Results tagged ‘ Phil Hughes ’
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
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!
Arms Race: Yankee Pitchers Hurting, Bombers Need an Arm
“I hurt my hands because I fell down the stairs.”
This is the reason A.J. Burnett gave the New York Yankees’ training staff on Saturday after he departed from the game vs. the Tampa Bay Rays. Burnett tossed just two innings and gave up four earned runs on four hits. He walked none and only struck out one batter.
He hurt his hands falling down the stairs? That’s not a reason for getting hurt.
It’s a punch-line.
It turns out Burnett hurt himself slamming a door out of frustration. Quite honestly he has a lot to be frustrated about. The Yankees’ number two man is 7-8 this season with an ERA of 4.99. To this point he has struck out a measly 82 batters, walked 46, and given up 12 home runs. In fact, Burnett has given up 56 hits and 36 earned runs in his last 10 games.
It’s obvious there is something wrong with him. Can it be corrected? Who knows.
The day after Burnett’s episode, the Yanks lost one of their All-Star pitchers. Andy Pettitte, who had been tearing it up with a record of 11-2 and an ERA of 2.88, suffered an apparent groin injury. In the third inning, Pettitte came up lame after throwing an 85 mph slider to Kelly Shoppach and was immediately removed.
Not what the Yankees needed, by any means.
According to several reports, Pettitte will be on the disabled list for three to four weeks leaving a hole in the pitching rotation for the time being.
Javier Vazquez has not exactly been setting Yankee Universe on fire either. The right-hander is 7-7 with a 4.45 ERA. After starting the season incredibly slow, he has started to pick it up. In his last 10 games Vazquez 5-3 with a 2.78 ERA. Over that span he has also surrendered 41 hits and 20 earned runs.
Vazquez hasn’t been overwhelmingly dominant, or the most consistent pitcher, but he has at least given the Yankees more innings than Burnett.
At press time the Bronx Bombers have two pitchers in their starting rotation who they can really rely on, obviously CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes. With the way the rest of the pitching has gone (which in a lot of ways is downhill) I asked myself this morning, “Should the Yankees go after a decent starter to fill in for Pettitte and for the stretch run overall?”
The best answer is yes.
I’m not saying they need to give away all of their best prospects and get a hurler like Roy Oswalt, but there are some relatively cheap starters currently on the market that might do some good in Pettitte’s absence. With Burnett and Vazquez pitching as they are, the Yanks might just need another arm.
Here are two suggestions for the Yanks to consider:
Dan Haren
The 29 year-old righty from the Arizona Diamondbacks is currently having a rough year. He owns the same record as Burnett (7-8) with an ERA of 4.60. However, he has 133 strikeouts and only 27 walks.
Haren possesses great ability; the only problem is his team and lack of run support. At press time the D’Backs are 34-58, good for last place in the National League Western Division. His team is not much to look at, but if he got more support his numbers would undoubtedly improve.
Not to mention he has experience pitching in the American League. Before he joined the Diamondbacks in 2008, he had been a nemesis of the Yanks with the Oakland Athletics.
The only two things I see that might stand in the way of Haren and pinstripes are money and who the Yankees would or would not give up for him. He is owed $29 million after 2010, but a trade would keep him with the Yanks through 2012 because of his contract.
Arizona would probably ask for someone like Jesus Montero or Austin Romine, also making the trade a little less doable. I’m not sure the Yanks would want to part with such young, promising players, but in return they would get a solid pitcher for a few years.
I’d like to see it happen. Haren would look good in pinstripes.
Brian Bannister
Unlike Haren, a trade for 29 year-old righty Brian Bannister would most likely come a lot cheaper.
Bannister, a member of the Kansas City Royals since after the 2006 season, currently has a record of (again) 7-8 with an ERA of 5.65. He has 62 Ks coupled with 40 walks.
His numbers are not ideal, but he has experience pitching in New York. Before making his way to Kansas City prior to the 2007 campaign, Bannister originally started for the New York Mets. He was traded after the season for Ambiorix Burgos.
The ability is there; I even remember watching a Mets game in ’06 and thinking to myself, “This guy has talent. He could go places.” After all, Bannister was the first pitcher to hand hyped-up phenom Stephen Strasburg a loss this year, as the Royals beat the Washington Nationals 1-0 on June 23.
A trade for Bannister would probably be cheaper for the Yanks, and they might even be able to hold onto him for awhile. Bannister is not a free agent until after 2012, therefore they would really be able to get some length out of his service.
Bannister would not just go “one-and-done” like Vazquez might.
If the Yankees want to go a much cheaper route and get a pitcher who can probably throw up a handful of quality starts while Pettitte rehabs, Bannister might be their man.
This morning Buster Olney reported that the Yankees are not looking for help with their starting rotation and they are focused on the bench. He mentioned names like Ted Lilly and Jake Westbrook, and said the Yanks should seek them instead of anyone high-priced.
This might be when the world ends, because I disagree with him.
Lilly and Westbrook have already been Yankees and so far the idea of getting former Yankees back (like Nick Johnson) has (I’m sure) not worked out as well as the Yanks would’ve hoped. And if I recall correctly, as a member of the Blue Jays, Lilly has plunked Jorge Posada twice.
The second time Posada was hit, he jaw-jacked with Lilly and a brawl almost ensued.
The bottom line is that either Lilly or Westbrook would not be as good a fit as either Haren or Bannister. As far as the “focus on the bench” Olney spoke of–I seriously hope he was kidding. The bench is probably the last thing the Yanks should concern themselves with at this point.
I would say fix the hole in the starting rotation (even though it’s temporary), try to iron out the bullpen, and then try to add a bat off the bench. If they really want to add a bench player or someone with a lot of power, I got two words for them:
Russell Branyan. They don’t call him “Russell the Muscle” for nothing.
Slam Dunk: Yankees Having a Grand Ol’ Season
The New York Yankees enjoyed another win today, beating the Houston Astros 9-3. The Bronx Bombers are now 39-23, a season-high 16 games above .500.
Derek Jeter smacked a lead-off homer, belting a solo dinger over the left field wall and into the visiting bullpen. That round-tripper marked Jeter’s 24th career lead-off homer, which ties him with Ricky Henderson for most lead-off homers in team history.
One more and Jeter will have the Yankee lead-off home run record.
Including the postseason, that home run also marked Jeter’s 3,000th career hit. Yeah, I know it was not his real 3,000th career hit, but it still says a lot about how much the Yankee Captain has done over the years.
Later in the game, Jeter was at it again. In the in bottom of the sixth he crushed a three-run homer, this time to right-center field. He now has nine career multi-homer games, eight homers on the season, and he finished the day with four RBIs.
Although Jeter did not hit a grand slam, he might as well be credited with one. This brings me to my point: grand slams. It seems this season the Yanks have been frequently leaving the yard when the bases are loaded.
June 12: Jorge Posada
The Yankee catcher was struggling mightily heading into today. But with the bases loaded in the bottom of the third, Jorge Posada took an 0-1 curveball over the right-center field wall. It was his seventh home run of the year and eighth career grand slam.
Posada’s visit to granny today also marked his 250th career home run. He is now one of five catchers to have hit 250 homers, had 1,500 hits, and 350 doubles in a career. The others are Carlton Fisk, Ivan Rodriguez, Gary Carter, and Johnny Bench.
That stat could perhaps be Hall of Fame worthy for the Yankee backstop.
Before Posada took Astros’ starter Wandy Rodriguez deep, the game was tied 2-2. With one swing of the bat Posada gave the Yankees a four run lead which they never looked back from. He later singled to right field in the fifth and was hit by a pitch in the seventh.
Perhaps Posada has turned the corner and has broken out of his slump. Entering today, he only had two hits in his last 29 at-bats. In other good news for Posada, it was confirmed after today’s win that he will be catching behind the plate in tomorrow’s series finale vs. Houston.
After coming back from the disabled list on June 2, Posada had not caught a game and had been confined to the designated hitter spot. With the majority of the team banged up, it’ll be interesting to see who Joe Girardi puts in the DH hole tomorrow.
As for Posada, nicely done. He needs to keep on swinging the bat the way he did today.
June 8: Curtis Granderson
On Tuesday, the 29 year-old centerfielder broke out the mustard and rye for a grand salami against the Baltimore Orioles. Curtis Granderson took O’s starter Kevin Millwood deep to right field in the top of the third inning.
For Granderson, it was his second career grand slam and his fourth homer of 2010.
The big blast made it 6-0 Yankees and the Bombers went on to take the game 12-7 from the Orioles. One of the better parts of Granderson’s granny was the fact that it came off a left-handed pitcher.
After he was acquired by the Yankees this past off-season, many people said Granderson has trouble hitting lefties. While he is currently only hitting .217 vs. lefties, Granderson has a .248 overall batting average, which is something he can work on as the season progresses.
Also keep in mind his numbers might have been a little better if he had not injured himself and been sidelined on May 1. Granderson missed practically the entire month of May, but since his return has not been struggling nearly as badly as he was before he went down.
When he went on the disabled list, Granderson was hitting a weak .225.
But he has since raised his average, has played some prodigious defense in centerfield, and has been a better offensive player. The grand slam on Tuesday was just another example of how much of an asset he can be to a team.
Down the stretch we will probably see more great things from him.
May 14 & 31: Alex Rodriguez
Twice (so far) this season, the Yankee slugger has cleared the bases with one swing.
On May 14, Alex Rodriguez took Minnesota Twins’ reliever Matt Guerrier deep into the left field seats for a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh, a go-ahead moon shot that gave the Yanks a 7-4 lead. The Bronx Bombers went on to win 8-4.
Guerrier had come into the game to face Rodriguez after an intentional walk of Mark Teixeira, much to the confusion of almost everyone in the ballpark. Heading into the at-bat, Rodriguez was 4-for-6 lifetime vs. Guerrier, four of those hits being home runs.
Twins’ skipper Ron Gardenhire gambled and it didn’t pay off. He said after the game, “In that situation it’s kind of like you have to pick your poison.”
That marked Rodriguez’s 19th career grand slam and his 587th career homer, which put him ahead of Eddie Murray on the all-time home runs list–seventh place.
17 days later, the third baseman did it again, this time vs. the Cleveland Indians.
On May 31, Rodriguez came up (again) in the bottom of the seventh with the bases chucked. The Yankees were only leading 2-1 at that point and once again Teixeira was intentionally walked before the opposing hurler threw to Rodriguez.
With a full count, Rodriguez absolutely murdered the offering and deposited it into Monument Park for a glorious-looking grand slam. It was his 20th career bases-loaded homer and 590th career round-tripper.
The Yankees went on to cruise into an 11-2 win over the Tribe.
Now with 20 career grannies, Rodriguez sits in third place on the all-time career grand slams list behind Manny Ramirez (21) and Lou Gehrig (23).
At press time Rodriguez has eight homers on the year with a .290 batting average and 43 RBIs. He is having an “A-Rod” type season, and he will probably hit well enough to finish with at least 30 home runs and over 100 RBIs.
As long as Rodriguez stays healthy, he will be in good shape. He had to sit out these last three games because of an injury to his hip. He was diagnosed with tendinitis in his right his flexor, coupled with groin stiffness. Girardi said that will continue to evaluate Rodriguez every day, indicating that he probably doesn’t know when he will return to the lineup.
Hope he gets back soon; Rodriguez is one of the biggest threats on the team. Playing a scuffling Astros team, the Yanks were able to win these last two games without him. But can they win their upcoming games against the defending National League Champion Philadelphia Phillies and the New York Mets without A-Rod?
Well, we might not have to worry about it. With any luck, our cleanup man will be back before either one of those series begins.
May 28: Robinson Cano
Three days before Rodriguez’s second grand slam this year, the Yankees’ hot-hitting second baseman smacked a grand slam of his own. Against the Indians on May 28, Robinson Cano blasted a seventh inning slam off Tribe reliever Tony Sipp.
With the bases-loaded blast, Cano now has three career slams.
That night was special for Cano, not only because he hit a grand slam, but because it was the first time in his career he batted from the number four spot in the lineup. Before the game, Girardi actually asked Cano if he was comfortable being the number four hitter.
Cano reassured him he was fine with it and obviously he was; it worked out nicely. Cano didn’t feel the pressure and came through with a big time blast. In fact, Cano said after the game that it was a good feeling to be the cleanup hitter and that it was “exciting.”
The Yankees carried on and beat the Indians 8-2.
Because of Rodriguez’s hip flexor injury, Cano has batted from the cleanup spot these last two games. Over the last two days, Cano has collected a pair of hits and scored two runs along with maintaining the best batting average in the American League with .371.
By the end of the season Cano will probably have to make more room in his trophy case. There could be a batting title in his future. If he keeps up the outstanding numbers an MVP Award could be there and of course the big one–another championship ring if everything goes according to plan.
Right now Cano is a hitting machine that mainly produces RBIs. And it doesn’t look like he is slowing down, either. That only means good things for the Yanks and scary things for opposing pitchers.
So there you have it. The Yankees are having a “grand” old season.
Two things I have noticed about their grand slams this year: all of them have come in either the third or seventh inning…and every game they have hit a grand slam in, they have gone on to win.
Interesting.
As I said before, I wish we could credit Jeter with a grand slam today. Instead he got two homers and four RBIs. The Yankee Captain only has one career slam–in June of 2005 he hit his first career grand slam at Yankee Stadium vs. the Cubs.
I’m sure Jeter will take anything as long as the Yanks win, which they did. Tomorrow they will look to sweep the Astros behind Phil Hughes (8-1, 2.71 ERA).
The 23 year-old righty will be gunning for his ninth win of the season and will be opposed by Brian Moehler (0-2, 6.12 ERA).
Umpires Stink
“He did it! Oh wait…No, he didn’t!”
Everyone knows what happened tonight. And no, I am not speaking about the New York Yankees’ 9-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles. Sure, Phil Hughes once again gave a dominating pitching performance and captured his seventh victory of the year. Robinson Cano was 3-for-4 with a home run, and he extended his hitting streak to 16 games.
The Yankees continued their winning ways. But in Detroit, things were different.
Armando Galarraga was on his way to history. The 28 year-old Tigers’ righty was one out, I repeat ONE OUT, away from a perfect game against the Cleveland Indians. What’s the worst thing that can happen when you’re pitching a perfect game in the ninth with two outs? Giving up a hit, of course.
For Galarraga, the worst feeling is (probably) that he knows he had the perfect game and it was ruined by an umpire’s terrible, horrible, ridiculous, mind-numbingly bone-headed call.
There just aren’t enough adjectives to describe how bad the call really was.
With two outs in the ninth, Jason Donald of the Tribe grounded the ball out to Miguel Cabrera at first base. Galarraga covered the bag at first and with the ball on the upper webbing of his mitt, stepped on first base before Donald did.
Galarraga began to celebrate; his arm went in the air and an ear-to-ear smile graced his face…that is until the first base umpire called Donald safe when a blind mouse could have easily seen that he was out.
The culprit: Jim Joyce. How he missed the call is beyond me.
Tigers’ manager Jim Leyland had a lot to say right after the play transpired. Even after the Tigers wrapped up the game, they all stood together in unison and argued vehemently with the umpires. The team had good reason to be upset and I do not blame them for getting annoyed with the umpiring crew.
Good for them! It’s about time a team stood up to the umps. It seems they have been missing many calls recently. Whether it is ball and strikes, plays at the plate, or instances like tonight, the umps have been inconsistent and unbearable with their calls. In fact, they have been so bad, it’s laughable.
Consider David Wright of the New York Mets back on May 9. He was thrown out of the game for arguing what was clearly ball four. Home plate umpire Paul Schrieber was inconsistent with his strike zone all afternoon; Wright tried to stand up for himself, and got tossed.
But that was just a meaningless regular season game with nothing at stake. The umps could never screw up games with playoff implications right? WRONG!
Case in point: Game Two of the American League Division Series last year: Yankees vs. Minnesota Twins. Joe Mauer led off the bottom of the 11th with what should have been a ground-rule double. Left Fielder Melky Cabrera chased the ball and actually touched it with the tip of his glove.
The ball appeared to bounce off Cabrera’s glove before bouncing inside the chalk and it was ruled a foul ball. It probably should have been a fair ball or a double, and after the game umpire Phil Cuzzi said he made a mistake.
Mauer eventually reached base with a single after the blown call, but the Yankees were able to get out of the inning with no runs allowed. If the call had gone a different way, the whole complexion of the inning and the game probably would have been much different.
Another example of bad umpiring in a critical situation: Colorado Rockies vs. San Diego Padres in a one-game tiebreaker on Oct. 1, 2007. The winner of this game was going to the playoffs, the loser was going home.
The Rockies won the game in the 13th inning…but did they really?
The game came down to a play at the plate in the last inning; Matt Holliday was called safe by umpire Tim McClelland, but with a second look, Holliday was out. Even after the game, Holliday’s teammate Todd Helton stated he was out but he ”did not want to talk about it.”
Of course he didn’t want to talk about it. The call went his way. But think about how the Padres felt after that. Their whole season–what they worked for out of spring training–was ended thanks to a bad call by an umpire.
The umpires’ blown calls are beginning to get ridiculous. Perhaps instant replay should be instituted for more than just home run calls. It would have helped Galarraga in tonight’s case. Because there is no way to reverse the clearly bad decision, it cost him a perfect game.
I truly feel it was the worst call I have ever seen in a sporting event–and that’s quite an accomplishment!!! Tim Kurkjian, renowned baseball analyst, said he has been covering baseball for 30 years, and he has never seen a more horrible call.
Galarraga said he does not hold any bad feelings towards Joyce, as he apologized to him after the game. In Joyce’s words, “I cost the kid a perfect game. I thought he beat the throw. I was convinced he beat the throw until I saw the REPLAY. It was the biggest call of my career.”
Leyland, although visibly upset at what happened, stated that all umpires are human. The Tigers’ skipper also said that Joyce is a good umpire and a veteran, and that he just missed a call.
Unfortunately I don’t think “sorry” is good enough anymore. These umpires can apologize all they want, it does not change the fact that they ruin things for teams and players. If Galarraga had gone all the way tonight, he would have set a Major League record of three perfect games (along with Dallas Braden on May 9 and Roy Halladay on May 29) in a matter of 23 days.
It’s a shame. Just a shame.
To you, Mr. Galarraga: I apologize. In my mind, you tossed a perfecto. You were just on the receiving end of yet another botched up call by the sorry excuse for an umpire known as Jim Joyce.
You were given, as I would say, “A First-Class, Grade A, Vince McMahon Screw Job.”
I kind of know how you feel, though…(look under MLB ’06)
Letter to Joe Girardi
May 21, 2010
Dear Joe Girardi,
Greetings! On behalf of every Yankee fan, I am asking you at this time to please tell the whole team to wake up. These past three days have been a nightmare in terms of…well…every facet of our game. The fan base is a little fed up with everything that has been going on.
First, let’s start with the injury situation. I wrote last time that too many Yankees are getting hurt and it’s becoming ridiculous. Let’s face it, it’s the truth. It was great to see Nick Swisher back in the lineup yesterday, but unfortunately not even he could save us from an 8-6 beating at the hands of the almighty Tampa Bay Rays.
I couldn’t really believe your Yanks actually lost three of four at home. Well technically, and in all fairness, you did take two of three from the Minnesota Twins. But you lost three of four to division rivals and dropped four of seven at home. It rarely ever happens.
As far as the injuries go, the bottom line is, it’s too much. We need healthy guys out on the field and we need to field the best team we can. We are obviously not doing that. I understand that you cannot control it, but something needs to be done about it.
Trades, call-ups, roster moves. Whatever you have to do skip, do it.
Next, I’d like to mention the bullpen. Why are you continuously using Chan Ho Park in tight-game situations? I think when Brian Cashman got him he wanted him for long relief. So why, I ask, is he coming in when the Yankees are in a close game?
Piece of advice: don’t bring Park in unless we have a 10-run lead or if we are down by 10 runs. A mop-up role is exactly what suites him right now, because he is certainly making a mess of everything.
Then there’s Randy Winn and Marcus Thames.
I’ll pick on Winn first. Why, in the name of God, is he even on this team? In all of the games he has played this season, I think I can point out two things he has done right: his home run to help beat the Baltimore Orioles on May 3 and his triple on Sunday against the Twins.
Other than those two hits, Winn has been useless; a defensive liability (playing shallow in left field with two outs???) and an automatic out in most games. Another piece of advice for you, Mr. Girardi: dump him. Dump him like the clingy girlfriend who just won’t leave you alone.
I feel at this point, a guy like free agent Jermaine Dye could do a lot better than Winn. I realize Dye is old (well, only a year older than Winn) but at this point, anyone could be doing better than Winn. Call back up Greg Golson or…just anyone. Winn is not getting the job done.
Now onto Thames.
Don’t get me wrong, I totally appreciate the walk-off blast off Jonathan Papelbon Monday night. For that, I could not be more grateful. Thames certainly has some pop and can generate a decent amount of offense in the lineup.
But he is not an everyday player, nor is he a good defender. The guy cannot play the outfield. I have said this before and I’ll say it again, he looks like giraffe out there! He dropped a pop fly ball on Tuesday night that a Little Leaguer could have easily caught, not to mention he has a seriously hard time getting to any fly ball.
Please, if you are going to use him at all, put him at the designated hitter spot.
And one more thing…who trips over their own bat running to first base? I didn’t even know that was possible. Yet Thames somehow managed to trip over his own bat running to first, so I guess the joke is on me.
As you know skip, your Yankees have a big series coming up against the cross-town rival New York Mets in their house. Heading into tonight’s action, the Mets are 20-22, good for last place in the National League East standings.
Your boys, on the other hand, are reeling from three consecutive losses yet are still 25-16, second place in the American League East Standings. This evening, Javier Vazquez (2-4, 8.01 ERA) is pitching against Hisonori Takahashi (3-1, 3.12 ERA).
Vazquez has had experience in the NL, so I expect big things from him in this game. If he fails and gets rocked, I will then fully admit that getting Vazquez back was a bad move. If he is a pitcher supposedly built for the National League and he can’t beat a last place NL team…I can then easily say it was a bad move to get him.
Saturday night (pretty much your best guy at press time) Phil Hughes (5-0, 2.25 ERA) will square off against Mike Pelfrey (5-1, 3.02 ERA). A few years back, I heard a lot of chatter about who was the better prospect.
Many people I knew said Pelfrey would go on to have a better career than Hughes. A lot of other people said Hughes was the next Roger Clemens and he would put up the better numbers. While it’s still early in their careers and we don’t know who will end up with the better stats, Saturday might give us an idea.
Maybe we’ll find out who is the top, young dog in New York.
Finally on Sunday a pair of aces will be on the hill. CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.43 ERA) vs. Johan Santana (3-2, 3.72 ERA). The series finale could have the makings of a classic, or both teams could just touch the aces up for a bunch of runs.
I’d prefer to see a pitcher’s duel, but honestly, I think it could go either way.
Mr. Girardi, it’s early. Up until these last few games, the Yankees had been playing very good ball despite the absence of some key players. But now, the injuries and lack of consistency are catching up to the team.
All I ask is that the problems be fixed and the Yankees beat the Mets. I don’t think any Yankee fan could ever live down being beaten by (in most Yankee fans’ minds) a last place, inferior, second-rate New York team.
Do your best. We’ll all be watching.
Yours truly,
A.J. “Yankee Yapping.”
P.S. If your boys can somehow manage to sweep the Mets this weekend, you could be responsible for running the Mets’ manager out of town. If his team gets swept, this could happen!
Rodriguez Made the Moment, Thames the Hero
Talk about a roller coaster ride.
On Monday night, the New York Yankees beat the Boston Red Sox 11-9 in what was probably the most heated game this season.
The Bronx Bombers have adopted the policy of kicking the Red Sox when they are down.
A lot of wild plays and standout performers in this one…
Marcus Thames
Bottom of the ninth. Tie game, 9-9. One on, two out. Jonathan Papelbon vs. Marcus Thames. In my mind, we were heading for extra innings.
Papelbon left a floater right over the plate for Thames to crush, a moon shot into the left field stands to send the Yankees home with smiles on their faces.
That…was a BOMB! No extra innings tonight, just a pie to the face, courtesy of A.J. Burnett
Heading into that at-bat, Thames was 1-for-4 on the night with two RBIs and a strikeout. I will admit, when he struck out in the bottom of the eighth and the Yanks were down 9-7, I doubted him.
“Add Thames to the list of terrible signings this past off-season, along with Nick Johnson Randy Winn, and Chan Ho Park.”
So Thames had a good night. I cannot bash him at press time. I’m still not saying he was the best pickup this off-season, but he had his moment tonight. Tonight is the night he “earned back his pinstripes,” if you will.
But back to my point.
Everyone can keep tonight in their minds the next time he struggles. I mean, has everyone forgotten how poorly he played in Boston on May 9? He looked like giraffe in left field, he could not chase the ball down, and he didn’t hit.
On that night, no one wanted to be within 10 feet of him.
Yet when he succeeds, everyone worships him, as is the nature of the game and the fans.
Thames is currently hitting .365 with two home runs and 10 RBIs. Will he keep it up?
Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Just remember tonight next time he doesn’t come up big.
Alex Rodriguez
Thames was the hero, but Alex Rodriguez afforded him the opportunity.
Down 9-7 in the bottom of the ninth with one out, Rodriguez came up big time, blasting a towering, game-tying two-run homer into the Boston bullpen off Jonathan Papelbon.
That…was a BOMB!
When he smacked that homer, two things came to my mind:
A) June 3, 2007. Rodriguez homered off Papelbon at Fenway Park that night and the Yankees went on to beat Boston. On his way back to the dugout, Rodriguez playfully placed his hand over the ESPN camera.
That’s A-Rod for you. Just as you saw him acting like a little leaguer when the team waited for Thames at home plate, he showed everyone the five year-old in him.
B) 2009 Postseason.
How many games did the Yankees win last October, simply because Rodriguez was there?
A lot!
He had game-tying homer after game-tying homer all throughout the playoffs. Better yet, all of his game-tiers came in the seventh inning or later.
In his own words, “To say I’m not clutch is ridiculous.”
He answered all his critics with his performance last postseason. But if you ask me, I say he proved everyone wrong in 2007. He put the team on his back the whole year and just like tonight, they would have gone nowhere without him.
Chalk up another clutch hit from A-Rod.
Yankee Pitching
The 5-0 Phil Hughes made the start for the Yankees tonight. He tossed five innings and gave up five earned runs on six hits. He walked one batter and struck out three.
Not his best game.
It’s pretty impressive when I can say Hughes did not pitch his best game, yet he was in line for a win when he left. The Red Sox really just wore him out, put good at-bats together, and made him throw a lot of pitches.
No decision for Hughes tonight, but his ERA did climb up to 2.25. All things considered, it’s a pretty good number. I still think he has the ability to make a Cy Young Award push if he keeps pitching the way he is.
So overall, a below average start from Hughes, but it was not bad.
The Yankee bullpen however…meh.
When the offense scores six runs over the first two innings, there really is no excuse to be blowing the game. Now a good part of that you can pin on Hughes’s shoulders, but he maintained the lead. The bullpen’s job is to hold the lead, even in a tight game.
Lately that’s been a serious problem. Case in point: yesterday vs. the Twins.
Tonight the ‘pen combined for four innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. They walked one batters and collectively struck out three.
Boone Logan recorded a hold despite giving up a home run to Victor Martinez. Simply put, I do not trust him. When he comes into a game, I hold my breath. Logan has velocity, but his control is becoming an issue.
Then there’s Chan Ho Park. I hope he has less diarrhea now.
On his first day back from the disabled list, he blew a save and gave up back-to-back home runs. It was his second blown save of the year and ironically enough, his first one came against…the Red Sox, back on Opening Night.
Park was charged with three earned runs on four hits. After the game, manager Joe Girardi said he was the only guy available for the eighth, since Joba Chamberlain and David Robertson pitched yesterday.
So far, Park is making it hard for me to say anything nice about him.
Damaso Marte tossed a scoreless 1 1/3 innings, working around a walk and a hit.
Finally Girardi was forced to go to Javier Vazquez, who is actually starting Friday night vs. the Mets at Citi Field. With runners on the corners and two outs, Vazquez did probably the best thing he has done all year–got out of the inning and kept the game where it was.
Vazquez needed just four pitches to get it done, meaning he is still available to make the start Friday. He really had the best night out of all the pitchers and for his performance, he was rewarded the win.
Although his ERA is a bloated 8.01, Vazquez now has a 2-4 season record.
It will be interesting to see how he does Friday night. As it has been documented, he has had success in the National League. Well, his expertise from the other league will be put to the test: Yanks are in an NL ballpark and he is facing an NL team.
We’ll see how he does. As for tonight, he can relax. Job well done.
However, it’s no secret the Yanks’ bullpen is rattled. There needs to be more consistency among the relievers if the Yankees are going to succeed. I think I put it best when Hughes left after the fifth:
“Tonight would have been a great night for Alfredo Aceves.”
It’s too bad he’s (one of the many Yankees) bitten by the injury bug.
Great win for the Yanks; the best of the year if you ask me. Tampa Bay won their game tonight, so we remain two games out of first place. The Red Sox however, are 8 ½ games behind. That’s bad news for them.
Tomorrow night CC Sabathia (4-2, 3.71 ERA) vs. Josh Beckett (1-1. 7.46 ERA).
Might have the makings of another classic.
Go Yankees!!!
Yankees vs. Red Sox: Thoughts and Notes
The New York Yankees cruised into a 10-3 victory over the Boston Red Sox tonight.
It was a wild game filled with a lot of news and stories. Here is what I made of it all…
Josh Beckett
It is kind of strange what happened to the Boston ace in this game.
Beckett started off strong, fanning five of the first six batters he faced. He seemed to be rolling along, looking untouchable up until the sixth inning. But everything came unglued for him and things got out of hand.
In the top of the sixth inning, Beckett gave up six runs on four hits, faced 11 Yankees, and was run from the game. He ended the night with 5 1/3 innings, giving up nine earned runs on nine hits. He walked three batters, hit two, and struck out eight.
Aside from the number of strikeouts, his line tonight was horrendous.
In the sixth inning, Beckett put Robinson Cano out. Throwing a blazing fastball, Cano was hit on the inset of his left knee. Being the fighter that he is, Cano tried to stay in the game and walked down to first. He later decided better of it and came out of the game.
In the same inning, Derek Jeter was hit with a pitch and Beckett also came up and in on Nick Swisher and Francisco Cervelli. It’s obvious his control was a non-factor at that point, but it may have been more than that.
I have never seen Beckett in that form. Usually he has pinpoint accuracy and can locate with each of his pitches. I am not going to accuse him of intentionally hitting Cano (and I can’t say he beaned Jeter on purpose, because the bases were loaded) but I will say he looked like he did not care. To me, he came off as very arrogant, even in defeat.
Maybe it’s just me, but I feel he acted like a sore loser.
At that point in the game, the Yankees were hitting him hard; he intentionally walked Brett Gardner to load the bases and face Cervelli, a move that backfired. After that happened, I think he gave up on the game and did not care anymore.
At one point in the inning, Alex Rodriguez mouthed “Enough is enough already,” directed at Beckett’s control issues. The Yankees were taking notice of his command problem and were not happy. They even got up on the top step of their dugout and just looked ready to pounce.
I wish they had. They could have hit Beckett and let him know how it feels.
After his outing tonight, Beckett now owns an earned run average of 7.46 and his season record is 1-1. By far, this is Beckett at his worst. He has been one of the most paramount and dominant pitchers over the last seven years and he has never been this bad.
I don’t mind that he was hit hard by the Yankees. I am however holding contempt for the fact that he plunked Jeter and put Cano out.
Nick Swisher
Right now Nick Swisher is en fuego.
The cool dude in a loose mood belted his sixth homer of the year in the top of the fourth off Beckett. For Swisher, it was his second home run in as many games and his fourth in six games.
Beckett just hung a breaking too high and Swisher crushed it.
This year the Yankee right fielder looks a lot better in terms of his swing and his defense. He doesn’t look so stiff out there, and part of that I chalk up to experience. He got his first year as a Yankee out of the way, and now he is rolling.
And with so many Yanks injured, it’s good to have him stepping up and hitting.
During the post game interview with the YES Network, Swisher mentioned that he visited a hospital this afternoon. He dedicated his home run to the child he met with today, which I thought was a class act. But that’s Swisher’s personality; I’m not surprised he said that.
His words reminded me of Brett Gardner last year. On May 15 of last season, Gardner visited a hospital and promised a girl he would try and hit a home run. He wound up getting an inside-the-park round-tripper.
As for Swisher, right now he is hitting .286 coupled with 20 RBIs and 16 runs scored.
Keep it up, Swisher!
Phil Hughes
He is really becoming “one of our guys,” if you will.
Tonight, Phil Hughes matched Beckett pitch-for-pitch and went on to beat Boston and earn his fourth win of 2010. The 23 year-old righty tossed seven masterful innings, and gave up two earned runs on seven hits. He walked one hitter and struck out seven.
Hughes’s stuff was electric tonight. His breaking ball was working beautifully and his fastball was live and exploding through the strike zone. He went right after Boston’s best hitters and got them out one by one.
In the top of the third, Hughes caught Marco Scutaro looking on probably the nastiest curveball I have ever seen. The ball started up at Scutaro’s eyes, it seemed, and landed belt-high for a strikeout.
That breaking ball was so gross, it buckled Scutaro’s knees.
At the end of the night, Hughes is now 4-0 on the year, becoming the fourth Yankee starter to have four wins on the season. His earned run average went up a little bit, going from 1.44 to 1.69, but his work tonight speaks for itself.
Tonight also marked Hughes’s first career win over the Red Sox.
The Yankees have to be feeling very good about Hughes right now. Looking forward, he has a chance to win a lot of games this year. If he continues to work as effectively as he did tonight, he can make a Cy Young Award push.
At this point, Hughes is the best pitcher in the American League, if you ask me.
Back during spring training, I never thought I would be saying that! Hughes has done a fine job of clearing the air and making the statement that he belongs in the Yankee rotation.
Hughes is our guy. That about says it all.
Other Notes:
–Nick Johnson left the game with an apparent wrist injury. He was sent back to New York for an MRI and obviously won’t be playing for the rest of the weekend.
It never ceases to amaze me. Johnson had the best game he’s played all year on Wednesday. Two days later, he kills it.
Why did we get him again?
–Joe Girardi said a roster move will be made to replace Johnson. After the game tonight he mentioned the possibility of calling up an infielder from the minors.
–Every Yankee except Johnson, Cano, Ramiro Pena, and Gardner knocked in at least one run tonight.
–”I’d be surprised if Cano plays tomorrow,” Girardi said. Cano took that bean ball on the knee pretty hard, and even he said he would have to assess how he is feeling tomorrow.
I hope he plays. He is one of the Yankees’ hottest hitters and they need him. But if he has to miss a day, I say he should take it. It’s just frustrating, because he was hit with a pitch. If he hadn’t gotten hit, he would be fine.
–Jorge Posada, still nursing that balky calf, didn’t play tonight. He is still day-to-day, so hopefully he plays tomorrow.
There is only so much catching Francisco Cervelli can do…although he is doing just fine. He went 2-for-3 tonight with an RBI, a walk, and a run scored. He is kind of flying under the radar, but quietly putting together a great year!
–Retaliation tomorrow afternoon? Perhaps. Perhaps not. We will have to wait and see. The Red Sox certainly deserve to know what it feels like to have one of their top guys plunked.
God forbid Kevin Youkilis get beaned, though. For the amount of times he has been thrown at by Yankee pitching in his career, I wouldn’t be surprised if he charged the mound. It’s alright; CC would just have to sit on him, and the Yanks would win the fight.
–As announced before the game, Andy Pettitte will miss his next scheduled start against the Tigers on Tuesday. Javier Vazquez will make the start Tuesday and Sergio Mitre will start Monday.
Girardi set this up so that Vazquez will pitch the first game against the Mets at Citi Field on Friday, May 21. It might be a good idea, considering he probably has a better shot at winning against a National League team.
–Tomorrow afternoon it is CC Sabathia (4-1, 2.74 ERA) vs. Clay Buchholz (3-2, 2.97 ERA)
–The Yankees are now 3-1 vs. Boston this season and are 20-8 overall. A stark contrast to last year when they began 0-8 in their first eight games against the Red Sox.
–The Yanks snapped Boston’s four-game win streak tonight and extended their win streak to five games.
A.J. Martelli
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