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Yankees Win Battle Royal on Disarming Night

July 23, 2010 by William Juliano

Despite picking up his league leading 13th win, C.C. Sabathia turned in one of his poorest starts of the season. In fact, with a game score of 42, only four starts ranked lower. Luckily for Sabathia, his mound opponent was Bruce Chen, so the margin for error was as large as the lefty himself.

David DeJesus writhes in pain after colliding with the outfield wall on Derek Jeter’s inside-the-park home run (Photo: AP).

In a game that featured 14 hits by each team, it is not surprising that the player who exhibited the best arm was an outfielder. In the first inning, Gardner fired a perfect strike to nail Wilson Betemit at second base for the final out of the inning. Betemit’s hit came with runners on second and third, but he was tagged out by Derek Jeter before the second runner could score. As a result, Gardner’s throw not only recorded an elusive out, but also wiped a run off the board. In the fifth inning, Gardner was able to once again bail out Sabathia when he turned another Betemit hit into an out by gunning Billy Butler down at the plate. Even though replays showed Jorge Posada never actually applied a tag, the strong throw beat Butler to the plate by plenty.

While Gardner was making major contributions with his arm, Jorge Posada was causing a lot of head scratching with his. In the sixth inning, with a man on third and one out, Sabathia induced Yuniesky Betancourt to strike out on a pitch in the dirt. The only problem was that instead of throwing to first, Posada fired to third base in an attempt to nab Willie Bloomquist.  The ill advised play was compounded when the throw bounced past Arod, allowing Bloomquist to score and Betancourt to advance to second, where he was stranded after Sabathia struck out Podsednik and Ankiel to end the inning.

Posada almost literally threw the game away again in the bottom of the seventh. After C.C. Sabathia walked two batters in the top of seventh, Joe Girardi summoned David Robertson to rescue the big guy, whose pitch count reached a season high 120. Robertson retired Mike Aviles on a pop out to first before getting Bloomquist to strike out on a curve ball in the dirt. Posada did a great job blocking the pitch, but then looped a throw to first base that seemed destined for right field. Instead, Mark Teixeira leapt high to grab the toss and then just barely beat Bloomquist to the bag.  Had he been running at full speed out of the box, Bloomquist would have reached safely and the outcome of the game might have been different.

Just as they have done all season, when one part of the team struggles, another steps up to compensate. Last night, it was the offense’s turn and they responded with14 hits and 10 runs. In particular, the first four batters in the lineup went a combined 10-20 with six runs and eight RBIs. Included in that attack was an inside-the-park home run by Derek Jeter on a deep drive to right center that first landed in the outstretched glove of David DeJesus before the outfield wall dislodged the ball and knocked the Royals’ centerfielder from the game. Another deep drive to right of note came off the bat of Alex Rodriguez, who belted his 599th career home run in the seventh inning. Arod had a final at bat in the bottom of the eighth that electrified the Stadium crowd, but history was denied as the Yankee third baseman “only” doubled in two runs to extend the Yankees lead to 10-4.

Although the 10-4 final makes the game look somewhat lopsided, the Yankees had to battle the Royals up until the eighth inning. In fact, with Joba Chamberlain on the mound and the bases loaded in the top of the eighth, the game seemed as if it might be slipping away. Chamberlain was able to wiggle out of the jam, but the question mark surrounding who will be the strongest bridge to Mariano Rivera remains. Even though Joba was entrusted with the eighth inning, it was really Robertson who was called upon to pitch out of the game’s tightest spot. Despite being somewhat inconsistent himself, Robertson has seemed to inch ahead of Chamberlain in the pecking order, which bears watching from here on out. As the calendar quickly approaches the July 31 trade deadline, the bullpen remains one area in which the Yankees could definitely use some major help.

C.C. Sabathia’s Pitch Breakdown

Avg. Speed Max Speed Count Strikes Percentage
Changeup 87.2 88.3 16 13 81.3%
Curve 81.5 81.8 3 3 100.0%
Four Seam Fastball 94.3 96.5 56 38 67.9%
Sinker 93.5 94.5 14 7 50.0%
Slider 79.8 83.1 27 17 63.0%
Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 25 20 80.0%
2 21 14 66.7%
3 9 7 77.8%
4 8 7 87.5%
5 19 9 47.4%
6 18 13 72.2%
7 16 8 50.0%
Total 116 78 67.2%

Source: www.brooksbaseball.net

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Game 94: Royals vs. Yankees

July 22, 2010 by William Juliano

vs. Bruce Chen PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Derek Jeter SS 30 0.393 0.433 0.679 2 2
Nick Swisher RF 5 0.000 0.400 0.000 0 0
Mark Teixeira 1B 12 0.636 0.667 2.364 6 12
Alex Rodriguez 3B 23 0.227 0.261 0.273 0 2
Robinson Cano 2B 12 0.200 0.273 0.200 0 1
Jorge Posada C 25 0.261 0.320 0.522 2 4
Marcus Thames DH 12 0.400 0.417 0.700 1 6
Curtis Granderson CF 4 0.250 0.250 0.250 0 0
Brett Gardner LF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 123 0.324 0.374 0.658 11 27
vs. CC Sabathia PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Scott Podsednik LF 9 0.111 0.111 0.222 0 1
Jason Kendall C 18 0.389 0.389 0.389 0 6
David DeJesus CF 56 0.291 0.304 0.473 1 6
Billy Butler 1B 23 0.333 0.391 0.429 0 2
Jose Guillen DH 21 0.200 0.238 0.250 0 0
Wilson Betemit 3B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Mike Aviles 2B 3 0.333 0.333 0.333 0 0
Willie Bloomquist RF 25 0.261 0.280 0.348 0 1
Yuniesky Betancourt SS 8 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 163 0.268 0.276 0.369 1 16
Yankees vs. Royals
Season: 2010 Season: 2009 Season: 2008 All-Time
TIED: 0-0 NYY: 4-2 TIED: 5-5 NYY: 256-174
  • The Yankees will wear a black armband on their left sleeve in memory of Ralph Houk, who passed away at the age of 90. The Yankees will also observe a moment of silence before the game.
  • Before the game, the Royals dealt 3B Alberto Callaspo to the Angels for right handed pitcher Sean O’Sullivan and minor league reliever Will Smith.
  • The Royals have activated Rick Ankiel from the disabled list.
  • C.C. Sabathia has not lost a game since dropping a 6-4 decision to the Mets on May 23. He has also logged at least seven innings in his last nine starts.
  • Sabathia has 15 career wins against the Royals, which along with the White Sox is the most against any opponent.

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Ralph Houk Passes Away; Former Player, Manager Was Major Figure in Yankees History

July 22, 2010 by William Juliano

First the Voice, then the Boss and now the Major has passed.

The Yankee family lost another prominent figure when Ralph Houk passed away yesterday at the age of 90. Houk played only sparingly as a backup catcher for the Yankees over his eight year major league career, but etched is place in team history by managing for 11 seasons, including World Series championships in 1961 and 1962.

Ralph Houk during his rookie season with the Yankees in 1947.

When Ralph Houk joined the Yankees in 1947 at the relatively advanced age of 27, he had already attained the rank of Major in the U.S. Army and been awarded a Bronze Star, Silver Star and Purple Heart. So, it was probably a given that he would also rise within the organizational ranks. In fact, Houk’s playing career was really more of an apprenticeship as his time on the bench allowed him to pick the brains of manager Casey Stengel, coach Bill Dickey and starting catcher Yogi Berra.

In Houk’s first season in the majors, however, he wasn’t simply looked at as a bench player. Oscar Fraley of UPI reported that the “Yankees believe the baseball career of catcher Ralph Houk may parallel an army career in which he enlisted as a private and rose to the rank of major in the armed forces.” Unfortunately for Houk, in 1947, the Yankees also had another rookie catcher named Yogi Berra, who would prove to be an even more insurmountable obstacle than his campaigns in Belgium, France and Germany.

After Houk retired from playing in 1954, it seemed obvious that the Yankees were grooming him to be Casey Stengel’s successor. The Yankees immediately assigned him to manage their triple-A American Association affiliate in Denver before promoting him to serve as a coach under Casey late in 1957. Predictably, the presence of the aging Stengel and the energetic Houk side-by-side led to grumblings about the immediacy of the transition.

In a Newsweek column penned in the summer of 1959, Dick Schaap wrote: “’If Casey Stengel were to quit tomorrow,’” one Yankee executive insisted last week, “’and Houk were named manager our team would win the pennant. But he’s [Casey] not going to quit and we’re not going to win’”.

Casey didn’t quit in 1959 and the Yankees didn’t win the pennant. Then, in 1960, the Yankees lost the World Series to the Pirates despite being an overwhelming favorite. Soon thereafter, Stengel was out and Houk was in.

During an exhibition game in 1962, Houk poses with Mets manager Casey Stengel, the man he replaced one year earlier.

In many ways, current manager Joe Girardi’s promotion to the manager’s seat mirrored Houk’s ascension. Like Houk, Girardi was a backup catcher (although he was a much more significant contributor) who went on to serve as a coach under the manager he would succeed. Both men also replaced legendary figures (Stengel and Torre) of whom the organization had grown somewhat weary. In Stengel’s case, co-owner Daniel Topping seemed eager to push him out, while Torre’s prodding came from Hal and Hank Steinbrenner. In the past, each man could count on the support of Del Webb and George Steinbrenner, respectively, but the gradual transition in the ownership structure eroded that foundation.

Finally, both men won a championship early in their tenure. The current Yankees can only hope the comparison ends there, however, because after his early success, Houk, who served as GM in 1964 and 1965, never managed another Yankee team to a first place finish. Most of the blame for that can probably be attributed to an aging team and diminished commitment from the new CBS ownership, but again, one can only hope the parallels do not continue.

According to his recent biography on George Steinbrenner, Bill Madden reported that one of Ralph Houk’s biggest professional regrets was resigning as Yankee manager in 1973 after only one season under the Boss. Had Houk stuck around and survived the Boss’ trigger finger, which was not as itchy as it would later become, the Major may have won enough games and championships to catapult himself into consideration for the Hall of Fame.

Despite finishing his career with five unremarkable seasons in both Detroit and Boston, Houk really had no need for regrets. From the battlefields of Europe to the ball park in the Bronx, Houk served with honor and deserves his legacy as a leader.

Five Most Tenured Managers in Yankees History

Years From To G W L Pct Pennants WS
Joe McCarthy 16 1931 1946 2348 1460 867 0.627 8 7
Joe Torre 12 1996 2007 1942 1173 767 0.605 6 4
Casey Stengel 12 1949 1960 1851 1149 696 0.623 10 7
Miller Huggins 12 1918 1929 1796 1067 719 0.597 6 3
Ralph Houk* 11 1961 1973 1757 944 806 0.539 3 2

*Houk’s tenure was interrupted when he served as General Manager from 1964 to 1965.
Source: Baseball-reference.com

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Figuring Out Phil: A Look Inside Hughes’ Recent Struggles

July 21, 2010 by William Juliano

After staring the season like a Cy Young candidate, Phil Hughes’ performance has fallen off considerably of late. In his first six starts, Hughes posted a sterling ERA of 1.38 and OPS against of .446, but in his outings since then, those rates have risen to 5.51 and .828, respectively.

Phil Hughes’ First Six Starts Versus His Last Eleven

Date GS W L IP H BB SO HR ERA OBP SLG OPS BAbip
Apr 15 to May 12 6 5 0 39 22 14 39 1 1.38 0.243 0.203 0.446 0.223
Date GS W L IP H BB SO HR ERA OBP SLG OPS BAbip
May 17 to July 20 11 6 3 67 77 18 54 12 5.51 0.333 0.494 0.828 0.323

Source: Baseball-reference.com

No one expected Hughes to pitch to an ERA under two for the entire year, but giving up five and half runs per game over one-third of the season is somewhat alarming. So, what is the reason for Hughes’ recent struggles? Below, we take a look at a few possible explanations.

The Hughes Rules

Two of Hughes’ three losses, and his two poorest outings in terms of game score, have come after layoffs of 10 or more days. Coincidence? Perhaps, but then again maybe the time off has had an impact on the young right hander. More than the typical alibis of “being too strong” and “not being able to “locate” because of the extra rest, the bigger concern could be how the disruptions are impacting Hughes’ preparation. Roger Clemens always said that the most difficult part of pitching was the preparation between starts, so maybe the extended periods of rest have knocked Hughes off of his routine?

It should be noted that Hughes did have consecutive shaky outings against the Red Sox and Mets before taking his first hiatus, but those outings were not as poor as the two the came immediately after his 10-day breaks. If things hold true to form, we could see Hughes struggle once or twice more before regaining his rhythm and routine, just as it seems he did against the Mariners on July 9. If so, then Hughes’ struggles are only a minor concern born of the need to protect his valuable arm by limiting his innings. If the Yankees are prudent, they can avoid having Hughes’ face similar periods of inactivity by carefully planning the rotation down the stretch. With approximately 11 turns through the rotation, Hughes could still come in right at his rumored regular season limit of 170 innings, even while pitching six innings per game (he currently has 106 innings). If the Yankees do need to skip him again, they should at least explore better ways for him to use his “free time”.

Phil Hughes’ 2010 Game Log

Date Opp IP H ER BB SO HR ERA GSc
Apr 15 LAA 5 3 2 5 6 1 3.6 54
Apr 21 OAK 7.1 1 1 2 10 0 2.19 80
Apr 27 BAL 5.2 2 1 4 2 0 2 59
May 2 CHW 7 4 0 1 6 0 1.44 74
May 7 BOS 7 7 2 1 7 0 1.69 61
May 12(2) DET 7 5 0 1 8 0 1.38 74
May 17 BOS 5 6 5 1 3 2 2.25 37
May 22 NYM 5.2 8 4 3 7 0 2.72 41
May 28 CLE 7 5 2 1 8 1 2.7 66
Jun 2 BAL 7 6 1 1 7 0 2.54 67
Jun 8 BAL 6 9 3 0 4 0 2.71 46
Jun 13 HOU 5.2 7 5 2 6 1 3.11 39
Jun 19 NYM 7 5 3 3 4 2 3.17 56
Jun 29 SEA 5.2 10 6 2 3 1 3.58 24
Jul 4 TOR 6 6 5 2 5 3 3.83 43
Jul 9 SEA 7 6 1 0 5 0 3.65 66
Jul 20 LAA 5 9 6 3 2 2 3.99 24

Source: Baseball-reference.com

No Place Like the Road

Phil Hughes has not exactly enjoyed home cooking in 2010. Across the board, Hughes has performed better on the road than in the Bronx, where he has walked more, struck out less and surrendered twice as many runs per game. The most startling difference between his home and road performance, however, is the number of home runs allowed (or not allowed). When pitching in the road grays, Hughes has yet to surrender a long ball, but when clad in pinstripes, he has served up 13.

Phil Hughes’ Home/Road Splits

Split W L ERA GS IP H ER HR BB SO
Home 6 2 5.22 10 60.1 61 35 13 21 50
Away 5 1 2.36 7 45.2 38 12 0 11 43
Split WHIP SO/9 BA OBP SLG OPS BAbip
Home 1.359 7.5 0.266 0.325 0.489 0.814 0.286
Away 1.073 8.5 0.225 0.271 0.272 0.543 0.299

Source: Baseball-reference.com

Even though the Stadium has been less of a homerun haven this season, it has still surrendered 2.6 per game. That’s bad news for a pitcher like Hughes, who ranks sixth in the American League with a fly ball rate of 44.9%.  Because only 9.2% of Hughes’ fly balls have left the yard, best among all Yankees starters, the sheer number of balls in the air allowed by Hughes may be working against him when pitching at Yankee Stadium. According to hittrackeronline.com, four of the homeruns surrendered by Hughes at Yankee Stadium would have gone out of fewer than two-thirds of all major league stadiums (out of the 10 recorded). Is that a startling revelation? Perhaps not, but if Hughes is even just a little bit more prone to the HR ball at home, it could help explain why he has not only surrendered more long balls, but seemingly been more tentative about throwing strikes.

Top-10 “Fly Ball” Pitchers, American League

Pitcher Team LD% GB% FB% HR/FB
Kevin Slowey Twins 0.22 0.27 0.51 0.09
Jason Vargas Mariners 0.16 0.35 0.50 0.05
Jered Weaver Angels 0.17 0.35 0.48 0.09
Tim Wakefield Red Sox 0.17 0.36 0.47 0.09
Javier Vazquez Yankees 0.19 0.35 0.47 0.12
Phil Hughes Yankees 0.20 0.35 0.46 0.09
Ervin Santana Angels 0.23 0.32 0.45 0.09
Brian Matusz Orioles 0.20 0.36 0.45 0.09
Colby Lewis Rangers 0.17 0.39 0.44 0.09
Matt Garza Rays 0.22 0.34 0.43 0.12

Source: fangraphs.com

Change of Pace

During Spring Training, there was much talk about how Hughes was refining his change-up, which would serve as an all-important extra pitch in the right hander’s arsenal. Well, through his first 17 starts, Hughes has thrown approximately 35 change-ups, or less than 2% of all pitches thrown this season.

One trademark of Hughes fast start was his ability to not only locate his fastball, but also generate swings and misses with it. He also relied a lot more on his cutter for a change of pace. More recently, however, he has begun to re-introduce the curve. Whereas Hughes had been throwing twice as many cutters as curves earlier in the season, that ratio has leveled off. Perhaps this change in pitch selection has resulted in the Hughes’ inconsistent performance? In starts with a game score above 50, Hughes cutter/curve ration has been 1.63, but in starts with a game score below 50, the ratio has been 1.38. It’s hard to say whether this difference in pitch selection is meaningful, but it is worth noting. According to fangraphs, at 2.6 runs below average, Hughes’ curve has been his weakest pitch (fastball is 14.2 above, while cutter is 4.3 above), so his struggles could be attributed to trying to get a better feel for that pitch.

Phil Hughes’ Pitch Breakdown

Average Speed Times Thrown Runs Above Average
Fastball 92.7 62% 14.2
Curve 76.7 14% -2.6
Cutter 88.6 22% 4.3
Change 85 2% -0.3

Source: fangraphs.com

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Yanks Lack Fight Against O’Sullivan; Hughes’ Struggles Continue

July 21, 2010 by William Juliano

When the Yankees, who already had a 1-0 lead thanks to a Nick Swisher home run, loaded the bases in the first inning, it looked as if Angels’ emergency starter Sean O’Sullivan was headed for an early shower. After falling behind Jorge Posada 3-1 on four straight off speed pitches, however, the 22-year old righty got the Yankee catcher to roll over on a perfectly placed outside fastball. Even though the fielder’s choice ground out plated a run, it turned out to be a key turning point in the game, especially after the next batter, Curtis Granderson, struck out to end the inning.

Mike Napoli's 2-run HR in the sixth brought an end to another disappointing outing by Phil Hughes (Photo: AP).

Once granted a reprieve, the Angels wasted no time in jumping back into the game by scoring in each of the next three innings off of Phil Hughes. A two run homerun by Macier Izturiz in the fourth finally gave the Angels a 4-2 lead, from which point they never looked back. Hughes surrendered another two-run homer to Mike Napoli before departing in the top of the sixth, by which point the game was all but out of hand.

While Hughes was struggling with the Angels lineup, O’Sullivan was breezing through the Yankees’. After Mike Scioscia smartly had his pitcher intentionally walk Robinson Cano to load the bases in the first, O’Sullivan retired the next 12 batters he faced. That string was snapped when Brett Gardner walked with one out in the fifth, but he was quickly erased on a double play off the bat of the struggling Derek Jeter. O’Sullivan then went on to retire the side in order in the sixth, completing a remarkable reversal of fortune.

Earlier in the year, two early runs would have been enough for Phil Hughes, who posted a 5-0 record with a 1.38 ERA over his first six starts. Since that time, a period covering 11 starts including last night, Hughes has posted an ERA of 5.51, which has boosted his season rate from among the league leaders to the precipice of four runs per games. With Andy Pettitte on the disabled list for at least a month, the Yankees need Hughes to regain his early season form.

Another cause for concern from last night’s game was the continuing struggles of the Yankees bullpen. Although Jonathan Albaledejo did pitch well before being extended beyond his more comfortable inning of work, Chan Ho Park and Chad Gaudin were both very poor. In fact, both pitchers have been so incendiary that if the Yankees had other options, they’d likely have earned a DFA. Perhaps it is time for new faces anyway, ready or not?

Phil Hughes’ Pitch Breakdown

Avg. Speed Max Speed Count Strikes Percentage
Changeup 84.9 85.8 12 3 25.0%
Curve 76.3 78 15 6 40.0%
Cutter 88.7 89.8 10 8 80.0%
Four Seam Fastball 92.2 94.2 61 40 65.6%
Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 13 7 53.8%
2 24 16 66.7%
3 18 11 61.1%
4 18 11 61.1%
5 13 6 46.2%
6 12 6 50.0%
Total 98 57 58.2%

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Cashman Pleads the Fifth; Mitre Continues Yanks’ History of Stop Gaps at End of Rotation

July 20, 2010 by William Juliano

Despite facing at least a month without Andy Pettitte, who was having one of the best seasons of his career, Brian Cashman continues to insist that the Yankees are not in the market for starting pitching. Of course, that’s precisely what you’d expect him to say regardless of his true intentions.

I’m not looking for starting pitching. I don’t feel compelled. This is why we have Sergio Mitre.” – Brian Cashman, quoted in the June 20 New York Post

It was only two weeks ago that the Yankees sat on the verge of acquiring ace lefty Cliff Lee, so we know Cashman has at least some doubt about his rotation. After watching AJ Burnett have a mental breakdown and the 38-year old Pettitte’s left groin give out, you’d have to assume that skepticism has increased somewhat. The only problem, however, is there aren’t many quality options available on the market. The Yankees have been rumored to have interest in the likes of Dan Haren and Ricky Nolasco, but both of those pitchers seem unlikely candidates for a trade. Instead, guys like Brett Myers and Ted Lilly are more likely targets, but would the Yankees be willing to pay a price for stop-gap mediocrity?

Although Cashman was willing to part with top prospect Jesus Montero for an ace level pitcher like Cliff Lee, it is doubtful that he would trade highly regarded prospects for the names that are likely to be available. Over the past several years, Cashman has been more than willing to roll the dice with the last spot in the rotation (see chart below), so there’s no reason to suggest he’ll operate differently now.

If Pettitte returns on time, Cashman’s prudence will undoubtedly turn out to be the correct decision, but if there are any doubts about his recovery, then the wait-and-see approach could backfire. Contrary to Cashman’s stated belief that Sergio Mitre “would be starting in most people’s rotations”, the journeyman has no track record to suggest he will be effective as a temporary fifth starter. If the position was made permanent, all of a sudden the likes of Lilly and Myers would wind up looking pretty darn good. For that reason, one hopes Cashman’s poker face is being supported by his confidence in Pettitte’s healthy return, and not by an unfounded expectation that Mitre will be an effective option down the stretch.

Fifth Starters During the Cashman Era*

Year Pitcher GS INN W L ERA
1998 Orlando Hernandez 21 141 12 4 3.13
1998 Ramiro Mendoza 14 88 1/3 6 1 3.87
1999 Hidecki Irabu 27 158 11 7 4.84
2000 Denny Neagle 15 90 2/3 7 7 5.66
2000 Ramiro Mendoza 9 53 1/3 5 3 4.05
2001 Orlando Hernandez 16 90 2/3 3 7 5.06
2001 Sterling Hitchcock 9 49 2/3 4 4 6.16
2001 Randy Keisler 10 50 2/3 1 2 6.22
2002 Andy Pettitte 22 134 2/3 13 5 3.27
2002 Ted Lilly 11 67 2/3 3 5 3.59
2002 Jeff Weaver 8 55 2/3 4 2 4.53
2003 Jeff Weaver 24 147 2/3 7 9 5.73
2003 Jose Contreras 9 57 2/3 6 1 2.34
2004 Jose Contreras 18 95 2/3 8 5 5.64
2004 Orlando Hernandez 15 84 2/3 8 2 3.30
2004 Esteban Loaiza 6 30 1 2 6.60
2004 Brad Halsey 7 31 1 3 6.68
2005 Kevin Brown 13 73 1/3 4 7 6.50
2005 Jaret Wright 13 63 2/3 5 5 6.08
2005 Shawn Chacon 12 77 1/3 7 3 2.79
2005 Aaron Small 9 59 2/3 8 0 3.47
2005 Al Leiter 10 49 4 4 5.33
2006 Shawn Chacon 11 52 4 3 6.58
2006 Corey Lidle 9 44 1/3 4 3 5.08
2006 Jeff Karstens 6 36 2/3 2 1 4.17
2007 Phil Hughes 13 72 2/3 5 3 4.46
2007 Kei Igawa 12 61 1/3 1 3 6.90
2007 Matt DeSalvo 6 27 2/3 1 3 5.20
2007 Tyler Clippard 6 27 3 1 6.33
2007 Darrell Rasner 6 24 2/3 1 3 4.01
2008 Sydney Ponson 15 79 4 4 5.92
2008 Joba Chamberlain 12 65 1/3 3 1 2.76
2008 Ian Kennedy 9 36 2/3 0 4 8.35
2008 Carl Pavano 7 34 1/3 4 2 5.72
2008 Phil Hughes 8 34 0 4 6.62
2009 Sergio Mitre 9 44 3 3 7.16
2009 Chin Mien-Wang 9 34 1 6 11.38
2009 Phil Hughes 7 34 2/3 3 2 5.45
2009 Chad Gaudin 6 31 1 0 3.19

*Pitchers with at least 5 starts in a season who occupied the “fifth starter” role (i.e., did not rank among the top-4 in games started).

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AJ Left With Pie on His Face; Joins Infamous Fraternity By Allowing Frustration to Get Out of Hand

July 18, 2010 by William Juliano

When AJ Burnett decided to slam his hand against a clubhouse door, he not only lacerated his right hand, but may have also punctured the first hole in what has been an airtight clubhouse.

AJ Burnett is visited by trainer Gene Monahan before exiting Saturday’s game with lacerations on his right hand (Photo: Getty Images).

At first, Burnett stated that his injuries came as a result of a fall down the clubhouse steps, but once the real reason for his early exit from Saturday’s loss to Tampa was revealed, the next question became how would the rest of the team react. According to media reports, Girardi and Cashman both had a stern conversation with Burnett, but one wonders how the rest of the players feel. Of course, we’ll probably never know the answer to that question. Following the lead of their captain, those players queried on the incident offered only tepid relies bordering on “no comment”. Regardless of their public reaction, you can bet there was plenty said behind closed doors.

Even though AJ Burnett has been very inconsistent on the mound, by most accounts, he has been a stable presence in the clubhouse that has helped transform the team’s chemistry. Everyone is aware of the pie throwing routine, but Burnett has also been credited with helping to foster more of a fun-loving attitude in the traditionally corporate Yankees’ locker room. Will such behavior be as welcomed after Burnett’s selfish act and subsequent decision to lie about it? Or, will Burnett’s presence in the clubhouse be muted? The answer probably depends on Burnett’s ability to make his next start and how well he pitches going forward.

It’s over with. Anything else with the media in terms of that is over with,” Jeter said. “You don’t have to do everything through the media. He’s already addressed it and he doesn’t have to address it again.” – Derek Jeter, courtesy of the LoHud Yankees Blog

Coming on the heels of George Steinbrenner’s passing, one can only wonder how the Boss would have reacted to Burnett’s transgression. Luckily, there are two similar incidents in the Yankees past that might provide a clue.

Perhaps the most notorious wall punching incident occurred on May 6, 1982, when Yankees starter Doyle Alexander punched a dugout wall in Seattle after surrendering five runs in the bottom of the third. Alexander, whom the Yankees had just signed to a four-year deal worth $2.2 million, wound up breaking the pinky on his pitching hand, which forced him to miss two months. In the immediate aftermath of the incident, Steinbrenner had little if any reaction, but that was probably due in part to Alexander’s offer to forfeit his salary while he resided on the disabled list. The Yankees gladly took Alexander up on his magnanimous offer, which probably kept him out of the Boss’ crosshairs.

It’s very simple. What I did was wrong. I can’t hold those guys responsible for what I did. They signed me to help them, and  I can’t with my hand in a cast”. – Doyle Alexander, quoted by AP

Unfortunately, the atmosphere of good will was extinguished when Alexander refused to remain on a rehab stint in the minor leagues beyond the required 20 days. So, when Alexander surrendered five runs in 1 1/3 inning his first game back on July 8, the Yankees’ brass was less than pleased. Steinbrenner still remained above the fray, but Bill Bergesch, team vice president of operations, stated, “What Doyle Alexander did to his teammates in Oakland tonight was disgraceful but typical of the selfishness of some of the modern-day ballplayers”.

After being demoted to the bullpen for a short stint in which he surrendered only one run in over nine innings, Alexander returned to the rotation, but once again struggled. Now, Steinbrenner’s patience was starting to wear off. Finally, after an August 10 loss to the Tigers, Steinbrenner ordered that Alexander return to New York for a complete physical to determine if he was fit enough to pitch.  “I am afraid some of my players might get hurt playing defense behind him,” Steinbrenner reasoned.

Despite being unpopular in the clubhouse, the Boss’ heavy handed approach rallied many of Alexander’s teammates to support his cause, but the usually wry Graig Nettles had a different take. “Maybe if I’d have been sitting in the left field seats” Nettles answered when asked if he feared playing being Alexander.

Alexander wasn’t the only Yankees pitcher to lose a confrontation with a wall during the Steinbrenner tenure. In an eerie repeat of the past, Kevin Brown also fractured his pinky by punching the clubhouse wall  during a loss to the Orioles on September 3, 2004. Once again, the Boss first resisted the urge to unload on Brown and instead only offered a mild rebuke. “He should know better,” Steinbrenner stated to the Daily News. “He’s an athlete. He’s supposed to be a professional. He should think more of his teammates.”

Kevin Brown addresses media after breaking his left hand.

Behind the scenes, however, the Yankees were reportedly exploring the possibility of terminating Brown’s contract. Like Alexander, Brown accepted full responsibility for his actions, but never wound up paying a real price. Instead, Brown and the Yankees agreed to settle the matter by having the pitcher donate $100,000 of his $16 million salary to charity.

Because the severity of his injury was relatively minor, Burnett’s transgression shouldn’t have the same impact as the Alexander and Brown incidents, but the stigma of selfishness, stupidity and dishonesty are nothing to be ignored. The strength of the Yankees clubhouse should be strong enough to absorb Burnett’s mistake, but if he doesn’t start pitching well, the bigger question may be about whether they can continue to abide his erratic pitching.

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