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New York Yankees: Why Rangers Yu has advantage over Bombers

Posted by on 24 April 2012, 2:13 am

MLB fans worldwide can thank April showers in the Northeast for giving them the most anticipated pitching match-up so far this season because this one that

Yu Darvish begins his pitch.

Yu Darvish begins his pitch. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

was not supposed to happen.

As the Yankees Japanese pitcher Hiroki Kuroda will now face his fellow countryman Rangers Yu Darvish in the second game of this three game set down in Arlington; and all due to the Yankees postponed game in Fenway Park this past Sunday.

Just in case you missed last night’s game, CC Sabathia pitched a gem and the Yankees bats backed up their ace, as they beat the Rangers 7-4. It was an all around great team effort from New York, as the Yankees look better with every passing game.

Now back to tonight….

This match-up could be the most watched of the season because the entire country of Japan is sure to tune in, as both Kuroda and Darvish are two of their most famed countryman.

Neither pitcher has been stellar this season, but expect them to put on big show tonight.

KURODA

Kuroda has shown what he capable in both directions, as he was phenomenal in his Yankee Stadium début but got shelled in his other two starts.

So far Kuroda is posting a 5.00 ERA, giving up three homers, 10 earned runs, six walks and 12 strikeouts over 18 innings pitched. Kuroda went into the ninth inning in one start and couldn’t get through the fourth in his other two.

This has left Yankee fans wondering which Kuroda will show up tonight, the great one or the bomb?

You can bet the Yankees bullpen is on high alert and ready to go because if Kuroda is not dominant the Rangers bats will hit him hard and score runs from the get-go.

In his career, Kuroda has only faced the Rangers for 31 at-bats where he struck out six, walked two, gave up two doubles and allowed zero homers. It is a very small sample size to even attempt to predict what could happen.

DARVISH: Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Why Rangers Yu has advantage over Bombers’ »

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Yankees Universe trumps Red Sox Nation

Posted by on 22 April 2012, 6:33 am

DON’T MESS WITH TEX…

Don't mess with TEX....just ask any Red Sox fan.

What started out as a Yankees blowout in Fenway Park, ended in New York win.

Starting pitcher Freddy Garcia was worse than horrible, as he even made Phil Hughes look good.

The Red Sox feasted on Garcia’s inability to pitch. Boston had a 9-0 lead come the 5th inning and things were not looking good for the Yankees.

Than Mark Teixeira hit a homer in the 6th inning, score was 9-1.

Next came Nick Swisher who hit a grand slam in the 7th inning, score was 9-5.

Same inning still and Tex wasn’t down yet as he hit another bomb, with two men on base, score was now 9-8.

By the bottom of the 8th inning, the Yankees had a comfortable 15-9 lead.

Rafael Soriano took over the mound for Boone Logan in the middle of the inning, finished out the game, and got the W.

Overall, it was a great day in Yankee Universe.

SO…. WHO IS TO BLAME IN RED SOX NATION? Continue reading ‘Yankees Universe trumps Red Sox Nation’ »

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Yankees win but Red Sox Nation tries to rain on Eric Chavez

Posted by on 21 April 2012, 5:45 am

 YANKEES KEEP WITH TRADITION AND WIN:

Eric Chavez

Eric Chavez (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

It was quite a ceremony in Boston yesterday, as the Red Sox celebrated the 100th year anniversary of their home known as Fenway Park.

The New York Yankees had a front row seat, and even came dressed for the occasion wearing vintage uniforms of the New York Highlanders, the name of the Yankees prior to 1913.

Personally, I found the throwbacks dreary and dirty looking but I did dig the maroon and grey striped socks or stirrups.

The ceremony itself was very moving with any and every Red Sox alive being introduced to the packed house, with only Roger Clemons and Kurt Schilling noticeably missing.

It brought tears to my eyes and reiterated the utter respect I have for the Red Sox as an organization.

That feeling came crashing down fast when ex-Red Sox’s Pedro Martinez and Kevin Millar, from the 2004 team, thought that making a frat-boy speech while running up and down the top of the dugout was a proper way to end the event.

Honestly, it was inappropriate and such an embarrassment even though the two clowns successfully broke the Guinness Book record for the  biggest “cheers.

All I thought was this would never go on in New York and I wouldn’t want it too. And with the state of the current team it showed a lack of respect.

Well, after an overall memorable event, things only got worse in Red Sox Nation as the Yankee bats pounded on pitcher Clay Buchholz, with Swisher, Eric Chavez, Chavez again, A-rod, and Russell Martin all going deep.

Cano, Granderson, Ibanez and the Captain all each had a hit in the Yankee 6-2 win.

The Red Sox looked lost, sloppy and very un-Boston like on a day when so many franchise and baseball icons were on hand to watch them win.

If anything can get a struggling team motivated it would have been the celebration before yesterday’s game. The pride I had watching, as Yankee fan was undeniable, so how the Red Sox players let this one slip makes me realize how much disarray the current team is in.

I doubt a team with as much talent as the Red Sox will stay in this rut much longer, as maybe they should go on a team retreat or something? Continue reading ‘Yankees win but Red Sox Nation tries to rain on Eric Chavez’ »

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Can Yankees Phil Hughes not tank tonight?

Posted by on 19 April 2012, 3:43 pm

LAST GAME vs. TWINS:

Phil Hughes during pregame warmups prior to a ...

Phil Hughes during pregame warmups prior to a game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles on August 29, 2011 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The New York Yankees are down 1-2 games to the Minnesota Twins, so at best they can split the four-game set but that entails winning the game tonight.

Winning is something the Yankees know how to do, and especially against the Twins, but other than CC Sabathia the starting pitching has made that almost impossible. The lack of innings pitched has depleted the bullpen and right before the team heads to Fenway Park and Rangers Ballpark.

The Yankees are sending Phil Hughes to the mound, which is basically as good as forfeiting the series, and handing the Twins their first series win in the Bronx since 2001.

What is mind-boggling is that the Yankee brass, and shockingly a majority of fans continue to support Hughes because they have fantasies that he can win 18-games like he did in 2010.

Yes his velocity is back in the low 90’s, but that is about it.

Hughes has pitched a total of eight innings over two starts, allowing three homers, eight earned runs, 11 strikeouts, four walks and posts an ERA of 9.00. Opposing batters have a .351 average vs. Hughes, so basically with the way the Twins M&M boys are hitting this could be a blood bath.

In his first two starts, Hughes is throwing 64% of his pitches for strikes, as he tends to start each inning with a strikeout. The first batter he faces averages a .182 against him, but after that Hughes gets shelled, so this accounts for eight of his 11 strikeouts.

And the reason hitters succeed vs. Hughes is because he cannot to finish them because off, as they figure him out very quickly. This became clear when I looked at pitch type, number of times thrown and how many resulted in a strike.

2012 - Hughes - types of pitches thrown/pitches thrown for strikes

Out of all the strikes he threw, only six Rays and nine Angels actually swung at the pitch, which indicates to me they watching his location on purpose because 15 total swings and misses is a low number.

Well that is what happens when a pitcher relies on one-strikeout pitch; for Hughes it is obviously his four-seam fastball, and hitters know it is coming inside. Continue reading ‘Can Yankees Phil Hughes not tank tonight?’ »

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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’ »

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New York Yankees Were Not Supposed To Win

Posted by on 22 September 2011, 2:57 am

The 2011 New York Yankees are the AL East Division Champions.

According to pretty much every baseball expert on earth, the champagne was supposed to be flowing in Boston at Fenway Park. Don’t you remember??? Let me remind you….

The Yankees own GM Brian Cashman thought the Red Sox were the better team when asked by Boston Globe’s Peter Abrahams back in January.

In ESPN’s predictions for the 2011 MLB season, all 45 analysts chose the Red Sox to win the division and 34 have Boston penciled in to win the World Series as well. Once you see the cover of the 2011 October issue of ESPN The Magazine, the above numbers are not such a surprise because the network has always seemed to belong in Red Sox Nation.

FOX Sports Ken Rosenthal’s prediction became a collective theme among baseball experts about the Yankees:

“Only question is which starting pitcher — or two — they will acquire.”

Even here at Lady Loves Pinstripes, I wrote this about the Yankees in my 2011 Predictions:

“The Yankees have more holes to fill than fans would like.”

Well, these predictions so far have been very wrong. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees Were Not Supposed To Win’ »

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New York Yankees: Lots To Prove In Boston

Posted by on 30 August 2011, 3:10 am

The New York Yankees are leaving Baltimore after taking two of four against the Orioles on route to Boston, but sans the Captain and possibly A-rod, who both have minor injuries.

Any baseball fan is well aware that the Yankees are the team with something to prove against the Red Sox, who have owned the Bombers in 2011.

The worst part is the Yankees most reliable ace CC Sabathia can’t seem to stop the AL East leading Red Sox either, as he is 0-4 this season, with a 7.20 ERA. The Red Sox are hitting .324 when Sabathia takes the hill, as well as racking up 33 hits, five doubles, one triple, two home-runs, 16 RBIs and 10 walks in four starts.

Sabathia is also having a rotten August, posting a 4.95 ERA and a 2-2 record over the five starts he has made so far this month.

So, not only are the odds against Sabathia statistically but it must also be mentally taxing. Sabathia will try to right himself in enemy terrain, aka. Fenway Park on Tuesday night to open the three games set; the first of nine games the Yankees have left vs. Boston.

The Yankees need CC to have a CC kind of night to get the series momentum going in their direction.

With the Yankees sitting one and a half back behind in the division heading into this series, this could get really ugly if the Yankees don’t take two of the three games at Fenway Park this week. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Lots To Prove In Boston’ »

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