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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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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 vs Rangers: Whose hitters are hotter?

Posted by on 23 April 2012, 4:36 pm
Alex Rodriguez sharing his thoughts on a calle...

Alex Rodriguez sharing his thoughts on a called strike. Photograph by Googie Man (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Even though the 2012 MLB season is still so young, the media has labeled the Rangers as the best team in baseball.

This is not surprising, as the sports media has a certain love for the Rangers and always gives them the benefit of the doubt.

Currently, the Yankees, also dubbed the evil empire, are in Arlington to face the hottest team in baseball and I have yet to see anyone picking them to win the series.

See most baseball experts and even fans have deemed the Yankees as too old; attest their high home-run numbers to the small confines of Yankee Stadium; and blame what is in skipper Joe Girardi’s binder for every lose.

It boggles my mind why the Rangers seem to get a pass on everything, as Rangers Ballpark is a batter’s dream; their skipper Ron Washington’s decisions have lost them two World Series in a row; and give Josh Hamilton praise but rip Alex Rodriguez for everything.

So, when I went to look at the two teams batting stats for the season I was shocked because I thought the Rangers would be so far ahead of New York but that is not the case.

And as the saying goes…. stats don’t (and can’t) lie.

So, here are the 2012 batting stats for the Rangers and Yankees with the AL league average on the bottom.

Please keep in mind that the Yankees have 38 less at-bats than the Rangers due to a rain out yesterday.

And also, opponents and other factors in a team’s performance are not taken into account. Continue reading ‘Yankees vs Rangers: Whose hitters are hotter?’ »

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New York Yankees: Saving Phil Hughes

Posted by on 20 April 2012, 5:57 am

making a Hughes funny....

The New York Yankees did what they needed to do, win the game and avoid losing a home series to the Minnesota Twins for the first time since 2001.

Phil Hughes was not totally useless on the mound but he was far from good. You wouldn’t know it listening to the YES commentating, as it was honestly painful.

The way Jack Curry, and even Al Leiter were talking about Hughes, you’d think he was the greatest thing since sliced bread.

Everyone knows that Eduardo Nunez made an error in the first, which kept the inning going longer but that is a circumstance not just in baseball but also in life; and pitchers should be ready for it.

Hughes really cannot complain, as he has caused the Yankees enough problems the last two seasons that it is kind of the pot calling the kettle black.

In the end Hughes got the win courtesy of the Yankees bats scoring seven runs. Hughes should buy Curtis Granderson dinner, as the Grandy-man went 5-for-5 with three homers and four RBIs.

This is the same way Hughes won the majority of his games in 2010, but putting a ton of pressure on the hitters to score and continually deplete the bullpen. He did pitch five whole innings in this outing, which makes 13 total innings pitched in three starts. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Saving Phil Hughes’ »

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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: Are you loving David Phelps

Posted by on 11 April 2012, 12:50 am

The New York Yankeesgot there second win of the 2012 season, but it was far from pretty as leaving 12 runners on base is just not going to cut it.

Derek Jeter is playing better than ever!!

I could easily rant about all the Yankees missed opportunities in the 5-hour, 12-inning win vs. the Orioles but I was so impressed by someone not named Derek Jeter.

And that would be pitcher David Phelps, who has thrown 3 innings with five strikeouts in his two appearances this season.

The 25-year old righty had a great spring posting a 2.08 ERA over 17+ innings pitched. That earned Phelps the annual James P. Dawson Award given to the top rookie in camp, along with a spot on the 25-man roster as a long-reliever.

Phelps was a starter in the minors and that might be why he got overlooked because the Yankees have better options.

Even though Phelps doesn’t have lights out stuff to be a top starter, he certainly has displayed how effective he can be out of the bullpen.

Phelps has terrific command of his two and four-seam fastball, and he also has a sinker-slider combination that has improved. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: Are you loving David Phelps’ »

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Yankees vs. Rays: 3 things to watch as 2012 starts

Posted by on 5 April 2012, 11:13 pm

The start of a new baseball season makes me feel like a kid on Christmas again.

CC Sabathia

CC Sabathia (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I am both excited and nervous just thinking of what the 2012 season could bring.

Finally, it is the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays turn to open the season tomorrow at Tropicana Field.

Two division rivals, that are both primed to make the post season, and with 162-games left to be played anything can happen.

The AL East is as much talented as it is torturous, and it looks to be a battle-royale once again in baseball’s toughest division.

So, what should Yankee fans be watching against the Rays this weekend?

Here are three situations I will be keeping tabs on….

1) The starting pitching match-ups are fierce.

CC Sabathia vs. James Shields – Friday

Hiroki Kuroda vs. David Price – Saturday

Phil Hughes vs. Jeremy Hellickson – Sunday

Out of all three, I will be closely watching Sunday’s match-up of Hughes vs. Hellickson as it intrigues me because I haven’t seen a really productive Hughes since before the 2010 All-Star Break.

Also, Hellickson, who won the 2011 AL Rookie of the Year, and Hughes have very similar  stats against each others active hitters, so I want to see if Hughes can hold his own without the Yankees having to score 6+ runs for him to get the win. Continue reading ‘Yankees vs. Rays: 3 things to watch as 2012 starts’ »

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