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.
Showing posts with label Sergio Mitre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Sergio Mitre. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Walking Away With A Win
Well it took 11 innings and a few casualties, but the Yankees persevered and finished their homestand with a victory. The win gave the Yankees a 6-1 homestand and nine victories in their last 10 contests.
But the price might be a steep one for the Yankees. Derek Jeter got plunked on the foot in the first inning by a Ricky Romero curveball and you could tell from his run from first to third on Johnny Damon's single that he was not right and after his next at bat Girardi pulled the plug.
X-Rays were negative, but you would have to imagine that the Yankees will play it safe and probably sit Jeter for tomorrow's opener in an attempt to protect his health down the stretch. That could be detrimental to our other HBP victim today.
In extra innings A-Rod came to the plate and after falling behind 0-2 Toronto reliever Shawn Camp plunked him on the elbow. In spite of his protective gear A-Rod dropped like a sack-o-potatoes. He managed to stay in the game and perhaps the ball just caught his funny bone, but we all know that A-Rod needs to rest that troublesome hip. Jeter's foot contusion will complicate that rest schedule.
Even without the Captain the Yankees rode home runs from Johnny Damon and Robinson Cano. Before A.J. Burnett wild pitched away his two-run lead. The bullpen came on and kept a weak Toronto lineup on the mat for the three more innings. Chad Gaudin came on for his first appearance as a Yankee in the 10th, and after two solid innings of relief and the always rare Cano hit with runners in scoring position, he collected his first win as a Yankee.
Gaudin could be very important for the Yankees going into this stretch run. No matter what Girardi is hoping for, his old friend from the Marlins Sergio Mitre is not long for the rotation. Gaudin could step in for Mitre in the five spot or, what is more likely to happen, he can step into the bullpen and assume Alfredo Aceves role while Aceves transitions into the rotation.
It is a minor flaw with the Yankees to quibble over, but the more games they win now the sooner they can start controlling Joba's innings to keep him fresh for the post season and even continue to rest the regular starters aside from A-Rod as the Yankees endure these final two grinding months they are scheduled for.
But the price might be a steep one for the Yankees. Derek Jeter got plunked on the foot in the first inning by a Ricky Romero curveball and you could tell from his run from first to third on Johnny Damon's single that he was not right and after his next at bat Girardi pulled the plug.
X-Rays were negative, but you would have to imagine that the Yankees will play it safe and probably sit Jeter for tomorrow's opener in an attempt to protect his health down the stretch. That could be detrimental to our other HBP victim today.
In extra innings A-Rod came to the plate and after falling behind 0-2 Toronto reliever Shawn Camp plunked him on the elbow. In spite of his protective gear A-Rod dropped like a sack-o-potatoes. He managed to stay in the game and perhaps the ball just caught his funny bone, but we all know that A-Rod needs to rest that troublesome hip. Jeter's foot contusion will complicate that rest schedule.
Even without the Captain the Yankees rode home runs from Johnny Damon and Robinson Cano. Before A.J. Burnett wild pitched away his two-run lead. The bullpen came on and kept a weak Toronto lineup on the mat for the three more innings. Chad Gaudin came on for his first appearance as a Yankee in the 10th, and after two solid innings of relief and the always rare Cano hit with runners in scoring position, he collected his first win as a Yankee.
Gaudin could be very important for the Yankees going into this stretch run. No matter what Girardi is hoping for, his old friend from the Marlins Sergio Mitre is not long for the rotation. Gaudin could step in for Mitre in the five spot or, what is more likely to happen, he can step into the bullpen and assume Alfredo Aceves role while Aceves transitions into the rotation.
It is a minor flaw with the Yankees to quibble over, but the more games they win now the sooner they can start controlling Joba's innings to keep him fresh for the post season and even continue to rest the regular starters aside from A-Rod as the Yankees endure these final two grinding months they are scheduled for.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Mitre Pitches the Yanks Into First
Mitre gave the Yankees exactly what they needed last night. The 28 year old pitched into the sixth inning while only allowing three earned runs on eight hits. He limited the damage by only walking one and by throwing two double play balls. It wasn't the prettiest start, but it is better than Chien-Ming Wang of April and better than watching someone like Sidney Ponson.
The offense finally came alive after scoring just six runs in the previous three games. They scored six last night and they managed to score them in almost every conceivable fashion. First they manufactured a run when A-Rod walked, stole second and then scored on two consecutive fly balls. They followed that up by scoring on a walk, a hit and run single by Jeter, another walk then a bases loaded single by A-Rod. Cano added the mandatory home run the following inning.
The only negative for the offense is Melky Cabrera who has hit his normal mid-summer swoon. After giving Yankee fans false hope with a solid May, he has completely fallen off. Hopefully Brett Gardner can step up for the time being. Girardi hasn't been giving him enough at bats recently, but he should start getting plenty.
It's an early start today as the Yanks go for their second consecutive sweep and look to stay undefeated in the second half. A.J. Burnett pitched effectively against the Tigers, but could stand to limit his walks (as always) and get a few more strike outs. Here's hoping he has the feel for his curve ball today.
The offense finally came alive after scoring just six runs in the previous three games. They scored six last night and they managed to score them in almost every conceivable fashion. First they manufactured a run when A-Rod walked, stole second and then scored on two consecutive fly balls. They followed that up by scoring on a walk, a hit and run single by Jeter, another walk then a bases loaded single by A-Rod. Cano added the mandatory home run the following inning.
The only negative for the offense is Melky Cabrera who has hit his normal mid-summer swoon. After giving Yankee fans false hope with a solid May, he has completely fallen off. Hopefully Brett Gardner can step up for the time being. Girardi hasn't been giving him enough at bats recently, but he should start getting plenty.
It's an early start today as the Yanks go for their second consecutive sweep and look to stay undefeated in the second half. A.J. Burnett pitched effectively against the Tigers, but could stand to limit his walks (as always) and get a few more strike outs. Here's hoping he has the feel for his curve ball today.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
2-1 is the Magic Score
For the third consecutive game the Yankees won by a score of 2-1. It has never happened in the history of the New York Yankees and I would imagine that the fact that the last two games all three runs were scored via the solo home run.
Aside from the jacks by both Eric Hinske (who has turned into a beast for the Yankees with four jacks in five games, hopefully that shuts up anyone who thought this a throw away deal) and Hideki Matsui, the Yankees won this game on stellar pitching and even more exceptional defense. Mark Teixeira is proving that the Yankees were more than justified in paying him the $180 million. The guy is slick with the glove and has the arm of a shortstop, as shown by his throw to nail Cesar Izturis at the plate and keep the game tied. It's not hard to envision a season ago when Jason Giambi would throw that ball into the concourse behind the third base line allowing both runs to score.
Beside being bailed out by the defense, the pitching was solid yet again. Andy Pettitte bounced back after several dismal starts before the break, much like Joba Chamberlain, and Phil Coke and Alfredo Aceves did a good job of giving the offense the time it needed to win the game.
These games illustrate the difference between last season and the present. Last year these four games could all have been lost and the Yankees would have fallen back further from the Rays and Red Sox. Tonight we see the debut of Sergio Mitre in pinstripes. Mitre doesn't have to be great, just effective. That's asking a lot for a guy with a career record of 10-23, but with Wang possibly laid up for the rest of the season, he is the best option that the Yankees have. This is what Phil Hughes was going to prevent at the beginning of the season, but Cashman and Girardi put too much faith in Wang coming back to full strength before his rehab was complete.
I was hoping the Yankees would send Hughes down over the All-Star to begin stretching him out, but alas the Yankees believe he is more valuable in the pen. We'll see if they still feel that way if Mitre fails and the next best option for the Yanks is Kei Igawa. I don't think we'll have to wait long to see Hughes stretched out in the same fashion as Joba was a year ago.
Aside from the jacks by both Eric Hinske (who has turned into a beast for the Yankees with four jacks in five games, hopefully that shuts up anyone who thought this a throw away deal) and Hideki Matsui, the Yankees won this game on stellar pitching and even more exceptional defense. Mark Teixeira is proving that the Yankees were more than justified in paying him the $180 million. The guy is slick with the glove and has the arm of a shortstop, as shown by his throw to nail Cesar Izturis at the plate and keep the game tied. It's not hard to envision a season ago when Jason Giambi would throw that ball into the concourse behind the third base line allowing both runs to score.
Beside being bailed out by the defense, the pitching was solid yet again. Andy Pettitte bounced back after several dismal starts before the break, much like Joba Chamberlain, and Phil Coke and Alfredo Aceves did a good job of giving the offense the time it needed to win the game.
These games illustrate the difference between last season and the present. Last year these four games could all have been lost and the Yankees would have fallen back further from the Rays and Red Sox. Tonight we see the debut of Sergio Mitre in pinstripes. Mitre doesn't have to be great, just effective. That's asking a lot for a guy with a career record of 10-23, but with Wang possibly laid up for the rest of the season, he is the best option that the Yankees have. This is what Phil Hughes was going to prevent at the beginning of the season, but Cashman and Girardi put too much faith in Wang coming back to full strength before his rehab was complete.
I was hoping the Yankees would send Hughes down over the All-Star to begin stretching him out, but alas the Yankees believe he is more valuable in the pen. We'll see if they still feel that way if Mitre fails and the next best option for the Yanks is Kei Igawa. I don't think we'll have to wait long to see Hughes stretched out in the same fashion as Joba was a year ago.
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