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New York Yankees: Why I hope you lose again tonight in Toronto

Posted by on 17 May 2012, 2:26 am

Watching the New York Yankees lose 8-1 to the Toronto Blue Jays last night has been no different from the other eight losses Yankee fans have had to endure this May.

Russell Martin

Russell Martin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hiroki Kuroda stunk, as he gave up three homers, seven earned runs in five innings pitched but that didn’t really bother me.

Would I have liked to see Kuroda have two good starts in a row?

Yes, but that will come with time as he did post six strikeouts in last night’s game too.

What drove me to almost throw my remote right into my flat screen about 10 different times were the Yankee hitters, if you can even call them, as I was under the impression that hitters actually hit.

This game came served on a silver platter for the Yankee bats.

Toronto had starter Kyle Drabek on the hill, who the Yankees had a .326 average against.

Also, Drabek had lost four of his last five starts, giving up five homers, 20 walks and 14 earned runs.

And if you did your homework, you would have anticipated Kuroda’s crappy start because he has flip-flopped between one bad and one good all season.

Still, it was the Yankees game to lose because the bats had such a big advantage over Drabek, which almost made Kuroda’s woes irrelevant. Or at least this is what I thought.

Instead, I was utterly embarrassed watching the game with two friends, one a Mets fan and the other a Phillies fan; so I cannot even image how the utterly mortified the Yankees must have felt.

Here are what the Yankees are doing very well right now:

-        Playing totally crappy, uninspiring baseball. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Why I hope you lose again tonight in Toronto’ »

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New York Yankees: Wounded but winning

Posted by on 15 May 2012, 12:39 am
Mark Teixeira swings at a pitch during a game ...

Mark Teixeira swings at a pitch during a game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles on August 28, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As if there weren’t enough already, the New York Yankees suffered even more injuries during their big, 8-5 win against the Baltimore Orioles last night.

The wounded Bombers are literally dropping like flies, and it is going to make it tough for skipper Joe Girardi to give Mark Teixeira, who was hacking up a lung after his big two-run homer, a much-needed day off.

So, here is a quick list of the Yankees latest casualties with the most updated DL list from MLB.com.

-       Starting pitcher Ivan Nova had to leave the mound in Camden Yard and was diagnosed with a bruise and a sprain of his right ankle but MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch did report the x-rays came back negative. I presume that means Nova didn’t really damage anything but he is obviously still hurt.

-       Lefty reliever Clay Rapada faced two batters, and finished his outing but had to be helped to the locker-room, as he has a viral infection.

-       DH/LF Raul Ibanez got hit with a pitch in the right elbow but still managed to get on first due to a defensive error but was immediately replaced with a pinch runner. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Wounded but winning’ »

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Yankees vs. Orioles: You need to beat the birds

Posted by on 14 May 2012, 5:00 pm

The New York Yankees are in Baltimore to face the first-place Orioles for two quick games starting tonight.

New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles April 24...

New York Yankees at Baltimore Orioles April 24, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The O’s have been playing some great baseball lately but the Yankees have won four of the six times the two AL East rivals have faced each other.

Can the Orioles make the playoffs for the first time since 1997?

Well, I know Orioles fans have ripped me lately for not ranking them higher in my weekly power rankings. But until I see Buck and his birds sustain the top spot all the way to the All-Star break, I am not convinced this the O’s pitching can last that long.

For now, the Yankees can use these two games to jump up in the divisional standings but it won’t be easy as the O’s would love to tie up their season record vs. New York by winning both games.

PITCHING MATCH-UPS:

Ivan Nova vs. Jason Hammel

This game favors Hammel, but not by much.

Both team’s bats have had success against the other’s pitcher. Hammel’s is coming off an injury, and missed his last start but has a 4-1 record with a 2.08 ERA on the season. Hammel’s one loss was against New York but Hiroki Kuroda was on the hill for the Yankees and he blanked the O’s.

Nova has been so-so vs. Baltimore, but the O’s do have a .330 batting average against him. In his two starts this season vs. the O’s, Nova is 1-1 and has given up four homers. Nova looked better in his last start and will be looking to continue that tonight.

This game will be decided by to the offenses….and I think the Yankees are looking to make a statement. Continue reading ‘Yankees vs. Orioles: You need to beat the birds’ »

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Yankees vs. Rays: Series deux preview

Posted by on 8 May 2012, 12:44 am

The Yankees are back in New York after a 5-5-road trip to host the Tampa Bay Rays for a three-game set at the stadium starting tonight.

James Shields at Yankee Stadium.

Last time these two teams met was the start of the 2012 season, and the Rays swept the Yankees right out of Tropicana Field.

The Rays stand atop the AL East, tied with the Orioles with a 19-10 record but are coming to the Bronx on a two game losing streak.

Still, the 15-13 Yankees are the ones looking up at the Rays and have a perfect opportunity to make a move in the division and get some of their pride back.

The Rays are without third baseman Evan Longoria, and possibly Desmond Jennings too; but the Yankees will be without Mariano Rivera for the first time at home since 2003 along with a slew of others, including Brett Gardner, on their lengthy DL list.

The pitching match-ups are as follows, along with my predictions:

Tuesday: James Shields (5-0) vs. Ivan Nova (3-1)

Shields is clearly the better pitcher, but the recent awaken of Robbie Cano’s bat could give him some problems as Cano has hit four homers, five doubles, two triples and posts a .400 batting average against Shields. Cano was not a factor for Shields in their earlier meeting this season.

Nova is coming off his first loss after a 15-game winning streak but I do like the way he has pitched lately. He is reminding me of a 2010 Hughes, as he is getting a ton of run support. He has held the Rays to a .170 batting average, allowing two homers, three RBIs, three walks, while striking out 10 of the 47 total at-bats he has logged against them. Continue reading ‘Yankees vs. Rays: Series deux preview’ »

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New York Yankees: Are you going to sink or swim?

Posted by on 7 May 2012, 3:17 am

Nick Swisher - 'roll call'

SUNDAY SUMMARY:

The New York Yankees wrapped up the four game series in Kansas City with a 10-4 win, splitting the series 2-2 with the Royals.

Phil Hughes got the win, and he did pitch better but reality is the Yankee bats were really responsible for the win yesterday.

As Ibanez and Granderson each had a RBI; followed by Cano’s much-needed grand slam and Swisher’s solo shot both in the third; and finally A-Rod joined the party with a three-run bomb in the eighth.

It was great to see Cano break out of his slump, as that was only his second shot on the season but hopefully a sign of good things to come.

The Captain’s hot bat showed zero signs of slowing down, hitting a double off the first pitch thrown in the game and had a successful bunt in the third. Teixeira also helped out by drawing two walks in the game.

REALITY BITES:

The excuse of ‘it still early in the season’ has about worn its welcome but even more so for teams who live in the AL East.

Reality bites and it will sooner than you think if the Yankees don’t get the ball rolling here. They sit at 15-13 on the season, fourth in the division and four games back of the 19-9 Orioles. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Are you going to sink or swim?’ »

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New York Yankees: Can you not lose to Verlander please

Posted by on 27 April 2012, 4:19 pm

Coming home after losing the last two games of a road trip is never a good feeling.

Justin Verlander

Returning to face the 2011 MVP and CY Young award winner Justin Verlander makes that losing feeling never go away.

That is the New York Yankees reality today, as they finished their road trip 3-3 and now have to host the Detroit Tigers for a three game set.

You would think that facing Verlander was enough, but Yankee fans will now get to relive the 2011 ALDS Game 5 because Ivan Nova will take the hill for New York.

Any Yankees fan that watched the Tigers eliminate the Yankees last October remembers the game like it was yesterday.

I was there that night at Yankee Stadium, just like I will be there tonight; in the same seats, with the same hope but this time I expect a different ending.

The odds are certainly in Verlander’s favor; as he has held the active Yankee hitters to a .193 average, with 64 strikeouts in 223 at-bats.

The Captain is the only Yankee who has had some success against Verlander, as he has a .364 batting average against him, with 12 hits and four walks but no RBIs. That is because there was no Yankee on base to drive in; nor was any Yankee able to drive him in. So, the Captain became another LOB stat instead.

Personally, I cannot stomach, watching the Tigers closer Valverde do his celebration dance on the mound again, and I am sure the Yankees feel the same.

The Yankees did beat Verlander and his Tigers, 6-3 on Opening Day last season but having CC Sabathia on the hill that afternoon was certainly a huge help.

So, the Yankees will have to be as close to perfect as possible and I believe that they can.

PREDICTION: YANKEES BEAT TIGERS 5-3. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Can you not lose to Verlander please’ »

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New York Yankees fate hangs on Phil Hughes tonight

Posted by on 25 April 2012, 3:53 am
Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2...

Photograph of Phil Hughes taken on April 29, 2008 at Yankee Stadium. 04:50, 1 May 2008 . . Mandalatv . . 1,272×954 (691 KB) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Hiroki Kuroda had a solid night on the mound, as he limited the Rangers to just two earned runs but unfortunately the Yankees bats got shut out by his opponent Yu Darvish.

I called this outcome yesterday, as the Yankees line-up has a history of struggling when facing a pitcher for the first time but to his credit, Darvish played a part in this too.

Still, watching the Yankees strand 16 runners for nine innings was beyond irritating. It was around the third inning that I knew the Yankees odds of scoring a run were slim-to-none; and that nightmare came true as they lost 2-0.

So now the series is split, and the Yankees will hand the ball to Phil Hughes in the rubber match tonight, which is far from comforting.

For Hughes tonight might as well be Christmas Day, as this start gives him another opportunity to get a huge win against a top team, and come through when the Yankees need him.

Hughes has an impeccable track record in Rangers Ballpark, so everything is working in his favor. (Stats are courtesy of baseball-reference.com)

Phil Hughes career stats vs. Rangers at Rangers Ballpark.

As of now, I am 99% convinced that the 18-game winning, All-Star from 2010 was really just a mediocre pitcher who got lucky and a lot of run support.

Not very often do people get so many chances to prove their critics wrong, and Hughes has this one being served on a silver platter for him to do just that.

And don’t you think it is about time Hughes shows the Yankees that he was worth hanging on to? Continue reading ‘New York Yankees fate hangs on Phil Hughes tonight’ »

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