Results tagged ‘ CC Sabathia ’
Gold Gloves and a Trip to Arkansas
Now that the off-season has begun and the hot stove will be burning for the next few months, I felt it necessary to talk about the two major Yankee headlines this past week–the Gold Glove Awards and the Yankees’ visit to Arkansas to speak with big time Free Agent Cliff Lee.
First…
Gold Gloves
Three Yankee infielders took home Gold Glove Awards on Tuesday. Robinson Cano won the American League Gold Glove for second base, the first time he has ever won the award. Mark Teixeira won his fourth Gold Glove (second with New York) and then there is Derek Jeter.
Jeter won his fifth Gold Glove and all I have been hearing since he won it is how much he did not deserve it; how his range is down, how he cannot move to his left, and how many balls get through the infield holes because he cannot get to them.
All true. I am not going to say Jeter is the best defensive shortstop in the A.L. because it’s not really a fact. However, numbers do not lie, and that’s why I think Jeter received the honor.
In 2010, Jeter secured a higher fielding percentage than any other shortstop in the A.L. along with committing the fewest errors (six) among any other shortstop in the league.
Honestly, I think those numbers won him the Gold Glove. It really wasn’t because he was the best fielder. However, many people have been saying that he did deserve it because everything else he does (like leading the team) makes up for his lack of range.
And, in addition to his numbers, his ability to (after all these years) utilize his patented “Jeter spinning jump throw,” which we did see at certain points this season. Case in point, May 26 in Minnesota.
For me, I look at Jeter’s defense as a two-sided coin. I completely understand his critics’ arguments about his defense. Did he deserve the Gold Glove? Probably not. Were his numbers better than the rest of the shortstops in the league? Yes, but there is still no denying his range is not what it used to be. The Yankee Captain now struggles at getting to grounders he could once reach in a flash.
However…
When people criticize his defense, I tend to remember some of the better things he has done playing the field, such as:
· His backward plunge into the third base seats, Game Five of the 2001 American League Division Series vs. Oakland at Yankee Stadium; a catch which ended an at-bat by Terrence Long
· His infamous dive into the seats on July 1, 2004 at Yankee Stadium vs. the Red Sox to rob Trot Nixon of what could have been a game-changing RBI hit.
· His famous “flip play” in the ’01 ALDS in Oakland. While out of position, Jeter flipped the ball to catcher Jorge Posada to nail Jeremy Giambi at home plate for a huge out.
The most telling aspect of these three defensive plays? The Yankees won all three of those games.
And if you ask Jeter, that’s what he cares about most: the Yankees winning. The Captain could probably care less about individual awards and accolades. Not saying he probably does not appreciate it, but every season we hear him say the same thing: “We (the Yankees) need to win the World Series. If we don’t accomplish that, it’s a failed season to us.”
Jeter cares more about the strength and the good of the team than he does himself, which is an admirable quality about him. He does not seem to pride himself on winning things by himself, but rather he takes honor in the team’s overall success.
If you were to ask Jeter, he would certainly say he would have taken another World Series ring–for he and his team–over the Gold Glove this year.
I, for one, am proud to see a player exhibit that kind of morale. Jeter is a leader who wants the best for all of his teammates and not just himself. Congrats to Jeter, Cano, and Teixeira on winning the 2010 A.L. Gold Gloves.
Cliff Lee
Let the bidding, the rumors, and the possible offers begin.
The Yankees reached out to big-name free agent starter Cliff Lee yesterday, paying him a visit at his home in Arkansas. According to several reports, Yankees’ GM Brian Cashman flew out to meet Lee, one of the Yankees’ top off-season priorities.
Several reporters said the meeting was informal; almost a “meet-and-greet” if you will, which is not uncommon when a team is seeking a free agent. After all, communication is always important when it comes to making deals. Just ask the Red Sox when they wanted Alex Rodriguez at the end of the 2003 season.
Lee’s agent Darek Braunecker said he probably will not make a decision until the winter meetings begin next month. Braunecker also stated that what happened during the ALCS probably will not affect Lee’s decision on where he will pitch in 2011.
To refresh your memory, Lee’s wife Kristen was apparently called names, taunted, and spat at during the ALCS at Yankee Stadium–all happening as Lee was dominating the Yankees on his way to helping the Texas Rangers claim the A.L. Championship.
According to reports, an apology for those despicable actions may have been given to Lee’s wife when Cashman visited Lee yesterday.
Looking at the situation right now, I feel it will come down to Texas and New York for Lee; one or the other. It will be almost a proverbial “off-season ALCS rematch,” but with the Yanks and Rangers competing for Lee instead of the A.L. title.
Lee has said that he would not mind returning to Texas in 2011, but what also has to be considered is the Yankees’ aggressiveness.
There’s no telling what kind of a deal Cashman and the front office will piece together; they sought Lee back in July and came within an eyelash of landing him in a trade, but were ultimately beat out by the Rangers. It’s no secret that the Yanks want him.
Not to mention the fact that Yankee ace CC Sabathia is good friends with Lee off the field, going back to their days on the Cleveland Indians. He could certainly play a role in deciding where Lee ends up next season.
There are many Yankee fans who want to see Lee in pinstripes. Considering how he has owned the Yankees in the past and how valuable he could be as a number two starter, of course the Yankee faithful is going to want him in pinstripes. Sabathia and Lee have the potential to be the most lethal “one-two punch” in the American League, maybe in baseball.
Yet, there are those who do not want to see it happen. Even the most die-hard Yankee loyalists are arguing that it’s not fair for the Yankees to spend the kind of outrageous money to land Lee in a signing–and in a lot of ways they have a valid point. Lee is going to ask for a Sabathia-like deal, probably lobbying for a huge contract with a number of years and a lot of money attached to it.
Is it really fair for the Yankees to go out and do that? Probably not, and I say that as a die-hard Yankee fan. They already spent a quarter of a $billion on three players prior to 2009, and that got them a championship.
It’s just another reason there should be a salary cap in Major League Baseball. Payroll disparity is becoming more and more of issue as the years go by, and no, it’s not fair. Teams like the Kansas City Royals, the Oakland Athletics, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Seattle Mariners could only dream of signing a free agent for big money and multiple years.
However…I am all for whatever makes the Yankees World Champions in 2011. And, although it really isn’t fair, if Lee is going to help bring the title back to the Bronx, I say go for it; offer him the world and sign him.
Lee just better live up to the contract, should he get it. If he gets the big deal and they lose in 11 months…we are going to have a serious problem on our hands.
Right now I’d like to say some thank yous!
First off, thanks to the readers of MLBlogs for their support. Yankee Yapping was ranked no. 3 in October, surprisingly beating out a lot of the San Francisco Giant blogs, which really shocked me. I stopped blogging after the ALCS ended (call it depression, lol) yet still secured the number three spot.
So thanks for that everyone!!! No. 3 is the highest I’ve been so far. (If I ever make it to no. 1 it would be a miracle; it’d be extremely difficult to knock my good friend Jane off the top. She blogs every day and certainly deserves the no. 1 spot month in and month out!)
I’d also like to thank the North County News here in New York for giving me my first writing job. Last weekend I covered the local high school football game and submitted my first article as a freelance reporter.
I will be at it again this weekend, this time covering high school field hockey.
Yeah, I know, it’s not exactly my dream–the press box at Yankee Stadium–but it’s definitely a start. I understand the concept of working my way up and hopefully/eventually I’ll be covering the Yankees; living out my dream and sitting in that press box with the rest of the writers.
Please check out my first article for the NCN and thanks again for all the support.
Go Yankees!!!
ALCS Game 5
The Texas Rangers will have to wait for another day. And if the Yankees have their way in the end, they will have to wait for another year.
Facing elimination in Game Five of the American League Championship Series, the New York Yankees pulled through and beat the Rangers 7-2, coming off three consecutive losses. The ALCS will now move to a Game Six on Friday night with the Yanks now trailing three games to two.
No A.L. pennant for Texas yet. The Yankees are alive.
The Bronx Bombers broke out of their offensive slump in the bottom of the second, plating three runs to take command. Jorge Posada brought some redemption to himself following his unproductive pinch-hit at bat last night. The Yankee catcher ignited the offense with an RBI single to score Alex Rodriguez.
Later in the frame, Curtis Granderson singled to score Lance Berkman and Posada came around to score on a throwing error by Jeff Francoeur.
With the Yanks leading 3-0 in the bottom of the third, a scuffling Nick Swisher came out of his funk with a solo home run to left field, his first of the ALCS, putting the Yanks ahead 4-0.
Right after Swisher’s shot, Robinson Cano took Texas starter C.J. Wilson deep with a home run of his own, his fourth of the ALCS, giving the Yanks a convincing 5-0 edge. With the homer, Cano tied a record for home runs in the ALCS, becoming the 10th player in Major League Baseball history to have four homers in an LCS.
Josh Hamilton, who was 1-for-4 with a strikeout today, also has four homers this series.
In the bottom of the fifth, Berkman drove in a run with a sacrifice fly scoring Swisher, and Granderson smacked a solo home run in the eighth, sticking the proverbial nail in the Rangers’ Game Five coffin.
“I saw something in the players’ eyes; I saw determination and there was a good mood during batting practice,” Yankee manager Joe Girardi said to the media after the victory.
“I felt like they would do it, because as I have been saying they are resilient. We have been through difficult games and have bounced back. As a manager, you appreciate it.”
Texas only managed two runs off Yankee ace CC Sabathia, who was certainly in better control than he was in Game One of the series. Sabathia threw six innings and gave up two runs on 11 hits. He walked no batters and struck out seven.
Sabathia bent, but he did not break.
The only real pest for Sabathia was Matt Treanor, who hit a solo home run to left field in the fifth and drove in a run with a groundout to third in the sixth, which plated David Murphy.
Other than Treanor’s RBIs, Sabathia battled valiantly.
Kerry Wood followed Sabathia nicely and held the Rangers to no runs in relief, tossing two scoreless innings and only allowing one hit. He also picked Elvis Andrus off second base, his second pickoff of the ALCS. In Game One, Wood picked Ian Kinsler off first.
Mariano Rivera closed the game out with a scoreless ninth, giving the Yankees their first win of the ALCS since Game One.
Now the Yanks and Rangers will get their boots, spurs, 10 gallon hats, and stirrups, because they are heading back to Texas for Game Six on Friday night.
Phil Hughes (1-1, 5.70 ERA) will take the hill for New York, looking to push the series to a Game Seven on Saturday night. Hughes will be opposed by Colby Lewis (1-0, 1.69 ERA).
As I am well-aware, I did not blog about Game Four, because it was too difficult to even think about; too painful. Game Four basically personified this ALCS up until today, as the Yankees seemed to be in control only to have everything collapse on them. A.J. Burnett was dealing and pitching nicely, but along came Bengie Molina; he spoiled it with the two-run home run.
And from there…it turned ugly. A 10-3 loss and the Yankees’ backs are against the wall.
But they responded in a huge way this afternoon. Facing elimination the offense woke up and did what they needed to do to win. I had posted something derogatory about Swisher earlier in the day and (of course) as soon as I said something bad about him, he homered.
“Nick Swisher walks into a bar. The bartender says, ‘We have a drink named after you.’ Swisher replies, ‘Really? You have a drink named I stink in the postseason?’”
And as soon as I said that, he went deep. Figures. I’m just thankful he did something productive.
But if the offense clicks on Friday the way they did today, the chances of a Game Seven are very likely. Every Yankee hitter has practically been dormant for the past three games, but they awoke from their slumber today. Seven runs, nine hits, and they drew six walks.
They need just two more games like that and the pennant is theirs.
If you ask me, I am looking at this situation the same way I looked at the American League Division Series. Right now, there are factors working in the Yanks’ favor and things working against them…
For the Yankees
· Phil Hughes in Game Six.
Not only has he pitched in an elimination game and dominated (Game Three of the ALDS, October of 2007 vs. Cleveland) but he has done better on the road. Especially in Texas; after all (as noted several times) he nearly no-hit the Rangers in May of 2007. Not to mention, Hughes has not really had two consecutive starts in a row where he has been knocked around. When he lost this season, he usually bounced back with a solid game.
· Andy Pettitte in Game Seven.
Pettitte is the winningest pitcher in postseason history and in the only game he pitched in the ALCS, he was a stud. He made one mistake to Josh Hamilton, but other than that, he was lights out. Pettitte clinched Game Three of the ALDS this year and was on the mound for every clinching game in 2009, including the World Series.
· Game Seven, if the Yankees get there
The Yankees know what it’s like to play in a Game Seven. Texas has never been there. If the Yankees win on Friday, it’s a brand new ALCS; it’s winner-take-all. Game Seven is basically a one-game playoff. The Yankees know what it’s like to be in the position of win or go home in the ALCS. Texas has faced elimination in the past, but never in a Game Seven; not in the Championship Series.
And as we have all seen in the past, especially 2003 and 2004, ANYTHING can happen in Game Seven.
Anything goes and everyone is available. “No holds barred,” if you will.
· The Way Alex Rodriguez Swung the Bat Today
If the Yanks want to win, they need their cleanup man to hit. That’s the bottom line. Today A-Rod picked up one hit, walked twice, and scored a run, letting everyone know that he is not asleep and can come through when need be.
Rodriguez spent three years in Texas, dominating in offensive categories. Hopefully he can brush off some of that Texas power and dominate Arlington the way he did when he played there.
If A-Rod is on, look out Texas pitchers.
· Texas Record at home this Postseason
At home this October, the Rangers have only won one game, which was Game Two of the ALCS. They are 1-3 in Arlington, and they have only averaged 4.3 runs per game in their home ballpark this postseason.
Against the Yankees
· Cliff Lee in Game Seven.
It’s hard to ignore the giant elephant in the room. There’s no doubt that Lee was a monster in Game Three. A scary monster; more terrifying than Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, Michael Myers, Dracula, The Frankenstein Monster, Jaws, the Wolfman, and the Boogeyman combined.
I understand Halloween is almost upon us, but I really do not want to see a monster like Lee in a big game. I’d rather wait until Halloween to be afraid of things like that.
· Josh Hamilton
He has killed the Yankees this whole ALCS. With his fans in Texas cheering him on, and the fact that people are already talking him up to be the MVP of the series, Hamilton (like Lee) frightens me. He also has four homers off Yankee pitching, solidifying his status as a thorn in the Yanks’ side.
· Absence of Mark Teixeira
Yesterday, the Yankees’ first baseman was lost for the remainder of the postseason, running awkwardly to first base on a ground ball and injuring his hamstring in the process. Although “Big Tex” had not being producing much in the ALCS (0-for-14 in the series) he is still a presence; he still has that force about him that can scare pitchers and he has the ability to make a pitcher labor.
As bad as he was performing, he is still Mark Teixeira. He was there when the Yanks needed him to come through in Game One of the ALDS; that home run to untie the game is not far from my mind.
· Lance Berkman’s Fall
Going for a popup in foul territory today, the newly appointed Yankee first baseman took a bit of a tumble and landed squarely on his rear end. According to Girardi, Berkman will have to undergo some treatment before the game on Friday night.
“He hurt his lower back/upper glut,” the skipper said.
After the fall, Berkman stuck it out and played the remainder of the game. Today he was 0-for-2 with a walk, an RBI, and a run scored, but he did not pick up a hit. That being said, there’s no telling how Berkman will swing the bat the rest of the postseason.
· David Murphy in Game Six
The 29 year-old outfielder smacked a home run and drove in two runs in Game Two off Hughes. If he does anything close to that in Game Six…needless to say, it might be a hugh-mongous problem.
Everyone must keep in mind that the Yankees know where they are. As Manager Girardi said, they are resilient; the have been down before but have come back to win, much like they did today. The skipper said that he is confident with his club and they went out today and played a good game.
And that they did. The Yankees undoubtedly played with soul today.
Now what every Yankee fan has to do now is just believe.
Believe in Phil Hughes.
Believe in the offense and their ability to score runs.
Believe in the bullpen.
Believe. Believe. Believe.
And to paraphrase Johnny Damon after Game Three of the ALCS in 2004,
“If there’s a group of guys who can do it, it’s us!!!” (I’m sorry I cannot call the Yankees “idiots.” Sorry Johnny. Wish you were still here, by the way)
See you all after Game Six.
ALCS Game 3
The Yankees trailed the Texas Rangers 2-0 for the better part of Game Three of the American League Championship Series tonight. You would have thought they were trailing 200-0 the way Texas starter Cliff Lee was dealing.
The Rangers went on to win 8-0 behind Lee’s gem, putting themselves ahead two games to one in the ALCS and setting up Game Four tomorrow night.
Up until the ninth inning, the difference in the game was a first inning, two-run home run off the bat of Josh Hamilton. After that, it was “The Cliff Lee Show,” as the dominant lefty puzzled the Yankees for eight strong innings of two-hit ball. Lee walked only one batter and struck out 13, proving once again that he owns the Yankees when it comes to big games.
Case in point: Game One of the World Series last season.
The closest the Yankees ever got to a run tonight was in the bottom of the sixth inning. Brett Gardner led off with a single, exciting the Yankee crowd. After a steal of second, Derek Jeter struck out and Nick Swisher grounded out, allowing Gardner to move to third. Mark Teixeira ended the inning with a groundout to short, silencing the boisterous Bronx and leaving Gardner stranded.
Yankee starter Andy Pettitte matched Lee well, tossing seven innings of two-run ball allowing five hits. The winningest pitcher in postseason history did not walk any batters and struck out five
In a word, Pettitte was studly. Unfortunately it did not translate into another playoff win.
Up 2-0 in the ninth, the Rangers put up six more runs up on the board. Nelson Cruz and Bengie Molina drove in runs with RBI singles and Mitch Moreland singled to knock in two. Elvis Andrus followed suit with an RBI double of his own. Moreland came in to score on a wild pitch by reliever Sergio Mitre, topping off the Rangers’ ninth inning outburst.
Quite a forgettable night for the Yankees, to say the least.
In a critical Game Four tomorrow night, the Yankees will send A.J. Burnett to the mound, who has not pitched since Oct. 2. There is certainly going to be a lot of talk about whether or not the Yankees should use CC Sabathia on short rest or risk it and give the ball to Burnett. However, according to the way Sabathia practiced today, Burnett will start Game Five.
Burnett will face Tommy Hunter, who is 0-1 with a 4.50 ERA in one start this postseason.
This was easily one of the more frustrating games I have seen all season. As I said, you would think the Yanks were trailing 200-0 all night, not 2-0. The offense was overmatched and I can only say that they needed to wake up. Easier said than done, but Texas is sending a pitcher out tomorrow who can be hit, as evidenced by the Tampa Bay Rays in the ALDS.
Tampa Bay chased Hunter from his start in four innings.
But…
1-for -21 (this whole ALCS) with runners in scoring position is not going to get it done.
On the postgame show, analyst Michael Kay made an excellent point. He said that he would have loved to see what would have happened if the score was still 2-0 heading into the bottom of the ninth inning.
Would Lee have stayed out there? (Ron Washington later said he would have sent him out)
If Neftali Feliz had come in only up by two runs and the stadium rocking, at 22 years old, would he have been able to hold it together? Would that magic have sparked for the Yankees? Would they have come back to win only down two runs?
I guess we’ll never know.
It seems that Yankee skipper Joe Girardi will stay with his decision to start Burnett tomorrow. Everyone in the Yankee-fan world (including me) is scared. He has not pitched in 17 days and as we all know, nobody knows how he will do.
With Burnett, it is feast or famine; he is lights out or he gets his lights knocked out. This season vs. Texas, Burnett is 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA in three starts. The numbers in Game Four are undoubtedly leaning the Yankees’ way, in contrast to Game Three when everyone expected Jesus Christ A.K.A. Cliff Lee to dominate us, which he did.
But the regular season numbers don’t really mean much at this point. The postseason is a new season.
The Yankees’ are now trailing 2-1 in the ALCS.
And now their postseason hopes are lying squarely on the shoulders of a man named A.J. …
If Burnett does not pitch well or more importantly if the Yankee bats do not wake up from their coma, winter may come early for the Bronx Bombers.
“We are only down 2-1 and we have to go out and play a good game tomorrow. We’ll feel different. It’s frustrating that we lost two in a row, but we’re resilient; you don’t win 95 games in our division without being resilient. We’ve lost two in a row before this season and have come back to win the next one. Tomorrow is a new day. The sun will come up and we’ll get them tomorrow.”
–Joe Girardi, after the game.
ALCS Games 1 and 2
Game One was a blur to me. I wish Game Two was a blur to me instead.
The American League Championship Series is tied 1-1 with the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers are heading back to Yankee Stadium for Game Three, which will be played on Monday night.
Game One: Yankees 6, Rangers 5. And I don’t remember much about it.
My cousin Joe had a few people over at his place to watch Game One, and let’s just say I had a few drinks. I don’t get drunk often, but after Josh Hamilton’s three run homer, I figured I should start drinking. I felt I needed to ease the pain of a Game One Yankee loss.
But by the time the eighth inning came and the Yankees mounted their comeback, I was gone. Here is what I do remember about it:
· I told everyone at my cousin’s house that I one day want to have a son and name him “Merrill.” I have no idea why I said this or where that came from.
· There’s a picture of me sliding across the floor with my arms outstretched, as if to say “Safe!”
· I supposedly jumped on my friend Brian several times screaming, “They came back! They came back! I told you they’d come back!”
· When the Yankees started their rally, apparently I acted nuts, jumping up and down and waving my hands around like a third base coach.
For all the kids reading this, don’t drink. Alcohol makes you say and do weird things.
Yet there was certainly a lot to be happy about. The Yankees stole the game from under the Rangers; in all honesty, they were outplayed until the eighth. The Yanks really had no business winning the game, what with their ace CC Sabathia only throwing up four innings of five run ball. Sabathia uncharacteristically walked four batters and only struck out three.
In a word, the Yankee ace was off. He brought nothing with him to Arlington.
Dustin Moseley bailed him out with a great performance in relief and for his effort he registered the win. Kerry Wood also pitched in with a good inning and a pickoff of Ian Kinsler. And who else but Mariano Rivera pitched the ninth to pick up his 42nd postseason save and secure the thieved win.
Yankees go up 1-0. Fast forward to my hangover today.
Rangers 7, Yankees 2. And I wish I couldn’t remember anything about it.
Following in the footsteps of Sabathia last night, Phil Hughes brought nothing with him to the ballpark. The 24 year-old righty pitched four innings and gave up seven earned runs on 10 hits. He walked three batters and struck out three.
The Rangers pounded every mistake Hughes made. He was leaving his pitches out over the plate, missing locations, and the Rangers feasted. Especially David Murphy, who not only smacked a solo home run off Hughes, but also knocked in a run with a double.
Hughes started Game Three of the American League Division Series at home, but was put into the number two spot in the starting rotation because of his history, not only on the road but in Texas. Along with giving up fewer home runs on the road as opposed to home this season, Hughes nearly tossed a no-hitter against the Rangers in Texas in May of 2007.
I understand the logic of using Hughes in Game Two. Unfortunately it did not translate or pay off.
The only bright spot for the Yanks was Robinson Cano, who blasted a long home run into the upper deck in right field. It was his second home run in as many games, as Cano has certainly been swinging a hot bat this month.
The ALCS will now have to go at least five games, and the next three will be played on the Yankees’ turf.
Playing at the big ballpark in the Bronx probably doesn’t bother Rangers’ Game Three Starter Cliff Lee, who won two ALDS games on the road vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. Not to mention Lee shut down the Yankees in Game One of the World Series last year, puzzling the Yankee offense for a complete game win.
But the Yanks cannot let Lee and his hype get to them. It’s not an automatic win for Texas.
The Bombers win turn to veteran lefty and the winningest pitcher in postseason history, Andy Pettitte. At 19 wins, Pettitte will gun for his 20th in Game Three, looking to flip the “on switch,” if you will; erase the two subpar starts by Sabathia and Hughes in the first two games.
Overall it was a rough loss for the Yankees today. But I advise the Yankees and all Yankee fans everywhere to keep their heads up; do not assume Game Three is a loss because of Lee. The Yankees just have to be a lot more aggressive offensively than they were today (especially Mark Teixeira…it seemed he wasn’t swinging at any good pitches today). They just have to hop on Lee and swing the bat.
Everyone just remember a number of things during the off-day tomorrow
1) The series is TIED, the Yankees are not down. They are not facing elimination on Monday night and there is a little more margin for error in the ALCS because it is a seven game series.
2) The Yankees have been here before.
3) Anything can happen in October. Just because Lee has dominated us in the past does not mean he will do it on Monday.
4) A.J. Burnett will not see the ball in Game Four if the Yankees lose Game Three…but then again, he could have done exactly what Sabathia and Hughes did today (So everyone can probably stop crucifying Burnett and start worrying more about the rest of the rotation)
5) Everyone just relax. Enjoy some NFL action tomorrow and we’ll go back to the ALCS on Monday.
ALDS Game Three
Break out the brooms, the Swiffer Wet Jets, the dust pans, the mops…whatever cleaning device you prefer. Tonight, the Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins by a score of 6-1, completing a three-game sweep in the American League Division Series.
The Yanks will now vie for the A.L. pennant against either The Texas Rangers or Tampa Bay Rays.
The story of the night offensively was the work of Marcus Thames and Nick Swisher. Already up 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, Thames blasted an opposite-field home run, a shot that landed in the right field stands. It marked Thames’s first career postseason home run and it put the Yanks up 4-0.
Swisher followed suit in the bottom of the seventh with a solo home run, his second career postseason round-tripper, striking the proverbial nail in the Twins’ coffin.
Jorge Posada started the Yankee scoring in the bottom of the second with an RBI single, knocking in Robinson Cano. Mark Teixeira followed with an RBI single of his own in the bottom of the third to score Swisher, giving the Yankees their early 2-0 lead.
After Thames’s home run in the fourth, Curtis Granderson scored on a sacrifice fly by Brett Gardner, after stealing second and reaching third on an error by catcher Joe Mauer.
Phil Hughes made his first postseason start for the Yankees and he looked as sharp as a brilliantly crafted katana. Hughes tossed seven strong innings of work and gave up no runs on four hits. The 24 year-old right-hander only issued one walk and struck out six batters on his way to a win.
The only blemish on the Yankee pitching was an RBI single off the bat of Orlando Hudson, which plated Danny Valencia in the top of the eighth off reliever Kerry Wood. With one out and the bases loaded, Yankee skipper Joe Girardi summoned Boone Logan and David Robertson to record the last two outs.
Logan and Robertson delivered, escaping the frame without another run allowed.
Mariano Rivera closed it down in a non-save situation, tossing a perfect ninth inning to secure an ALDS victory.
The Championship Series will begin on Friday, Oct. 15.
It should comes as no surprise to me that the Yankees won this series. I’ll admit, I was somewhat skeptical coming into this year’s ALDS, simply because of what the Twins had going for them.
I stated in the preview that they had a tremendous record at home (53-28 at home, which I believe was the best in the A.L.). With home field advantage, I never would have guessed that the Yankees could take two from the Twins at Target Field.
In addition to home field advantage, I thought the Twins may have been able to handle Andy Pettitte, being that he had not won a game since July 8. However, Pettitte came up huge in Game Two and was arguably more effective than CC Sabathia in Game One.
I also made mention of Alexi Casilla, Denard Span, and Michael Cuddyer, all of whom I imagined would come up with timely hits in big spots.
Not even close.
Aside from Cuddyer’s Game One, two-run homer, they were ghosts.
I just do not have an answer. The Twins must be perplexed and probably frustrated. I guess they just weren’t meant to beat the Yankees. It’s not as though they have a bad team, either; I think that’s why manager Ron Gardenhire is so confused.
This season, Minnesota was able to beat out a competitive Chicago White Sox team and a fairly resilient team in the Detroit Tigers (at least up until late July-early August). They captured the A.L. Central for the second consecutive year and just could not maintain their bearings when the calendar reached October.
I thought that maybe the Twins could quell their postseason demons, meaning the Yankees. In my head I drew a comparison between the Twins this year and the Yankees last year. The Bombers just could not beat the Angels in the past, as they had been eliminated by them twice (2002, ’05).
Could the Twins, with a number of things finally working in their favor, beat the Yankees in the playoffs, the way the Yankees finally beat the Angels in the playoffs last year? Could the Twins, who just opened their new Stadium, win it all in their first season in their new Stadium the way the Yanks had last year?
No. It could not be done. The Twins fell victim to the almighty Yankees for the fourth time.
A clean sweep.
Inside the Series
· The Twins were .111 in the ALDS with runners in scoring position. The Yankees hit .360 with men on second and third.
· Curtis Granderson hit .455 in the ALDS, his first postseason series in pinstripes.
· The Twins have now lost 12 consecutive postseason games. Nine of those 12 losses have come at the hands of the Bronx Bombers.
· With his RBI single in the second inning tonight, Jorge Posada passed Mickey Mantle for ninth place on the postseason RBIs list.
· Capturing the win in Game Two, Andy Pettitte now has 19 career postseason wins. No other pitcher in baseball history has as many.
· Before Game Two of the ALDS, Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire burned his uniform from Game One. Well. That didn’t work.
· Heading into Game Two, lefties were hitting .292 off Carl Pavano. Lance Berkman hit a home run and a double off Pavano…from the left side of the plate.
· Mariano Rivera now has 41 postseason saves and 600 all-time in his career (including the playoffs). Brad Lidge is second on baseball’s all-time postseason saves list with 16.
· Rivera now also owns an all-time postseason ERA of 0.72.
· The Yankees outscored the Twins 17-7 in the ALDS.
· Phil Hughes picked up his first postseason win as a starter. He previously won a playoff game against the Cleveland Indians in 2007, coming on in relief of an injured Roger Clemens.
· All-Star catcher and 2009 A.L. MVP Joe Mauer registered no RBIs in the ALDS.
· Mark Teixeira led the Yankees in RBIs with five for the ALDS. Granderson knocked in four runs and Posada drove in three.
· The Yankees became the seventh MLB franchise to win a World Series and then open the next postseason series with a sweep. The last time the Yankees accomplished the feat was 1998-1999, when they beat the Texas Rangers in the ALDS.
Once again, the ALCS will start on Friday Oct. 15 in either Tampa Bay or Texas, pending the outcome of the Rays vs. Rangers series. According to reports, Girardi will meet with his coaching staff to discuss the pitching rotation for the ALCS, needing to decide whether or not to utilize a three or four man rotation.
It all depends on A.J. Burnett’s focus and confidence level.
But that’s another story for later on in the week. Right now, the Yankees can rest knowing they will once again compete for a chance at their 40th American League pennant; they have another chance to once again represent the A.L. in the World Series.
Rays? Rangers? We’ll soon find out. As for tonight…
I cannot say anything to the Twins. Residents of St. Paul and Minneapolis are probably shaking their heads right now, wondering what they need to do to beat the Yankees; what can they do to finally get over the postseason hump.
And maybe, just maybe…Twins fans are wondering if there’s even an answer.
I certainly do not have one.
ALDS Game Two
Tied at two in the top of the seventh inning of tonight’s game, Minnesota Twins’ starter Carl Pavano pumped a 91mph fastball right over the plate to Yankees’ designated hitter Lance Berkman on a 1-2 count. Pavano took a few steps off the mound, expecting home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt to ring Berkman up.
No such luck.
The pitch was called a ball and then, with a 2-2 count, Berkman doubled in Jorge Posada, giving the Yankees a 3-2 lead. New York added two more runs after the botched call and went on to win the game 5-2 and take a two games-to-none lead over the Twins in American League Division Series.
“It was a tough pitch,” Berkman told the media after the game.
“I thought it was in and off the plate. The umpire was not giving much inside all night and he was pretty consistent with that. I really thought it was in, that’s why I didn’t swing.”
Twins’ manager Ron Gardenhire, who is said to have a troubled relationship with Wendelstedt, was run from the game after arguing the call. Despite their rocky history, Gardenhire stated after the game that he spoke with Wendelstedt and they have “cleared the air.”
In addition to his RBI double in the seventh, Berkman broke a 1-1 tie in the top of the fifth with a solo home run, an opposite-field blast that landed in the Twins’ bullpen behind the left-centerfield wall.
Curtis Granderson and Derek Jeter contributed to the Yankee scoring, both with RBI singles. Granderson drove in Brett Gardner in the seventh while Jeter padded the Yankees’ lead in the ninth, driving in Berkman.
Alex Rodriguez initially got the Yanks on the board with a sacrifice fly in the fourth, driving in Granderson.
Minnesota only managed two runs off postseason stud Andy Pettitte. In the bottom of the second, Danny Valencia drove in Delmon Young with a sacrifice fly to right field. Later in the sixth Orlando Hudson got around on a hanging, inside curve ball and drove it into the left field stands for a solo home run that knotted the game at two.
Aside from those two hiccups, Pettitte was dealing. He tossed seven strong innings of work and scattered five hits while walking one batter and striking out seven. With the win, Pettitte now has 19 career playoff victories, the most of any pitcher in baseball history.
Backing Pettitte was Kerry Wood, who tossed a perfect eighth inning out of ‘pen. Mariano Rivera nailed it down in the ninth for his 41st career postseason save and second in as many nights. Rivera also lowered his postseason earned run average to 0.73, which is the lowest all-time among any pitcher.
Pettitte and Rivera seem to be a dynamic postseason duo.
The Yankees have now beaten the Twins in eight consecutive postseason games dating back to 2004 and will look for their ninth win in a row on Saturday night at Yankee Stadium.
Phil Hughes (18-8, 4.19 ERA) will look for the sweep, as he will face 27 year-old left hander Brian Duensing (10-3, 2.62 ERA).
If you want my honest opinion, the blown call really wasn’t fair. Much like Francisco Liriano last night, Carl Pavano was holding his own for the better part of the game. He finished the night with six innings pitched, he scattered 10 hits, gave up four earned runs, only walked one batter, and struck out three.
Pavano didn’t pitch poorly and he caught a bad break on that blown call. That almost personifies his whole career–a bad call; a bad break. I would have rather had Berkman strike out looking and win the game another way, not by a bad call by the home plate ump.
I hate to say it…
But I don’t think the Twins have it in them. I don’t think they will ever be a team built strong enough for the playoffs. They have not won a postseason game since 2004 and the Yankees have just had their number for the better part of the past 10-12 years. When you really think about it:
· The Yankees eliminated them from postseason contention three times in the last seven years, and potentially could eliminate them four times in eight years if they win this year’s ALDS.
· The Yankees threw a perfect game against Minnesota (David Wells; May 17, 1998)
· Under Ron Gardenhire, the Yankees are now 56-18 against the Twins.
· The Twins have been outscored 63-34 in all postseason games since winning Game One of the 2004 ALDS vs. the Yankees.
· The Twins have now lost 11 straight postseason games. Eight of those losses have come at the hands of the Yankees.
· Going back to last season (including the 2009 and ’10 postseasons) the Twins are 2-14 in their last 16 meetings with the Yankees. Both of their wins came this past regular season (May 16 and May 27 this year)
I refuse to say that the Twins are done right now. In 2004, I repeatedly stated that the Red Sox were done after losing three straight American League Championship Series game to the Yankees and…well…everyone knows what happened. They made history, won four in a row, came from behind, won the pennant, embarrassed the Yankees….
Yeah. It was not pretty. In fact it was my worst sports experience.
However, it will be extremely difficult for them to come back and win. The Twins would have to win two games in Yankee Stadium, then come home and win the final game in order to advance. Considering how well CC Sabathia responds in big games and how dominant Pettitte was tonight, things are not looking up for the Twins.
Not saying it can’t be done…but it will be tough for them.
See you after Saturday night’s game.
–YY
ALDS Game One
Around the seventh inning of tonight’s game, Buster Olney tweeted this:
“I know it’s the postseason, but Joe Girardi looks tortured by all this, as he did all the way down the stretch. It looks like no fun for him.”
It may not have been fun for the Yankee skipper at the time, but at the end of the night, he probably breathed a huge sigh of relief, as the Yankees battled back from a three-run deficit to beat the Minnesota Twins 6-4 in Game One of the American League Division Series.
The difference in the game came off the bat of Mark Teixeira in seventh inning, the very inning Olney noted Girardi’s stressed out body language. With the game knotted at four, the Yankee first baseman blasted a tie-breaking, two-run homer inside the right field foul pole off Jesse Crain to give the Yankees all the run support they needed.
Teixeira ignited the Yankee offense in the sixth inning, crushing a one out double and eventually coming around to score on a base hit by Robinson Cano. Jorge Posada later singled to drive in Alex Rodriguez, and now has 40 career postseason RBIs.
Curtis Granderson capped off the sixth with a monster triple to score Cano and Posada, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead heading into the bottom of the frame. The lead was short-lived however, as Yankee starter CC Sabathia walked Jim Thome with the bases loaded in the bottom of the sixth to knot the game up at four.
Sabathia battled through six innings of work tonight, but hit a few bumps on the way to a win. Michael Cuddyer took the Yankee ace deep in the bottom of the second for a two-run home run, and a passed ball allowed Orlando Hudson to score from third, giving the Twins a 3-0 lead after the first three innings of the game.
Boone Logan, David Robertson, and Kerry Wood held the Twins scoreless after Sabathia’s departure while Mariano Rivera nailed down his 40th career postseason save. The Great Rivera is the all-time postseason saves leader and no one else even comes close to 40 career postseason saves.
In fact Brad Lidge, who is second on the postseason saves list, only has 16.
Francisco Liriano held his own for the better part of the game, mowing over the Yankees until he reached the sixth inning. He finished the night with 5 2/3 innings pitched and he allowed four earned runs on six hits.
Liriano walked three batters and struck out seven.
Despite Liriano’s effort, it all came crashing down on the Twins, as it has so many times when they have played the Yankees. The Bronx Bombers have now won their last seven postseason games against the Twins, dating back to the 2004 ALDS.
With the win tonight, the Yankees have also taken Home Field advantage away from the Twins.
Tomorrow night Andy Pettitte (11-3, 3.28 ERA) will take on former Yankee Carl Pavano (17-11, 3.75 ERA) in a rematch of Game Three of the 2009 ALDS. Pettitte will be making his 41st career postseason start and he stated today that, despite how he has been pitching lately, “everything feels different when the playoffs begin.”
Pettitte has not won a game since July 8 and has only made three starts since coming back from the disabled list. In those three starts, he is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.
On the other hand, Pavano has had little success against a pair of the Yankees’ key hitters. Derek Jeter owns a .429 lifetime batting average against the Twins’ Game Two starter. Tonight’s hero Teixeira has five RBIs and a home run lifetime against Pavano, along with a .333 career batting average against him.
It’s no secret that Game Two is a must-win for Minnesota. If they cannot get it done tomorrow night, it is obvious their chances of advancing to the next round of the postseason are slim.
Meanwhile the Yankees will look to keep on rolling over the Twins.
Chill out, Girardi.
To Be or Not To Be: An ALDS Preview
They say retaining is tougher than obtaining.
Last year, the New York Yankees obtained their 27th World Series Championship. Here we are, almost a year after they won number 27, and the Bronx Bombers are looking to repeat as World Champs.
And much like last year, the Yanks will begin their quest to the title against the Minnesota Twins in the American League Division Series. Tomorrow night 21-game winner CC Sabathia will take the hill, opposed by 14-game winner and the 2010 American League Comeback Player of the Year, Francisco Liriano.
Game One could very well be a legitimate pitcher’s duel.
The same could be said about Game Two, which will feature postseason ace Andy Pettitte facing former Yankee and 17-game winner Carl Pavano. Game Three will take the series back to Yankee Stadium where Phil Hughes (18-8, 4.19 ERA) will square off against Brian Duensing (10-3, 2.62 ERA).
It seems to me that there are many things working in the Yankees’ favor in this series, but just as many things working against them. Everything is up in the October air right now, and it is the Yanks’ series to win…or lose.
In the Yankees’ Favor
· History vs. Twins
This one almost goes without saying.
The Yankees have eliminated Minnesota three times in the first round of the playoffs (2003, ’04, and ’09). In ’03 and ’04 the Yankees won three games to one. Last year it was a clean sweep, as the Yankees took care of the Twins in three.
· The Yankees vs. Liriano
Brett Gardner, Marcus Thames, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada, and Nick Swisher all have stellar career numbers against the Twins’ Game One starter. Combined, they own a .435 batting average against Liriano, coupled with four home runs and seven RBIs.
Winning the first game of the series is always important and can genuinely set the tone of a playoff series. While it looks to be a pitcher’s duel, the good numbers are probably in the back of Yankee manager Joe Girardi’s head–something he will most likely consider when putting together the lineup card.
· The Twins Aren’t Clutch?
Since the Twins took Game One of the 2004 ALDS from the Yankees, they have lost nine consecutive postseason games. In those nine games, they have been outscored 52-28 by the opposition.
When the calendar turns to October, the Twins’ offense seems to be switched off.
· No Morneau
Before Justin Morneau was injured with a concussion on July 7, he was in the discussion for the A.L. Most Valuable Player Award. In the 81 games he played this season, he hit .345 with 18 homer runs and 56 RBIs. In fact, he led the Twins with Wins Above Replacement (WAR) at 5.6.
Morneau has been ruled out for the entire postseason. The absence of a rather dangerous hitter in the Twins’ lineup might somewhat ease the pressure on the New York pitchers.
· Ron Gardenhire’s Attitude
In the press conference after team workouts today, the Twins’ skipper referred to this series as a classic “David vs. Goliath” match. Ron Gardenhire sees his team as David, trying to take out the almighty Goliath-like Bronx Bombers.
He made a great analogy.
Under Gardenhire, the Twins are 18-54 in 72 games against the Yankees, and they only average 3.6 runs per game against the Bombers. The Twins are also 2-9 vs. the Yanks in October, contributing to the skipper’s underdog attitude.
· Alex Rodriguez Carryover?
Up until last year, the Yankees’ slugging third baseman was revered as a goat in the postseason. From his infamous “slap of the ball” out of Bronson Arroyo’s glove in 2004 to his deer-in-the-headlights strikeout with the bases loaded against Joel Zumaya in 2006, Alex Rodriguez struggled when it came to the playoffs.
But all that changed last October.
Rodriguez erased his troubled postseason past with a .378 batting average in last year’s playoffs, along with hitting six homers and knocking in 18 runs. In last year’s ALDS vs. the Twins, Rodriguez hit .455 and slugged 1.000.
He went from “Alexander the Goat” to “Alexander the Great.”
And Rodriguez has really turned it on this past month. In September, he hit .309 with nine homers, 26 RBIs, and maintained a .667 slugging percentage.
If last year is any indication of how well A-Rod can do under pressure, and if he carries his September numbers into October, the Yanks will be in good shape whenever he steps up to the plate.
The Yankees certainly have plenty of things working for them. However, there are certainly a number of factors working against them as the playoffs begin…
Working Against The Yankees
· Home Field Disadvantage
I know many people say “home field advantage means nothing.” The fact is that home field advantage can mean something, especially because the Yankees do not have it at all this postseason.
Joe Torre said it best: “It’s hard to win extra-inning games on the road.”
He couldn’t be more correct. The Yankees lost five one-run games on the road in the month of September, along with dropping an extra-inning game against Boston this past weekend. In terms of the postseason…well…2004 at Fenway Park is evidence of that “hard-to-win extra-inning-games-on-the-road” mentality.
The Twins were also 53-28 this season at Target Field, which doesn’t help the Yankees’ cause.
· The REAL Andy Pettitte?
The Yankees’ Game Two starter has tremendous numbers in the playoffs. As the winningest pitcher in postseason baseball history, Andy Pettitte owns an 18-9 playoff record with an ERA of 3.90. Lifetime in the ALDS, Pettitte is 5-3 with a 3.73 ERA.
There’s no denying that Pettitte has been championship-tested. But what will we see this year?
Since coming back from his groin injury (suffered in July) Pettitte is 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA.
In his final start of 2010 on Saturday, Pettitte was roughed up by third-place Boston, getting chased from the game after four innings of work. He surrendered three earned runs and scattered nine hits, as he walked two batters and struck out eight.
Pettitte remains a little bit of a question mark right now. He hasn’t made it out of the fourth inning in each of his last two starts and has not won a game since July 8.
If the Yanks want to win it, Pettitte has to be in his regular, dominant form.
· Phil Hughes at Yankee Stadium
Although Phil Hughes has 11 wins at home this season, he is far from perfect. The Yankees’ Game Three starter has a 4.66 ERA when playing in the Bronx, opposed to a 3.47 ERA on the road.
Simply put, Hughes gives up more runs at home.
This season, Hughes has failed to keep the ball inside the Yankee Stadium Park. Of the 25 homers he surrendered, 20 of them were given up at Yankee Stadium.
Furthermore, of the 82 earned runs Hughes has allowed this year, 55 of them have been given up at home. He also issued 39 of his 58 walks at Yankee Stadium, subjecting his stats to worse numbers at home than on the road.
If you ask me, Hughes should be the Game Two starter, that way he does not have to pitch at home, where, as his numbers indicate, he tends to struggle.
· Alexi Casilla, Denard Span, and Michael Cuddyer
There are not many Twins hitters who have a great deal of success against CC Sabathia. Come to think of it, there aren’t many hitters in the entire American League who have a great deal of success against Sabathia.
However, Alexi Casilla owns a .692 batting average against Sabathia with one career RBI. Denard Span is .333 lifetime vs. Sabathia, and is a serious threat to run when he gets on base.
Michael Cuddyer only has a .222 batting average vs. Sabathia, but he has taken the Yankee ace deep once in his life for one RBI.
· Curtis Granderson vs. Left-Handed Pitching
Before the Yankees acquired him from Detroit, there was a lot of chatter about Curtis Granderson’s struggles against left-handed pitching. He finished the 2010 season with 24 homers and 67 RBIs on top of a .247 batting average.
However, against lefties this year, Granderson only hit .234.
This would not be such a problem if two of the first three Twins starters this postseason were not left-handed pitchers (Liriano and Duensing).
Granderson has a little bit of experience in the playoffs; in 2006 he made it all the way to the World Series as a member of the Tigers only to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals. Lifetime in the postseason he has a .226 average with three homers and seven RBIs.
How he performs in his first postseason as a Yankee remains to be seen, but he may need to spend some extra time in the batting cage if he continues to struggle against left-handers.
· Wild Card Losers
The Yankees were favorites to win the AL East, but it was swiped from under them on the last day of the season by the Tampa Bay Rays. The Bronx Bombers enter as the AL Wild Card winners, something that, historically, has not paid dividends.
The Yanks have never won the World Series when entering the postseason as the Wild Card.
In 1995, the Yankees won the AL Wild Card and were booted from playoff contention at the hands of the Seattle Mariners in the ALDS. In 2007, the Yanks once again captured the elusive Wild Card spot, only to fall to the Cleveland Indians in round one.
As much as the postseason history plays in the Yankees’ favor (their past vs. the Twins) it works against them (they have never won a World Series as a Wild Card team).
It’s anybody’s pennant to win. The road to 28 starts now…
End of the Year Awards
As the end of the 2010 regular Major League Baseball season rapidly approaches, the Yankees once again have lived to play autumn baseball in New York. At the very least, the Bronx Bombers will go into the postseason as the American League Wild Card team. Yet they can still capture the American League Eastern Division over the Tampa Bay Rays.
At press time they are a ½ game out of first place in the AL East.
With only three games left after tonight’s 8-3 loss vs. the Toronto Blue Jays, it is once again time to hand out the Yankee Yapping End of the Year Awards. Last year I gave out various commendations to numerous Yankees who showed what being a Bronx Bomber is all about.
Since 2010 was a stark contrast to 2009, there are new awards this year to accommodate what each player has done or accomplished this past season. Without any further ado, here are the 2010 Yankee Yapping Awards!
Yankee Yapping Most Valuable Player
Winner: Robinson Cano
The Yankees are very lucky to have a player like Robinson Cano. This season, the slugging second baseman has put together an MVP caliber season with 28 home runs and 106 RBIs to this point. His numbers indicate a great year, but he did not win the YY MVP simply because of his offensive production.
His defense and overall character put him over the top.
In 155 games at second base this season (talk about durability!) Cano has only committed three errors. He has also helped turn 111 double plays and has secured a fielding percentage of .996.
Can you say Gold Glove?
Cano has also had the most consistent season among all Yankee hitters. Derek Jeter is currently hitting under .300, Mark Teixeira got off to a tortoise-like start, and Alex Rodriguez spent time on the disabled list. Cano did not slip under .300 this year, nor did he start off slow or get injured.
His season has all the makings of a valuable player.
Congrats Robinson!
Yankee Yapping’s Most Pleasant Surprise
Winner: Marcus Thames
I’ll be the first to admit that when the Yankees let Johnny Damon go…or he let himself go…that I thought picking up Marcus Thames was a bad idea. He had already been a Yankee in 2002, although he was not what we would call a real Yankee.
Everyone knows that, in his first stint in pinstripes, Thames clubbed his first career home run in his first career at-bat off brand-name future Hall of Famer Randy Johnson. What most people don’t know is that home run was the only long ball Thames hit in his first go-round with the Yankees and he only played seven games.
2010 was his second chance and he certainly took advantage of it.
To go along with his batting average of .291, Thames has smacked 12 home runs this year and has driven in 33 runs. Two of his homers this season stand out to me.
First off, his third home run of the year, which came on July 11–only because of who he hit it off: Brian Sweeney of the Seattle Mariners.
As almost everyone knows by now, I interviewed Sweeney over the summer and he is a graduate of my College. That home run was bittersweet for me. I was happy to see Thames get around on a hanging curveball and smash a homer, but at the same time I felt bad for Sweeney.
Being such a nice guy and, without any sarcasm, the best interview I have ever conducted, I had no choice but to feel remorseful for my fellow Mercy alumnus. But Thames did a fantastic job of clubbing the ball!
The second home run that sticks out was his walk-off blast against Jonathan Papelbon and the Boston Red Sox on May 17. After A-Rod tied the game with one swing of the bat, Thames played the role of hero and swatted Papelbon to a loss.
A glorious home run to cap off a glorious victory over Boston in the Bronx.
I may have said some harsh things about him at the beginning of the year when he struggled, but he has proved me wrong. Congrats Marcus!
Yankee Yapping Player Who Needs to Improve for 2011
Winner: A.J. Burnett
He had a terrible season. I know. All of Yankee Universe knows. The whole world knows.
A.J. Burnett has one more start this season (on Saturday in Boston) and will finish 2010 under .500. He is currently 10-15 with an earned run average of 5.33. In his last 10 games Burnett is 1-6 with an ERA of 6.26. Opponents are hitting .286 against him and he has allowed 107 earned runs this season.
If that doesn’t scream the words “off-year” I really don’t know what does.
Many Yankee fans are skeptical about how he will perform in the postseason and would not trust Burnett with the ball in an important game. Yankee Universe also feels he should be bumped from the number two spot in the starting rotation; some are even going as far as saying he should be put in the bullpen.
I agree. He should be bumped from the number two spot and I doubt that he will be plugged into any spot in the starting rotation, at least for the American League Division Series. If he goes to the bullpen, he might be able to carve a niche for himself, the same way Phil Hughes did last year in relief.
Although Burnett had an abysmal year, the one thing I will not do is give up on him. I understand how poorly he produced over the summer, but something many fans forget is that he began the year at 4-0 with an ERA under three. He got off to the best start of his career only to have it collapse on him; the most successful start of his life tragically morphed into the worst season he has ever had.
The other day I was asked if the Yankees would trade Burnett over the off-season because of his poor season.
The answer is easy: No. Here are three reasons Burnett is staying in pinstripes.
1) His salary. He is owed $49.5 million over the next three years. Give me the name of a team who is going to pick up that tab? Oh, that’s right. You can’t.
2) His trade value. With his lopsided numbers, who would want him?
3) The Yankees’ faith in their big free agent pitchers. Anyone remember Carl Pavano? He was owed less money than Burnett, pitched worse than Burnett, and the Yankees held onto him without even trying to shop him.
It’s no contest. Burnett will be in pinstripes for awhile.
And while he is in pinstripes, he needs to learn how to handle himself, go out and win games. I have seen how physically capable Burnett is really is when he is pitching. He can throw 96-98 mph fastballs, something not even Mike Mussina could pull off in 2008, the year he won 20 games.
I think it’s all mental when it comes to Burnett’s struggles. Perhaps he should consult the team psychiatrist. Wait, is there a team psychiatrist?
At any rate, it’s a not a particularly good award to win, A.J. But I still have faith that you can improve, bounce back, have a solid postseason like last year and return strong in 2011.
I still believe in you, A.J. We A.J.s have to stick together through thick and thin.
Yankee Yapping Sayonara Award
Winners: Javier Vazquez and Nick Johnson
First of all, allow me to explain the nature of this award. I am handing out this award to two players who the Yankees signed, are not under contract for next season, and are most likely not coming back next year.
I had no choice but to give it Javier Vazquez and Nick Johnson.
When the Yankees decided to acquire Vazquez during the off-season, I was unbelievably confused. With a somewhat failed season in pinstripes already under his belt (2004) it shocked me that the Yanks went out and traded Melky Cabrera for Vazquez during the winter meetings.
This season just proved to me that Vazquez is not and never was suited for pinstripes. The reason the Yanks wanted him was because of how well he pitched last season, but what they did not take into consideration was that he pitched in the National League.
Vazquez made the move from the NL to the AL, and not just the AL–the AL East, where the best of the best play. And when he made that move, he traveled to a 10-10 record this year with an ERA over five.
That’s enough to say, “Thanks, but no thanks. See ya, Javy.”
Now onto Johnson…
Talk about a waste of money and time. I think his uncle, Larry Bowa, should chastise him for being such a mediocre and otherwise useless ballplayer. The Yanks signed Johnson to be an everyday designated hitter and replace Hideki Matsui in the lineup.
His numbers: 24 games played, two home runs, eight RBIs, and a .167 batting average.
…………………….
Sorry, I had to run to my bathroom and puke.
Both Vazquez and Johnson are no longer under contract for 2011. Thank God.
Congrats on the award, fellas. Have fun on another team next season!
Yankee Yapping Ace of the Year
Winner: CC Sabathia
When all the dust had cleared at the end of 2009, CC Sabathia had 22 wins, including the postseason. The postseason has not even begun this year and the Yankees’ number one man has 21 wins. With that, he became the first Yankee to win 21 games in the regular season since Andy Pettitte, who accomplished the feat in 1996.
If the regular season is any indication of how Sabathia will perform in October, the Yankees will be in excellent shape every time he toes the rubber. Just as Burnett has had the worst season of his career, Sabathia has statistically had the best season he has ever had.
Needless to say, he is a shoe in for the Cy Young Award. CC might very well be “Cy Cy.”
Sabathia logged 237 2/3 innings this year, coupled with 197 strikeouts. He made 34 starts, tossed two complete games, and opponents only hit .239 against him.
If all goes right for him again, he could capture another postseason MVP award, as he was the American League Championship Series MVP in 2009. Either way, I have no doubt that Sabathia will have more hardware in his trophy case very soon.
Until then he is the Yankee Yapping Ace of the Year. Congrats CC!
*Note: CC has won this award for the second year in a row!
Yankee Yapping Best Trade Deadline Pickup
Winner: Kerry Wood
When the trade deadline neared the end, the Yankees picked up three notable players: Lance Berkman, Austin Kearns, and Kerry Wood. Without a doubt, Wood has made the best impact of all three players.
Wood was the Cleveland Indians’ closer and the Yankees needed to add a reliever to aid their scuffling bullpen. Suffice it to say, they added the right man. Wood has posted a low ERA in pinstripes and has really become a solid arm in relief.
Throughout his career, Wood has taken a lot of criticism because of his injuries; I am sure the Yankees knew about that when they traded for him. However, he was a former National League Rookie of the Year (1998, with the Chicago Cubs) and certainly possessed the capability to change the atmosphere of the bullpen.
It’s almost as if when Wood arrived, things started to turn around for them.
I remember his first outing as a Yankee against the Tampa Bay Rays. When Wood tossed that knee-buckling breaking ball and caught Evan Longoria looking like a deer in headlights, I knew right then and there he would fit in right away.
And he has.
Looking at his last 10 appearances alone is proof of that: 10 innings, no runs, four hits, five walks, 12 strikeouts, and an ERA of 0.00. He has flourished in his role as a late-inning relief pitcher and if he keeps it moving, he will be a wonderful asset when the playoffs begin.
Congrats Kerry!
Yankee Yapping Reliever of the Year
Winner: David Robertson
I know what everyone is thinking: how in the world could I have not awarded this honor to Mariano Rivera?! I would just like to say that The Great Rivera is his own “Walking Award,” so-to-speak. Rivera won it last year and he followed that up with another Mo-like season.
32 saves and a puny 1.32 ERA. Typical Mo.
But I am giving it to David Robertson simply because of how far he has come this year. At the outset of the season, Robertson could not get anyone out. He was placed in easy-going situations and lost control of everything.
Case-in-point: Opening Day vs. the Los Angeles Angels.
Robertson came into the game in a situation where there was absolutely no pressure; the Yankees were ahead 7-1 in the top of the ninth inning and he allowed that pressure get to him. He wound up surrendering a grand slam to Bobby Abreu and he nearly gave up the game because of it.
Yet, what struck me was what he said the day after it happened. I remember reading in the news the next day that he grabbed his glove before the game and had two words:
“New day.”
That’s precisely the attitude that won him this award. Well, that and his 67 strikeouts in 59 2/3 innings pitched this season. He never gave up, battled back from defeat, and is a solid and trustworthy arm out of the bullpen.
He deserves the honor. Congrats David!
Yankee Yapping Warrior Award
Winner: Mark Teixeira
As I mentioned before, Mark Teixeira began the season awfully slow. He was singled out on ESPN and every other sports media outlet about how he was not producing along with being criticized for his low batting average and meager power numbers.
But by around June it all changed and the sleeping giant woke up.
The power-hitting first baseman flipped the “on switch” and quickly became the dangerous hitter he has always been. Teixeira will finish 2010 with over 30 home runs and 100 RBIs for his second straight year in pinstripes.
He has 33 home runs and 107 RBIs at press time.
The reason he is regarded as a warrior is because he has been playing for a number of days, possibly even weeks, with a broken toe. Despite a relatively painful injury, he managed to keep himself in the lineup and at first base every day.
Obviously playing in pain, Teixeira maintained his season and never let it affect him; Paul O’Neill, revered as the consummate “Yankee Warrior,” would certainly be proud of him.
Congrats Tex!
Yankee Yapping Grand Slam Champion
Winner: Alex Rodriguez
Whip out the mustard and rye: it’s grand salami!
Not once. Not twice. But three times this season Alex Rodriguez has delivered with the bases loaded. The former three-time AL MVP clobbered three grand slams this season, which accounts for 3/10 of the Yankees’ grand slams this year.
In fact, the Yankees tied their single season record for grand slams, originally set in 1987–Don Mattingly led the Yanks that year with six grannies out of their 10.
On May 14, Rodriguez visited granny for the first time this season. Minnesota Twins reliever intentionally walked Teixeira to pitch to Rodriguez–a strategy that never seems to pay off, according to the numbers. The Yankee third baseman responded by crushing a go-ahead grand slam over the left field wall to give the Yanks a 7-4 edge.
They went on to win 8-4.
On May 31, merely 17 days after the slam vs. the Twins, A-Rod stepped up to the plate against the Indians. With a full count, Rodriguez smashed a bomb into Monument Park, a glorious grand slam home run to give the Yanks a 6-1 lead over the Tribe.
Once again the Bombers cruised to a victory, 11-2 over Cleveland.
Rodriguez struck one last slam on July 6 in Oakland vs. the Athletics. A-Rod helped slam the Yanks to a 6-1 win. He came up in the top of the third and blasted a grand slam off Trevor Cahill, driving in four out of the Yankees’ five runs that inning.
In addition to his slam, Rodriguez later came up in the sixth and hit a solo homer, as he knocked in five of the Yanks’ six runs by himself.
A-Rod’s excellence and ability to come through when the bases are loaded earned him this award. Hopefully he can continue to rake when the postseason starts.
Congrats Alex!
Well that does it for this year. Either way it goes, the Yankees have an opportunity to repeat as World Champs. While whether they win it all or not remains to be seen, it’s clear these standout players made a difference in New York this season.
Congrats to all the Yankee Yapping Award winners and to all of the Yankees.
We’ll see you in October. Good luck!
My Summer was Baseball
If I could sum up my summer in one word it would be baseball. Then again, if I could sum up my existence in one word, it would probably be baseball.
Now that the summer is over and school is back in session (for most of us, but not all of us–I graduated college!) I thought I would reflect on everything that was special about this summer. Never in my life have I ever spent a summer that involved the sport of baseball so much. Here are a few reasons baseball has dominated my life for the past three months.
Yankee Games
What would a summer be without a few visits to Yankee Stadium to see the Yanks play? Well, it would be a very dull and sad summer. Thankfully that was not the case, as I was able to attend three Yankee games over the vacation.
The first game I went to was on June 15, my 23rd birthday; a World Series rematch with the Philadelphia Phillies, in which the Yankees won 8-3. When I walked into the Stadium that night I remember thinking to myself, “The last time the Yanks and Phillies met at this ballpark, the Yanks hoisted the 2009 World Series trophy over their heads.” I felt very lucky to be at that game.
Five days later I made another trip to the big ballpark in the Bronx for the rubber game of the Subway Series. Yankees vs. Mets; CC Sabathia vs. Johan Santana; it doesn’t get any better than that. Mark Teixeira made it a special day by clubbing a grand slam home run, the only offense on the afternoon. The Bombers went on to beat their cross-town rivals 4-0.
I once again experienced the thrill of Yankee Stadium on Aug. 18 when the Yankees played the Tigers. For the first time I got into Monument Park in the new house and it was nice to see Johnny Damon make his return to the Bronx–as a Tiger. The Yanks won, 9-5. Plus, before the game we got very close to the field. We could practically reach out and touch Joba Chamberlain!
All of these games of course were over the summer. I also attended Opening Day, which was a great way to kick off my baseball summer.
The Yankees were 4-0 at games I went to this year and they are 8-0 at games I have been to in the new Yankee Stadium. My only hope is that they keep winning whenever I go to see them.
Trip to Cooperstown
I don’t want to say this experience changed me at all, but in a way it did. On July 3, my friends and I took a day trip up to Cooperstown, N.Y. to visit the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum.
I have already written about everything that happened that day, so I won’t re-hash every little detail of the trip. Yet, I will say that the trip increased not only my appreciation for the sport of baseball, but my love for the sport as well.
It was almost as if I was whisked back to the past; Cooperstown provides such a rich history and gives you an old-time feel.
What’s more, as a huge Yankee fan, it relieved me to see that about 80% of the museum was filled with Yankee memorabilia and historic artifacts. Everything from World Series rings and trophies to Babe Ruth’s jersey was on display for all to see.
Every baseball fan needs (and I stress the word NEEDS) to go to Cooperstown at least once in their life. If you do not go, you are truly missing out and history and quite possibly a life-changing experience.
Hudson Valley Renegades
Working for a minor league baseball team all summer certainly played a huge part in how much I was involved with the sport of baseball this summer. I have shared several stories about things I have done, players I have spoken to, and how much fun it was to get to know my coworkers.
The ‘Gades’ season ended on Sunday and it was a great way to go out: a win over the Lowell Spinners, who are a farm team affiliated with the Boston Red Sox. The Renegades finished with a winning record of 39-36 and it was pretty cool that I got to be a part of their family for the summer.
As it turns out, Rick Zolzer, one of the main bosses from the organization, took notice of “Yankee Yapping” and now wants me to take over the Renegades blogging. He also knows some writers at MLB.com and he said he would mention me to them, which makes me really happy; I would be ecstatic to get my foot in MLB.com’s door. After all, writing and working for them is my ultimate goal.
Working for the Renegades will undoubtedly pay dividends for me.
Interview with Brian Sweeney
One of the best things about this summer was actually talking to an active player on an MLB team. Brian Sweeney of the Seattle Mariners talked to me about his life, his background, and his family; he shared some great stories with me and I feel truly blessed that I was able to conduct an interview with him.
I’ll always remember what Sweeney said when I called him to conduct the interview: “Sure we can do the interview now…as long as it doesn’t go longer than about an hour because I have to head over to SafeCo for the game.”
In awe, I had three words in response: “Wow, that’s awesome.”
The way he said it just left me amazed. He just said it so “matter-of-factly,” if you will.
Sweeney became the first active MLB player I have ever interviewed. I interviewed and wrote a story on John Flaherty last year, but he is retired and now a broadcaster on the YES Network. It was a bit different, considering Sweeney is still playing and he pitched at Yankee Stadium this summer.
What also made it special was that Sweeney and I graduated from the same college. It was nice to discuss what our experiences were like at Mercy, and we were able to relate to one another through that common achievement.
Hopefully Sweeney is not the last MLB player I interview. I’m hoping for a lot more where that came from.
Now that the summer is over, there is still more baseball to look forward to. The Yankees are playing for their postseason lives and need to pick things up. 1-5 in their last six games is not a good sign, but they can pick up the slack and regain their livelihood.
Tonight CC Sabathia toes the rubber against the Tampa Bay Rays in hopes of playing the role of “stopper.”
The Yankee ace is also looking for his 20th win of 2010.
A.J. Martelli
Recent Comments