For Yankee fans Thursday night couldn't have been much better. Sure they might have been able to score a few more runs and Pettitte was shaky early, but they won and they did it by slapping around Carl Pavano a little bit and that's all New York needed.
There were several questions about Pettitte coming into this game and his seven inning two-run performance was impressive, especially after the second inning when he really settled in and mowed down Twins. After Danny Valencia's second inning sac fly, the veteran lefty set down the next 11 batters before surrendering a solo homer to Orlando Hudson.
By that point the Yankees had started to figure out Pavano and although they only had two runs, they were scorching balls of the Twins starter.
But the story of the game will be the non-strike call on Lance Berkman in the seventh. The pitch was strike on the inside corner, but really home plate umpire Hunter Wendelstedt wasn't giving that pitch most of the night and was giving a generous amount on the outside part of the plate. It shouldn't be a big issue, but like the non-call against Michael Young in Tampa Bay earlier in the day, it will stand out as the next pitch in each at bat cost the home team.
The Yankees will focus on what they did though and not the calls the umpires made. Tonight two players stand out besides Pettitte and those two are Lance Berkman and Curtis Granderson.
Berkman finally showed some of that power that the Yankees were hoping to get when they traded for him at the Deadline in July. Since his days in Houston Berkman has always shown huge power to the opposite field from the left side of the plate, and that finally came out tonight. Both his home run and his double were absolutely scorched to left-center.
Joining Berkman in the on hot-hitters club, is Curtis Granderson who is in full-on beast mode right now. Granderson banged out three more hits tonight including one that drove in an insurance run in the night. Granderson is really playing to his potential since Kevin Long adjusted his stance and swing in Texas back in August and now the Yankees are reaping the benefits of the patience they've had with him.
Granderson has four hits in the first two games of the series and he has the biggest one of the series so far with his two-run triple off of Fransisco Liriano in Game 1. If there was an MVP for the LDS, Granderson would be the front runner so far.
Now it's a day off and then back to New York with two chances to close out the series for the Yanks.
Showing posts with label Andy Pettitte. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Andy Pettitte. Show all posts
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Pettitte Feeling Strong
Good news coming out of Yankee camp for the first time in a while. The word coming from Chad Jennings is that Pettitte felt strong after his bullpen and even dialed it up for the last 20 pitches with no adverse effects.
A healthy Pettitte would be huge for the Yankees. Like Sabathia, Pettitte knows how to battle through starts and give his team a chance to win. Having him in the fold would stabilize the front end of the rotation and eliminate some of the uncertainty that follows around either Dustin Moseley or Ivan Nova.
Plus Teixeira is back in the lineup after being pulled with a a bruised right thumb. That makes sense against the right-hander. It problem only bothers him when he hits from the right side.
A healthy Pettitte would be huge for the Yankees. Like Sabathia, Pettitte knows how to battle through starts and give his team a chance to win. Having him in the fold would stabilize the front end of the rotation and eliminate some of the uncertainty that follows around either Dustin Moseley or Ivan Nova.
Plus Teixeira is back in the lineup after being pulled with a a bruised right thumb. That makes sense against the right-hander. It problem only bothers him when he hits from the right side.
Saturday, August 28, 2010
Rotation Struggling As Burnett Gets Rocked
Start the doomsday whistles in the Bronx, A.J. Burnett go roughed up yet again as the Yanks fell to the White Sox 9-4. I'm sure many will start to freak out a little bit, especially considering how the Red Sox beat the Rays in Tampa and are now within five games in the loss column to both New York and Tampa.
Really though, this is A.J. Burnett and I'm pretty sure the Yankees knew that when they signed him. Hell, I'm sure every Yankee fan knew it when they signed him. He is incredible streaky and is inherently unreliable at the top of a rotation. But I think that Brian Cashman understood that and knew CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte as that reliable horses who would make sure the Yankees got through the regular season and he knew that A.J. could be a dominant playoff force if the timing was right.
Last year that happened and the Yankees won a World Series title. That same scenerio could be playing out again. The only difference is that this season the Rays are markedly improved and are hanging with the Yanks, and Pettitte is still serving time on the disabled list.
August is the second month this season when Burnett has failed to win a game. I think that is what has weighed on the Yankees. Also Burnett has not had a signature game or hot streak to bouy the doubts of fans and management like he did last year.
The problem is that the Yankees have already used their one insurance policy in Triple-A when they called up Ivan Nova to replace Javier Vazquez. They had a back-up for the back-up plan with Zach McAllister, but he pitched his way out of that role and then into a trade as a player-to-be-named-later deal for Austin Kearns. Nova will likely stay in teh rotation for a couple of turns, but the Yankees need to get Pettitte back and get Hughes back on track for the stretch run.
Even Nova is unreliable. Not that he couldn't provide the Yanks with a spark, but he is approaching an innings limit similar to Hughes and just like Hughes he is young and you just don't know whether or not he will be solid on a start by start basis.
Right now only Sabathia and sometimes Dustin Moseley (with a lot of luck) have provided the Yankees with anything resembling stability in the rotation. That's a scary thought when you say it aloud. And it means certain doom if the Yanks can't get Pettitte healthy and Burnett back on track before the playoffs.
Really though, this is A.J. Burnett and I'm pretty sure the Yankees knew that when they signed him. Hell, I'm sure every Yankee fan knew it when they signed him. He is incredible streaky and is inherently unreliable at the top of a rotation. But I think that Brian Cashman understood that and knew CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte as that reliable horses who would make sure the Yankees got through the regular season and he knew that A.J. could be a dominant playoff force if the timing was right.
Last year that happened and the Yankees won a World Series title. That same scenerio could be playing out again. The only difference is that this season the Rays are markedly improved and are hanging with the Yanks, and Pettitte is still serving time on the disabled list.
August is the second month this season when Burnett has failed to win a game. I think that is what has weighed on the Yankees. Also Burnett has not had a signature game or hot streak to bouy the doubts of fans and management like he did last year.
The problem is that the Yankees have already used their one insurance policy in Triple-A when they called up Ivan Nova to replace Javier Vazquez. They had a back-up for the back-up plan with Zach McAllister, but he pitched his way out of that role and then into a trade as a player-to-be-named-later deal for Austin Kearns. Nova will likely stay in teh rotation for a couple of turns, but the Yankees need to get Pettitte back and get Hughes back on track for the stretch run.
Even Nova is unreliable. Not that he couldn't provide the Yanks with a spark, but he is approaching an innings limit similar to Hughes and just like Hughes he is young and you just don't know whether or not he will be solid on a start by start basis.
Right now only Sabathia and sometimes Dustin Moseley (with a lot of luck) have provided the Yankees with anything resembling stability in the rotation. That's a scary thought when you say it aloud. And it means certain doom if the Yanks can't get Pettitte healthy and Burnett back on track before the playoffs.
Monday, May 31, 2010
Yanks Take Finale and Series From Indians
The Yankees managed to thump the Indians for the third time in four days. They thumped the Indian pitching on the other game, but managed to throw away leads of three runs and six runs twice to hand Cleveland a victory.
Andy Pettitte kept the Yankees and himself rolling with a dominating performance against a sad Cleveland team. Pettitte's performance was exemplary. At 37 going on 38 the lefty has been keeping hitters off balance all season and, along with Phil Hughes, he has been the ace of the staff.
Pettitte never wavered against the Indians and after a one-out single by Mark Grudzielanek he sat down the next 14 Cleveland batters to step up to the plate. Match that with how he kept the Twins from getting anything on the board late in his previous start and you have a pitcher who is riding a hot streak.
It also seems that Pettitte's mental prowess has reached a level that matches his physical ability. If he can stay healthy then the Yankee rotation will be the best in baseball when Sabathia and Burnett heat with the weather.
The last two series are exactly what the Yankees needed. Cleveland and Minnesota are two teams the Yankees tend to beat on and they came at the perfect time for New York to rebound from a tough stretch of games. May in general was the Yankees most difficult month in terms of opponents. Now they will enter June with a chance of catching the Rays and putting some serious distance between themselves and the Red Sox.
June will see New York take on sad-sack teams such as the Astros, Diamondbacks, Mets, Orioles and Blue Jays. Not to mention the seven games against Seattle at the end of June and the start of July, plus more games against the Blue Jays and a rematch of Braden vs. A-Rod. It will be a great way to pump up the Yanks record before the All-Star break.
Andy Pettitte kept the Yankees and himself rolling with a dominating performance against a sad Cleveland team. Pettitte's performance was exemplary. At 37 going on 38 the lefty has been keeping hitters off balance all season and, along with Phil Hughes, he has been the ace of the staff.
Pettitte never wavered against the Indians and after a one-out single by Mark Grudzielanek he sat down the next 14 Cleveland batters to step up to the plate. Match that with how he kept the Twins from getting anything on the board late in his previous start and you have a pitcher who is riding a hot streak.
It also seems that Pettitte's mental prowess has reached a level that matches his physical ability. If he can stay healthy then the Yankee rotation will be the best in baseball when Sabathia and Burnett heat with the weather.
The last two series are exactly what the Yankees needed. Cleveland and Minnesota are two teams the Yankees tend to beat on and they came at the perfect time for New York to rebound from a tough stretch of games. May in general was the Yankees most difficult month in terms of opponents. Now they will enter June with a chance of catching the Rays and putting some serious distance between themselves and the Red Sox.
June will see New York take on sad-sack teams such as the Astros, Diamondbacks, Mets, Orioles and Blue Jays. Not to mention the seven games against Seattle at the end of June and the start of July, plus more games against the Blue Jays and a rematch of Braden vs. A-Rod. It will be a great way to pump up the Yanks record before the All-Star break.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Yanks Smack Around Twins
The Yankees must almost feel pity for the Twins when the come to Yankee Stadium. Minnesota simply cannot win in the Big Apple. The Twins haven't won a new game in the new Yankee Stadium and before that hadn't won in New York since Johan Santana defeated Mike Mussina 6-4 on the July 4, 2007.
Saturday was no different than the last few years. Unlike Friday the Yankees didn't even tease Minnesota by falling behind early. They jumped on Liriano and scratched three runs off the tough lefty in six innings. That was plenty for Andy Pettitte who showed little rust after missing his last start with inflammation in his elbow.
Pettitte mixed and matched his pitches well and kept the Twins off balance. He was economically and while Girardi lifted him after just 95 it was probably for the best to stay on the safe side. The old lefty is now 5-0 and along with Phil Hughes, is tied and three others for the AL lead in wins.
Today will be tougher for New York since they have to send Sergio Mitre to the mound. Still its hard not to envision the Yankees finding a way to rally if necessary against the Twins bullpen.
Nick Blackburn is on the mound for Minnesota and the righty seems to have a Jekyll and Hyde mentality. When He wins he is lights out, posting a 2.11 ERA during his 25 career victories. During his 25 losses Blackburn has posted a 7.01. It stands to reason that the Yankees will jump out early or be forced to rally late.
Mitre has been solid for New York but he isn't exactly what you want to throw against the likes of lefty mashers like Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. A-Rod and Teixeira will have to continue their resurgence if the Yankees want to sweep.
Saturday was no different than the last few years. Unlike Friday the Yankees didn't even tease Minnesota by falling behind early. They jumped on Liriano and scratched three runs off the tough lefty in six innings. That was plenty for Andy Pettitte who showed little rust after missing his last start with inflammation in his elbow.
Pettitte mixed and matched his pitches well and kept the Twins off balance. He was economically and while Girardi lifted him after just 95 it was probably for the best to stay on the safe side. The old lefty is now 5-0 and along with Phil Hughes, is tied and three others for the AL lead in wins.
Today will be tougher for New York since they have to send Sergio Mitre to the mound. Still its hard not to envision the Yankees finding a way to rally if necessary against the Twins bullpen.
Nick Blackburn is on the mound for Minnesota and the righty seems to have a Jekyll and Hyde mentality. When He wins he is lights out, posting a 2.11 ERA during his 25 career victories. During his 25 losses Blackburn has posted a 7.01. It stands to reason that the Yankees will jump out early or be forced to rally late.
Mitre has been solid for New York but he isn't exactly what you want to throw against the likes of lefty mashers like Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau. A-Rod and Teixeira will have to continue their resurgence if the Yankees want to sweep.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Yanks Sweep O's, Lose Pettitte
The Yankees easy built a lead and put the Orioles into sleep mode early in Wednesday's matinee, but as the game progressed the Yankees fortunes and performance began to slip away.
Andy Pettitte had a stellar start and looked to be cruising until Girardi had to pull him after five innings and 77 pitches with tightness in his foreman. That is a phrase that tends to put dread into the hearts of fans of any player suffering from it. The tightness usually protends major elbow issues.
The Yankees sent Pettitte for an MRI and the results showed some inflammation but no structural damage. The veteran lefty will miss his next start as the Yankees evaluate him on a day-to-day basis. Things could have been far worse, but with the way Pettitte and the rest of the rotation, excluding Javier Vazquez, have been performing it is a blow to lose him for any amount of time.
It could also be something that limits Pettitte for the rest of the season and extended bouts of Sergio Mitre are not recommended. Mitre will have to step up against the Tigers on Monday and hopefully no one else. Really it would be more entertaining to see the Yanks call up Ivan Nova, but he probably wont be and option just yet.
While Pettitte was getting his elbow looked at, the Yankee bullpen was showing why the starters need to carry the team. Mitre was solid in 2.1 innings and Damaso Marte is performing slightly better, but Dave Robertson is a mess right now. Robertson could turn the pen into a huge strength for the Yankees along with Joba and Rivera or he could make it a question mark beyond those two.
Is it possible that Sports Illustrated has struck again?
Anyway the Yankees will have to press on and hope that Posada is back after the off day. Same goes for Rivera.
For now the only baseball on is the Sox. Hypocritical as they may be with their honoring of Nomar Garciaparra after his inglorious departure from Boston.
Andy Pettitte had a stellar start and looked to be cruising until Girardi had to pull him after five innings and 77 pitches with tightness in his foreman. That is a phrase that tends to put dread into the hearts of fans of any player suffering from it. The tightness usually protends major elbow issues.
The Yankees sent Pettitte for an MRI and the results showed some inflammation but no structural damage. The veteran lefty will miss his next start as the Yankees evaluate him on a day-to-day basis. Things could have been far worse, but with the way Pettitte and the rest of the rotation, excluding Javier Vazquez, have been performing it is a blow to lose him for any amount of time.
It could also be something that limits Pettitte for the rest of the season and extended bouts of Sergio Mitre are not recommended. Mitre will have to step up against the Tigers on Monday and hopefully no one else. Really it would be more entertaining to see the Yanks call up Ivan Nova, but he probably wont be and option just yet.
While Pettitte was getting his elbow looked at, the Yankee bullpen was showing why the starters need to carry the team. Mitre was solid in 2.1 innings and Damaso Marte is performing slightly better, but Dave Robertson is a mess right now. Robertson could turn the pen into a huge strength for the Yankees along with Joba and Rivera or he could make it a question mark beyond those two.
Is it possible that Sports Illustrated has struck again?
Anyway the Yankees will have to press on and hope that Posada is back after the off day. Same goes for Rivera.
For now the only baseball on is the Sox. Hypocritical as they may be with their honoring of Nomar Garciaparra after his inglorious departure from Boston.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
State of the Rotation: Andy Pettitte vs. Daisuke Matsuzaka
The fourth slot in our match is the one with the biggest differences. Andy Pettitte and Daisuke Matsuzaka could not be more different in every way. Pettitte is the old veteran lefty who relies on pitching smarts and location rather than raw physical power.
Matsuzaka on the other hand is a pitcher that has shown himself to be a pure power pitcher in every sense of the word. The righty lives by the strikeout and dies by the walk. He often shies away from contact and while that strategy won him 18 games in 2008, it ballooned his WHIP to 1.87 in 2009.
Everyone recognizes what Dice-K has in his arm; he has a power fastball and a set of devastating breaking pitches. His problem is that throughout his major league career he has never challenged hitters on a consistent basis and that has led to high walk rates. Red Sox Nation ignored the problem while Matsuzaka was pitching to the tune of a 2.90 ERA in '08, but eventually the problem came back and bite him. It didn't help that Matsuzaka was ignoring the Boston off-season conditioning program for pitchers and that, coupled with another stint in the World Baseball Classic, led to arm problems that derailed his '09 season.
Pettitte has been what he has been for the past three seasons in New York. He is an aging lefty that the Yankees relied on far too much in 2007 and 2008. Then, before last season, the Yankees picked up a couple extra arms for the front of the rotation and Pettitte was able to slide back to a more respectable three spot in the rotation.
Now that the veteran has dropped to the fourth spot in the rotation he will be more effective, well, at least in terms of performance to his slot. 200 innings plus an ERA right above 4.00 is more than respectable and is exactly what both teams want from the back end of their rotation. The thing is Andy Pettitte is far more likely to give that to the Yankees than Dice-K is to give it to the Sox. Sure the Japanese star has plenty of talent, but even if he is healthy, that doesn't preclude the possibility that he will continue to walk the house.
I've got to give it to the Yankees here simply because Pettitte's performance isn't likely to deviate much while what we have seen from Matsuzaka doesn't give me confidence in his performance this year.
Yanks even up the score at 2-2.
Matsuzaka on the other hand is a pitcher that has shown himself to be a pure power pitcher in every sense of the word. The righty lives by the strikeout and dies by the walk. He often shies away from contact and while that strategy won him 18 games in 2008, it ballooned his WHIP to 1.87 in 2009.
Everyone recognizes what Dice-K has in his arm; he has a power fastball and a set of devastating breaking pitches. His problem is that throughout his major league career he has never challenged hitters on a consistent basis and that has led to high walk rates. Red Sox Nation ignored the problem while Matsuzaka was pitching to the tune of a 2.90 ERA in '08, but eventually the problem came back and bite him. It didn't help that Matsuzaka was ignoring the Boston off-season conditioning program for pitchers and that, coupled with another stint in the World Baseball Classic, led to arm problems that derailed his '09 season.
Pettitte has been what he has been for the past three seasons in New York. He is an aging lefty that the Yankees relied on far too much in 2007 and 2008. Then, before last season, the Yankees picked up a couple extra arms for the front of the rotation and Pettitte was able to slide back to a more respectable three spot in the rotation.
Now that the veteran has dropped to the fourth spot in the rotation he will be more effective, well, at least in terms of performance to his slot. 200 innings plus an ERA right above 4.00 is more than respectable and is exactly what both teams want from the back end of their rotation. The thing is Andy Pettitte is far more likely to give that to the Yankees than Dice-K is to give it to the Sox. Sure the Japanese star has plenty of talent, but even if he is healthy, that doesn't preclude the possibility that he will continue to walk the house.
I've got to give it to the Yankees here simply because Pettitte's performance isn't likely to deviate much while what we have seen from Matsuzaka doesn't give me confidence in his performance this year.
Yanks even up the score at 2-2.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Pettitte Back in the Fold
I'm sure almost everyone knew this was coming, but it seems to be a done deal now. Andy Pettitte is on his way back to the Bronx for at least one more year. There isn't really any thing to be said about the contract. Joel Sherman is reporting that the deal is for one year and $11.75 million, which is a raise above what he received from last season's incentive laden contract.
With Pettitte crossed off the list and Granderson now in the fold, Cashman can now focus on Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui and whether or not they fit into the plans for the 2010 Yankees.
With Pettitte crossed off the list and Granderson now in the fold, Cashman can now focus on Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui and whether or not they fit into the plans for the 2010 Yankees.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
Some Parade Photos
So here are a couple of shots I took while taking in the ticker-tape parade down Broadway. I might have gotten more except it is difficult to take a good shot when you are only 5'5" tall and in a sea of three million people. Here are some of the better ones including some of what might be the overzealous moron who actually tossed real documents and paperwork out of his office window when he ran out of shredded paper.
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Series Continues in Philly
Down the highway they go and now they have a Halloween date night in Philadelphia. Tonight's match up will be a pair of lefties, Andy Pettitte vs. Cole Hamels. With the way Hamels has been pitching this season and in the playoffs in general it would appear the Yankees have the advantage over the Phils.
Actually it would appear that the Yankees have the advantage in the next two games when you consider they are in all likelihood sending CC Sabathia to the mound in Game 4 against Joe Blanton.
But it is not the pitching that worries me about the Yankees. To me it just seems that they have been unable to mount any serious offensive momentum in this year's playoff run. They have only really had two offensive outbursts to speak of. The first was in Game 4 of the ALCS when they clobbered the Angels 10-1. But even then most of those runs came at the end of the game to put it out of reach. The other outburst came in Game 5 when Mike Soiscia made the ill advised move of pulling John Lackey with two outs in the seventh inning.
Other than that the Yankees have gotten by on pitching and a home run here or there. Wait, let me correct that statement, the Yankees have gotten by on exceptional starting pitching and Mariano Rivera while the bats provide just enough offense in most games.
The Yankees need their bats to get going in some of these games. The next two would be the perfect time. Two pitchers are taking the mound for the Phillies who are either A) Inconsistant or B) Not good enough to throw out against the Yankees in the World Series.
Hamels has been bad this postseason. Everyone knows that he has pitched to the tune of a 6.52 ERA in three starts and has allowed six home runs in those three starts. What everyone else may have noticed as well is that for the season Hamels has allowed a batting line of .273/.315/.440. Those numbers are big jumps from his career averages and it seems the World Series hangover is still lingering in Hamels system.
And Blanton, well he is Joe Blanton. Now I know he won a World Series game last year. But he beat Andy Sonnanstine who was absolutely blown up by the Phils and he still allowed two home runs. That's before we even get to the fact that for his career, five Yankees hit over .300 against him including a disgusting .571 from Alex Rodriguez who has two homers in seven at bats against him.
On papar neither match up looks good for the Phillies, but the same could have been said for Game 2 with Pedro on the mound. It is unlikely that any game is a complete blow out. One reason is that it seems unlikely the Yankee offense is going to suddenly start destroying pitchers at this point. The other is that neither team is ever going to really be out of the game. There may be some high scoring affairs, but I doubt any team has a runaway game in Philly.
Actually it would appear that the Yankees have the advantage in the next two games when you consider they are in all likelihood sending CC Sabathia to the mound in Game 4 against Joe Blanton.
But it is not the pitching that worries me about the Yankees. To me it just seems that they have been unable to mount any serious offensive momentum in this year's playoff run. They have only really had two offensive outbursts to speak of. The first was in Game 4 of the ALCS when they clobbered the Angels 10-1. But even then most of those runs came at the end of the game to put it out of reach. The other outburst came in Game 5 when Mike Soiscia made the ill advised move of pulling John Lackey with two outs in the seventh inning.
Other than that the Yankees have gotten by on pitching and a home run here or there. Wait, let me correct that statement, the Yankees have gotten by on exceptional starting pitching and Mariano Rivera while the bats provide just enough offense in most games.
The Yankees need their bats to get going in some of these games. The next two would be the perfect time. Two pitchers are taking the mound for the Phillies who are either A) Inconsistant or B) Not good enough to throw out against the Yankees in the World Series.
Hamels has been bad this postseason. Everyone knows that he has pitched to the tune of a 6.52 ERA in three starts and has allowed six home runs in those three starts. What everyone else may have noticed as well is that for the season Hamels has allowed a batting line of .273/.315/.440. Those numbers are big jumps from his career averages and it seems the World Series hangover is still lingering in Hamels system.
And Blanton, well he is Joe Blanton. Now I know he won a World Series game last year. But he beat Andy Sonnanstine who was absolutely blown up by the Phils and he still allowed two home runs. That's before we even get to the fact that for his career, five Yankees hit over .300 against him including a disgusting .571 from Alex Rodriguez who has two homers in seven at bats against him.
On papar neither match up looks good for the Phillies, but the same could have been said for Game 2 with Pedro on the mound. It is unlikely that any game is a complete blow out. One reason is that it seems unlikely the Yankee offense is going to suddenly start destroying pitchers at this point. The other is that neither team is ever going to really be out of the game. There may be some high scoring affairs, but I doubt any team has a runaway game in Philly.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Considering the Playoff Rotation
Obviously the Yankee playoff rotation begins and ends with CC Sabathia. He will need to be an ace if the Yankees expect to go anywhere beyond the first round. But Sabathia has been remarkably consistent in the second half so really the question marks begin with spot number two. Right now the debate rages over whether A.J. or Andy deserves that honor.
The Yankees must be hoping that A.J. Burnett has pretty much gotten out of his funk with two start solid starts. I honestly don't understand why people were freaking out about him. Burnett is a Jekyll and Hyde pitcher. Everyone who knows anything about baseball knows that he has the stuff to be amazing, but his inconsistency has always kept him from being one of the better pitchers in baseball. I guess it just makes good copy to worry about something when the team has every conceivable objective virtually locked up.
Burnett was slow out of the gate in April and passable in May. In June and July he was the best pitcher on the team and we all know about his August trials and tribulations. Now it seems that he has found his stride again in September, which of course makes the Yankees feel better about their October rotation.
Burnett really should be the number two starter no matter how he was pitching during this stretch run. He is a far better pitcher at home where he seems to be more comfortable and Andy Pettitte also seems to be a better pitcher on the road. It also splits up the two lefties and your two power pitchers. The question also arises of who you would rather have pitching in certain situations.
If Sabathia and Pettitte were your first two starters and both falter at home, leaving you in an 0-2 hole, do you really want someone as volatile as Burnett making his first playoff start on the road? Conversely if Sabathia and Burnett both go down you have your playoff hardened veteran lefty to face a hostile road crowd in a situation where he tends to thrive.
Thankfully Burnett is starting to make the decision easy for Joe Girardi. With those three at the top the Yankees will have the ability to match up with any front three in the league.
Now any four in the league is an entirely different question. The Yankees have huge questions about who would start game four. It is possible that they could avoid such a dilemma during the first round but if they were to make it to the ALCS then a fourth starter is a must. So far it can't be Joba Chamberlain. While the ability is there the execution is nowhere to be found. After getting bombed by the Mariners on Sunday it would seem that unless Joba shuts down the Sox and the Royals/Rays he may be watching the first round from the pen.
If that is the case then clearly Chad Gaudin is the number four for the Yankees. Though he leaves much to be desired in terms of pitching deep into games, he has been very effective of late and right now the Yankees have to have far more confidence in his ability to keep them in a game than Joba's.
The Yanks will begin the playoffs at home. The rotation should stack up as Sabathia in Game 1, Burnett in Game 2 and Pettitte in Game 3. Then repeat. At least that's the way it should be.
The Yankees must be hoping that A.J. Burnett has pretty much gotten out of his funk with two start solid starts. I honestly don't understand why people were freaking out about him. Burnett is a Jekyll and Hyde pitcher. Everyone who knows anything about baseball knows that he has the stuff to be amazing, but his inconsistency has always kept him from being one of the better pitchers in baseball. I guess it just makes good copy to worry about something when the team has every conceivable objective virtually locked up.
Burnett was slow out of the gate in April and passable in May. In June and July he was the best pitcher on the team and we all know about his August trials and tribulations. Now it seems that he has found his stride again in September, which of course makes the Yankees feel better about their October rotation.
Burnett really should be the number two starter no matter how he was pitching during this stretch run. He is a far better pitcher at home where he seems to be more comfortable and Andy Pettitte also seems to be a better pitcher on the road. It also splits up the two lefties and your two power pitchers. The question also arises of who you would rather have pitching in certain situations.
If Sabathia and Pettitte were your first two starters and both falter at home, leaving you in an 0-2 hole, do you really want someone as volatile as Burnett making his first playoff start on the road? Conversely if Sabathia and Burnett both go down you have your playoff hardened veteran lefty to face a hostile road crowd in a situation where he tends to thrive.
Thankfully Burnett is starting to make the decision easy for Joe Girardi. With those three at the top the Yankees will have the ability to match up with any front three in the league.
Now any four in the league is an entirely different question. The Yankees have huge questions about who would start game four. It is possible that they could avoid such a dilemma during the first round but if they were to make it to the ALCS then a fourth starter is a must. So far it can't be Joba Chamberlain. While the ability is there the execution is nowhere to be found. After getting bombed by the Mariners on Sunday it would seem that unless Joba shuts down the Sox and the Royals/Rays he may be watching the first round from the pen.
If that is the case then clearly Chad Gaudin is the number four for the Yankees. Though he leaves much to be desired in terms of pitching deep into games, he has been very effective of late and right now the Yankees have to have far more confidence in his ability to keep them in a game than Joba's.
The Yanks will begin the playoffs at home. The rotation should stack up as Sabathia in Game 1, Burnett in Game 2 and Pettitte in Game 3. Then repeat. At least that's the way it should be.
Monday, August 31, 2009
Pettitte Almost Perfect
Andy Pettitte has been pitching great since the All-Star break. Going into Monday night's start Pettitte was 3-1 in eight starts with a 2.79 ERA since the mid-summer classic.
The Orioles on the other hand have lived up to the hype. They have progressively gotten worse as the season has played on and they can yet again look forward to another meaningless September.
It seemed like the perfect match up, and Pettitte almost walked away perfect. The crafty old lefty had every pitching working and used impeccable control to make the O's look stupid for 6.2 innings. Baltimore looked disinterested in putting up a fight and with their recent trend of being on the losing end of history (the Buchholz no-hitter and the 30-3 loss to Texas in 2007) they seemed ripe for the taking.
Pettitte seemed on a mission, but history was not meant be on a cool Monday night. After making a slick play at third to steal a hit from Matt Weiters in the bottom of the sixth, the ball found its way to Jerry Hairston again with two outs in the seventh.
This time Hairston couldn't handle the hard grounder from Adam Jones. Pettitte still had the no-hitter intact and could have looked at Jonathan Sanchez for inspiration as he finished off a no-hitter earlier this year after Juan Uribe booted an easy grounder. But Pettitte hung an 0-2 fastball to Nick Markakis who promptly ripped it to left.
Pettitte got through the inning and completed eight innings only surrendering one more hit to the O's, a solo homer to the always annoying Melvin Mora.
It seems that after Pettitte struggled through the second half of last year he has reestablished himself as a force after the break. A reliable number three will be huge for the Yanks once the playoffs role around, and with CC on a dominant run and Burnett pitching well everywhere except Fenway, there seem to be few teams that will be able to match the Yankees starters come October.
The Orioles on the other hand have lived up to the hype. They have progressively gotten worse as the season has played on and they can yet again look forward to another meaningless September.
It seemed like the perfect match up, and Pettitte almost walked away perfect. The crafty old lefty had every pitching working and used impeccable control to make the O's look stupid for 6.2 innings. Baltimore looked disinterested in putting up a fight and with their recent trend of being on the losing end of history (the Buchholz no-hitter and the 30-3 loss to Texas in 2007) they seemed ripe for the taking.
Pettitte seemed on a mission, but history was not meant be on a cool Monday night. After making a slick play at third to steal a hit from Matt Weiters in the bottom of the sixth, the ball found its way to Jerry Hairston again with two outs in the seventh.
This time Hairston couldn't handle the hard grounder from Adam Jones. Pettitte still had the no-hitter intact and could have looked at Jonathan Sanchez for inspiration as he finished off a no-hitter earlier this year after Juan Uribe booted an easy grounder. But Pettitte hung an 0-2 fastball to Nick Markakis who promptly ripped it to left.
Pettitte got through the inning and completed eight innings only surrendering one more hit to the O's, a solo homer to the always annoying Melvin Mora.
It seems that after Pettitte struggled through the second half of last year he has reestablished himself as a force after the break. A reliable number three will be huge for the Yanks once the playoffs role around, and with CC on a dominant run and Burnett pitching well everywhere except Fenway, there seem to be few teams that will be able to match the Yankees starters come October.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
The New Joba Keeps the Yanks Moving Higher
It is clear that a new Joba Chamberlain has taken the mound for the Yankees since the All-Star break. The young right-hander has thrown 21 2/3 innings since the break and has an ERA of 0.83. Chamberlain is working faster on the mound and with far more conviction than he has at any other point this year. He mixed his pitches well and kept the Rays guessing all night. The result was the best start of Joba's young career.
These last three starts should quell the Joba to the bullpen debate. Well at least until Mike Francesa gets back from vacation.
The Yankee bats backed Chamberlain against Matt Garza. Garza pitched effectively but the Yanks chipped away for three runs against him and then jumped on the Rays bullpen for three more once he was out of the game.
The only problem to come out of Joba's fantastic start is that he probably has about 30 innings left before the Yankees will have to put him in the bullpen in order to keep him around his innings limit for the season. That leaves about five starts more for Joba, but if he continues to pitch this effectively then the Yankees may need to deal with his limit that much sooner.
Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi may have to start treating him like a pitcher in the minors who has an innings limit per start, pulling him after six innings or so. It's one of the reasons I would imagine he was not allowed to finish last night's game.
No matter the situation with Joba, the news in Yankeeland is good after the Sox fell again and the Rays are now at a distance eight games in the loss column. The Yankees will need to make a deal for another start but it wont have to be anything of the scale of Roy Halladay. They will need a fourth or fifth guy and Jarrod Washburn would be a perfect fit, though, it seems that Seattle fancies themselves buyers after their acquisition of Jack Wilson and Ian Snell from Pittsburgh.
Cashman will make a move, he always has something up his sleeve around the deadline. Hopefully the offense will keep covering for Sergio Mitre and Joba's eventual replacement.
The Yankees are moving on to Chicago now to take on the White Sox for four games. It will be Andy Pettitte vs. Gavin Floyd tonight with Pettitte looking for redemption after a poor July that has seen him win one game in five starts. Pettitte will only become more important to the Yankees as the season progresses and the rotation weakens.
These last three starts should quell the Joba to the bullpen debate. Well at least until Mike Francesa gets back from vacation.
The Yankee bats backed Chamberlain against Matt Garza. Garza pitched effectively but the Yanks chipped away for three runs against him and then jumped on the Rays bullpen for three more once he was out of the game.
The only problem to come out of Joba's fantastic start is that he probably has about 30 innings left before the Yankees will have to put him in the bullpen in order to keep him around his innings limit for the season. That leaves about five starts more for Joba, but if he continues to pitch this effectively then the Yankees may need to deal with his limit that much sooner.
Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi may have to start treating him like a pitcher in the minors who has an innings limit per start, pulling him after six innings or so. It's one of the reasons I would imagine he was not allowed to finish last night's game.
No matter the situation with Joba, the news in Yankeeland is good after the Sox fell again and the Rays are now at a distance eight games in the loss column. The Yankees will need to make a deal for another start but it wont have to be anything of the scale of Roy Halladay. They will need a fourth or fifth guy and Jarrod Washburn would be a perfect fit, though, it seems that Seattle fancies themselves buyers after their acquisition of Jack Wilson and Ian Snell from Pittsburgh.
Cashman will make a move, he always has something up his sleeve around the deadline. Hopefully the offense will keep covering for Sergio Mitre and Joba's eventual replacement.
The Yankees are moving on to Chicago now to take on the White Sox for four games. It will be Andy Pettitte vs. Gavin Floyd tonight with Pettitte looking for redemption after a poor July that has seen him win one game in five starts. Pettitte will only become more important to the Yankees as the season progresses and the rotation weakens.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Yankees Crush Mets in Series Clincher
After an embarrassing three game swing in Boston the Yankees travelled back home to take on their cross-town rivals. Friday night looked like it was going to end in yet another Yankee pitching failure as the Yanks blew three separate leads and A-Rod popped up to second on a 3-1 count. Luis Castillo, though, forgot that he actually has to catch the ball for game to end and Mark Teixeira must have forgot to get his work in on the treadmill as he chugged all the way from first to score on the three-base error.
As the Yankees entered Saturday they were looking to capitalize on the crushing defeat for the Mets, but Pettitte continued in his recent slide only making it through five innings while allowing five runs. The bats also went dormant, perhaps expecting the Mets to commit more blunders in the same vein as Friday night. The Mets did not and the Yankees watched Fernando Nieve cut them up with 95 mph heaters and a tight breaking ball.
As the Yankees walked into Sunday most fans were probably thinking worst was coming with Johan Santana on the mound against A.J. Burnett. What most fans might have forgotten is that Johan is one of those pitchers the Yankees always had a beat on.
The real question was whether or not Burnett would show up. Perhaps motivated by his second beat down at the hands of the Red Sox, Burnett was dominating. He looked like he would break in the third inning after a long layoff while the Yankees put up four on Santana. These last two starts are exactly what the Yankees got when the signed Burnett this off-season. He can be painful with his inability to throw strikes but he can always wow you with his natural ability to throw 95 with ease and a wicked breaking ball.
The Yanks will have an off day today before preping to take on the major leagues worst team, the Washington Nationals. Really it is a series the Yankees have to sweep and with Sabathia taking the hill first they have the best chance to get off on the right foot. Plus we will see if Chien-Ming Wang will regain his proper form and if Brian Bruney will carry the fire he had for K-Rod back out onto the mound when he is activated on Tuesday.
If you haven't seen the video of K-Rod vs. Bruney from yesterday's pregame warm ups its kinda funny. K-Rod definitely has the middle school "hold me back man" attitude while standing in front of the larger Bruney. Good thing for the Mets that K-Rod didn't actually touch Bruney or he would have burned the Mets with a stupid suspension.
I can relate to Bruney's argument and I feel the same about Jonathan Papelbon's celebrations too. I can understand when it is a big game or if they are called into duty with runners on in a tight game, but when it's a standard three-run lead save, chill out. Same goes for Joba, though we haven't seen as many of those fist pumps since he joined the rotation.
I'm gong to rest up on this off day and get ready for another week of baseball.
As the Yankees entered Saturday they were looking to capitalize on the crushing defeat for the Mets, but Pettitte continued in his recent slide only making it through five innings while allowing five runs. The bats also went dormant, perhaps expecting the Mets to commit more blunders in the same vein as Friday night. The Mets did not and the Yankees watched Fernando Nieve cut them up with 95 mph heaters and a tight breaking ball.
As the Yankees walked into Sunday most fans were probably thinking worst was coming with Johan Santana on the mound against A.J. Burnett. What most fans might have forgotten is that Johan is one of those pitchers the Yankees always had a beat on.
The real question was whether or not Burnett would show up. Perhaps motivated by his second beat down at the hands of the Red Sox, Burnett was dominating. He looked like he would break in the third inning after a long layoff while the Yankees put up four on Santana. These last two starts are exactly what the Yankees got when the signed Burnett this off-season. He can be painful with his inability to throw strikes but he can always wow you with his natural ability to throw 95 with ease and a wicked breaking ball.
The Yanks will have an off day today before preping to take on the major leagues worst team, the Washington Nationals. Really it is a series the Yankees have to sweep and with Sabathia taking the hill first they have the best chance to get off on the right foot. Plus we will see if Chien-Ming Wang will regain his proper form and if Brian Bruney will carry the fire he had for K-Rod back out onto the mound when he is activated on Tuesday.
If you haven't seen the video of K-Rod vs. Bruney from yesterday's pregame warm ups its kinda funny. K-Rod definitely has the middle school "hold me back man" attitude while standing in front of the larger Bruney. Good thing for the Mets that K-Rod didn't actually touch Bruney or he would have burned the Mets with a stupid suspension.
I can relate to Bruney's argument and I feel the same about Jonathan Papelbon's celebrations too. I can understand when it is a big game or if they are called into duty with runners on in a tight game, but when it's a standard three-run lead save, chill out. Same goes for Joba, though we haven't seen as many of those fist pumps since he joined the rotation.
I'm gong to rest up on this off day and get ready for another week of baseball.
Monday, June 8, 2009
Rays vs. Yanks: First Trip to the New Stadium
This weekend was a little all over the place for the Yankees. After a rainout of Friday they easily could have taken the first two games against the Rays and the easily could have lost both, but instead the have so far settled for the split. Tonight is the rubber match between the two and I will be on hand in person to get my first look at the new stadium.
I was hoping for a better match up than Andy Pettitte vs. Andy Sonnanstine, but that's better than almost every game I went to last year when I had to endure the likes of Sidney Ponson and Darrell Rasner. Pettitte needs to get back on track and prove that his back is fine after he tweeked it in Cleveland. Phil Hughes should be waiting in the wings if the Yankees need him, and the reality is he needs to get some work in since he has thrown exactly zero innings since Wang took his spot in the rotation.
So its off to the city and I'll report back later with some photos and my thoughts on the new Yankee Stadium.
I was hoping for a better match up than Andy Pettitte vs. Andy Sonnanstine, but that's better than almost every game I went to last year when I had to endure the likes of Sidney Ponson and Darrell Rasner. Pettitte needs to get back on track and prove that his back is fine after he tweeked it in Cleveland. Phil Hughes should be waiting in the wings if the Yankees need him, and the reality is he needs to get some work in since he has thrown exactly zero innings since Wang took his spot in the rotation.
So its off to the city and I'll report back later with some photos and my thoughts on the new Yankee Stadium.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
State of the Rotation: Part IV
Match up number four is Tim Wakefield vs. Andy Pettitte
It’s hard to believe that Tim Wakefield is still pitching in the bigs after 16 seasons. He may be the last knuckleball pitcher to have a long and productive career in the majors since many teams look at them as glorified batting practice pitchers and a liability at the backend of the rotation. What’s surprising about Wakefield is that he still has the ability to get hitters out with a knuckleball, a basic curveball and a high school fastball. And despite a bad back he has stayed out on the mound with a good amount of frequency over the past two seasons, pitching an average of 185 innings with an ERA of 4.45. Those are some respectable numbers from a number four starter.
Andy Pettitte, on the other hand, spent his last four seasons of his career at the top end of both the Houston Astro and the New York Yankee rotations. Clearly last year he fell off a little but he has been a steady arm and a reliable 200 innings for the past four seasons. He has also has a better K/BB ratio than Wakefield over that time period and he also allows far fewer home runs (79 to 101).
The last thing that needs to be mentioned about these two pitchers is reliability. Though Pettitte is prone to getting knocked around like every pitcher, the likelihood of him laying an egg is far lower than that of Wakefield and most of that has to do with the knuckleball. It is an unpredictable pitch and that translates to unpredictable results.
Verdict: Perhaps this was never a fair match up for the Sox and if you asked them maybe they would say Wake is the fifth starter. But that Brad Penny/John Smoltz/Others fifth spot is still in the air to much to jump Wakefield who has a guaranteed slot. All that aside, this one goes easily to the Yankees. Pettitte has the better track record in terms of performance and durability. Wakefield does a fine job at the backend of the Sox rotation and he is perfectly respectable in the position of a five starter and to an extent of a fourth. But Andy Pettitte is of a different pedigree than Wakefield. He is a pitcher who can step up and be fully capable of being a three or even a number two on any given day and because of that he is a step above most other fourth starters. Yanks take a commanding 3-1 lead.
It’s hard to believe that Tim Wakefield is still pitching in the bigs after 16 seasons. He may be the last knuckleball pitcher to have a long and productive career in the majors since many teams look at them as glorified batting practice pitchers and a liability at the backend of the rotation. What’s surprising about Wakefield is that he still has the ability to get hitters out with a knuckleball, a basic curveball and a high school fastball. And despite a bad back he has stayed out on the mound with a good amount of frequency over the past two seasons, pitching an average of 185 innings with an ERA of 4.45. Those are some respectable numbers from a number four starter.
Andy Pettitte, on the other hand, spent his last four seasons of his career at the top end of both the Houston Astro and the New York Yankee rotations. Clearly last year he fell off a little but he has been a steady arm and a reliable 200 innings for the past four seasons. He has also has a better K/BB ratio than Wakefield over that time period and he also allows far fewer home runs (79 to 101).
The last thing that needs to be mentioned about these two pitchers is reliability. Though Pettitte is prone to getting knocked around like every pitcher, the likelihood of him laying an egg is far lower than that of Wakefield and most of that has to do with the knuckleball. It is an unpredictable pitch and that translates to unpredictable results.
Verdict: Perhaps this was never a fair match up for the Sox and if you asked them maybe they would say Wake is the fifth starter. But that Brad Penny/John Smoltz/Others fifth spot is still in the air to much to jump Wakefield who has a guaranteed slot. All that aside, this one goes easily to the Yankees. Pettitte has the better track record in terms of performance and durability. Wakefield does a fine job at the backend of the Sox rotation and he is perfectly respectable in the position of a five starter and to an extent of a fourth. But Andy Pettitte is of a different pedigree than Wakefield. He is a pitcher who can step up and be fully capable of being a three or even a number two on any given day and because of that he is a step above most other fourth starters. Yanks take a commanding 3-1 lead.
Monday, January 26, 2009
Torre is only tarnishing himself
I'm sure everyone has read something about the new collaboration between Joe Torre and Tom Verducci that is supposed to blow the lid off of all the despicable things going on in Yankeeland during the final years of Torre's tenure with the team.
I guess what Verducci and Torre don't realize is that there is nothing new in their book. People don't like A-Rod? Wow, how insightful, I never would have seen that coming. What's this you say? Cashman didn't throw a tantrum when the Steinbrenners forced you out? No way.
I was never a huge Torre fan. I always thought that he was a poor game manager and was awful at running a bullpen. But I always respected Torre for his ability to manage a clubhouse and to handle his teams through rough waters. It saddens me to see him try to make a quick buck by selling old stories with Tom Verducci.
It is also a big hit on his character and that of Verducci's that they both refuse to take any responsibility for what the book says. Well you know what: too bad. The two names on the cover of the book are Joe Torre and Tom Verducci. They have a responsibility to stand behind what they put their names on.
*****
In other news Andy Pettitte is back and the rotation is all but complete. The deal only guarantees Pettitte $5.5 million for one year with the possibility of earning another $6.5 million in incentives.
Bringing Pettitte back, while unnecessary, makes the Yankees rotation one of the best in baseball. From front to back it looks something like this:
CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Chein-Ming Wang
Andy Pettitte
Joba Chamberlain
That's pretty formidable and the Yanks can sleep a little easier knowing that on paper they will have plenty of innings coming from their front five. There is also a lot less pressure on Joba to perform and to eat up innings, plus any injuries that befall the rotation will not necessarily be devastating since the Yanks will still have Hughes, Kennedy and Aceves waiting to fill in.
I was all for letting the kids try to fill the back end of the rotation again but I do understand Cashman's concern about having forty percent of your rotation be young kids who may not be ready to handle a full season. The one good thing about bring in Pettitte and not someone else is that Andy is still on a one year deal and will not be blocking any kids for an extended period of time.
The summer is going to be very interesting and it will be fun to watch these three teams battle it out.
I guess what Verducci and Torre don't realize is that there is nothing new in their book. People don't like A-Rod? Wow, how insightful, I never would have seen that coming. What's this you say? Cashman didn't throw a tantrum when the Steinbrenners forced you out? No way.
I was never a huge Torre fan. I always thought that he was a poor game manager and was awful at running a bullpen. But I always respected Torre for his ability to manage a clubhouse and to handle his teams through rough waters. It saddens me to see him try to make a quick buck by selling old stories with Tom Verducci.
It is also a big hit on his character and that of Verducci's that they both refuse to take any responsibility for what the book says. Well you know what: too bad. The two names on the cover of the book are Joe Torre and Tom Verducci. They have a responsibility to stand behind what they put their names on.
*****
In other news Andy Pettitte is back and the rotation is all but complete. The deal only guarantees Pettitte $5.5 million for one year with the possibility of earning another $6.5 million in incentives.
Bringing Pettitte back, while unnecessary, makes the Yankees rotation one of the best in baseball. From front to back it looks something like this:
CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Chein-Ming Wang
Andy Pettitte
Joba Chamberlain
That's pretty formidable and the Yanks can sleep a little easier knowing that on paper they will have plenty of innings coming from their front five. There is also a lot less pressure on Joba to perform and to eat up innings, plus any injuries that befall the rotation will not necessarily be devastating since the Yanks will still have Hughes, Kennedy and Aceves waiting to fill in.
I was all for letting the kids try to fill the back end of the rotation again but I do understand Cashman's concern about having forty percent of your rotation be young kids who may not be ready to handle a full season. The one good thing about bring in Pettitte and not someone else is that Andy is still on a one year deal and will not be blocking any kids for an extended period of time.
The summer is going to be very interesting and it will be fun to watch these three teams battle it out.
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