Skip to content

Yankees-Tigers: New York Not Losers Of ALDS Game 3

Posted by on 4 October 2011, 4:07 am

First of all time cannot be reversed, neither can wins and losses but there is nothing wrong with relaying the real truth after-the-fact.

The New York Yankees lost to the Detroit Tigers in Game 3 of the ALDS, but facts show that the game should have gone into extra innings.

Am I being a sore loser??

Yes, and no because I am not denying that I would have liked the Yankees to win, as any fan would especially in the Postseason, but the proof is undeniable so why can’t I point it out.

Before I get to the detail, let me tell you that the homeplate umpire was not calling the same strike zone and it wasn’t just one time, it was many wrong calls not in Sabathia’s favor.

It was maddening to watch, as the ump did not settle in even after ESPN’s Buster Onley tweeted that CC talked to the homeplate ump after the 1st inning, in the utmost respectable way about the calls.

Ok, now to the proof – - rewind to Game 3, in bottom of the 3rd inning; no outs; Brandon Inge is on second base and Austin Jackson comes to the plate.

Jackson had a seven-pitch sequence, which resulted in a walk and eventually he scored the tying run and it was 2-2.

Here is a chart of Jackson’s at-bat, pitch by pitch:

Need more proof? Here is the STRIKE ZONE pictures: Continue reading ‘Yankees-Tigers: New York Not Losers Of ALDS Game 3’ »

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Comments Off

ALDS Game Three: Yankees Lose To Tigers, But TBS Announcers Were Awful

Posted by on 4 October 2011, 1:22 am

First of all, I started writing this in the middle of Game 3 in the ALDS between the Yankees and Tigers.

Verlander has lived up to his CY Young reputation of the game, and now the Tigers just won 5-4 and what a great game played by both teams.

But this is not about the outcome of the game; it is about the TBS announcers I had to endure throughout it.

Three of the TBS crew consists of Brian Anderson, John Smoltz and Ron Darling, which translates into one failed Golf Channel announcer (Anderson), one ex-Brave/Red Sox (Smoltz), one ex-Met (Darling).

Whoever put that group together for this series should be fired. I mean Mets fans cannot even listen to Darling do home games in Queens.

Obviously as a Yankee fan, but also as a baseball fan the rah-rah Tigers and antiYankees was an absolute atrocity. It went along great with the two different strike zones the homeplate umpire had, with the Yankees being smaller than the Tigers.

I happened to be watching this game with a die-hard Phillies fan friend, and he described the announcing as “worse than listening to FOX’s Joe Buck.” And he also acknowledged, “I thought the Phillies got it bad, but that this was the most obvious hating he had ever heard.”

This commentating sounded more like a Tigers fan club meeting, or an anti-Yankees protester group. Look, I get that Darling and Smoltz probably can’t help themselves for obvious reasons, but the blame falls on TBS.

It is expected that a broadcasting station should be able to figure out a how to put together an even-keeled and neutral bunch of hosts.

As far as I am concerned, MLB should not sell TBS the rights to the postseason ever again. It is just total crap and it is not fun to listen to the announcers’ give zero credit to one team, but at the same time defend and excuse every mistake made by the other. Continue reading ‘ALDS Game Three: Yankees Lose To Tigers, But TBS Announcers Were Awful’ »

Tagged , , , , , ,
16 Comments

New York Yankees: Red Sox Are Still Alive

Posted by on 26 September 2011, 2:23 am

The New York Yankees have had a lot to smile about this past week, from winning the AL East division to fortifying home field advantage for the first two rounds of the playoffs.

Knocking the Boston Red Sox out of the top spot in the AL Wild Card would have been the icing on the cake, but after fighting for 14-innings in the second game of a double-header that mission failed.

Now with three games left in the regular season, the Red Sox remain a game ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays in the Wild Card standings.

Why should any Yankee fan be complaining?

Worried would be the more proper word because back on September 1st, the Red Sox were the team atop the AL East. On September 2nd, the Yankees stole first place and never looked back but with a nine game lead in the Wild Card it seemed inevitable that Boston would still be around in October.

That is until Boston broke a franchise record for the worst September slump by losing 18 of the next 24 games.

Still, the Red Sox fought hard to beat the Yankees last night and that might have been just what the doctor ordered.

If you recall the Red Sox started the season 0-7 until they swept the Yankees in Fenway Park and Boston started beating everyone.

Let’s hope history does not repeat itself in this case; or in the case of Yankees ace CC Sabathia not making a start for two weeks before taking the hill in Game One of the ALDS next Friday night.

Ironically, the Yankees will finish the season down in Tampa Bay for a three game set against the Rays. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Red Sox Are Still Alive’ »

Tagged , , , , , , ,
1 Comment

New York Yankees Get To The King

Posted by on 13 September 2011, 5:38 pm
Safeco Field in Seattle.

Image via Wikipedia

September baseball is tough for everyone, from players to fans to owners and it is grueling.

So imagine how good it felt for the Yankees to finally stick it to last year’s CY Young Winner, King Felix out in Safeco Field on Monday night.

Felix Hernandez has owned the Yankees, literally. Maybe that is why Yankees GM Brian Cashman has droold over the 26 year-old since he stepped on the bump, but the Mariners are not willing to part with their King.

With the Yankees coming off a rough couple of games, where their bats went dead this 9-3 win came in perfect time.

Look, it is no secret that the New York Yankees are old, so relaying on natural adrenaline high is harder to fuel.

It was the perfect excuse to have even lower expectations on a night when the King was on the hill.

And don’t forget that the Tampa Bay Rays, who also won Monday night and are moving in on the Wild Card.

With the Rays are breathing down the Boston Red Sox’s backs to a tune of three games, the Yankees need to put as much distance between the rest of the AL East division as possible.

What I like most about this 2011 Yankee team is that they fight, and it reminds me a lot like the 2009 team.

Still, with 16 games left to play including seven vs. Tampa Bay and three against Boston, the Yankees have their work cut out for them.

The Yankees always like to win in October, and haven’t forgotten the embarrassment felt from last season.

The Yankees tossed in the towel against the inferior Texas Rangers in the ALCS and that just will not cut it two years in a row.

Yankees Nick Swisher said it best after dethroning King Felix:

“You’ve got to give credit where credit’s due and our guys did a great job tonight.”

Related articles

Tagged , , , , , ,
3 Comments

New York Yankees: Champagne Super Nova

Posted by on 3 September 2011, 12:53 am

There is nothing else to say about New York Yankee pitcher Ivan Nova except that he is darn good.

This 24 year-old rookie tacked on his 15th win on the season vs. the Toronto Blue Jays last night, as the Yankees won 3-2.

Nova held the hard-hitting Blue Jays to just three hits, two earned runs and while fanning four. Nova did walk two batters, but one of the walks was intentional to keep Jose Bautista’s bat silenced, as he leads the Majors with 38 home-runs and better to be safe than sorry.

Nova pitched seven solid innings, winning his 11th game in a row and that is all manager Joe Girardi could wish for before handing the lead over to the bullpen.

Not only did Nova get another ‘W’ but also he continues to verify his dependability. The rookie is 16-0 when the Yankee bats get him a lead and that number looks to only get better.

For any team rolling into the playoffs Nova’s evenness is precisely what you would want and need to see. Especially considering the first-round of the playoffs consists of that insufferable and killer five game series that hardly permits for mistakes.

In my eyes Nova has rendered himself postseason reliable to follow behind ace CC Sabathia, but that is all contingent on the Yankees earning a playoff berth first.

While Nova appears to have fallen from heaven, the Yankees are still in need of a solid third arm to complete this three-headed monster. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Champagne Super Nova’ »

Tagged , , , , , , ,
Comments Off

New York Yankees: Proving Age Before Beauty

Posted by on 16 August 2011, 3:14 am

Finally, the New York Yankee bats and starter AJ Burnett were in sync in Kansas City against the Royals, winning the game 7-4.

Burnett racked his first win in pinstripes the month of August ever, a jinx that had run its course for all involved as he posted an 0-8 record with a 7.18 ERA in his 13 August starts since coming to New York.

However, Burnett just can’t figure out that ‘one inning’ he has built his career around. Even with the W, tonight was no different but the damage was more minimal. Burnett gave up three earned runs in the bottom of the fifth; and he got yanked after 5.2 innings in total, giving up 10 hits, while fanning just two.

The aim was to win, and it was a total team effort with Burnett on the hill doing his part.

Generally an ideal start for a team whose, no thanks to Mother Nature, schedule just got more grueling due to rainouts being penciled in on their off days.

Basically, the Yankees have 42 games left with only three days sans a game. Two of those days sandwich a mid-September road trip out West, so they are a wash.

So theoretically the Yankees have only one-off day and owe a bug thanks to the Baltimore Orioles, who agreed to a Saturday doubleheader in the Bronx on August 27th. Still, I would bet my left arm if the Yankees well-being were factored into that decision.

Numerous experts have even called the Yankees lucky because who wouldn’t want to play the bottom feeding Orioles eight more times this season? Personally, I wouldn’t as this match-up has David vs. Goliath written all over it and we all know how that story ends.

Plus factor in the six games vs. the Red Sox, Rays and Blue Jays; a trip out West to face the Angels and Mariners with no real break makes things a lot harder.

Nonetheless, the way the Yankees have played gives little room for whining; and fans keep forgetting that Alex Rodriguez is set to return at the end of this week too.

One thing is for sure; the deemed aging Yankees finally have their opportunity to show the world, or just ESPN’s predicting machine that age does come before beauty.

Related articles

Tagged , , , , , , , ,
2 Comments

New York Yankees: Losing Is Contagious

Posted by on 10 August 2011, 3:58 am

As I headed to the Bronx on Tuesday night, to watch the New York Yankees take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the last thing on my mind was the possibility of losing.

I certainly didn’t expect to witness Mariano Rivera blowing his second save in a row, which resulted in another loss for the Yankees.

Well reality does bite, as the Yankees did get beat-up again at the hand of the Halos who won the game 6-4, thanks to a two-run blast off ex-Yankee Bobby Abreu in the ninth.

What made it more painful was that Mo was to blame; as Yankees Stadium takes on the worst kind-of silence on the rare occasions he makes a mistake.

Even more now because the reality is that Mo is 41-years old and saying goodbye is just unimaginable to any one who swears loyalty to the Yankee pinstripes.

When I talked with my father after the game, his first statement was, “The Yankees can’t trust Rivera anymore.”

I responded by saying he was being way to dramatic, only to be refuted with the fact that Mo’s cutter has not been cutting for some time like it used too.

Thinking about what my father said made me so sad. I literally had to force myself to stay focused on today, which spells S-L-U-M-P or at least the start to one.

There isn’t a less perfect time for the Yankees to start losing by beating themselves. This skid has to halt tomorrow because losing is even more contagious than winning.

NOTES ABOUT THIS SERIES….

When the Halos came into the Bronx Tuesday night boosting a 21-12 record since the start of July. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Losing Is Contagious’ »

Tagged , , , , , , ,
1 Comment
  1. Pages:
  3. 1
  4. 2
  5. 3
  6. 4
  7. 5
  8. ...
  9. 24