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New York Yankees: 15 Innings To Put One On The Left Side

Posted by on 19 May 2011, 3:26 am

What a long night Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees, who battled 15 innings only for the Yankees to come away with their second, win in a row 4-1.

The game finished just shy of five hours and into early Wednesday morning, so here is a quick list of seven things I took away from the longest game played so far in 2011.

  1. Yankees Bartolo Colon threw a classic game, going eight full innings and throwing an efficient 87 pitches in total. Without question this was Colon’s best start as a Yankee. I am the first to admit that I never expected much from Colon, nothing even close to a 3.16 ERA, in just over 51 innings pitched, with 48 strikeouts, in his six starts for New York.
  2. Alex Rodriguez is hitting going four for seven against the Orioles, and the night before in Tampa he hit two bombs in the game. Both games the team won, snapping a 0-6 losing streak and once again proving how vital A-rod’s performance is to the team as a whole.
  3. Skipper Joe Girardi pulled Colon after eight with a 1-0 lead, only to have the rare occurrence of Mariano Rivera giving up the tying run; which in essence extended the game an extra six innings. Girardi has been under the gun lately and if the team hadn’t won was about to face major adversity again. Someone has to be the bad guy, but Girardi is not a terrible manager and it’s time for Yankee fans to stop pouncing all over him. Girardi is a good man and trying his best and that is all you can ask for from any manager.
  4. After Rivera’s 19-pitch outing, the Yankees bullpen arms of Luis Ayala, Boone Logan and Hector Noesi (major league debut) threw six scoreless innings and kept the Orioles at bay.
  5. After being called up 16 days prior, the 24-year old Noesi’s finally made his Yankees debut in the 12th inning. Even though the situation of Noesi taking the bump was out of desperation, the rookie showed his true colors and earned the respect of his new teammates. Noesi threw four scoreless innings and got the win.
  6. I did have a minor heart attack in the 15th inning when Orioles pitcher Mike Gonzalez threw a 93 mph fastball that hit the head of Chris Dickerson. Dickerson fell to the ground and was down for about five minutes surrounded by Girardi, bench coach Tony Pena and trainer Gene Monahan. It was a scary moment, but Dickerson got up on his own and handed off his cracked helmet to reveal a welt on the side of his left eye. Girardi pulled him out and Mark Craig from The Star-Ledger reports that Dickerson was taken to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Let’s just pray Dickerson is alright.
  7. The biggest difference I noticed missing form the 2011 Yankees was their fight to win. After watching this 15-inning battle I finally saw it again. Considering I was home on my couch and started getting worn out after the 11th inning. It makes me realize how hard they fought to win.

Thursday night Yankees ace CC Sabathia will take the bump. Sabathia will be looking to lead his team to their third win in a row, as well as pitching deep into the game considering how shredded the Yankees bullpen will be.

Orioles skipper Buck Schowalter burned through nine pitchers and in the end had to use his starter for Thursday night’s game Jeremy Gunthrie. No word yet from the Orioles on whether Gunthrie will go or not, everyone is exhausted so probably won’t know to closer to game time.

Overall, long night but good things are starting to happen for New York and hopefully it will continue.

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New York Yankees: Nova vs. O’Sullivan In Rubber Game

Posted by on 12 May 2011, 7:00 am

NOVA vs. O’SULLIVAN:

In the rubber game Thursday night Yankees rookie Ivan Nova will take the bump, in a game the Yankees would like to win before the Boston Red Sox arrive on Friday for a weekend series.

Nova has looked better with each start this season posting a 3-2 record, with a 4.08 ERA over 35 innings pitched. In his last start he pitched over seven innings against the tough Rangers line-up and in two starts prior Nova went a full six in both.

The Royals will counter with righty Sean O’Sullivan who kept the Yankee bats flat back in 2010 in their first meeting when O’Sullivan was an Angel…this comes as no surprise.

Luckily for the Bombers, just days later the second time they faced O’Sullivan the bats had figured him out. This season O’Sullivan has a 1-2 record, posting a 3.41 ERA over four starts. He has given up just one home-run, 11 earned runs, with 14 strikeouts, 14 walks over 29 innings pitched.

Look for A-rod to pound on the kid, as he has a .444 batting average, with four hits, two doubles, one home-run and two RBIs in his nine career at-bats against the 23-year-old O’Sullivan. While the red-hot Curtis Granderson has three home-runs in seven at-bats and I expect (pray) both will come up big.

I thought the Yankees might lose one game out of all three against Kansas City otherwise they would sweep, but now the series is up in the air; and so is first place in the AL East if the Yankees loss a second game in a row.

I predict the Yankees will win this game 6-2 and take the series. Nova has proven himself and if he can go six innings that would be another step up for the 24-year-old.

Bottom line is this Yankee team knows when they need to win and even though this game is not vital, it is sure darn close.

A little cushion would sure not hurt before playing the Red Sox, Rays, Orioles, Mets and Toronto… all in a row with no day-off till May 26th when they head out West.

YANKEES QUICK NOTE:

Looking at the bigger picture, it is so mind-boggling is how much time was wasted focusing on the Yankees rotation issues coming into the season and it has literally been the team’s saving grace.

The starters have given up five earned runs or more only three times in 2011, which is tied with the Indians as a baseball leading best so far this season. I mean who knew… other then GM Brian Cashman?

The Yankees pitching has been solid as can be so far in 2011, but we have all been so brainwashed into thinking that a man’s age represents his skills but that is just not true in baseball. For some reason no one wants to accept this fact and I don’t know why? That is for another post…but soon.

 

 

 

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New York Yankees: White Sox Not Struggling Thanks To Rafael Soriano

Posted by on 27 April 2011, 1:37 am

It was another tough night in the Bronx, as the New York Yankees lost for the second night in a row to the Chicago White Sox.

Rookie pitcher Ivan Nova pitched a great game, as did White Sox’s Gavin Floyd who was still on the bump on the ninth inning. Skipper Ozzie Guillen knows that his bullpen has blown too many close games already this season so it was a no-brainer to leave Floyd out there while he was still dealing.

Ivan Nova left the game to 40,000+ Yankee fans on their feet cheering on a great outing, smart move by skipper Joe Girardi to get Nova out on a high like that.

David Robertson came in and did his job, keeping the White Sox at bay 2-1 but handing the ball to 2010’s AL top closer once again failed the Yankees.

Rafael Soriano is definitely proving GM Brian Cashman’s reasoning behind NOT signing him during the off-season semi-true.

Hey, I was a huge supporter in grabbing Soriano after being burned by Cliff Lee. I thought Soriano would make the bullpen lights-out, but he honestly just looks like he doesn’t care.

Joba Chamberlain, Boone Logan and Robertson have all shaken off their early season jitters and are whizzing threw innings to keep the team in a position to win. These are the younger pitchers who should be admiring Soriano and it is not even his performance necessarily, but his attitude, which is evident and apparent when he gets into trouble.

Look, I hate to admit booing players and up to this point, other than Kyle Farnsworth I have been not participated in that at games. Then I sat tonight watching a pitcher who just didn’t seem to care, as if it was everybody’s fault but his and that is what bothered me more.

At this point I need to get a tattoo on my forehead that reads, CASHMAN RIGHT. I AM SORRY.

This is not disregarding what Hank and Hal Steinbrenner had to do because Yankees fans would have rioted if the off-season did produce some big-time player contract signing. That my friend, is a fact.

So after the amount of time I wasted criticizing Cashman, look at how things are turning out. Guess that is why I am not the Yankees GM, but can I please blame something for all of my anger?

Yes, it is crazy but the rejection by Cliff Lee did break my heart a little because who would not want to come to New York? It is my hometown and isn’t everything about money these days?

Add that to the re-signing Derek Jeter stress, and my aggression had to be taken out on someone, I guess. I just forgot that being the most expensive doesn’t guarantee anything but a nicer seat.

Hey, now who looks like the fool?

I do but booing doesn’t make me look any better.

What it really comes down too is the reality is that Soriano has appeared in 10 games this season and the team boosts a 7-3 record respectively.

So, it is more of just expecting Soriano to be a little bit better and maybe it is because I wanted him to be the Cliff Lee the Yankees will never have.

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New York Yankees Vs. Orioles: Time To Win One For CC

Posted by on 22 April 2011, 7:01 am

The New York Yankees are in Baltimore for Easter Weekend to play a three game set against their division rival Orioles. So far in 2011, the Yankees are 2-0 against the Orioles.

The first game on Friday night the Orioles will send 25-year-old, righty Brad Bergesen to the mound to face Yankees ace and one of the best pitchers in baseball CC Sabathia.

Orioles Brad Bergesen:

Bergesen will have his hands full with the hot Yankees bats of Robinson Cano, Curtis Granderson and Alex Rodriguez.

Cano has an 11-hitting streak going; and A-rod has hit a home-run and two RBIs in nine at-bats vs. Bergesen. In Granderson’s seven at-bats against Bergesen, he has a .555 batting average; with three hits, one double, three RBIs, a walk and zero strikeouts.

Bergesen has had some success versus the Yankees, as Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter have yet to get a hit in a combined 17 at-bats. He also pitched two innings of relief in New York back on April 13th, not giving up a hit and striking out two of the six Bombers he faced even though the Orioles lost the game 7-4.

Still, for the Orioles to have any chance to win the first game of the weekend, Bergesen has to pitch like he did in relief 10 days ago, but for about four more innings.

He has made two prior starts in 2011 posting a 0-2 record, throwing a combined 8.2 innings, allowing seven hits, three homers, four earned runs and striking out five. That isn’t going to cut it with the way the Yankees are hitting.

Yankees CC Sabathia:

Sabathia’s 0-1 record over four starts is not an accurate account of his performances. Sabathia has a 2.52 ERA in just over 25 innings pitched.

This is Sabathia’s slowest start and the only time he hasn’t posted a win in four outings in his 10 past seasons. Sabathia would throw nine innings all the time, but skipper Joe Girardi is not going to allow Sabathia or any Yankee pitcher get overused.

Sabathia is 14-2 in his career against the Orioles, so going eight innings is something Girardi would love to see. Whether Sabathia can keep his pitch count below 100 through seven innings is the question. Sabathia’s pitch count has been over 100 in all four outings, but only once vs. the Twins did he throw an efficient 104 pitches in seven full innings.

MY PREDICTION (and plea):

 

The motto in baseball or any other team sport is you win as a team; you lose, as a team. With the idea that no player is supposed to ever ask or imply otherwise, but this is America and to say it has never happened would be lying.

I can guarantee that selfish attitude has and never will materialize from a player like CC Sabathia. So I have no reason not to hope that Sabathia’s Yankee teammates win this game for their ace, who has come through above and beyond for the team, both as a player and a person.

Obviously the Yankees and the O’s both want to come away with the win, but the Yankees have an extra reason to make sure it happens in this game.

It would be hard to imagine that the Yankee players aren’t thinking about winning for CC and my guess is that is exactly what will happen.

Yankees beat the Orioles with a final score of 10-2.

 

2011 MLB FACT: The Bombers are the only team in baseball who has not lost two games in a row this season.  They also have the most homeruns with 30 already on the season.

 

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New York Yankees: Bartolo Colon’s Debut Shut Me Up

Posted by on 21 April 2011, 12:32 am
Toronto Skydome (Rogers Centre), NY Yankees vs...

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What year is it…2011?

Well, you could have fooled me as it sure felt like 2005 up at the Roger Centre in Toronto tonight, watching New York Yankees pitcher Bartolo Colon throw a gem in his first start filling in for Phil Hughes who is still on the DL with a dead-arm.

After losing a heartbreaker the night before in the bottom of the 10th inning, Colon led his new Yankee teammates to a well needed win. It came as a surprise, but not a shock after the impressive numbers Colon had in Spring Training.

Colon exhibited such an aura of confidence that you would have never guessed it was his first start on a Major League mound since July 24, 2009. He allowed seven hits and two runs over 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven batters in the tough and hard-hitting Blue Jays line-up, while walking just two. At one point he sent 12 Blue Jays down in a row.

More proof that GM Brian Cashman knows what he is doing, as when Yankees bench coach Tony Pena suggested Colon, Cashman didn’t listen, he acted immediately.

Cashman got such grief, me included before the 2011 season started and all the while he was just doing his job and well I might add.

Looking forward to watching Colon in his next start because after tonight he certainly earned another start on the bump.

Hey, it is about time the low-risk/high-reward actually worked for the Yankees.

The odds were in the ball-clubs favor, as Cashman probably learned after his first few failures of taking on older talent in hopes of a re-birth.

So, could the 37-year-old Colon be turning back into a pitching machine?

As isn’t the never-ending mystery of sports why fans love it in the first place?

Darn right it is….

My advice to Hughes is you better get to work and wake-up that arm because you spot is not guaranteed after the show Colon put on in Toronto tonight.

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New York Yankees: Hughes Improves And Joba Rules In Walk-off Win

Posted by on 15 April 2011, 4:52 am

Arriving in first place, only to leave in second is just what the New York Yankees hoped to do to Buck Showalter’s Baltimore Orioles. Winning Wednesday tied the teams atop the AL East; but beating the O’s for a second night in a row put the Yankees back on top.

The Orioles came in to the Bronx playing good baseball. It was the first time in nano-years where the O’s only chance to win wasn’t completely dependent on the Yankees beating themselves. Truth is that Buck’s Birds were now deemed good enough to beat the Evil Empire on their own merit.

Or at least that is what Showalter’s presence made you believe; unfortunately his Birds came in with their wings between their legs.

Following AJ Burnett posting his third win on the season, which puts him one ahead of the Red Sox, the shaky Phil Hughes was slated to take the bump. This time the Yankees were ready after Hughes’ implosion in Fenway last weekend.

Regarding Hughes, he got away with one tonight, but let’s not forget that baseball is a team sport and picking up the slack is a satisfying example of just that.

This does not at all mean that Hughes can take his darn old time or that the team will be able to do this every fifth day. All it did was earn Hughes another start; at least that is what I would presume.

The bullpen performances’ of Bartolo Colon and Joba Chamberlain were as close to perfect as anyone could ask for.

Joba looked dynamite, like 2007 bug-game style, retiring all five batters he faced; and tagging out a runner from scoring at home. Joba had that fierce look in his eyes, taking complete control of what happened and it was nice to finally see that fire again.

Colon and Joba’s determination went viral in the Yankees dugout, as the bats responded immediately with Posada going yard to tie the game at 5-5 and the great one, Mariano Rivera holding the O’s at bay to give the Yankee bats a chance to win in extra innings.

It didn’t take long, as in the 10th inning; Yankees Universe got to see the first 2011 (of hopefully many) Burnett walk-off pies slam into the game’s hero Nick Swisher. The Yankees will take it as who doesn’t’ love the walk-off win?

Hughes’ outing was a tad better, not like that was very hard. The 24-year-old is barely keeping his head above water but is still treading. Many will say that Hughes’ performance is getting masked because he got so much help, but the team won and once that is final, the how doesn’t really matter much.

This is the perfect way for the Yankees to head into an 2010 ALCS re-match with the Texas Ranger this weekend, especially for the team that is looking to taste some sweet revenge.

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New York Yankees: The Phil Hughes Solution

Posted by on 13 April 2011, 4:37 pm

New York Yankees pitcher Phil Hughes is not having the season he or the Yankees were hoping for so far in 2011. Check out the odds for MLB Betting@betus.com.

In his first two starts Hughes has a combined 16.50 ERA, pitching a total of six innings. In his most recent outing, Hughes was yanked in the second after the struggling Boston Red Sox scored five earned runs.

Even more concerning is that Hughes only had one strikeout in both outings combined, facing 33 batters total. Hughes also gave up 11 earned runs, three home-runs and four walks.

The Yankees have lost both of Hughes starts, as he has put the team into such a big hole very early in both games. This undoubtedly leads the Yankees to depleting their bullpen; and mentally sending in a pitcher mid-inning, down five runs is not very encouraging for anyone.

So, what should the Yankees do if Hughes implodes for the third time against the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday night?

First, let me state the fact that the Orioles are not leading the AL East right now because of their bats, as the team’s batting average is only a .216. This gives the opposing pitcher an advantage already.

So, if Hughes doesn’t improve in this game against a weak line-up, changes are going to have to be made soon, if not immediately.

There are a few options, but the most rational solution that the Yankees must be start thinking about is:

How or where would be the best place for Hughes to work on getting his stuff back?

Logically, when you think where Hughes was most successful the answer would be the bullpen.

When Hughes was moved from the rotation to a reliever role mid-2009, it changed the Yankees season. From the moment his role transformed, Hughes’ mindset naturally followed. His fastball hang-ups vanished, as was proved when his velocity spiked.

This gave Hughes his confidence back after struggling as a rookie and the move played a significant part in the team getting to the 2009 World Series.

Imagine how unstable this 24-year-old is now. He is coming off an All-Star season, where he posted an 18-8 record to now be unable to do anything.

Yes, the second half of 2010 Hughes’ numbers started declining. His strikeouts went from 91 in the first half to 55 in the second and batters went from hitting .239 against him to a .250 following the All-Star break.

It was a slip, but nowhere nearly as bad because at least he could still get the team some wins.

If Hughes went back to the bullpen, he could be an efficient long-man and it might be the best chance for him to just let loose again.

Hughes needs to work on perfecting a third pitch because in all honesty, many pitchers have had successful careers with a 85-89 mph fastball because they had other pitches to get guys out with.

With Hughes, hitters know his fastball is coming regardless of its speed because he only has one other pitch. That is a breaking ball that never is thrown for a strike.

Batters tend to sit on Hughes and just wait for his fastball to come. Hughes fastball is lacking any command, as it is straight, flat and easy to hit. Tigers Miguel Cabrera is the perfect example proving this by hitting two homers off Hughes in his two at-bats.

Hughes has to work on his curve ball and get some self-assurance about throwing; something he seemed to be starting to do last season until he lost total command of it in the playoffs.

Otherwise, he won’t be a worthwhile starter. I doubt some miracle spike in speed will happen to his fastball, at least one that will stick long term.

If Hughes is hurting at all let’s just hope he is not masking it, which the kid would never do intentionally. It is part of human nature, which allows for sometimes-minor pain to get overlooked when under stress.

I know that veteran pitchers, like AL Leiter claim that Hughes needs to continue to get his pitch count up to get his velocity back. If anyone knows it would be Leiter, who also knows just as well that the team cannot take continual losses until Hughes fixes himself. Continue reading ‘New York Yankees: The Phil Hughes Solution’ »

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