The Captain's Blog

The Yankees have gone a remarkable 21-3 in games that Alex Rodriguez has not played, so naturally, they’ve now lost two games in a row since his return from the disabled list. What’s more, the two losses have not resulted because of a lack of contribution from the three-time MVP. Over the last two games, Arod has gone 3-7 with a home run and 3 RBIs, but the team has only managed to score three runs in each.

If not for Arod’s herculean 2009 post season in which he carried the Yankees to their 27th World Championship, the last two games might have been cause for ongoing discussion about how the Yankees can’t win with him the lineup. Instead, it has become more of an ironic curiousity.

During the last two YES broadcasts, John Flaherty has opined that there may be a subconscious tendency among players to both step up their game in the absence of a dominant hitter and let down a little when he returns. That doesn’t seem very likely on a team with as many superstars as the Yankees, but it does make for interesting pop sports psychology.

In reality, Arod’s seemingly healthy return bodes well for the Yankees, especially as it looks like the team will need to rely more heavily on its offense to lead the way to another championship. Once derided as a regular season compiler, Rodriguez has deservedly developed a new reputation as a clutch performer and will certainly be the Yankees’ biggest threat in the post season. The Yankees goal between now and then it so make sure their All Star 3B stays well rested and healthy in September because they will need to ride him all the way through October.

Most 100 RBI seasons, Since 1901

Source: Baseball-reference.com

After the Yankees wrap up the current home stand with a series against the Baltimore Orioles, they head out to Texas for the second time this season. When they get there, they’ll find a Rangers team that has struggled since the teams’ last meeting in August. What they may not find, however, is Cliff Lee opposing them on the mound.

Cliff Lee’s aching back has raised some concerns in Texas (Photo: Getty Images)

Lee, who has gone 0-3 with an 8.38 ERA in his last five starts dating back to his outing against the Yankees, has been diagnosed with lower back inflammation and may be skipped over at least one time through the rotation. Although the Rangers already have the A.L. West Division all but clinched, any lingering injury to Lee would have a serious impact on their World Series aspirations. For that reason, it makes all the sense in the world for Texas to proceed with extreme caution.

Considering his impending free agency, Cliff Lee also has a lot at stake over the final month of the regular season and, the Rangers hope, in October. Lee’s ability to obtain a top dollar free agent contract could be hampered if his back prevents him from taking the ball or being effective, especially in the post season. Remember, Lee will be 32 next season, and before 2008 was never much more than a league average pitcher. Also, although his Cy Young season was outstanding, his regular season in 2009 wasn’t exactly off the charts. Rather, his dominance in the 2009 post season (4-0 with a 1.56 ERA) is what catapulted him into 2010. Because of his recent struggles in Texas, Lee may once again need a sterling post season to polish the exterior of a strong, but not spectacular 2010 campaign.

Regardless of how he ends the season, the Yankees probably will have considerable interest in Lee during the off season. However, as he struggles down the stretch, it does make the Yankees look very lucky that the Mariners didn’t accept their offer of wunderkind prospect Jesus Montero. Since the Yankees widely reported deal with the Mariners fell through, the 20 year-old catcher has absolutely terrorized pitchers in the International League, offering a new take on an old expression: sometimes the best trades are the ones you don’t make because an opposing General Manager foolishly opts for a lesser prospect from another team!

There’s plenty of time for Lee to re-establish his dominance, and he could very well wind up being the reason that the Rangers finally overcome the Yankees in the post season, but at the moment, the Yankees have to be happy with how things worked out. Then again, if Andy Pettitte is unable to recover from his injury, and Lee does dominate them in October, they (and I) may be singing a different tune.

Jesus Montero’s Second Half Stats

Source: www.minorleaguebaseball.com

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In the Yankees long and illustrious history, they have never swept a season series of 10 or more games. This year, they came pretty close against the Oakland Athletics.

In 1990, the Yankees saw more than their fair share of forearm bashes as the Oakland Athletics swept them in the season series.

Yesterday’s 4-0 shutout not only polished off a series sweep, but gave the Yankees their highest winning percentage (.900) against the Athletics in the two teams’ 110 year history of playing each other (the Yankees also won 90% of its games against the  Philadelphia Athletics when they went 18-2 in 1919). Not only did the Yankees win nine of the 10 games between the two teams, but they also outscored the Athletics by a whopping 56-23. In fact, the Yankees dominance over the Athletics has extended over the last three seasons, a span during which the Yankees have gone 21-4.

It wasn’t always so easy against Oakland, however. Exactly 20 years ago, the shoe was on the other foot. Although younger fans probably can’t fathom the idea of the Yankees being doormats, that’s exactly what they were back in 1990 when the team finished with 95 losses, the third most in franchise history. And, that season, no team felt more welcomed when facing the Yankees than the big bad Bash Brothers from Oakland.

The 1990 Athletics were an awesome team, winning 103 games enroot to their third straight pennant. Despite dominating the entire American League that season, however, they seemed to take particular pleasure with destroying the New York Yankees. The contests were often so one-sided, that it seemed as if the games were decided when the Athletics trotted out onto the field. Although there were a handful of close games in the series, including one 11 inning affair, it always seemed as if the Athletics were destined to win each ballgame. And, that’s exactly what they did.

Are they 12 games better than us? That’s a tough question. I don’t know. They’re a great ball club, that’s all there is to it…But, hey, I guess they are. The record is there”. – Yankees 2B Steve Sax, quoted by AP after the team dropped its 12^th game to the Athletics on September 9, 1990

By going 12-0 against the Yankees, the Athletics not only handed the Bronx Bombers their first season series sweep in franchise history, but, at the time, also recorded only the fourth season series shutout in major league baseball history (remember, back in 1990, there was no interleague play or unbalanced schedule, so most season series were at least 12 games). The A’s didn’t just beat the Yankees in every game; they humiliated them. In the 12 games, the Athletics outscored the Yankees 62 to 12, and allowed the Bronx Bombers to score more than two runs on only one occasion. Even ex-Yankee Willie Randolph, who was now playing for the Athletics, took delight in the level of domination, telling AP, “It’s nice to come here and be part of a team that swept a great historical team like the Yankees,” before adding, “I guess we got out the broom. The big broom”.

Times have definitely changed as now it is usually the Yankees who wield the big broom, but for a legion of fans who have developed a sense entitlement, reminders from the past are always a good way to help maintain a proper perspective.

Yankees vs. Athletics, 1990 Season Series

Source: Baseball-Reference.com

The Yankees polished off a four game sweep as well as their season long domination of the Athletics behind another masterful performance from their big man.

Jorge Posada connects on his second inning home run off Dallas Braden (Photo: AP).

For most of August, C.C. Sabathia carried the entire burden of the starting rotation, constantly being called upon to pick up the pieces after a disastrous outing the game before. On this afternoon, however, he was given the opportunity to post book-end victories on a six game winning streak. The matinee finale also gave C.C. Sabathia the chance to avenge his April 22 defeat to Dallas Braden, which also happened to be the only victory the Athletics were able to muster in the season series.

Braden’s second confrontation with Sabathia wasn’t the only rematch of interest. As most probably remember (those who may have forgotten were reminded constantly by Michael Kay), the early season loss to Braden featured the infamous mound incident with Alex Rodriguez. Unfortunately, Arod’s injured hip prevented the two parties from renewing acquaintances, but both men reportedly already patched up their differences, so perhaps Rodriguez absence from the lineup avoided an unnecessary distraction.

Aside from a second inning solo blast to Jorge Posada, Braden matched Sabathia over the first five innings as the game flew by at a brisk pace. In the sixth inning, however, Braden succumbed to the 90-plus degree heat and was forced to leave the stage all to Sabathia. Over his eight innings, the Yankees’ lefty was the star of the show, limiting the A’s to one hit, a clean single by Mark Ellis into right field. Aside from having to pitch around a Posada error in the third and two walks to start the eighth, Sabathia easily navigated the Athletics lineup and called it a day after only 95 pitches.

After Braden left the game in the sixth, the Yankees, or more specifically Curtis Granderson, immediately went to work on the A’s bullpen. Granderson, who only entered the game when Nick Swisher pulled up lame with soreness in his knee, belted a two run blast of lefty Jerry Blevins in the sixth and then, in the seventh, added a solo shot off Michael Wuertz for good measure.

Jonathan Albaladejo, who was promoted when the rosters were expanded, closed out the game with a hitless frame, something he was quite successful doing at triple-A. While at Scranton, Albaladejo racked up 43 saves, which led the International League.

By pushing himself to the brink of 20 wins and a sub-three ERA, C.C. Sabathia not only helped the Yankees build their lead over the Rays by a half game, but he also continued to bolster his case for the Cy Young award. The only hardware likely on the big lefty’s mind, however, is another ring. If Sabathia can carry his dominance into October, he may soon be wearing it on his finger.

• The Yankees 11-1 record in the season series represents their best winning percentage against the Athletics in the two franchises’ 110 years of playing each other.
• C.C. Sabathia improved his record at Yankee Stadium to 11-0. Sabathia has also pitched in 21 straight home games without a loss, tying Whitey Ford’s franchise record that was set from August 8, 1964 to August 18, 1965.
• Curtis Granderson belted two home runs in a game for the sixth time in his career and second time this season.
• Granderson also became the third Yankee to hit two home runs in a game he didn’t start. The two others who accomplished the feat were Cody Ransom (September 26, 2008 versus Boston) and Steve Balboni (May 23, 1990 versus Minnesota).

Most Consecutive Games Started at Home Without a Loss, Since 1920

Source: Baseball-reference.com