Substandard starting pitching. A lack of pop in the bats and no timely hitting. That will do you in just about every time. The Yankees 2010 season ended with a whimper on Friday night as the defending champs were dethroned by Texas.
The Yankees were never really in the series. The lack their normal hitting prowess and fell prey to hunger young pitchers from the Lone Star state. They were outplayed in just about every aspect of the game in five out of six games.
There isn't much to complain about. Anything can happen in a seven game series and while the Yankees had the superior team on paper, the Rangers showed why the games are played and how they should be played.
Yankee fans will make a swift transition to the hot stove now and will ogle Cliff Lee in his Game 1 start of the World Series.
Aside from a poor ALCS the Yankees were thoroughly entertaining this season and they'll be back at it again come February and March.
Showing posts with label MLB Playoffs. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MLB Playoffs. Show all posts
Saturday, October 23, 2010
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Yanks Snatch Game 1 in Texas
I heard commentators talking earlier in the season about how the Yankees didn't have as many walk-off wins as last year. While that is true, the general attitude of that statement was to imply that the Yankees didn't come back on teams like they had the year before.
If anything this one thoroughly proves that the Yankees are never out of a game. The Rangers blew a 5-0 lead and New York survived a CC Sabathia implosion to take Game 1 of the ALCS 6-5.
The Rangers really have to be hurting in the locker room after this one. They had beat on the Yankee ace and had forced the Yankees into using Dustin Moseley. Yet they failed to tack on runs against the mop up man and when Brett Gardner sparked a rally with a huge hustle play to start the eighth, you could see things start to slide downhill for the Rangers and their bullpen.
Ron Washington brought in Darren Oliver and the veteran walked two straight Yankees to load the bases. That forced the Texas manager to go to his second Darren, Darren O'Day. O'Day fluttered one of his side arm offerings down the inner third of the plate and Alex Rodriguez destroyed the ball past Michael Young at third to score tow more and pull the Yanks to within 5-4.
So, after one pitch Washington decided to bring in another lefty, this one being Clay Rapada. Rapada only threw nine innings in the majors this year and really Washington should have taken his chances with a hard thrower like Alexi Ogando, because Cano doesn't care who is throwing the ball, he will destroy it.
Cano led the AL with 13 homer against lefty pitching this season and had just homered off of C.J. Wilson who hadn't allowed a dinger to a same-sided batter all year. Rapada stood no chance and Cano tied the game with a hard single up the middle on the first pitch he saw.
After another pitching change Marcus Thames continued to be an unsung hero for New York this year and gave the Yanks the lead with a broken bat single.
The win is big for New York. Strike that, it's HUGE. They could have found themselves in a bad spot if they didn't rally to save Sabathia's bacon. Texas would have been rolling and licking their chops at the prospect of being up 1-0 in the series with Phil Hughes on the mound versus Colby Lewis and Cliff Lee still lurking in the shadows of Game 3. Now the Yankees have to be feeling like they are never out of the game, even on e where their ace is inept and teh opposing pitch is dealing deep into the game.
Tomorrow brings the previously mentioned match up of Phil Hughes vs. Colby Lewis. Hughes has been great in Texas for his career, throwing 15.1 scoreless innings over four seasons, including his aborted no-hitter in 2007. Plus Hughes has been better on the road in general this season.
Lewis has been solid since returning to the Majors from Japan. Lewis strikes out a lot of guys, but can also have bouts of wildness. The Yankees haven't seen Lewis this year, which usually is a bad omen for them. In this case though, they can probably at least elevate Lewis's pitch count and get into that Rangers bullpen early, much like the Rays did in Game 3 of the ALDS.
Back at it tomorrow at 4 p.m.
If anything this one thoroughly proves that the Yankees are never out of a game. The Rangers blew a 5-0 lead and New York survived a CC Sabathia implosion to take Game 1 of the ALCS 6-5.
The Rangers really have to be hurting in the locker room after this one. They had beat on the Yankee ace and had forced the Yankees into using Dustin Moseley. Yet they failed to tack on runs against the mop up man and when Brett Gardner sparked a rally with a huge hustle play to start the eighth, you could see things start to slide downhill for the Rangers and their bullpen.
Ron Washington brought in Darren Oliver and the veteran walked two straight Yankees to load the bases. That forced the Texas manager to go to his second Darren, Darren O'Day. O'Day fluttered one of his side arm offerings down the inner third of the plate and Alex Rodriguez destroyed the ball past Michael Young at third to score tow more and pull the Yanks to within 5-4.
So, after one pitch Washington decided to bring in another lefty, this one being Clay Rapada. Rapada only threw nine innings in the majors this year and really Washington should have taken his chances with a hard thrower like Alexi Ogando, because Cano doesn't care who is throwing the ball, he will destroy it.
Cano led the AL with 13 homer against lefty pitching this season and had just homered off of C.J. Wilson who hadn't allowed a dinger to a same-sided batter all year. Rapada stood no chance and Cano tied the game with a hard single up the middle on the first pitch he saw.
After another pitching change Marcus Thames continued to be an unsung hero for New York this year and gave the Yanks the lead with a broken bat single.
The win is big for New York. Strike that, it's HUGE. They could have found themselves in a bad spot if they didn't rally to save Sabathia's bacon. Texas would have been rolling and licking their chops at the prospect of being up 1-0 in the series with Phil Hughes on the mound versus Colby Lewis and Cliff Lee still lurking in the shadows of Game 3. Now the Yankees have to be feeling like they are never out of the game, even on e where their ace is inept and teh opposing pitch is dealing deep into the game.
Tomorrow brings the previously mentioned match up of Phil Hughes vs. Colby Lewis. Hughes has been great in Texas for his career, throwing 15.1 scoreless innings over four seasons, including his aborted no-hitter in 2007. Plus Hughes has been better on the road in general this season.
Lewis has been solid since returning to the Majors from Japan. Lewis strikes out a lot of guys, but can also have bouts of wildness. The Yankees haven't seen Lewis this year, which usually is a bad omen for them. In this case though, they can probably at least elevate Lewis's pitch count and get into that Rangers bullpen early, much like the Rays did in Game 3 of the ALDS.
Back at it tomorrow at 4 p.m.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Rays Get Hosed
I'm back baby. The playoffs started and now I'm completely enthralled again. I have to admit (and I know it sounds like sour grapes) but I really enjoy the fact that the Rays are down 2-0. The fact that they got jobbed on Michael Young's check swing is making even more fun for me.
I hope the Rays fans (all 10 of them) have enjoyed this little run. Crawford is gone after this year and perhaps after this next game as well as punk ass B.J. Upton for whatever that's worth. All that will be left in three years will be a 70-win team with Evan Longoria demanding a trade because he was dumb enough to sign a long term deal with this putrid organization.
I feel bad for the players. Upton and Matt Garza aside I kind of like the Rays. Crawford is one of the most exciting players in the game and Joe Maddon's persona and hipster glasses amuse me. As I've said before, it's their fans that I find so lame. It's just bad for the game when a team like the Rays, a novelty to the Tampa area, can't even sell out ALCS games while traditional baseball cities like Kansas City, Pittsburgh, Cleveland and up until now, Cincinnati, who have suffered so long, would give anything to be in the playoffs. Those people would pack the stands, make a ton of noise and make you feel like it was 1979 again.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Yanks Finally Clinch
Well at least they didn't totally back into the playoffs. CC Sabathia has been what the Yankees have needed all season long and tonight was no different. Sure it was a panic move to start Sabathia against the Jays rather than letting him get his long rest and taking the ball on Friday to put him on schedule, but at least Joe Girardi can finally have a good night's sleep for the first time in about a month.
Sabathia was dominant for 8.1 innings to pick up his 21st win of the season. Once the Yankees pushed across their second run of the night with a Mark Teixeira sacrifice fly in the third, you had the feeling that the game was over. That Sabathia just wouldn't let the Jays get anything going.
But this has been the case for a while now. The Yankees have been playing atrocious baseball for about a month and a half. The only time they look good is when Sabathia is on the mound. Hopefully they get back into a groove before the postseason starts. I hope they don't think they can just turn it on when they roll into Texas or, more likely, Minnesota.
Now the wonder is how the Yankees get set for the playoffs since. I'm imagining that Phil Hughes is done for the regular season and so is Sabathia. Andy needs his start tomorrow to make sure that he gets as close to ready as he can for the Division Series. A.J. Burnett will have to pitch and pitch exceptionally well to garner any consideration for a start in the first round.
The division is probably out of reach with the Rays having a virtual game and a half lead with the tiebreaker they own over the Yankees, so it looks like the Twins are up next.
Sabathia was dominant for 8.1 innings to pick up his 21st win of the season. Once the Yankees pushed across their second run of the night with a Mark Teixeira sacrifice fly in the third, you had the feeling that the game was over. That Sabathia just wouldn't let the Jays get anything going.
But this has been the case for a while now. The Yankees have been playing atrocious baseball for about a month and a half. The only time they look good is when Sabathia is on the mound. Hopefully they get back into a groove before the postseason starts. I hope they don't think they can just turn it on when they roll into Texas or, more likely, Minnesota.
Now the wonder is how the Yankees get set for the playoffs since. I'm imagining that Phil Hughes is done for the regular season and so is Sabathia. Andy needs his start tomorrow to make sure that he gets as close to ready as he can for the Division Series. A.J. Burnett will have to pitch and pitch exceptionally well to garner any consideration for a start in the first round.
The division is probably out of reach with the Rays having a virtual game and a half lead with the tiebreaker they own over the Yankees, so it looks like the Twins are up next.
Monday, October 26, 2009
ALCS Game 6 Recap
So the Angels did their part to help the pathetic airline industries by hitching a ride back across the country for little to no reason. After making the two teams wait for two days the Yankees and the Angels finally got their shot to conclude their series and see who would get the chance to take on the Phillies in the World Series.
As has happened throughout this postseason, the Yankees began the game by leaving numerous runners on base and allowing Joe Saunders to work out of trouble in the first, second and third. Saunders ran out of magic in the fourth inning when he allowed a lead off walk to Robinson Cano and a single to Nick Swisher. After another ill advised sacrifice bunt by Melky Cabrera moved the runners into scoring position Derek Jeter worked a walk.
That brought up Johnny Damon who had already failed to come through for the Yankees in the second inning with the bases loaded and two outs. This time Damon didn't miss his pitch, lining a two-run single into left-center field. After a Mark Teixeira infield hit, Alex Rodriguez worked a walk to give the Yankees a two-run lead.
The game remained relatively stagnant for the next four innings until, of all things, Mariano Rivera surrendered his first earned run at home during the playoffs since 2000. At that point it seemed that those damn Angels were gonna work a rally, this time against the best the Yankee bullpen had to offer. But in the bottom of the eighth the Yankee bats started scraping together some runs to give Rivera breathing room and with the help of Scott Kazmir's latest implosion this October they did just that.
13 pitches later and another poor at bat by Gary Matthews Jr. the Yankees were celebrating and moving on to the World Series. CC Sabathia now has hardware to dispell any notion he isn't a big game pitcher. Sabathia was every bit the ace the Yankees paid a $160 million for this off-season. He stifled the Angels for eight innings on two separate occasions, once on short rest. The Yankees will need the same thing if they expect to defeat the Phillies.
Rodriguez deserves mention as a runner-up to Sabathia in that MVP voting, and if not for the Angels giving him the Barry Bonds treatment for the last two games he might have stolen the honor from Sabathia. Five walks in the final two games made sure he didn't have a chance to have a huge impact with his bat. His final line for the series though, .429/.567/.952 was out of this world and should dispel any idea that he can't perform on a big stage.
This win wasn't only big from a historical standpoint for the Yankees, who finally overcame their regular season and playoff demons against the Angels, but also from a strategic standpoint. The Yankees now have all their ducks in a row for the World Series. CC Sabathia will be able to take the ball for Game 1 and the extended rest he is now getting will probably convince the Yankees to use him three times during the Series if necessary.
The World Series analysis will begin shortly, but at least for today, it is time to enjoy what the Yanks have gotten so far and get excited about what is to come.
As has happened throughout this postseason, the Yankees began the game by leaving numerous runners on base and allowing Joe Saunders to work out of trouble in the first, second and third. Saunders ran out of magic in the fourth inning when he allowed a lead off walk to Robinson Cano and a single to Nick Swisher. After another ill advised sacrifice bunt by Melky Cabrera moved the runners into scoring position Derek Jeter worked a walk.
That brought up Johnny Damon who had already failed to come through for the Yankees in the second inning with the bases loaded and two outs. This time Damon didn't miss his pitch, lining a two-run single into left-center field. After a Mark Teixeira infield hit, Alex Rodriguez worked a walk to give the Yankees a two-run lead.
The game remained relatively stagnant for the next four innings until, of all things, Mariano Rivera surrendered his first earned run at home during the playoffs since 2000. At that point it seemed that those damn Angels were gonna work a rally, this time against the best the Yankee bullpen had to offer. But in the bottom of the eighth the Yankee bats started scraping together some runs to give Rivera breathing room and with the help of Scott Kazmir's latest implosion this October they did just that.
13 pitches later and another poor at bat by Gary Matthews Jr. the Yankees were celebrating and moving on to the World Series. CC Sabathia now has hardware to dispell any notion he isn't a big game pitcher. Sabathia was every bit the ace the Yankees paid a $160 million for this off-season. He stifled the Angels for eight innings on two separate occasions, once on short rest. The Yankees will need the same thing if they expect to defeat the Phillies.
Rodriguez deserves mention as a runner-up to Sabathia in that MVP voting, and if not for the Angels giving him the Barry Bonds treatment for the last two games he might have stolen the honor from Sabathia. Five walks in the final two games made sure he didn't have a chance to have a huge impact with his bat. His final line for the series though, .429/.567/.952 was out of this world and should dispel any idea that he can't perform on a big stage.
This win wasn't only big from a historical standpoint for the Yankees, who finally overcame their regular season and playoff demons against the Angels, but also from a strategic standpoint. The Yankees now have all their ducks in a row for the World Series. CC Sabathia will be able to take the ball for Game 1 and the extended rest he is now getting will probably convince the Yankees to use him three times during the Series if necessary.
The World Series analysis will begin shortly, but at least for today, it is time to enjoy what the Yanks have gotten so far and get excited about what is to come.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Vintage Baseball
I just finished watching Game 7 of the NLCS on the MLB network between the Braves and Pirates. First of all, if you have access to the MLB network you should take advantage. Their "baseball tonight" style show is much better than anything ESPN is doing. Plus they show classic games like this one all the time. Besides the awesome mustaches, early 90's baseball was fun to watch.
To review, Doug Drabek was pitching against a young John Smoltz and Steve Avery for the NL pennant. Drabek was pitching on 3 days rest and this was his 3rd start in 8 days and he was pitching a shutout into the bottom of the ninth. (Drabek was responsible for 2 unearned runs in the 9th to get the loss.) He threw 129 pitches in Game 7. That is vintage baseball. CC Sabathia has been great, but only 15 years ago, what he does on short rest would be considered normal.
Jim Leyland is forced to bring in Stan Belinda to try to finish the 9th after an error by Jose Lind. (Ironic= Lind wins his only Gold Glove in 1992) Leyland's other option in the bullpen with the bases loaded, I kid you not, a guy named Bob Walk. WALK!! You would think at some point in Bob's life someone would have told him to move from pitcher to the outfield on account of his name alone.
AAA call up Francisco Cabrera, who had 10 ABs all season, singles to score the tying and go ahead run in the bottom of the ninth. Sid Bream scores from second. Now keep in mind, at this point in Sid Bream's career he was running about as well as Vlad Guerrero on a good day. Bream barely beats the throw. The left fielder who's throw is about 3 feet up the first base line, none other than Barry Bonds.
Maybe we can get back to some vintage baseball this postseason and mustaches. Mustaches are never a bad idea.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
ALCS Game 5
The Yankees will be trying to lock up the ALCS to go to their first World Series since 2003. Getting to the Series would be a huge lift for Yankee fans who have suffered through numerous first round collapses, but the reality is if they make it on to face the Phillies fans will on want a championship and nothing less.
But we get ahead of ourselves as the Yankees must still win one more game and being that that game is on the West Coast it may be a difficult challenge to bounce the Angels from the playoffs in their own house. The match up will be John Lackey vs. A.J. Burnett.
Lackey was better than his line indicated in Game 1. Shotty defense did him in early on and a masterful performance by CC Sabathia kept the Angels from making up for any of their fielding gaffes with their bats. Like any of the Angels pitchers, the Yankees can get to Lackey, but with their season on the line it isn't hard to envision Lackey producing a solid performance to prevent the Yankees from turning the game into a massacre like last night's NLCS finale.
The Yankees will counter with A.J. Burnett. Burnett hasn't been spectacular in the playoffs like Sabathia, but he has been good. In fact he was unhittable for five of the 6.1 he pitched. But like the typical Burnett he lost it for one inning and it cost him. And that will really be what this game is about. Burnett could easily put this series away for the Yankees or we could be watching them fly back to New York for Game 6.
The pitching match up is solid for Game 5 and the Angels are not the kind of team that rolls over and dies. It should be an entertaining game and if not, I'm sure the umpires still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
But we get ahead of ourselves as the Yankees must still win one more game and being that that game is on the West Coast it may be a difficult challenge to bounce the Angels from the playoffs in their own house. The match up will be John Lackey vs. A.J. Burnett.
Lackey was better than his line indicated in Game 1. Shotty defense did him in early on and a masterful performance by CC Sabathia kept the Angels from making up for any of their fielding gaffes with their bats. Like any of the Angels pitchers, the Yankees can get to Lackey, but with their season on the line it isn't hard to envision Lackey producing a solid performance to prevent the Yankees from turning the game into a massacre like last night's NLCS finale.
The Yankees will counter with A.J. Burnett. Burnett hasn't been spectacular in the playoffs like Sabathia, but he has been good. In fact he was unhittable for five of the 6.1 he pitched. But like the typical Burnett he lost it for one inning and it cost him. And that will really be what this game is about. Burnett could easily put this series away for the Yankees or we could be watching them fly back to New York for Game 6.
The pitching match up is solid for Game 5 and the Angels are not the kind of team that rolls over and dies. It should be an entertaining game and if not, I'm sure the umpires still have a few tricks up their sleeves.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Sabathia and A-Rod: Beasts Among Men
Watching both CC Sabathia and Alex Rodriguez play this postseason has been beyond belief. Both have done everything that Yankee fans could ask for. They have stepped up their game to a different level and they did it again last night.
On three days rest Sabathia completely overpowered the Anaheim while Rodriguez continued to pound Angels pitching, and pitching in general this postseason.
The victory left the Yankees one game away from the World Series and it is really Rodriguez that has the Yankees on the precipice of their first World Series in six years.
Rodriguez just has a different look at the plate than before. Every time up he gives off this aura that he is going to pound the ball somewhere. Even the opposing teams are noticing. Rarely do you ever see the opposing manager walk the potential winning run, but that was exactly what Mike Scoiscia did in Game 3 and it was the right move. After his home run off of Jason Bulger in the fifth Rodriguez surpassed his home run and RBI totals from his first four postseason's with the Yankees. His line for this postseason now stands at .407/.469/1.000.
Sabathia has been almost as equally dominant on the other side of the ball. The lefty continues to prove that any previous notion that he lacked the fortitude to win big games was just ludicrous. In three postseason starts Sabathia has three victories, a K:B ratio of almost 7:1 and an ERA of just 1.19. He has pitched into the seventh inning of every start and completed the eighth in the past to trips out to the hill. He has proven he can be every bit the horse he is in the regular in the playoffs if he is not worked into the ground just to get there.
Many speculated the Yankees would only go as far as Sabathia and A.J. Burnett would take them in the playoffs and while Burnett is still a big key to Yankee success, A-Rod has done much to overshadow the stellar Yankee pitching of this postseason and bring the Yankees to the brink of the World Series. If Sabathia continues to pitch the way he has and A-Rod keeps mashing it will be difficult for anyone to slow down the Bombers.
On three days rest Sabathia completely overpowered the Anaheim while Rodriguez continued to pound Angels pitching, and pitching in general this postseason.
The victory left the Yankees one game away from the World Series and it is really Rodriguez that has the Yankees on the precipice of their first World Series in six years.
Rodriguez just has a different look at the plate than before. Every time up he gives off this aura that he is going to pound the ball somewhere. Even the opposing teams are noticing. Rarely do you ever see the opposing manager walk the potential winning run, but that was exactly what Mike Scoiscia did in Game 3 and it was the right move. After his home run off of Jason Bulger in the fifth Rodriguez surpassed his home run and RBI totals from his first four postseason's with the Yankees. His line for this postseason now stands at .407/.469/1.000.
Sabathia has been almost as equally dominant on the other side of the ball. The lefty continues to prove that any previous notion that he lacked the fortitude to win big games was just ludicrous. In three postseason starts Sabathia has three victories, a K:B ratio of almost 7:1 and an ERA of just 1.19. He has pitched into the seventh inning of every start and completed the eighth in the past to trips out to the hill. He has proven he can be every bit the horse he is in the regular in the playoffs if he is not worked into the ground just to get there.
Many speculated the Yankees would only go as far as Sabathia and A.J. Burnett would take them in the playoffs and while Burnett is still a big key to Yankee success, A-Rod has done much to overshadow the stellar Yankee pitching of this postseason and bring the Yankees to the brink of the World Series. If Sabathia continues to pitch the way he has and A-Rod keeps mashing it will be difficult for anyone to slow down the Bombers.
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Pathetic
Presently I am watching a recap of the Sox 2007 championship on NESN. The Yankees will take the field in game four of the ALCS in moments. Eh, whaddaya gonna do?
ALCS Game 4
Ok here we go into Game 4. CC Sabathia is on the mound hoping to put the Angels in a 3-1 hole. The reality is the Yankees should be looking to move on to the World Series tonight, but no team has ever gone undefeated in a postseason since the installation of the Division Series in 1995.
I wont speak too much about Girardi's over-managemant of the bullpen in Game 3 since it has been discussed ad nauseum for the entire day. I will sum up my feelings by saying Dave Robertson is good and should be trusted more than Girardi is trusting him. Girardi really only trusts Mariano Rivera, and after last night's magic act in the 10th he has thoroughly proven he is from another planet, but I would trust Robertson almost as much as Phil Hughes after his playoff performance so far.
Anyway back to tonight. There will be much talk about Scott Kazmir and his history against the Yankees. While the numbers are good for his career against the bombers, from my experience of watching Kazmir against the Yankees, the key will be how quickly they elevate his pitch count. The Yankees have success against the lefty when the work the count and many times they get him out of the game before the sixth.
There shouldn't be too much worry about Sabathia. The big man has had success on three days rest and the Yankees purposefully under used him September for this very reason. He should be on point again, but the key to the game will be how quickly the bats can get to work on Kazmir.
I wont speak too much about Girardi's over-managemant of the bullpen in Game 3 since it has been discussed ad nauseum for the entire day. I will sum up my feelings by saying Dave Robertson is good and should be trusted more than Girardi is trusting him. Girardi really only trusts Mariano Rivera, and after last night's magic act in the 10th he has thoroughly proven he is from another planet, but I would trust Robertson almost as much as Phil Hughes after his playoff performance so far.
Anyway back to tonight. There will be much talk about Scott Kazmir and his history against the Yankees. While the numbers are good for his career against the bombers, from my experience of watching Kazmir against the Yankees, the key will be how quickly they elevate his pitch count. The Yankees have success against the lefty when the work the count and many times they get him out of the game before the sixth.
There shouldn't be too much worry about Sabathia. The big man has had success on three days rest and the Yankees purposefully under used him September for this very reason. He should be on point again, but the key to the game will be how quickly the bats can get to work on Kazmir.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Looking at ALCS Pitching Match Ups
So it looks like the Yankees are pretty well set for their rotation and with the Angels announcing their official ALCS rotation we can finally take a look at what each side is bring to the mound. Here are the first two match ups for this weekend.
Game 1 Match Up: CC Sabathia vs. John Lackey
We will start with Sabathia since he will be on the mound first. Everyone knows what the big lefty brings to the table; power fastball, hard slider, change up and an occasional curve. Sabathia did get roughed up by the Angels both times he pitched against them, but both of those starts came before the All-Star break when the big guy had yet to hit his stride with the Bombers in the second half. The Yankees are essentially putting their playoff existence in the hands of Sabathia by taking advantage of their off-days and using him three times if necessary during the ALCS. People like to judge Sabathia by his playoff record and to date he only has two quality playoff starts. The reality is that with his team's season on the line the man became an absolute beast with the Brewers and saved their season. The man can pitch when it counts.
Lackey is someone else who knows how to pitch when it counts. Lackey pitched well this year despite missing a month and a half due to injury. He has the guile to go into most stadiums and win in a hostile environment. Lackey pitched well against the Yankees the one time he faced them, outdueling CC in Anahiem during the first half finale. Lackey is the kind of pitcher that can always hurt the Yankees. He is fearless and he works with good command. The thing is he is hittable and the Yankees can get to him. This will easily be the best match up of the series.
Game 2 Match Up: A.J. Burnett vs. Joe Saunders
We all know what Burnett does. He is very predictable in that he can be unpredictable. Burnett could throw a no-hitter or he could give up seven runs, although I doubt Girardi is giving him that long of a leash in the ALCS. People are constantly worried about Burnett or who is catching him. Really I think his Game 2 performance will be what Burnett does this time around. He will walk a tightrope and give up a few runs, but I think he keeps the Yanks in the game.
Many would have criticized Mike Scoisia if he had let Jered Weaver start Game 2. Weaver isn't particularly good against the Yankees and he is particularly bad away from home. Joe Saunders is definitely a better choice than Weaver but he is not as good a choice as Scott Kazmir. Kazmir is someone who usually gives the Yankees all they can handle. Saunders had one bad start against New York and one good one after he returned from a stint on the DL. Things could go either way for him.
Each match up is close and could go either way. I think the Yankees get the edge in these first two only because of home field advantage. That last at bat will be huge, especially with the Yankees bullpen death. Each game should be close as Sabathia and Lackey probably trade zeros most of the way while Saunders and Burnett see who can put up fewer crooked numbers. I sure both games will take forever with the way the weather looks this weekend. Yet another reason the MLB's idiotic lack of flex scheduling kills the excitement of the playoffs.
Game 1 Match Up: CC Sabathia vs. John Lackey
We will start with Sabathia since he will be on the mound first. Everyone knows what the big lefty brings to the table; power fastball, hard slider, change up and an occasional curve. Sabathia did get roughed up by the Angels both times he pitched against them, but both of those starts came before the All-Star break when the big guy had yet to hit his stride with the Bombers in the second half. The Yankees are essentially putting their playoff existence in the hands of Sabathia by taking advantage of their off-days and using him three times if necessary during the ALCS. People like to judge Sabathia by his playoff record and to date he only has two quality playoff starts. The reality is that with his team's season on the line the man became an absolute beast with the Brewers and saved their season. The man can pitch when it counts.
Lackey is someone else who knows how to pitch when it counts. Lackey pitched well this year despite missing a month and a half due to injury. He has the guile to go into most stadiums and win in a hostile environment. Lackey pitched well against the Yankees the one time he faced them, outdueling CC in Anahiem during the first half finale. Lackey is the kind of pitcher that can always hurt the Yankees. He is fearless and he works with good command. The thing is he is hittable and the Yankees can get to him. This will easily be the best match up of the series.
Game 2 Match Up: A.J. Burnett vs. Joe Saunders
We all know what Burnett does. He is very predictable in that he can be unpredictable. Burnett could throw a no-hitter or he could give up seven runs, although I doubt Girardi is giving him that long of a leash in the ALCS. People are constantly worried about Burnett or who is catching him. Really I think his Game 2 performance will be what Burnett does this time around. He will walk a tightrope and give up a few runs, but I think he keeps the Yanks in the game.
Many would have criticized Mike Scoisia if he had let Jered Weaver start Game 2. Weaver isn't particularly good against the Yankees and he is particularly bad away from home. Joe Saunders is definitely a better choice than Weaver but he is not as good a choice as Scott Kazmir. Kazmir is someone who usually gives the Yankees all they can handle. Saunders had one bad start against New York and one good one after he returned from a stint on the DL. Things could go either way for him.
Each match up is close and could go either way. I think the Yankees get the edge in these first two only because of home field advantage. That last at bat will be huge, especially with the Yankees bullpen death. Each game should be close as Sabathia and Lackey probably trade zeros most of the way while Saunders and Burnett see who can put up fewer crooked numbers. I sure both games will take forever with the way the weather looks this weekend. Yet another reason the MLB's idiotic lack of flex scheduling kills the excitement of the playoffs.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Down go the Twins; Bring on the Angels
Another rally and a another victory locked up the ALDS for the Yankees for the first time since 2004 propelling the Yankees to a match up with the Angels for a berth to the World Series. When you look at the blunders by the Twins this series, it is pretty amazing how quickly things could have gone against the Yankees in Games 2 and 3. This Yankee team is designed to capitalize on mistakes though, and capitalize they did.
Now they move on to an opponent with more talent who will not be as inclined to push themselves into mistakes. The Angels have had their number for years. Ever since Mike Scioscia took the reigns out west the Angels have been a constant thorn in the Yankees side, eliminating them from the playoffs in both 2002 and 2005.
From watching the Yankees play the Angels for the past few seasons, it is easy to see that the Angels play a more aggressive style of baseball that is designed to create confusion and mistakes from the defense. With past Yankee teams that aggressive nature was bound to force someone like a Jason Giambi or Alfonso Soriano into a costly mistake. As these Yankees have proven, the are far less likely to make a mental mistake on defense, at least in the infield. Mark Teixeira has changed the dynamic of the infield defense in a huge way. The outfield on the other hand has been a different story.
Brett Gardner is the best defensive outfielder the Yankees have and beyond him the drop off can be rather steep. Johnny Damon can't throw and now has trouble tracking balls. Nick Swisher can be average in field, but every time a low-liner heads his way there is the distinct possibility of disaster. Melky Cabrera can run down most fly balls and he has a cannon for an arm... if only he had a brain. Cabrera constantly falls into the trap of throwing to the wrong base and that is something the Angels will make him pay for.
The one place the Yankees may finally have an advantage over the Angels is the bullpen. The Yankees have a much improved bullpen from '02 and more importantly '05. They now have power arms that strike out batters late in the game. Dave Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera give the Yankees a tough quartet to beat late in games. The Angels on the other hand have been slipping in the bullpen. This season they have yet to find that one shutdown reliever. The Angels ranked 11th out of 14 AL teams in bullpen ERA. The Yankees on the other hand were fifth in ERA and first in opponent batting average.
The Angels wont go down easy, they never do. But the Yankees may be ready to finally undue the hex the Angels have had them under for years. If I had to proffer a prediction it would be for the Yankees in 6.
Now they move on to an opponent with more talent who will not be as inclined to push themselves into mistakes. The Angels have had their number for years. Ever since Mike Scioscia took the reigns out west the Angels have been a constant thorn in the Yankees side, eliminating them from the playoffs in both 2002 and 2005.
From watching the Yankees play the Angels for the past few seasons, it is easy to see that the Angels play a more aggressive style of baseball that is designed to create confusion and mistakes from the defense. With past Yankee teams that aggressive nature was bound to force someone like a Jason Giambi or Alfonso Soriano into a costly mistake. As these Yankees have proven, the are far less likely to make a mental mistake on defense, at least in the infield. Mark Teixeira has changed the dynamic of the infield defense in a huge way. The outfield on the other hand has been a different story.
Brett Gardner is the best defensive outfielder the Yankees have and beyond him the drop off can be rather steep. Johnny Damon can't throw and now has trouble tracking balls. Nick Swisher can be average in field, but every time a low-liner heads his way there is the distinct possibility of disaster. Melky Cabrera can run down most fly balls and he has a cannon for an arm... if only he had a brain. Cabrera constantly falls into the trap of throwing to the wrong base and that is something the Angels will make him pay for.
The one place the Yankees may finally have an advantage over the Angels is the bullpen. The Yankees have a much improved bullpen from '02 and more importantly '05. They now have power arms that strike out batters late in the game. Dave Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes and Mariano Rivera give the Yankees a tough quartet to beat late in games. The Angels on the other hand have been slipping in the bullpen. This season they have yet to find that one shutdown reliever. The Angels ranked 11th out of 14 AL teams in bullpen ERA. The Yankees on the other hand were fifth in ERA and first in opponent batting average.
The Angels wont go down easy, they never do. But the Yankees may be ready to finally undue the hex the Angels have had them under for years. If I had to proffer a prediction it would be for the Yankees in 6.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Sox Succumb to Angels. What now?
So Boston's 2009 season ends without to much of a fight as the Angels unceremoniously dispatch the Sox in three games. Though Beckett and Lester didn't have their A games, they didn't pitch horribly. The real problem was the offense. The Sox hit .158 and scored a mere seven runs in the series, six of which came in the final game. Were these the same Red Sox that finished third in all of baseball in runs? It's hard to believe that this is the same team that started with such a flourish and such lofty hopes. Yes, they won 95 games, but the way things ended, it feels like only 75. The framework will be there for another run in 2010, but there are many questions as Boston heads into the off season.
The first thing that comes to mind is that this is such a potentially undignified way for Jason Varitek's career in Boston to come to an end; without so much as a plate appearance in the post season. His contract contains both player and team options for 2010, but my guess is that Theo will just choose to buy him out and let the captain seek his fortune elsewhere. This, of course, is the right thing for Epstien to do, and it would be the right thing even if Victor Martinez wasn't waiting in the wings. Varitek has become both a liability at the plate and in the field as base runners have consistently turned things into a track meet when Tek catches. If this is the way it ends for Jason in Boston, it's far from ideal, but for athletes, the end seldom is.
My next big concern is Jonathan Papelbon. His meltdown in game three was just the culmination of his struggles this season. Though Paps saved 38 of 41 games, anyone who watched him could see that he was toeing a very thin line all season. He walked more batters than he ever has since becoming the Sox closer (24 compared to an average of 12 the last three seasons) and his WHIP was over 1.100, not very good for a closer. His time of dominance may be coming to an end. It will be interesting to see how the Sox treat him in the off season. Will they avoid arbitration again?
Another big concern in the pitching department is Dice-K. They're stuck with him through 2012 and spent a boat load of money. I will be curious to see if he will develop into a legit ace or if he will join the ranks of Mike Hampton and Carl Pavano in the free-agent-pitching-bust hall of crap. I think next season is a make or break year for him.
Finally, will the Sox retain Jason Bay? The word on the street is that he wants to stay in Boston, but we all know money talks. I would love to see the Sox keep him. He fits in well and adds some much needed pop to the lineup. But I'm not sure if the Sox will want to match what he may command in the open market. What will the cost be? Four, five, six years? $80 million? The fact is that while Bay probably has several very productive years ahead of him he is 31 years old. That could mean production until 38, or he could be washed up by 34. You have to straddle that fence very carefully. He is probably more valuable to the Sox than anyone else. I would be fine with five years $70-$75 million.
At least the Sox have some very important pieces in place. Youkilis and Pedroia are firmly entrenched as leaders and the catalysts of the lineup. Beckett and Lester left little question that they are a formidable two headed monster in the starting rotation. And Clay Buchholz emerged as a solid number three. Ellsbury will remain a menace on the bases. There will continue to be age concerns with Lowell and Big Papi, but hopefully their production will be worth their inevitable time spent on the DL. On paper, the Sox will be contenders again, but one thing I just can't shake is that late season swoon, the seemingly apathetic approach to September baseball. Their biggest mistake was the belief in the fallacy that they could simply turn it on just as the leaves turn in October. The Angels were just hungrier. Complacence is dangerous.
The first thing that comes to mind is that this is such a potentially undignified way for Jason Varitek's career in Boston to come to an end; without so much as a plate appearance in the post season. His contract contains both player and team options for 2010, but my guess is that Theo will just choose to buy him out and let the captain seek his fortune elsewhere. This, of course, is the right thing for Epstien to do, and it would be the right thing even if Victor Martinez wasn't waiting in the wings. Varitek has become both a liability at the plate and in the field as base runners have consistently turned things into a track meet when Tek catches. If this is the way it ends for Jason in Boston, it's far from ideal, but for athletes, the end seldom is.
My next big concern is Jonathan Papelbon. His meltdown in game three was just the culmination of his struggles this season. Though Paps saved 38 of 41 games, anyone who watched him could see that he was toeing a very thin line all season. He walked more batters than he ever has since becoming the Sox closer (24 compared to an average of 12 the last three seasons) and his WHIP was over 1.100, not very good for a closer. His time of dominance may be coming to an end. It will be interesting to see how the Sox treat him in the off season. Will they avoid arbitration again?
Another big concern in the pitching department is Dice-K. They're stuck with him through 2012 and spent a boat load of money. I will be curious to see if he will develop into a legit ace or if he will join the ranks of Mike Hampton and Carl Pavano in the free-agent-pitching-bust hall of crap. I think next season is a make or break year for him.
Finally, will the Sox retain Jason Bay? The word on the street is that he wants to stay in Boston, but we all know money talks. I would love to see the Sox keep him. He fits in well and adds some much needed pop to the lineup. But I'm not sure if the Sox will want to match what he may command in the open market. What will the cost be? Four, five, six years? $80 million? The fact is that while Bay probably has several very productive years ahead of him he is 31 years old. That could mean production until 38, or he could be washed up by 34. You have to straddle that fence very carefully. He is probably more valuable to the Sox than anyone else. I would be fine with five years $70-$75 million.
At least the Sox have some very important pieces in place. Youkilis and Pedroia are firmly entrenched as leaders and the catalysts of the lineup. Beckett and Lester left little question that they are a formidable two headed monster in the starting rotation. And Clay Buchholz emerged as a solid number three. Ellsbury will remain a menace on the bases. There will continue to be age concerns with Lowell and Big Papi, but hopefully their production will be worth their inevitable time spent on the DL. On paper, the Sox will be contenders again, but one thing I just can't shake is that late season swoon, the seemingly apathetic approach to September baseball. Their biggest mistake was the belief in the fallacy that they could simply turn it on just as the leaves turn in October. The Angels were just hungrier. Complacence is dangerous.
Saturday, October 10, 2009
Instant Replay is Not the Answer
So as it was replayed 50 times on Friday night, I'm sure that everyone knows that Joe Mauer actually hit a ground rule double in the top of they 11th inning and not a foul ball down the left-field line. If Mauer was given the double then he more than likely would have scored in the top half of the inning and perhaps they would have kept playing into the early morning hours in the Bronx rather than sitting in their hotel rooms in Minnesota right now.
Much has been made about this umpiring flop in particular and the quality of officiating in the playoffs in general, but I'll say this: let it go. Human error is part of the game. Just like Matt Holliday is a pariah in St. Louis for his blunder in Game 2 against the Dodgers and Bill Buckner became the anti-Christ in Boston for years, umpires can have lapses and miss calls. It is the human element of the game and I for one am not going to throw them under the bus for a couple of screwed up plays.
The Twins might not even be in the playoffs if not for a blown call. So how can they complain if one goes against them in a big spot? The reality is Minnesota had the bases loaded and nobody out in that same inning and they could not score a run. Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez each saw one pitch and made an out. Neither swung at a quality pitch or made Dave Robertson make a pitch. So who is really to blame for the Twins inability to score in the 11th? Phil Cuzzi or poor hitting with runners on base?
I understand that from my perspective it is tough to feel the pain a Twins fan might be feeling, but every section of fandom in every sport has had a call go against their team. Sometimes your team out plays the mistake, sometimes it causes them to fall apart, but the reality is that sometimes you have to just look in the mirror for the real reason you did not win.
Leave the umpires alone. They call a remarkable amount of plays the right way and the game is better for having people out there making quick decisions rather than second guessing every close play. I don't know about you, but I don't think I could stand it if Yankee vs. Red Sox games got any longer.
Much has been made about this umpiring flop in particular and the quality of officiating in the playoffs in general, but I'll say this: let it go. Human error is part of the game. Just like Matt Holliday is a pariah in St. Louis for his blunder in Game 2 against the Dodgers and Bill Buckner became the anti-Christ in Boston for years, umpires can have lapses and miss calls. It is the human element of the game and I for one am not going to throw them under the bus for a couple of screwed up plays.
The Twins might not even be in the playoffs if not for a blown call. So how can they complain if one goes against them in a big spot? The reality is Minnesota had the bases loaded and nobody out in that same inning and they could not score a run. Delmon Young and Carlos Gomez each saw one pitch and made an out. Neither swung at a quality pitch or made Dave Robertson make a pitch. So who is really to blame for the Twins inability to score in the 11th? Phil Cuzzi or poor hitting with runners on base?
I understand that from my perspective it is tough to feel the pain a Twins fan might be feeling, but every section of fandom in every sport has had a call go against their team. Sometimes your team out plays the mistake, sometimes it causes them to fall apart, but the reality is that sometimes you have to just look in the mirror for the real reason you did not win.
Leave the umpires alone. They call a remarkable amount of plays the right way and the game is better for having people out there making quick decisions rather than second guessing every close play. I don't know about you, but I don't think I could stand it if Yankee vs. Red Sox games got any longer.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Sox Lose Game 1 to Angels.
Not much went right for the Bean Eaters last night. Lester didn't have his best stuff, but really only had one major mistake, the three run homer to Torii Hunter. I'm more concerned with the Sox bats actually. To me, they haven't looked good in months, and last night they looked lost.
Yes, the Sox had to overcome two bad calls at first base. Only one resulted in a run, but it effectively put the game away. But again, it's the offense that really looks terrible at this point. Give credit to Lackey, who is a very good pitcher and was excellent last night. The Sox will have an early exit if all they can manage is four harmless singles each game.
Perhaps Beckett can summon some more post season magic tonight. Going home 0-2 will almost certainly spell doom for Boston in spite of their history of comebacks.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Game 1 Recap: Yankees 7, Twins 2
It didn't start the way the Yankees were hoping. While CC Sabathia had good stuff, he and Jorge Posada failed to get into a groove early on. In the first inning with Denard Span on second and Joe Mauer at the plate Sabathia uncorked a slider when Posada was looking fastball. Sabathia was able to bear down and strike out the AL Batting champ to negate the miscue.
What Sabathia could not prevent was a run from scoring when he and Posada were crossed up a second time in the third. He also couldn't prevent Posada from lallygagging to the passed ball, allowing Mauer to correct his hesitation and score the Twins second run. Posada may not like Jose Molina starting over him on Friday night, but his performance wasn't going to give Girardi too many second thoughts.
This, of course, set the stage for the Captain. After Melky Cabrera squeaked out an infield single, Derek Jeter drove a 1-0 pitch from Brian Duensing into the left-field seats to tie the game at two. From then on it was all Yankees. Sabathia found his groove and with the bats finding their stroke the Twins couldn't touch him the rest of the way. He struck out eight Twins over his 6.2 innings, dispelling myths that he could not perform on the big stage of postseason play. Sabathia made it a good night in Yankeeland.
Hell even A-Rod was hitting, that's how good things got for the Yankees. But speaking of A-Rod, can this finally stop? The constant analysis of his performance and the state of his psyche is bordering on the absurd. The reality is that players will have ten, sometimes 20 at bat stretches where they can't get themselves together. You can't take such small sample sizes, spread out over several years and say that he cannot perform in the postseason.
With those stigmas wiped clean, the onus now falls on whether A.J. Burnett and his battery mate Jose Molina measure up on Friday night.
In other news the Rockies were knocked around by the Phillies 5-1. Cliff Lee was spectacular and it is hard to envision the Rockies putting up much of a fight against the defending NL Champs. Cliff Lee was on point the entire game. So that is one way for Charlie Manual to avoid using his suspect bullpen. I would have preferred to see Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain dismantle people in the playoffs, but alas Brian Sabean has never been able to put together a decent lineup behind his ridiculous pitching staff.
The Dodgers and the Cardinals squared off in the nightcap. The Cardinals, with Chris Carpenter on the mound, dropped the opener 5-3. The scary thing about playing the Cardinals, aside from Albert Pujols, was facing Carpenter and Adam Wainwright at the top of the rotation. With Carpenter flopping in Game 1 the Cardinals are in bad shape. It seemed that every pitcher that came in for the Cards was scared of the Dodger lineup, consistantly pitching around hitters. The problem is that eventually you have to pitch to somebody.
What Sabathia could not prevent was a run from scoring when he and Posada were crossed up a second time in the third. He also couldn't prevent Posada from lallygagging to the passed ball, allowing Mauer to correct his hesitation and score the Twins second run. Posada may not like Jose Molina starting over him on Friday night, but his performance wasn't going to give Girardi too many second thoughts.
This, of course, set the stage for the Captain. After Melky Cabrera squeaked out an infield single, Derek Jeter drove a 1-0 pitch from Brian Duensing into the left-field seats to tie the game at two. From then on it was all Yankees. Sabathia found his groove and with the bats finding their stroke the Twins couldn't touch him the rest of the way. He struck out eight Twins over his 6.2 innings, dispelling myths that he could not perform on the big stage of postseason play. Sabathia made it a good night in Yankeeland.
Hell even A-Rod was hitting, that's how good things got for the Yankees. But speaking of A-Rod, can this finally stop? The constant analysis of his performance and the state of his psyche is bordering on the absurd. The reality is that players will have ten, sometimes 20 at bat stretches where they can't get themselves together. You can't take such small sample sizes, spread out over several years and say that he cannot perform in the postseason.
With those stigmas wiped clean, the onus now falls on whether A.J. Burnett and his battery mate Jose Molina measure up on Friday night.
In other news the Rockies were knocked around by the Phillies 5-1. Cliff Lee was spectacular and it is hard to envision the Rockies putting up much of a fight against the defending NL Champs. Cliff Lee was on point the entire game. So that is one way for Charlie Manual to avoid using his suspect bullpen. I would have preferred to see Tim Lincecum and Matt Cain dismantle people in the playoffs, but alas Brian Sabean has never been able to put together a decent lineup behind his ridiculous pitching staff.
The Dodgers and the Cardinals squared off in the nightcap. The Cardinals, with Chris Carpenter on the mound, dropped the opener 5-3. The scary thing about playing the Cardinals, aside from Albert Pujols, was facing Carpenter and Adam Wainwright at the top of the rotation. With Carpenter flopping in Game 1 the Cardinals are in bad shape. It seemed that every pitcher that came in for the Cards was scared of the Dodger lineup, consistantly pitching around hitters. The problem is that eventually you have to pitch to somebody.
Bring on the Halos
As I sit watching the Yankees and Twins knotted at 2 in the bottom of the first, I am contemplating the Red Sox first post season game against the Angels tomorrow night. (Though I am off work on Friday I will likely miss the majority of the game since it starts at 9:30, I am fighting a cold and will likely be zonked on Nyquil.) The Sox past post season dominance of the Angels has been well documented. This year could be different though as the Angels love to run and the Sox are downright inept at stopping it.
The key is keeping folks like Chone (god I wish maternity wards could spell check names) Figgins off the base paths to begin with. Of course he will probably get on at some point. But when he does, the pitcher needs to focus on next batter. Don't ignore the runner, but don't become pre-occupied either. You need to just concentrate on getting the next guy out. Figgins isn't going to steal second and third and home. Bottom line, if the Sox pitchers can just focus on getting hitters out, all of the Angels running will be for naught.
Both teams have all-star arms going in game one; Jon Lester for Boston, John Lackey for Anaheim. Lester has no starts against the Angels this year. Lackey had one start against Boston, and although he lost, it was a good outing: 7 2/3 IP, 2 ER, 6 K. I can't envision anything but a tightly contested series. My prediction Sox in 5... why not?
Bring on the Twinkies
Well it took an extra two days and one hell of a playoff game, but the Yankees finally have an opponent for their Division Series. The Twins are the lucky winners of Who Wants to Play the Yankees Sweepstakes. Although I'm not sure you could call them lucky as the match up against the Yankees is a landslide on paper in favor of the bombers.
The bombers have better hitting, better starting and a bullpen that slightly outmatches a solid Twins crew led by Joe Nathan. The Twins are coming off an exhausting run to the playoffs where they had to win 17 0f 21 including a one game playoff. Now they are flying halfway across the country to take on a team they failed to defeat once this season.
Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for Ron Gardenhire and the Twins ability to constantly compete for a playoff spot regardless of their roster deficiencies or when their owner decides to be absurdly cheap, but can you really choose anybody but the Yankees to win this series? Just look at the Game 1 starters: Brian Duensing vs. CC Sabathia. This is a David vs. Goliath match up in every respect for these two teams except of course for Joe Mauer.
I also think that any Yankee player who previously had post-season struggles (Sabathia/A-Rod) will be able to get beyond them in this time around. Sabathia hasn't worn himself out while carrying his team to the playoffs, and Rodriguez has had a different aura around him since he came back from hip surgery early this season. Both should be ready to step up during this October.
I've learned that in the playoffs, any team can beat any other team in such a short series, which of course is part of the problem with the MLB playoffs, but in this case I can't see the Twins pulling out more than one game. I predict the Yankees in 4.
The bombers have better hitting, better starting and a bullpen that slightly outmatches a solid Twins crew led by Joe Nathan. The Twins are coming off an exhausting run to the playoffs where they had to win 17 0f 21 including a one game playoff. Now they are flying halfway across the country to take on a team they failed to defeat once this season.
Don't get me wrong, I have a lot of respect for Ron Gardenhire and the Twins ability to constantly compete for a playoff spot regardless of their roster deficiencies or when their owner decides to be absurdly cheap, but can you really choose anybody but the Yankees to win this series? Just look at the Game 1 starters: Brian Duensing vs. CC Sabathia. This is a David vs. Goliath match up in every respect for these two teams except of course for Joe Mauer.
I also think that any Yankee player who previously had post-season struggles (Sabathia/A-Rod) will be able to get beyond them in this time around. Sabathia hasn't worn himself out while carrying his team to the playoffs, and Rodriguez has had a different aura around him since he came back from hip surgery early this season. Both should be ready to step up during this October.
I've learned that in the playoffs, any team can beat any other team in such a short series, which of course is part of the problem with the MLB playoffs, but in this case I can't see the Twins pulling out more than one game. I predict the Yankees in 4.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Case Against The One Game Playoff
Yes it's full of drama, one game for all the marbles and a chance at the World Series. But then what did we go through all these freakin' games for? When division opponents play each other 19 times, the season series should determine the division winner, whose in whose out. In a sport like baseball when the cumulative effect of 162 games is supposed to remove all doubt who the best team is after being tested for 5 months, it's totally unfair for one game to decide something as important and fundamental as a playoff berth. If we're going to allow one game to decide, then we may as well shorten the season to 100 or 50 or even 20 games. A team that wins a season series over 19 games has proven itself the better team and should be allowed to reap the benefits.
As the regular season ends, the leader boards are peppered with Red Sox. Jason Bay finished tied for 3rd in home runs behind Carlos Pena and Mark Teixeira and 2nd in RBI behind Teixeira. Had he been more consistent, Bay could have contended for the MVP. Dustin Pedroia finished 1st in the AL in runs scored for the second year in a row. In a most impressive feat Jacoby Ellsbury lead MLB in stolen bases with 70. This is also the second straight season he's led the AL. On the pitching side, Jon Lester finished 3rd in the AL in strikeouts. I personally didn't think he would develop in to the strikeout artist he became this season.
Well, let the playoffs begin. We'll see if the Sox can put their crummy finish behind them. Bring on the Halos.
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