It has come down to this, 27 outs and the New York Yankees have a chance to clinch their 27th world championship. This has been a very interesting series to say the least, and it has had it's special moments, but tonight, the Yankees have a chance to close out this World Series and the baseball season of 2009 with a victory, which would suit Cole Hamels just fine. But, once again, I am very disappointed with the media coverage of this game, particularly, reporting that the Yankees DO NOT have a chance tonight with Cliff Lee pitching. Once again, the media is trying to instill fear into the hearts of Yankees fans and hoping that we as true Yankee fans, will give up on this game and just feel good about "winning at home". First of all, I would LOVE for the Yankees to win the title in their new ballpark, but you do not give a team that is on the ropes, who had a chance to tie this series up last night, that fought back to tie the game up before you take the lead and take the very air out of them last night, you DO NOT give them a chance to come back AT ALL PERIOD. You end it NOW!!
Yes, Cliff Lee is a very good pitcher, I give him all the credit he deserves. He has great control and he has pitched well this postseason, but he is not immortal, he is not a god. The media will give you his stats from the postseason, and they are good, (3-0 with a 0.54 ERA), but he hasn't pitched like that all season long. In his last 7 starts of the regular season he went 2-4 with a 6.13 ERA and also, he gave up 7 home runs, and remember this is as much of a hitter's ballpark as is Yankee Stadium. Cliff Lee IS NOT Koufax, he is not Cy Young, he IS NOT Greg Maddux. Has Cliff Lee had a ridiculous postseason, absolutely, but it is inevitable, he is ultimately due for a bad outing eventually and overall, he was 14-13 this season between the two leagues.
It is the media advertising Lee as invincible, to make Yankees fans believe that they will not even get a hit off of him, not even a run, but I will say this again, Cliff Lee is NOT un-hittable, he is NOT a god, he is a human being and despite what ESPN or FOX or what anyone says, the Yankee hitters have their confidence back and they may not score 10 runs off of him, but the Yankees CAN beat Philly when he pitches, even though FOX and ESPN would try to make you believe otherwise. The best game plan that the Yankees should do tonight against Cliff Lee is what they should have done in Game 1 and it is very very simple, make him throw pitches, work the count, get him out of his rhythm, get him out of the game so that then they get into the Phillies bullpen. There are no throw away games in the World Series and if you have the chance to go for the kill, you go for the jugular here, you do not let this team live another inning or even another day.
I have heard the usual stupidity come from the announcers at ESPN, specifically Mike Greenberg today, that says Girardi should start Chad Gaudin today over Burnett and save Burnett for Game 6 (you know, kinda like "giving" this game to Lee and saving AJ for the game you "need to win" lol) But is it really a mistake? First of all, as I said earlier, if you can go for the kill, you do it, and you use one of your best pitchers to do it. The argument is, which AJ will show up, but remember, AJ saw the interview with Lee after Game 1 and that inspired him to step up in Game 2, and no doubt he will be inspired tonight going AGAINST Lee. Another argument is using him on 3 days rest, but is that really a mistake pitching him on 3 days rest? Well, here are some numbers that ESPN and FOX WILL NOT tell you. In his career, on 3 days rest, AJ is 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA (27 IP 10 BB 24 K) and opponents are batting .192 against him. So, tonight, I believe we could be in for a classic duel between two good pitchers facing two good hitting teams with a championship on the line for one, a chance to extend the season for the other. And if the umpires can actually keep the strike zone consistent for both teams, we could see a good low scoring pitchers duels that we may talk about for years. But, Yankees fans, once again, I urge you, do not for one moment become intimidated by the media making Cliff Lee look invincible, he can have a bad outing, he is human and it may or may not happen tonight, but he is due. And the Yankees hitting confidence is back and if they will be patient at the plate and get him out of his rhythm, and if AJ doesn't get shaken tonight, get ready for a parade soon down the Canyon of Heroes. Let's Go Yankees !!!!
Monday, November 2, 2009
Saturday, October 31, 2009
OK, Now it is MY turn!!!
Well apparently, MLB has changed the rules about how many wins it takes to win the World Series this year. So far after two games, two games, the series is tied 1-1 and as a Yankees fan, if I turn on FOX and ESPN, I might as well start planning postseason activities now. I might as well get geared up for the NFL, College Football, NBA, anything but baseball right now. According to them, there is not one ounce of hope left, by all accounts this series is over, done, finished, and on Monday night Bud Selig will wake up out of his coma in time to hand the World Series trophy over to Charlie Manuel and the champagne will be waiting in the Phillies clubhouse to celebrate their 2nd title in a row and only their 3rd trophy ever in their history. According to FOX and ESPN, they are already crowning the Phillies back to back champions in MLB, the first time that has happened since, yep, you guessed it, the 1998-2000 Yankees, which actually won 3 in a row, which again would match the Phillies total in their HISTORY!!. The only thing Joe Buck, Tim McCarver, John Kruk, Harold Reynolds, Peter Gammons, Colin Cowherd, and Mike Greenberg are waiting for is the official crowning of THEIR champions, the Philadelphia Phillies.
Even last night, I went into a local sports store here in Raleigh NC with my Yankees hat on, discussing the series with what turned out to be another Yankees fan, and this guy that works at the store just came up to me and started trash talking right there. "You know what, this series is over man. The Yankees WILL NOT win a game in Philly at all. We are 11-1 at home the past 2 postseasons. Yeah, we are awesome at home. Your team is coming to the jungle now, and we want you to pitch CC and AJ on 3 days rest, it was easy to hit him them. And we will have Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee pitching too" Wow, you win your 2nd World Series in the history of your franchise, let me repeat, the history of your franchise, and you already are crowning your team champs after a 1-1 series tie? Oh well, let me consider this, and oh my, now that I think of it, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee in the next 3 games? Fear is already striking into my heart now, oh whatsoever will the Yankees do now??? OMG!! I really hope in these next 3 losses that the Yankees are going to get, they at least make it look respectable, and not get blown away as some Philly fans would suggest. Gosh, maybe Rollins WAS right, they were not going to be nice and let it go 6, they really want to win this one for the fans in their home stadium. Poor Yankees fans that might actually show up at the Park, having to sit through sheer torment as they KNOW the Yankees are going to lose all 3 games, but yet show up and support the team that everyone loves to hate.
"I like the Phillies they got what they wanted in NY, which is a W, they now go home where in the last 2 postseasons they're 11-1, oh and by the way Cliff Lee is pitching. The Phillies win 2 of 3 at home then go back to NY and I don't think they are going to lose 2 games in a row, Phillies in 6" -- Colin Cowturd Oct. 30, 2009 on "The Thundering Herd"
First of all, of course you would like ANYONE that plays AGAINST the Yankees, even if it were the Tokyo Yakult Swallows from the Japan League. Yeah, really intimidating that the Phillies have been 11-1 at home the past 2 postseasons. Impressive, but wait Cowturd, you failed to mention that the Yankees finished second behind the Angels and Phillies THIS season for the best ROAD record in MLB. Ah, alas, I almost forgot you are an ESPN employee and will not disclose these facts to your listeners. Allright Yankees fans, you have heard it from another source, we are done, through with, over, and no match for the mighty Phillies. Oh why did we beat the Angels only to get defeated by the mightiest of mighty teams of all time, the Philadelphia Phillies? I guess we must do as ESPN and FOX tells us to do and bow down to the mighty champions. Oh well, might as well wait till next season to get #27 for George.
And wouldn't you know it. I was going to have a good Saturday, Sunday, and Monday watching the Yankees play in the World Series but according to ESPN, FOX, Colin Cowherd, Mike Greenberg, and the many people in the media, if you are a Yankees fan, you might as well plan on going to that Halloween party, go on as life as usual and start your postseason life without baseball. The Yankees are going to Philadelphia's Citizen's Bank Park and as the reports are going, this is the last stand for the Yankees, the end of the line and the end of the season. What is this infatuation about hating the Yankees? I thought this was an evenly matched series, a series that would be epic and the same reporters and broadcasters that was calling this series an "instant classic" before the first pitch, are already gloating about the Phillies second championship and how they will win in 5 games. And now that the Phillies have taken 1 win at Yankee Stadium, a "very tame and civilized" place according to Jimmy "Big Mouth" Rollins, the Yankees will have to deal with some of the loudest and best fans in baseball, well, that according to Phillies fans, which includes most of the mainstream media. But you know what, I am not buying into all this crap the media is trying to push. Yankees fans, in case you haven't noticed, it is the Yankees against the world. The team that everyone loves to hate is back in MLB's biggest stage, and unless you are a Yankees fan, no one wants that.
Way to be balanced and unbiased. Just like the rest of your counterparts, you pump out that garbage to anyone that will listen hoping that Yankees fans will give up. No way will Yankees fans give up hopes that they can win this series. But, as a Yankees fan, let's just hope none of the Yankees players are listening, if so, even THEY may not want to get on the field after hearing this bunch of trash and garbage coming from the media.
First and foremost, I am not going to brag and gloat about how the Yankees are going to win the World Series, because the Phillies are a good team and this is the most evenly matched teams in a World Series I can remember in a long time. There is still too much baseball to be played and anything can happen. Can the Phillies sweep the Yanks at the Bank? It could happen. Can the Yankees sweep the Phillies at the Bank? That could happen too, but is it too much to ask for the media, specifically ESPN and FOX, to be a little bit more unbiased in their coverage of this World Series? Hey, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, you know, it is ok to show the same excitement you have on plays that the Angels and Phillies have made, for plays that the Yankees make as well. It is ok to get excited when a Yankees player hits a home run, or makes a great play, just as much as you get excited about when a Yankees opponent does that. And for ESPN and FOX, let's be a little bit more unbiased when talking about which team got screwed out of a bad close call in Game 2, because BOTH teams had possible scoring opportunities taken away, not just the Phillies!!! There is too much baseball left to be played between two of the best teams in MLB right now. This series can go either way and I am looking forward to an exciting series.
Enough with all this Phillies are far superior than the Yankees rhetoric. Enough of the media trying to fill Yankees fans hearts with doubts about our team. Do not be fooled for one split second, that is what the media wants, they want us as Yankees fans to be quiet, to believe that this is over and roll over and die. But we are better than that, and we are fans of the New York Yankees, the most famed franchise, not just in baseball, but in all of sports. Do not be intimidated by this garbage that ESPN and FOX and any other network or news source puts out. Stand tall, stand proud, and cheer on the Yankees as they seek to win their 27th championship in franchise history. Let's Go Yankees!!
Even last night, I went into a local sports store here in Raleigh NC with my Yankees hat on, discussing the series with what turned out to be another Yankees fan, and this guy that works at the store just came up to me and started trash talking right there. "You know what, this series is over man. The Yankees WILL NOT win a game in Philly at all. We are 11-1 at home the past 2 postseasons. Yeah, we are awesome at home. Your team is coming to the jungle now, and we want you to pitch CC and AJ on 3 days rest, it was easy to hit him them. And we will have Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee pitching too" Wow, you win your 2nd World Series in the history of your franchise, let me repeat, the history of your franchise, and you already are crowning your team champs after a 1-1 series tie? Oh well, let me consider this, and oh my, now that I think of it, Cole Hamels and Cliff Lee in the next 3 games? Fear is already striking into my heart now, oh whatsoever will the Yankees do now??? OMG!! I really hope in these next 3 losses that the Yankees are going to get, they at least make it look respectable, and not get blown away as some Philly fans would suggest. Gosh, maybe Rollins WAS right, they were not going to be nice and let it go 6, they really want to win this one for the fans in their home stadium. Poor Yankees fans that might actually show up at the Park, having to sit through sheer torment as they KNOW the Yankees are going to lose all 3 games, but yet show up and support the team that everyone loves to hate.
"I like the Phillies they got what they wanted in NY, which is a W, they now go home where in the last 2 postseasons they're 11-1, oh and by the way Cliff Lee is pitching. The Phillies win 2 of 3 at home then go back to NY and I don't think they are going to lose 2 games in a row, Phillies in 6" -- Colin Cowturd Oct. 30, 2009 on "The Thundering Herd"
First of all, of course you would like ANYONE that plays AGAINST the Yankees, even if it were the Tokyo Yakult Swallows from the Japan League. Yeah, really intimidating that the Phillies have been 11-1 at home the past 2 postseasons. Impressive, but wait Cowturd, you failed to mention that the Yankees finished second behind the Angels and Phillies THIS season for the best ROAD record in MLB. Ah, alas, I almost forgot you are an ESPN employee and will not disclose these facts to your listeners. Allright Yankees fans, you have heard it from another source, we are done, through with, over, and no match for the mighty Phillies. Oh why did we beat the Angels only to get defeated by the mightiest of mighty teams of all time, the Philadelphia Phillies? I guess we must do as ESPN and FOX tells us to do and bow down to the mighty champions. Oh well, might as well wait till next season to get #27 for George.
And wouldn't you know it. I was going to have a good Saturday, Sunday, and Monday watching the Yankees play in the World Series but according to ESPN, FOX, Colin Cowherd, Mike Greenberg, and the many people in the media, if you are a Yankees fan, you might as well plan on going to that Halloween party, go on as life as usual and start your postseason life without baseball. The Yankees are going to Philadelphia's Citizen's Bank Park and as the reports are going, this is the last stand for the Yankees, the end of the line and the end of the season. What is this infatuation about hating the Yankees? I thought this was an evenly matched series, a series that would be epic and the same reporters and broadcasters that was calling this series an "instant classic" before the first pitch, are already gloating about the Phillies second championship and how they will win in 5 games. And now that the Phillies have taken 1 win at Yankee Stadium, a "very tame and civilized" place according to Jimmy "Big Mouth" Rollins, the Yankees will have to deal with some of the loudest and best fans in baseball, well, that according to Phillies fans, which includes most of the mainstream media. But you know what, I am not buying into all this crap the media is trying to push. Yankees fans, in case you haven't noticed, it is the Yankees against the world. The team that everyone loves to hate is back in MLB's biggest stage, and unless you are a Yankees fan, no one wants that.
Way to be balanced and unbiased. Just like the rest of your counterparts, you pump out that garbage to anyone that will listen hoping that Yankees fans will give up. No way will Yankees fans give up hopes that they can win this series. But, as a Yankees fan, let's just hope none of the Yankees players are listening, if so, even THEY may not want to get on the field after hearing this bunch of trash and garbage coming from the media.
First and foremost, I am not going to brag and gloat about how the Yankees are going to win the World Series, because the Phillies are a good team and this is the most evenly matched teams in a World Series I can remember in a long time. There is still too much baseball to be played and anything can happen. Can the Phillies sweep the Yanks at the Bank? It could happen. Can the Yankees sweep the Phillies at the Bank? That could happen too, but is it too much to ask for the media, specifically ESPN and FOX, to be a little bit more unbiased in their coverage of this World Series? Hey, Joe Buck and Tim McCarver, you know, it is ok to show the same excitement you have on plays that the Angels and Phillies have made, for plays that the Yankees make as well. It is ok to get excited when a Yankees player hits a home run, or makes a great play, just as much as you get excited about when a Yankees opponent does that. And for ESPN and FOX, let's be a little bit more unbiased when talking about which team got screwed out of a bad close call in Game 2, because BOTH teams had possible scoring opportunities taken away, not just the Phillies!!! There is too much baseball left to be played between two of the best teams in MLB right now. This series can go either way and I am looking forward to an exciting series.
Enough with all this Phillies are far superior than the Yankees rhetoric. Enough of the media trying to fill Yankees fans hearts with doubts about our team. Do not be fooled for one split second, that is what the media wants, they want us as Yankees fans to be quiet, to believe that this is over and roll over and die. But we are better than that, and we are fans of the New York Yankees, the most famed franchise, not just in baseball, but in all of sports. Do not be intimidated by this garbage that ESPN and FOX and any other network or news source puts out. Stand tall, stand proud, and cheer on the Yankees as they seek to win their 27th championship in franchise history. Let's Go Yankees!!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Instant Replay
If you are a baseball fan at all, you have to be outraged at the way the umpiring has been going this postseason in the MLB playoffs. Last night in Game 2 of the World Series was just even more proof that someone needs to give Bud Selig some smelling salts and a defibrillator to get him out of his slumber and see just how bad this is getting. Before Game 2 yesterday, Selig stated
"The more baseball people I talk to, there is a lot of trepidation about it and I think their trepidation is fair, I've spent a lot of time [on this] over the past month and will spend a lot of time in the ensuing months as well. I don't want to overreact. You can make light of that but when you start to think you're going to have more intrusions -- and even if they're good intrusions -- it's something that you have to be very careful about. Affecting the game on the field is not something I really want to do. Life is changing and I understand that," he said. "I do like the human element and I think the human element for the last 130 years has worked pretty well. There have been controversies but there are controversies in every sport."
Which baseball people is he talking to, little league coaches? Bud, PLEASE, OVERREACT, DO SOMETHING, show us all that you still have somewhat of a pulse! And this coming from a guy that called a tie in an All Star game no less. OK, Bud WAKE UP!!!!This human element that you have been holding on to, isn't going to fly anymore. You do not want to affect the game on the field? How about how all these bad calls that are essentially already affecting the game on the field. How could you honestly sit there and tell us that the umpiring that has been going on this postseason has not affected any of these games at all? Even if a call went against my team, I at least want to know if it is a fair call or not on a close play, and especially if it is a clearly blown call that goes against my team, I would love to have that play reviewed. Are you afraid that the pace of the game might get slowed down? Are you kidding Bud? The pace of baseball games are so slow now that even newly graduated high school kids could pay for concessions with their Social Security checks by the end of the game. And yes Bud, there have been controversies in every sport, but why do you want that when you have a chance to bypass a controversy altogether?
MLB decided in this year's World Series that they would have experienced crews working the games, but experienced crews as we should have already have known, guarantees nothing. Let's face it officials in any sport can screw up calls, it happens. It happens in baseball, in football, in basketball. It will happen whenever someone with a pulse has to make a split-second decision in any sport. What has been happening is that MLB has the technology it takes to help the umps make the right call, but they want them to live in the dark ages of technology and then have us as fans get upset at them for making the wrong call. This has to stop. I maybe crazy, but this is what I propose for the remaining game of the World Series. Give each manager two challenges per game, have two well respected veteran umpires in a booth in the press box, give the crew chief on the field a headset so that he will be able to get the call from up in the box, and play ball. These umpires are human too and if we as fans had to make a split second decision like they have to do, we may not always make the right call either. It is easy for us to get upset at the umpire for making a bad close call when we are not the ones having to make the decision. These blown calls goes all the way back to Bud Selig and MLB for not instituting instant replay in situations such as what happened last night. Face it Bud, you are clinging to the hopes of keeping baseball stuck in the 20th century when 21st century technology will help the games, the players, the fans, and eventually, help the umpires themselves.
"The more baseball people I talk to, there is a lot of trepidation about it and I think their trepidation is fair, I've spent a lot of time [on this] over the past month and will spend a lot of time in the ensuing months as well. I don't want to overreact. You can make light of that but when you start to think you're going to have more intrusions -- and even if they're good intrusions -- it's something that you have to be very careful about. Affecting the game on the field is not something I really want to do. Life is changing and I understand that," he said. "I do like the human element and I think the human element for the last 130 years has worked pretty well. There have been controversies but there are controversies in every sport."
Which baseball people is he talking to, little league coaches? Bud, PLEASE, OVERREACT, DO SOMETHING, show us all that you still have somewhat of a pulse! And this coming from a guy that called a tie in an All Star game no less. OK, Bud WAKE UP!!!!This human element that you have been holding on to, isn't going to fly anymore. You do not want to affect the game on the field? How about how all these bad calls that are essentially already affecting the game on the field. How could you honestly sit there and tell us that the umpiring that has been going on this postseason has not affected any of these games at all? Even if a call went against my team, I at least want to know if it is a fair call or not on a close play, and especially if it is a clearly blown call that goes against my team, I would love to have that play reviewed. Are you afraid that the pace of the game might get slowed down? Are you kidding Bud? The pace of baseball games are so slow now that even newly graduated high school kids could pay for concessions with their Social Security checks by the end of the game. And yes Bud, there have been controversies in every sport, but why do you want that when you have a chance to bypass a controversy altogether?
MLB decided in this year's World Series that they would have experienced crews working the games, but experienced crews as we should have already have known, guarantees nothing. Let's face it officials in any sport can screw up calls, it happens. It happens in baseball, in football, in basketball. It will happen whenever someone with a pulse has to make a split-second decision in any sport. What has been happening is that MLB has the technology it takes to help the umps make the right call, but they want them to live in the dark ages of technology and then have us as fans get upset at them for making the wrong call. This has to stop. I maybe crazy, but this is what I propose for the remaining game of the World Series. Give each manager two challenges per game, have two well respected veteran umpires in a booth in the press box, give the crew chief on the field a headset so that he will be able to get the call from up in the box, and play ball. These umpires are human too and if we as fans had to make a split second decision like they have to do, we may not always make the right call either. It is easy for us to get upset at the umpire for making a bad close call when we are not the ones having to make the decision. These blown calls goes all the way back to Bud Selig and MLB for not instituting instant replay in situations such as what happened last night. Face it Bud, you are clinging to the hopes of keeping baseball stuck in the 20th century when 21st century technology will help the games, the players, the fans, and eventually, help the umpires themselves.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Clueless Joe Strikes Again!!!!
It ain't over till it's over and if Clueless Joe has anything to do with it, it might as well be over. Yes AJ gave up 4 runs in the first inning and until the Yankees 6 run rally in the 7th, would have in my opinion been the blame for the loss. But, thanks to Clueless Joe for another dramatic come from ahead loss. I really guess it is more important to try and prove you are a baseball "genius" (which you STILL have A LOT to prove) instead of winning a postseason game and winning the AL Pennant. AJ to start the 7th after being rocked in the 1st and struggling the whole game, when DRob the most effective reliever other than Rivera, was in the pen? After the game, Clueless Joe said about AJ "he was throwing the ball so well. He put up five shutout innings. He had only thrown 80 pitches. And we just liked what we saw from him and we stuck with him." Throwing the ball well??? Are you kidding me? 4 runs on 21 pitches was "throwing the ball well"? Maybe in BP, but NOT in a key Game 5 with a World Series appearance on the line!! What game was Girardi watching, or was he too busy looking into his 36" "book" for more "match-ups"? AJ struggled the WHOLE game and why he stuck with him past the first is a mystery to me. Pinch run for A-Rod and Matsui in the 9th? What if this goes extra innings? You REALLY want to lose A-Rod and Matsui's bat? From the time they announced his hiring, I was not a Girardi fan, and he has done nothing to change my opinion of him as being an incompetent manger of the most storied franchise in all of sports, period. This team has won 103 games this year, but remember, 51 have had to be come from behind victories, that is 49.5% of our wins in the regular season have been snatched from the jaws of defeat. That means almost half of the Yankees regular season wins have been come from behind victories. Does anyone believe the Yankees have that bad of a team to be close to losing 51 of those 103 wins? The Yankees have won this year IN SPITE of Girardi and for two games in this LCS, the Yankees bats were not able to cover up Clueless Joe's mistakes. It all has to do with managing and mostly due in part to poor managing of players and game situations by Clueless Joe, this series is headed back to New York where, honestly, the Yankees MUST win Game 6. Joe Girardi is a complete and utter idiot. The responsibility for this loss as well as Game 3 is all on Girardi.
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Ok ok ok, you can say what you want about Yankee fans after a loss, but as a Yankees fan and a baseball fan period, I just can't take this anymore. Joe Girardi needs to get a clue on how to manage this team and what to do in key situations. I have heard different takes from different people about the debacle that played out last night in Anaheim, and there are some that say Girardi is not to blame for this loss and there are some that say he isn't, but I side with the people that say Girardi is to be blamed for this loss. Here are the reasons why.
1.) AJ gave up 4 runs on 21 pitches to start the bottom of the 1st inning, in the second inning, he starts off by giving up a single to Jeff Mathis before getting Aybar to hit into a double play and then get Figgins to fly out to center, whew, he escaped there. 2nd inning wasn't quite that bad, but the 3rd inning came and more trouble for AJ. He looked good striking out Abreu, but then proceeded to be the wild AJ again by walking Tori Hunter, allowing Hunter to steal second and then Hunter went to 3rd on a wild pitch before settling down to escape even more damage. By the 4th inning, AJ seemed to have recaptured his composure but the damage had been done, but during this whole time, you see that AJ has been struggling, why didn't Dave Eiland come and talk with him and why didn't Joe come out and have a talk with him to calm him down? I mean, if Joe can go out and visit with a combined 30 years of experience in Pettite and Posada on a 2-2 pitch to Vlad Guerrero in Game 3, why can he not try and stop the bleeding when AJ is getting rocked? Also, in my opinion, the Yankees have a good 5th starter in their bullpen in Chad Gaudin who can give at least 3 to 4 good innings of emergency relief if need be, why wasn't he warming up?
2.) After the Yankees finally pulled off a classic 6 run rally in the top of the 7th, Joe decides to bring in AJ again to pitch the top of the 7th. As Posada was sent up as a pinch hitter, I surely thought, as well as probably many others that AJ was gone and that Jumpin Joe would go to the bullpen, but using who I don't believe anyone could answer that because who knows how Joe was going to mishandle his bullpen in this game, but we soon found out. AJ gives up a base hit to Mathis who at that point was already 2 for 2 in the game which brings up Aybar, which walks on a full count. After the game, Joe says that the decision to stay with AJ was because "he was throwing the ball so well. He put up five shutout innings. He had only thrown 80 pitches. And we just liked what we saw from him and we stuck with him." Honestly Joe, I wouldn't go with this pitch count nonsense because what matters isn't the pitch count in the postseason, what counts is a win and quality is still better than quantity in the baseball postseason, especially when it comes to pitching.
Then to the surprise of everyone, well not really because we really never know what Joe is thinking, he brings in Damaso Marte one of two lefties in their pen to face Figgins who places a good sac bunt to advance the runners into scoring position. Abreu grounds out to Texiera, but Matthis scores and it's now 6-5 Yankees. Phil Hughes enters the game with 2 outs and Aybar on 3rd. Hughes once again in this postseason could not close the door for the Yankees as he walks Hunter and then facing Vladimir Guerrero, he shakes off Posada 4 TIMES, which proved to be a costly mistake as with a 1-2 pitch with 2 out and a 6-5 lead, Guerrero lines a single past a diving Jeter to tie the game. At this point, you would think that Joe would at least go with Robertson or Gaudin, both of which has pitched really well in what little postseason action they have seen, but he sticks with Hughes who has struggled this postseason and who would NOT have been my choice to enter into this crucial game in such a crucial inning. The next batter up was Kendry Morales who then with 2 outs brings home Hunter from 2nd with what proved to be the winning run. Hughes eventually got Izturis to strike out to end the inning but the damage had been done.
3.) Top of the 9th with 2 outs, A-Rod was intentionally walked and Matsui walks. What does Clueless Joe do, he gets Guzman to pinch run for A-Rod and Gardner to pinch run for Matsui. This would be a great move if you were planning to use that speed to force the issue and hopefully make the Angels pitcher or infielders to make a mistake trying to hold them on base, but there was not one sign of a steal, a double steal, nothing. If that is the case, then why didn't he just leave A-Rod and Matsui in the game? If this game would have been tied and went to extra innings, he lost the bats of Matsui AND A-Rod, which was utterly ignorant and stupid. Then we have the bases loaded, 2 outs and we have the chance to take the lead again. Instead of pinch hitting maybe Cervelli or Hairston for Swisher who has struggled with RISP, he lets him hit. To Swisher's credit, he battled Fuentes, but here is my thing, with the bases loaded, why not be aggressive with the speed they had on the bases and have both Gardner and Guzman attempt a double steal, a potential steal of home with two outs to force the issue. Maybe Fuentes throws the ball away, possibly create a balk, moving a runner over and tying the game, and you have a force at every base which is strangely enough to your advantage because the Angels fielders would not know which base to go to. Why not go for the hit and run because that can get Swisher to shorten his swing and make contact. With three guys who are relatively fast on base, maybe you force the defense into a weird position as well. If you were going to have speed on the bases, and knowing you just lost A-Rod and Matsui why not use it to your advantage and go for the lead and bring Mo in for the 9th to finish it off?
Honestly, Game 5 was a must win, not for the Angels, but for the Yankees. Why? Because now there is a potential for a Game 7, and there is almost a 100% chance of rain Saturday night, which could postpone Game 6 till Sunday and game 7 on Monday. Game 1 of the World Series starts Wednesday and if you are the Yankees, you want CC to pitch Game 1 in Yankee Stadium because the first game of the World Series is crucial the way the Yankees have been playing so far. Now, Andy Pettite faces the challenge he has been so great at through his career as a Yankee, crucial Game 6 win needed and he is on the mound. If the Yankees lose Game 6 and win Game 7, this could come back to hurt them against the Phillies because the Game 1 starter could then be AJ Burnett, who has pitched better at home than on the road, but still has been streaky and such a mystery until he pitches and was also rocked by the Phillies earlier this year at Yankee Stadium. Here would be my lineup for Game 6
1. Jeter SS
2. Damon LF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. RodrÃguez 3B
5. Posada C
6. Matsui DH
7. Cabrera RF
8. Cano 2B
9. Gardner CF
Will he go with this lineup, probably not. Will he finally use Robertson out of the pen in a key situation, probably not. But I do place all the confidence I have that Andy will keep the Angels in check and the Yankee bats will pull out a Game 6 win. So tune in Saturday night (if there is no rain) and watch for Girardi to star in the new Fox series "The New Adventures of Clueless Joe" followed by CBS' new series "The Overmanagerist"
1.) AJ gave up 4 runs on 21 pitches to start the bottom of the 1st inning, in the second inning, he starts off by giving up a single to Jeff Mathis before getting Aybar to hit into a double play and then get Figgins to fly out to center, whew, he escaped there. 2nd inning wasn't quite that bad, but the 3rd inning came and more trouble for AJ. He looked good striking out Abreu, but then proceeded to be the wild AJ again by walking Tori Hunter, allowing Hunter to steal second and then Hunter went to 3rd on a wild pitch before settling down to escape even more damage. By the 4th inning, AJ seemed to have recaptured his composure but the damage had been done, but during this whole time, you see that AJ has been struggling, why didn't Dave Eiland come and talk with him and why didn't Joe come out and have a talk with him to calm him down? I mean, if Joe can go out and visit with a combined 30 years of experience in Pettite and Posada on a 2-2 pitch to Vlad Guerrero in Game 3, why can he not try and stop the bleeding when AJ is getting rocked? Also, in my opinion, the Yankees have a good 5th starter in their bullpen in Chad Gaudin who can give at least 3 to 4 good innings of emergency relief if need be, why wasn't he warming up?
2.) After the Yankees finally pulled off a classic 6 run rally in the top of the 7th, Joe decides to bring in AJ again to pitch the top of the 7th. As Posada was sent up as a pinch hitter, I surely thought, as well as probably many others that AJ was gone and that Jumpin Joe would go to the bullpen, but using who I don't believe anyone could answer that because who knows how Joe was going to mishandle his bullpen in this game, but we soon found out. AJ gives up a base hit to Mathis who at that point was already 2 for 2 in the game which brings up Aybar, which walks on a full count. After the game, Joe says that the decision to stay with AJ was because "he was throwing the ball so well. He put up five shutout innings. He had only thrown 80 pitches. And we just liked what we saw from him and we stuck with him." Honestly Joe, I wouldn't go with this pitch count nonsense because what matters isn't the pitch count in the postseason, what counts is a win and quality is still better than quantity in the baseball postseason, especially when it comes to pitching.
Then to the surprise of everyone, well not really because we really never know what Joe is thinking, he brings in Damaso Marte one of two lefties in their pen to face Figgins who places a good sac bunt to advance the runners into scoring position. Abreu grounds out to Texiera, but Matthis scores and it's now 6-5 Yankees. Phil Hughes enters the game with 2 outs and Aybar on 3rd. Hughes once again in this postseason could not close the door for the Yankees as he walks Hunter and then facing Vladimir Guerrero, he shakes off Posada 4 TIMES, which proved to be a costly mistake as with a 1-2 pitch with 2 out and a 6-5 lead, Guerrero lines a single past a diving Jeter to tie the game. At this point, you would think that Joe would at least go with Robertson or Gaudin, both of which has pitched really well in what little postseason action they have seen, but he sticks with Hughes who has struggled this postseason and who would NOT have been my choice to enter into this crucial game in such a crucial inning. The next batter up was Kendry Morales who then with 2 outs brings home Hunter from 2nd with what proved to be the winning run. Hughes eventually got Izturis to strike out to end the inning but the damage had been done.
3.) Top of the 9th with 2 outs, A-Rod was intentionally walked and Matsui walks. What does Clueless Joe do, he gets Guzman to pinch run for A-Rod and Gardner to pinch run for Matsui. This would be a great move if you were planning to use that speed to force the issue and hopefully make the Angels pitcher or infielders to make a mistake trying to hold them on base, but there was not one sign of a steal, a double steal, nothing. If that is the case, then why didn't he just leave A-Rod and Matsui in the game? If this game would have been tied and went to extra innings, he lost the bats of Matsui AND A-Rod, which was utterly ignorant and stupid. Then we have the bases loaded, 2 outs and we have the chance to take the lead again. Instead of pinch hitting maybe Cervelli or Hairston for Swisher who has struggled with RISP, he lets him hit. To Swisher's credit, he battled Fuentes, but here is my thing, with the bases loaded, why not be aggressive with the speed they had on the bases and have both Gardner and Guzman attempt a double steal, a potential steal of home with two outs to force the issue. Maybe Fuentes throws the ball away, possibly create a balk, moving a runner over and tying the game, and you have a force at every base which is strangely enough to your advantage because the Angels fielders would not know which base to go to. Why not go for the hit and run because that can get Swisher to shorten his swing and make contact. With three guys who are relatively fast on base, maybe you force the defense into a weird position as well. If you were going to have speed on the bases, and knowing you just lost A-Rod and Matsui why not use it to your advantage and go for the lead and bring Mo in for the 9th to finish it off?
Honestly, Game 5 was a must win, not for the Angels, but for the Yankees. Why? Because now there is a potential for a Game 7, and there is almost a 100% chance of rain Saturday night, which could postpone Game 6 till Sunday and game 7 on Monday. Game 1 of the World Series starts Wednesday and if you are the Yankees, you want CC to pitch Game 1 in Yankee Stadium because the first game of the World Series is crucial the way the Yankees have been playing so far. Now, Andy Pettite faces the challenge he has been so great at through his career as a Yankee, crucial Game 6 win needed and he is on the mound. If the Yankees lose Game 6 and win Game 7, this could come back to hurt them against the Phillies because the Game 1 starter could then be AJ Burnett, who has pitched better at home than on the road, but still has been streaky and such a mystery until he pitches and was also rocked by the Phillies earlier this year at Yankee Stadium. Here would be my lineup for Game 6
1. Jeter SS
2. Damon LF
3. Teixeira 1B
4. RodrÃguez 3B
5. Posada C
6. Matsui DH
7. Cabrera RF
8. Cano 2B
9. Gardner CF
Will he go with this lineup, probably not. Will he finally use Robertson out of the pen in a key situation, probably not. But I do place all the confidence I have that Andy will keep the Angels in check and the Yankee bats will pull out a Game 6 win. So tune in Saturday night (if there is no rain) and watch for Girardi to star in the new Fox series "The New Adventures of Clueless Joe" followed by CBS' new series "The Overmanagerist"
"Angels Looking for a Prayer Against The Yankees"
I want to first of all thank Lisa and Stacy for giving me the opportunity to contribute to this blog. I love to talk baseball with people that love the game and KNOW the game and I can say without a doubt that these two ladies KNOW baseball :)
I have been a baseball fan ever sice I can remember and everyone that knows me knows my favorite team is the New York Yankees and so I want to share my heart about Game 4 and this year's ALCS.
All is well once again in Yankee Universe. Gone are the memories of a heart breaking extra inning defeat in Game 3 that found the Yankees lost on the basepaths and Girardi as front page news fodder. Gone are the memories of being 0-24 with RISP in this ALCS. And I dare say, gone is this so called "mystique" the Angels have had over the Yankees this past decade. This IS NOT the same Yankees teams that has been the Angels patsies over the past 7 years. The Angels had the Yankees number since 2002, but this year, it's totally different. What are those numbers? The Yankees are outhitting the Angels in this series after 4 games .278 to .201 with A-Rod (.375, 3 HR, 5 RBI) leading the way. The Yankees pitching staff has a 2.16 ERA in the ALCS with their starters having a combined 2.20 ERA with CC Sabathia dominating to a tune of 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA.
Not only did the Yankees defeat the Angels Tuesday night, but they put away any hopes the Angels had of even attempting to win this series. Advantage in this series took a HUGE swing the Yankees way Tuesday night. Sure, the Angels could win Game 5 but what are the odds that they will win 2 in Da Bronx facing Pettitte a 2nd time and CC for the 3rd time, but this time on 4 days rest. The Yankees did exactly what they needed to do in Game 4, and that was to be aggressive at the plate AND on the bases. Even though Jeter was thrown out on his steal attempt to begin the game, the tone was set at that point, the Yankees were ready to play and do what it took to score runs, and not just by the long ball either. It was obvious at the beginning of the 1st inning that Girardi and the Yankees clearly wanted to go for the jugular, and that they did. And CC was huge (no pun intended) in this game, proving to be in my opinion, the Yankees Co-MVP this post season along with A-Rod. One of my keys to the game last night was that CC needed to have a strong performance and except for a shaky 5th inning, he dominated the Angels batters with only one mistake pitch of the night, that being a solo home run to Morales to make the score 5-1 New York, but the Angels clearly were never in this game, Kazmir looked like a deer in the headlights once he saw the aggressiveness of the Yankee hitters, and like a shark, when the Yankees smelled fear and saw blood, they attacked. And what was even better was that CC's performance kept Jumpin Joe Girardi from visiting the mound last night, a place he has visited quite frequently in the past 2 games.
Even in this win, there were still some signs of poorly used at bats where a sacrifice fly or a sac bunt would advance a runner and also some mental errors on the bases, especially with the poor base running by Posada and Cano. The Yankees have to cut back on the mental errors because every game is not going to be a blowout and those mental lapses that costed runs in Game 4 could be huge in the World Series. But overall, I was very impressed by the performance Tuesday night and hopefully if they keep this up, thanks especially to CC and A-Rod and Jeter and Teixeira's fantastic fielding, and if the other Yankee hitters follow suit, then I believe that championship number 27 is well within their grasp.
I have been a baseball fan ever sice I can remember and everyone that knows me knows my favorite team is the New York Yankees and so I want to share my heart about Game 4 and this year's ALCS.
All is well once again in Yankee Universe. Gone are the memories of a heart breaking extra inning defeat in Game 3 that found the Yankees lost on the basepaths and Girardi as front page news fodder. Gone are the memories of being 0-24 with RISP in this ALCS. And I dare say, gone is this so called "mystique" the Angels have had over the Yankees this past decade. This IS NOT the same Yankees teams that has been the Angels patsies over the past 7 years. The Angels had the Yankees number since 2002, but this year, it's totally different. What are those numbers? The Yankees are outhitting the Angels in this series after 4 games .278 to .201 with A-Rod (.375, 3 HR, 5 RBI) leading the way. The Yankees pitching staff has a 2.16 ERA in the ALCS with their starters having a combined 2.20 ERA with CC Sabathia dominating to a tune of 2-0 with a 1.13 ERA.
Not only did the Yankees defeat the Angels Tuesday night, but they put away any hopes the Angels had of even attempting to win this series. Advantage in this series took a HUGE swing the Yankees way Tuesday night. Sure, the Angels could win Game 5 but what are the odds that they will win 2 in Da Bronx facing Pettitte a 2nd time and CC for the 3rd time, but this time on 4 days rest. The Yankees did exactly what they needed to do in Game 4, and that was to be aggressive at the plate AND on the bases. Even though Jeter was thrown out on his steal attempt to begin the game, the tone was set at that point, the Yankees were ready to play and do what it took to score runs, and not just by the long ball either. It was obvious at the beginning of the 1st inning that Girardi and the Yankees clearly wanted to go for the jugular, and that they did. And CC was huge (no pun intended) in this game, proving to be in my opinion, the Yankees Co-MVP this post season along with A-Rod. One of my keys to the game last night was that CC needed to have a strong performance and except for a shaky 5th inning, he dominated the Angels batters with only one mistake pitch of the night, that being a solo home run to Morales to make the score 5-1 New York, but the Angels clearly were never in this game, Kazmir looked like a deer in the headlights once he saw the aggressiveness of the Yankee hitters, and like a shark, when the Yankees smelled fear and saw blood, they attacked. And what was even better was that CC's performance kept Jumpin Joe Girardi from visiting the mound last night, a place he has visited quite frequently in the past 2 games.
Even in this win, there were still some signs of poorly used at bats where a sacrifice fly or a sac bunt would advance a runner and also some mental errors on the bases, especially with the poor base running by Posada and Cano. The Yankees have to cut back on the mental errors because every game is not going to be a blowout and those mental lapses that costed runs in Game 4 could be huge in the World Series. But overall, I was very impressed by the performance Tuesday night and hopefully if they keep this up, thanks especially to CC and A-Rod and Jeter and Teixeira's fantastic fielding, and if the other Yankee hitters follow suit, then I believe that championship number 27 is well within their grasp.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Manny being Manny...and I'm sick of it!
I was watching MLB Network coverage last night when I found out Manny was in the shower during the 9th inning of the Dodgers comeback-loss to the Phillies. The MLB Network panel was laughing, saying he's Manny being Manny and that he cracks them up. Seriously? What about Manny has ever been funny?
I'm so tired of people making excuses for this guy! Why is he not held to the high standards as his fellow MLB players? Everyone continues to make excuses for him and furthermore keep excusing his ridiculous behavior.
It wasn't bad enough that he violated MLB's drug policy (using female fertility drugs non-the-less), but he continues to embarass the game of baseball with his laziness and self-centered behavior.
Ironically, during their most recent comeback loss to the Phillies...Manny made a "good" shoestring catch in left. The play only looked "good" and ended up being a shoestring grab because he didn't run hard after the ball to begin with. It's sad that this would be a routine catch for most MLB players...but for a guy like Manny...it's a miracle that he even got to the ball to begin with. I guess that's just "Manny being Manny". Ridiculous.
The Red Sox were sick of Manny's selfish antics and I'm hoping that Manny gets a lesson this off-season when his contract expires with the Dodgers.
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