was working better than it has in a long time (24 of 36 thrown for strikes, 8 swings and misses). He made a few mistakes, but he worked through them and kept the Yankees in the lead, tying his season high K mark with 8 in the process. It wasn't a lights out performance, but it was a quality start, which is a good jumping off point for A.J. as he moves towards trying to straighten himself out for the postseason.
So a tip of the cap to Joe for that move yesterday. He certainly didn't have a reason to be committed to A.J., but he did it anyway. Players need to know that managers have their backs and Joe gave A.J. that knowledge yesterday. Now A.J. needs to go out and show Joe that he made the right call.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Terry Francona Is Gearing Up For A Late Season Charge...
(Photo used courtesy of Barstool Boston)
I mean just LOOK at the guy!! Gettin' right down to business in the clubhouse there, coming up with the perfect lineup to help the Fraud Sox make that final push towards the AL Wild Card. The passion! The dedication! The nudity! If that doesn't inspire his scrappy bunch of players to man up and fight for their fallen brethren then I don't know what will. It's similar to Mel Gibson grabbing the American flag and running after the revolutionaries who were retreating in the final battle of "The Patriot." Just inspiring stuff right there.
Seriously, can we start sounding the death knell for the Sawx yet? How much longer do I really have to pretend like they have a chance?
I Still Love Phil Hughes (Even When He Doesn't Pitch That Well), And Here's Why
I'm sure there are going to be plenty of worriers out there today trying to figure out what's wrong with Phil Hughes after his second straight shaky start, but you can count me out of that group. Hughes obviously had no command of his fastball last night, and for the umpteenth time this season could not put hitters away with 2 strikes. But he still went out there, battled his ass off, kept runs from scoring, and kept his team in the lead, something that certain other members of the Yankee pitching staff seem incapable of doing.
And then there were these quotes from Hughes after the game:
“It’s been going on for a couple starts too, so it’s starting to snowball,” (referring to his high walk total again). “It’s something I need to get right, and we’ll work on these next couple bullpens, and we’ll see if we can get this thing turned around… I rely on my fastball. I throw it more than another pitch. I throw it a great deal. When it’s not there, it really makes it tough for me to do what I want to do. That was the case tonight.”
“It’s probably mechanical. Standing on the rubber, tonight especially, everything was different, every pitch. I couldn’t get in a groove. I did make a couple good pitches in a row, it left me and then I had to go find it again. It was a battle, and it’s not fun to pitch like that… It’s mechanical, finding consistency. It’s certainly not a strength or a fatigue issue.”
“I was embarrassed for myself so I can only imagine how frustrated it must have been for our guys who were battling at the plate to have to sit out there and watch that. I just told them to keep battling and I’ll try to fix whatever’s going on.”
That doesn't sound like a 24-year-old kid in his first full season pitching as a starter for the most storied franchise in professional sports. It sounds like a seasoned veteran who genuinely cares about his performance and how it affects his team and seems to have an understanding of what's going wrong and what needs to be done to fix it.
And that's why I love Phil. He's wise and tough beyond his years, and he always gives off the impression that he's focused on ways to get better. Teammates notice that kind of thing and they feed off of it. When I watch clips of A.J. talking to the press after a bad start or read what he said the day after, I don't get that same feeling from him. A.J. gives off the vibe that he's just beaten down by his shitty performance and doesn't really know or care to know how to fix it. There's only so many times you can tell me you couldn't locate your pitches before I'm going to say "OK, asshole. But what are you going to do differently next time so you don't have the same end result?"
I'm not saying A.J. isn't genuine in his disappointment when he pitches poorly. Obviously both guys care about their results out there and how those results affect the team, but Phil just seems more in tune with what he's actually doing out there and more willing to work on correcting the problems. I'm sure he'll sit down with Eiland today to review video from last night to see if they can find the mechanical problems he alluded to, and I'm sure he'll be working on correcting those in his bullpen sessions before his next start. I'm not so sure A.J. will, and that's what I love about Phil and hate about A.J. A.J. seems to be waiting around for his stuff and command to come back to him; Phil seems to be working to go out and regain it.
And for all we know, Phil could be getting tired down the stretch, and it would certainly be understandable given this is the most innings he's thrown since '06. But he's not even letting that factor in as an excuse, and I love it. So don't worry, Phil. Some others out there might start to question you moving towards the end of the year and suggest you should be moved to the 'pen, but here at AB4AR we've still got your back.
And then there were these quotes from Hughes after the game:
“It’s been going on for a couple starts too, so it’s starting to snowball,” (referring to his high walk total again). “It’s something I need to get right, and we’ll work on these next couple bullpens, and we’ll see if we can get this thing turned around… I rely on my fastball. I throw it more than another pitch. I throw it a great deal. When it’s not there, it really makes it tough for me to do what I want to do. That was the case tonight.”
“It’s probably mechanical. Standing on the rubber, tonight especially, everything was different, every pitch. I couldn’t get in a groove. I did make a couple good pitches in a row, it left me and then I had to go find it again. It was a battle, and it’s not fun to pitch like that… It’s mechanical, finding consistency. It’s certainly not a strength or a fatigue issue.”
“I was embarrassed for myself so I can only imagine how frustrated it must have been for our guys who were battling at the plate to have to sit out there and watch that. I just told them to keep battling and I’ll try to fix whatever’s going on.”
That doesn't sound like a 24-year-old kid in his first full season pitching as a starter for the most storied franchise in professional sports. It sounds like a seasoned veteran who genuinely cares about his performance and how it affects his team and seems to have an understanding of what's going wrong and what needs to be done to fix it.
And that's why I love Phil. He's wise and tough beyond his years, and he always gives off the impression that he's focused on ways to get better. Teammates notice that kind of thing and they feed off of it. When I watch clips of A.J. talking to the press after a bad start or read what he said the day after, I don't get that same feeling from him. A.J. gives off the vibe that he's just beaten down by his shitty performance and doesn't really know or care to know how to fix it. There's only so many times you can tell me you couldn't locate your pitches before I'm going to say "OK, asshole. But what are you going to do differently next time so you don't have the same end result?"
I'm not saying A.J. isn't genuine in his disappointment when he pitches poorly. Obviously both guys care about their results out there and how those results affect the team, but Phil just seems more in tune with what he's actually doing out there and more willing to work on correcting the problems. I'm sure he'll sit down with Eiland today to review video from last night to see if they can find the mechanical problems he alluded to, and I'm sure he'll be working on correcting those in his bullpen sessions before his next start. I'm not so sure A.J. will, and that's what I love about Phil and hate about A.J. A.J. seems to be waiting around for his stuff and command to come back to him; Phil seems to be working to go out and regain it.
And for all we know, Phil could be getting tired down the stretch, and it would certainly be understandable given this is the most innings he's thrown since '06. But he's not even letting that factor in as an excuse, and I love it. So don't worry, Phil. Some others out there might start to question you moving towards the end of the year and suggest you should be moved to the 'pen, but here at AB4AR we've still got your back.
The Most Interesting Yankee In The World
(Photo courtesy of The AP)
He hits the longest batting practice home runs on days when he doesn't even take batting practice.
He can drive in runs simply by thinking about it.
Major League Baseball schedules the team's off days around his schedule.
He melts down the gold from his Gold Glove awards and uses it to make Kanye West's jewelry.
He is Mark Teixeira.
He doesn't always drink beer. But when he does, you can be assured he doesn't drink some shitty Mexican piss water like Dos Equis.
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