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New York Yankees: Dustin Moseley Can’t Beat theToronto Blue Jays Alone

Posted by on 24 August 2010, 10:15 am

After losing the first game 2-3, the New York Yankees need to win Tuesday night against the Blue Jays at Rogers Center.

The Tampa Bay Rays have caught up to tie in the standings, and the Boston Red Sox are still very much alive.

Translation…. inter-division games can kill a team’s chances for playoff berth, so the Yankees cannot lose this series for starters.

The Blue Jays are making things difficult against all AL East teams. Toronto is not making the playoffs this season, but in any other division my bet is circumstances would be different.

In all honesty, handing the ball to RHP Dustin Moseley is risky because he brings no stability on the mound.

Moseley has fared better because Yankees bats have backed him by scoring runs. This will be essential once again, as Moseley is no match for the homerun hitting Blue Jays.

Toronto’s Jose Bautista has demolished the Yankees in 2010, hitting six homers and 12 RBIs with a .511 on-base percentage. Against Moseley, the slugger is 0 and 4, striking-out once and walked one time as well.

Still, Moseley in his last start against Toronto he gave up nine hits, five earned runs, two homeruns, walked one, managed two strikeouts and a game ERA of 6.14.

Moseley has made five starts since Andy Pettitte hit the DL, pitched 29 innings, allowing 16 earned runs, seven homeruns, with 14 strikeouts and 10 walks. Problem is Moseley has only had three strikeouts, while allowing four homeruns and eight hits in his latest two outings.

The Blue Jays are countering with LHP Mark Rzepczynski, who is even more inexperienced than Moseley, making his fifth start for Toronto.

Rzepczynski is 1-1 over four starts in 2010. He mirrors Moseley with an ERA 4.76.

On the season, in Rzepczynski 22.2 innings pitched he’s allowed 12 earned runs, two homeruns, but has struck-out 19 batters.

His last start was awful, as Rzepczynski has zero strikeouts, giving up 5 hits, with three runs scoring before getting pulled in the fourth inning.

Yankees need to watch for Rzepczynski’s change-up, as that is his strongest pitch but only if he can execute it.

PREDICTION:

Yankees need to run on base-pads against Blue Jays catcher Jose Molina. This is not easy, but the Yankees know Molina and the Blue Jays don’t focus on runners as much as they should.

With Derek Jeter back in line-up, the Yankees will win 6-1.

Moseley will get the win over Rzepczynski, but this is a close call.

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Blue Jays vs. Yankees Weekend Pitching Match-ups

Posted by on 4 June 2010, 5:06 pm

Over the last week, Yankees have been on cruise control in New York, winning games against two sub-pars teams, the Indians and Orioles.

Now, the Yankees head up to Toronto for their first series against the Blue Jays in 2010, at the Roger Centre.

The Blue Jays are no joke. Not only do they lead the majors with 91 homeruns, but also their young pitchers top all of baseball with 421 strikeouts with a combined 4.21 era.

Translation, the Blue Jays look strong from all angels and it does not surprise me at all.

The Blue Jays wait for Aaron Hill to get hot, as he is certifiably their best hitter. Hill has been dealing with on and off injury all season, but with his power added, the Blue-Jays line-up is lethal.

WHAT TO WATCH:

  • Pitching will be key, as on paper the match-ups break pretty evenly. Young vs. Veterans, can experience beat young at heart?

GAME 1: Ex-Blue Jay, AJ Burnett will open up the series against rookie Brett Cecil. Both pitchers are coming off great outings. Cecil he has to stay aggressive against the scary Yankee line-up, and good time for Posada to come back, he has two homeruns in five at-bats against Cecil. Burnett has to maintain control and continue to hit the corners, as he did in his last start. Burnett didn’t allow a walk against Baltimore, but does that even count against the O’s? Continue reading ‘Blue Jays vs. Yankees Weekend Pitching Match-ups’ »

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Javier Vazquez Only Heard Cheers Tonight

Posted by on 2 June 2010, 4:33 am

In the seventh inning, Javier Vazquez walked off the mound at Yankee Stadium to a sound he has not heard since this time in 2004, fans cheering.

Well deserved as Vazquez allowed just four hits, threw seven strikeouts and one intentional walk.

Vazquez gave up a solo shot in the sixth to Orioles Corey Patterson, which tied the game 1-1.

What was most impressive was in the seventh inning, bases loaded Vazquez struck out Adam Jones and got Julio Lugo to reach into a fielder’s choice.

I do not care who the enemy is in that situation; it takes skills to get out of it. From personal experience, Vazquez does not have Yankee fans on his side at all which is not fun.

Back to April, my dad and I were in the Bronx for Vazquez’s first start against the Angels. Having been to a zillion Yankees games to say it was the worst attack on a player I have witnessed is a powerful statement.

It was close, but useless and downright mean. Any Yankee fan reliving 2004 should go to Fenway Park located in Red Sox Nation, because I certainly would like to forget that whole post-season.

Reality, Vazquez pitched a gem, but it was against the worst team in the Majors. The Baltimore Orioles are 19.5 back in games in the tough AL East, with a 15-37 record.

The Orioles just suck, and they should not be this awful. Utility-man Ty Wigginton has 13 homers and 32 RBI’s on the season. Continue reading ‘Javier Vazquez Only Heard Cheers Tonight’ »

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Joe Girardi’s Secrets: How The Yanks Took A Halladay

Posted by on 5 August 2009, 9:17 am

The Rogers Centre was at full capacity tonight up in Toronto. The fans looking relieved, confirming it was just a nightmare, as Roy Halladay, the best pitcher in baseball, walked onto the Blue Jays mound once again. Toronto’s ace looked like a goner before the trade deadline but the cost for Roy’s arm was just to high a price, even for the Yankees.

Halladay is so dynamite that if any opposing team’s starter has got to be basically perfect. It is inevitable that hitters will not be able to produce against Halladay, so in preparing for a game like tonight’s the idea of how to win has got to be under this assumption.

And that is exactly why Joe Girardi is such levelheaded manager. Not afraid to humbly admitted that the Yanks had to give it everything and anything to beat this individual ace.

It is refreshing that Girardi tells it like it is no. No matter who the player, the treatment has now consistently been shown to be equal. Not one guy gets treated any differently, which is a huge part of the comradeship that has formed.

The definition of “team” is what Girardi has accomplished in his last season and a half. That is no small feet with the amount of all-stars with huge paychecks the Yanks have. Then having to fill a hero’s shoes in Torre, only to have that same man he once called his skipper sell the team out for all to read about didn’t make the new Joe’s job any easier.

Girardi is now in sync with the players and it has shown in the determination to win over and over again. Beating Halladay was just another full blown example of what is happening and Girardi is responsible for the team’s success.

Along with our skipper, the players are so proud of their team to let that go.

This was seen tonight but the outstanding job done by Andy Petite who pitched seven plus solid innings. Commanding the plate with his cutter, Petite struck out Alex Rios for his sixth strike out and that was in the bottom of the seventh. Continue reading ‘Joe Girardi’s Secrets: How The Yanks Took A Halladay’ »

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The AL East: It Would Be Best To Bring You’re A-Game

Posted by on 4 August 2009, 4:50 am

How many teams are in this race?

For right now three teams; Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees.

Why is this week so important in the American League East?

The teams are playing within their own division so the wins and losses have more importance. The third place Tampa Bay Rays host the Boston Red Sox for a two game set. Boston is only a half a game behind the first place New York Yankees. The Yanks are up in Toronto for two nights at the Rogers Centre playing two against the Blue Jays.

With the Blue Jays lagging 12 games behind the Yanks there not really competing. Technically there is always a possibility to not be 100% completely out. I guess miracles do exist but for Toronto it does not look very hopeful or likely of the trio above all collapsing literally on their faces.

Toronto does know that beating the Yankees could potentially take their lead in the AL East right from under the boys from the Bronx. It is doubtful that Boston is going to win two at the Trop; as the best bet would be a spilt series.

Why? The answer is because Tampa decisively needs these wins. If Toronto wins just one and the Rays lose both it will put Tampa a half game behind Toronto. These two night games may very well predict where, last years AL Champs’ season’s future will be heading. The duel in Tropicana Field will both be games of tough baseball.

Let’s not forget that the second place Red Sox haven’t been behind their rivals for a few seasons now and it would be nice to head to the Bronx on Thursday in first place. It has been some time since the Red Sox have been in the lead and trust me they want it back. The Red Sox are going into to a four game series in NY and the rivalry is back to the good old days. Boston has the mentality of knowing that the Yanks haven’t beaten them yet this season. Their advantage lies in knowing how badly that fact kills the Yankee players and the Yankee fans probably hate it more. Boston would like nothing better than to fly back up north in first place and show up the Yanks in their own house again.

Tampa will put out all the stops to not let this happen but it sure ain’t for the Yanks sake. Joe Madden and his Rays are too good to be out of the race so “win, win, win” is mandatory theme.

This will bring the heat index up in Canada, as this has got to give the Yankees the hunger. In all truth, the time has come to one-up Boston. The Bombers know this entails coming home still in first. It is vital not to lose momentum.

Here is the perfect quote for the Yankees to live by:

“Whoever is winning at the moment will always seem to be invincible.” – George Orwell

What does each of the competing team need and want to do? Continue reading ‘The AL East: It Would Be Best To Bring You’re A-Game’ »

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