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Game 73: Yankees vs. Dodgers

June 25, 2010 by William Juliano

Perennial World Series foes meet for only the second time in the regular season when the Yankees take on the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chavez Ravine. Although seeing the classic Yankee and Dodger uniforms on the field at the same time is always special, this time around, the series has taken on a heightened sense of importance, mostly because Joe Torre will be managing against the Yankees for the first time ever.

Joe Torre won’t actually be taking the field, so the Yankees real concern will be with a formidable lineup lead by the young Andre Ethier and the ageless Manny Ramirez. The Yankees and Manny need no introduction, but you can’t blame the Bronx Bombers if they aren’t looking forward to the reunion. In 200 career games against the Yankees, Manny has hit 55 home runs and 163 RBIs, his highest output against any team in both categories. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Ramirez has broken out of his early season doldrums. Over his last 10 games, the Dodgers have been treated to Manny being Manny as the free spirited left fielder has posted an OPS of 1.174 over that span.

As good as Manny has been of late, Ethier has emerged as the new leader of the Dodgers’ offense. After a torrid start, however, Ethier was slowed by a broken wrist and hasn’t really found another grove since his return. Ethier did go 5-13 in the Dodgers just completed Freeway Series against the Angels, so the Yankees have to hope that’s not the start of another hot streak. Along with Manny and Ethier, the Dodgers have also received solid contributions from James Loney, Matt Kemp, Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal, who just returned to the lineup after spending several days on the bereavement list while mourning the tragic death of his father.

Although the Dodger offense has rounded into form, their starting rotation has been a work in progress all season. In tonight’s game, Opening Day starter Vicente Padilla makes his second start since being activated from the disabled list. In his first start back, Padilla surrendered four runs in five-plus innings against Boston, so the Yankees will look to jump on the righty in the early going. A little bit of revenge might also be on the Yankees minds because the last time they faced Padilla, the cantankerous righty plunked Mark Teixeira twice and then seemed to be amused when AJ Burnett retaliated later in the ballgame. That incident precipitated Padilla’s eventual release by the Rangers.

On the mound for the Yankees will be CC Sabathia, who looks to build on the eight shutout innings he threw against the Mets on Sunday. Sabathia also gives the Yankees another capable hitter in their lineup, which features both Arod and Posada in the field together for only the fourth time this month. Another new wrinkle has Curtis Granderson bumped up to second slot, a shift prompted by the desire to split the lefties at the bottom of the lineup because of the presence of George Sherrill and Hong-Chih Kuo in the Dodgers’ bullpen.

After playing an incredibly sloppy game in the series finale against the Diamondbacks, the Yankees need to push aside the distractions of facing the Torre-led Dodgers and jump on what has been a struggling team. In addition to trying to remove the strong backend of the Dodger bullpen from the equation, an early lead could also help neutralize the crowd, which is likely to be pumped up beyond levels normally associated with southern California. The Dodgers have been marketing this series as the renewal of an old rivalry, but the Yankees can’t get caught up in the hype. So, as odd as it may be for some of the players to look across and see Torre in the opposing dugout, their focus must remain on the task at hand…winning series and building a lead in the AL East.

vs. Vicente Padilla PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Derek Jeter SS 12 0.400 0.500 0.400 0 1
Curtis Granderson CF 12 0.250 0.500 0.375 0 1
Mark Teixeira 1B 14 0.250 0.500 1.000 2 4
Alex Rodriguez 3B 13 0.167 0.231 0.417 1 8
Robinson Cano 2B 11 0.364 0.364 0.636 1 2
Jorge Posada C 5 0.333 0.600 0.333 0 1
Nick Swisher RF 19 0.067 0.263 0.267 1 3
Brett Gardner LF 2 1.000 1.000 1.000 0 1
CC Sabathia LHP 4 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 92 0.250 0.341 0.485 5 21
             
vs. CC Sabathia PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Rafael Furcal SS 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Russell Martin C 3 0.333 0.333 0.333 0 0
Andre Ethier RF 1 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Manny Ramirez LF 23 0.571 0.609 1.286 4 7
Matt Kemp CF 3 0.333 0.333 1.333 1 1
James Loney 1B 3 0.333 0.333 0.333 0 0
Casey Blake 3B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Jamey Carroll 2B 3 0.500 0.667 0.500 0 1
Vicente Padilla RHP 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 36 0.485 0.500 1.030 5 9

 

Yankees vs. Dodgers    
Season: 2010 Season: 2009 Season: 2008 All-Time
DNP DNP DNP LAD: 2-1
       
World Series History (Yankees lead 8 to 3)  
1941 Yankees 4 games to 1 over Dodgers  
1947 Yankees 4 games to 3 over Dodgers  
1949 Yankees 4 games to 1 over Dodgers  
1952 Yankees 4 games to 3 over Dodgers  
1953 Yankees 4 games to 2 over Dodgers  
1955 Dodgers 4 games to 3 over Yankees  
1956 Yankees 4 games to 3 over Dodgers  
1963 Dodgers 4 games to 0 over Yankees  
1977 Yankees 4 games to 2 over Dodgers  
1978 Yankees 4 games to 2 over Dodgers  
1981 Dodgers 4 games to 2 over Yankees  

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Who’s Sorry Now? Yankees, Torre Reunite for First Time Since Acrimonious Parting

June 25, 2010 by William Juliano

For the first time since the last game of the 2007 ALDS, Joe Torre will be in uniform for a Yankees game. Of course, Torre will be wearing the home whites of the Los Angeles Dodgers as he faces his old team for the first time in his managerial career.

Brian Cashman and Joe Torre used to enjoy a strong working relationship with the Yankees, but have since become estranged after the publication of The Yankee Years.

Whether you believe Torre was shafted or allowed arrogance to end his Yankee career, the acrimony surrounding his departure has been examined to death. Like most ugly divorces, there are two sides to the story, so there is little purpose in trying to determine the aggrieved party. Doing so usually opens wounds wider and makes the healing process take that much longer. Unfortunately, that is precisely what has resulted from last year’s publication of Torre’s book, The Yankee Years.

As much as Torre has tried to deflect any notion that his book was deeply critical of those who helped him resurrect his career, Brian Cashman has made it very clear that he views some of the statements in the book as a form of betrayal. Torre’s attempt to portray himself as a victim  and shift blame for the Yankees’ post season failures during the end of his tenure  have understandably left a sour taste in the mouth of many Yankees executives, including Cashman and Hal Steinbrenner. According to many accounts, Steinbrennernot only resented the way Torre portrayed his final contract offer, but was particularly insulted by his lack of gratitude for the opportunities presented to him by the organization.

Complicating the relationship even further is the special bond that the Yankees’ “core four” have with Torre, a warm feeling that is in stark contrast to how Alex Rodriguez feels about his former manager. While Jeter, Posada, Rivera and Pettitte have all spoken glowingly about Torre, Arod has refused to offer a comment. Of course, his silence speaks volumes.

Because of Torre’s decision to write his book so soon after departing the Yankees, what should have been water under the bridge has instead bubbled beneath the surface. Being a master of the media, Torre will likely brush aside some of his less than flattering comments about Cashman and Arod, but the fact remains that they were petty and petulant. You can’t blame either man for not opening their arms to a Torre reunion.

“There was nothing that came from me about Alex in the book that wasn’t out in some form before it was written in the book,” Torre said. “I don’t feel that I violated anything with Alex. I’m sorry he feels that I did if he does feel that way.” – Joe Torre, quoted in the June 25, 2010 issue of the Daily News

The Yankees can’t erase Torre from their history and it clearly isn’t their intention to do so. Torre’s number six has not been issued over the past three seasons and it likely will remain vacant until it is retired in his honor. Whether Torre is every fully welcomed back into the Yankee family remains to be seen, however. In a weird twist, the organization’s posture is oddly similar to the one taken by Yogi Berra after his untimely dismal as Yankee manager in 1985. Just as Yogi vowed never to return to Yankee Stadium, it seems as the Yankees have no desire to have Torre come back either. Perhaps Torre would be wise to follow George Steinbrenner’s lead and issue a long-in-coming apology that will help begin to repair the rift?

With all of the friends he cultivated in the media, Torre has always been able to count on more than his fair share of positive press. Still, the fan base has slowly started to sour on Torre, especially after the team proved that they could win a World Series without his leadership. As a result, if tonight’s game was played at Yankee Stadium, the crowd response would feature a healthy portion of jeers. Instead of a heroic return, Torre may never be welcomed back at all.

Could Hal Steinbrenner and Brian Cashman be the bigger men and let bygones be bygones? Sure, but in this case, the burden on the apology falls squarely on Torre’s shoulders. Until he takes the first step, the honors that Torre deserves will be put on hold. To this point, Torre’s pride and stubbornness have won out over his affection for the Yankees and desire to take his rightful place in the team’s history. There may be lots of hugs on the field before these next three games, but regret is the real emotion that will be flowing.

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Desert Escape: Granderson, Rivera Save Yanks From Losing Series to Lowly Dbacks

June 24, 2010 by William Juliano

The Yankees played an awful game against the last place Diamondbacks, but somehow lived to tell about it. Even Mariano Rivera, who walked a tight wire in the tenth, expressed his frustration by calling the team’s effort terrible and unacceptable in a post game interview. Still, the Yankees managed to escape from the desert with two wins despite playing some of their worst baseball of the season.

Mariano Rivera not only delivered a save, but also a message to his teammates about their lackluster play (Photo: AP).

At the start, the game looked as if it was going to be a laugher because Dontrelle Willis seemed incapable of throwing a strike. However, after Nick Swisher singled in Derek Jeter with the game’s first tally, the Yankees proceeded to run themselves out of the inning when both Swisher and Mark Teixeira were thrown out trying to steal. The Yankees would squander several more golden opportunities to bury the Diamondbacks, including two double plays by Robinson Cano. The first one was a routine ground ball double play with the bases loaded in the third, but the second resulted from an amazing catch by Gerardo Parra in the fifth. With Teixeira on second and Arod on first, Cano lashed a line drive to deep left that seem destined to be a two run double. However, Parra got a great break on the ball and made a full body dive while running back toward the wall. With the ball in glove, Parra popped up and initiated the relay that nabbed Arod at first to end the inning.

While the Yankees were squandering opportunities, Javier Vazquez was struggling with his command. In both the first and third innings, he surrendered two run singles to Adam LaRoche, whose four RBIs helped push the Dbacks into a lead that they held until the Yankees tied the game in the sixth. In that inning, Colin Curtis, who pinch hit for Vazquez, knocked in the tying run with a hard hit single off the glove of LaRoche. The tie was short lived, however, because Damaso Marte added to the Yankees comedy of errors by walking Chris Young, balking him to second and throwing a wild pitch that sent him to third. Young would eventually score the go ahead run on a comebacker.

The abysmal Dbacks bullpen was able to keep the Yankees scoreless in the seventh and eighth, but Aaron Heilman was unable to slam the door in the ninth. After walking Jeter and Swisher to lead off the inning, Teixeira moved both runners up with a groundball to first before Arod plated the tying run with a sacrifice fly. The Yankees had the chance to take the lead, but Francisco Cervelli struck out to end the threat.

After scoreless innings from David Robertson and Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi made the unorthodox (but correct) decision of using his closer in the bottom of ninth of a tie game. Rivera struck out the first two batters of the inning and then narrowly escaped trouble when Kelly Johnson flew out to the right field wall. By using his closer to extend the game, Girardi bought time for his offense in the tenth. Leading off that inning, Curtis Granderson blasted a go ahead home run deep into the right field seats that gave the Yankees a 6-5 lead. The next two batters also reached base, but Derek Jeter bounced into his second double play of the game. Despite taking the lead, the Yankees squandered yet another chance to break open the game when Rivera, who was left in to hit, grounded out to end the inning.

Because they had played so poorly and squandered so many opportunities, you just knew the game would not end quietly. Stephen Drew promptly lead off the bottom of the tenth with a bloop single and then Justin Upton lashed a 0-2 pitch into the left field corner. Quick fielding by Gardner kept Drew at third base, but that only seemed like a formality at the time. After walking Miguel Montero to load the bases with no outs, however, it appeared as if Mo simply decided that the Diamondbacks would not score another run.  Sure enough, Rivera used his devastating cutter to pop up both Young and LaRoche before striking out Mark Reynolds to extinguish the threat and salvage the victory.

In baseball, you play too many games to get caught up in the quality of a win, but tonight the Yankees’ effort was so poor that even Rivera couldn’t help making mention of it. The Yankees have been lucky enough to play a slew of last place teams, but that is soon going to come to an end (even though they still have an upcoming series with the Mariners, both Felix Hernandez and Cliff Lee are slated to pitch). Despite a combination of lackluster play and foolish managing, the Yankees were able to steal two games from the Dbacks and extend their first place lead to 2 ½ games. The team can’t rest on its laurels though. Instead, they need to heed the advice of Rivera and clean up their play before it really starts to cost them against better competition

Javier Vazquez’ Pitch Breakdown

  Avg. Speed Max Speed Count Strikes Percentage
Changeup 81.5 85.8 8 6 75.0%
Curve 75.5 81.8 18 10 55.6%
Four Seam Fastball 89.2 92 46 29 63.0%
Slider 82.1 83 9 3 33.3%
Two Seam Fastball 88.7 90.1 4 3 75.0%

 

Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 29 12 41.4%
2 12 8 66.7%
3 7 4 57.1%
4 28 18 64.3%
5 9 9 100.0%

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No Bragging; Tex and CC Lead Yanks to Subway Series Split

June 20, 2010 by William Juliano

For much of the season, the Yankees have been waiting for Mark Teixeira to carry the load. With two homeruns in the weekend Subway Series, that wait may finally be over.

After a dominant performance against the Mets, all signs are pointing to a big summer for CC Sabathia.

One day after hitting a game tying home run off Mike Pelfrey, Teixeira struck the big blow in the Subway Series finale by belting a grand slam off Johan Santana. Teixeira’s home run, which just made it over the wall in right, represented the only runs of the game in what otherwise was a strong pitching matchup that lived up to the advance billing.

In the fateful third inning, Santana found himself in a bases loaded, no out predicament thanks to a bloop single by Brett Gardner, infield hit by Derek Jeter and perfectly placed bunt single by Nick Swisher. After giving up the grand slam to Teixeira, Santana kept the Yankees off the board for his final four innings, but the damage had already been done.

One run would have been enough for CC Sabathia, who needed only 100 pitches to get through eight shutout innings. In addition to locating his fastball, Sabathia also exhibited outstanding command of his changeup and slider. For most of May and June, Sabathia has struggled to control his entire arsenal, but on this afternoon, the big lefty had everything working. If not for a rain delay before the bottom half of the eighth inning, Sabathia probably would have notched a complete game shutout. Sabathia has traditionally been a better pitcher once the calendar turns to summer, so his performance against the Mets has to have the Yankees feeling good about their ace going forward.

The Mets, on the other hand, may be scratching their heads a little about Santana. For the third straight start, Santana yielded four runs, but even more concerning is his velocity continues to remain a notch below his norm. Santana has still pitched relatively well, but there are some questions about his ability to regain his pre-injury dominance.

Meanwhile, the Yankees biggest concern remains Alex Rodriquez, who saw only eight pitches while going 0-4. Since returning to the lineup, Arod has gone 2-18 with one run batted in.  In addition to struggling with the bat, Arod also exhibited minimal range on a couple of groundballs and was eventually replaced by Ramiro Pena in the ninth inning. It’s one thing to have a healthy Arod in the lineup, but if he is compromised by his hip and/or groin, having him in the middle of the lineup actually serves as a detriment. It could be that Arod has been slow to get re-acclimated, but if an injury still lingers, the Yankees might be better off placing him on the DL. Regardless, Brian Cashman needs to be proactively scouring the majors for a right handed bat, preferably one who can play third, just in case Arod is eventually forced to miss an extended period of time.

Even with the usual injury related concerns, the Yankees still find themselves in sole possession of first place for the first time since April 21. For much of the season, guys like Cano, Swisher, Hughes and Pettitte have carried the load, but as the season heads toward the dog days, the Yankees will need Teixeira and Sabathia to do a lot more heavy lifting. If today’s game is a harbinger of things to come, the Yankees can look forward to two pairs of very broad shoulders.

CC Sabathia’s Pitch Breakdown

  Avg. Speed Max Speed Count Strikes Percentage
Changeup 87.1 88.2 13 11 84.6%
Curve 80.1 81.4 2 2 100.0%
Four Seam Fastball 93.32 96.4 68 43 63.2%
Slider 80.6 83 13 8 61.5%
Sinker 93 93.5 4 2 50.0%

 

Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 13 8 61.5%
2 16 10 62.5%
3 12 6 50.0%
4 10 8 80.0%
5 15 9 60.0%
6 10 8 80.0%
7 16 9 56.3%
8 8 8 100.0%

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Game 69: Mets vs. Yankees

June 20, 2010 by William Juliano

The Yankees need a win to save face in the annual Subway Series, while the Mets seek a victory to not only win bragging rights, but also further validate their June resurgence. To accomplish each respective goal, both teams send their aces to the mound in a rematch of an earlier CitiField showdown.

Last time out, Johan Santana got the better of his matchup against CC Sabathia, snapping a short two game losing streak to the Bronx Bombers in the process. Ironically, however, Santana has not been among the Mets better pitchers over their recent winning streak. In his last two starts, Santana has yielded four runs in each game, which although far from awful is still well below his career standard.

In a similar vein, C.C. Sabathia has perhaps been the Yankees’ weakest starter since the beginning of May. Despite being 7-3, Sabathia is sporting an ERA of 4.00 and has not had a dominant start since facing the Red Sox on May 18. Having said that, Sabathia has seemed to turn a corner, so this afternoon’s game could be the perfect opportunity for a breakout.

Derek Jeter returns to the Yankees lineup after missing yesterday’s game with a bruised heel, while Alex Rodriguez moves back to third base, opening up the DH slot for Jorge Posada. All three players have struggled over the past week, both with performance and nagging injuries, but the Yankees will need contributions from them because the lineup’s lack of depth has started to be exposed.  For the Mets, Jerry Manuel is once again going with his A-lineup, which features three right handed hitters (Reyes, Wright and Francoeur) who have been among the National League’s hottest hitters in June.  With two dominant lefties on the mound, the game could come down to whose right handed power can break through with a big hit or two.

As fun as the Subway Series can be, the Yankees’ reality lies in a what is shaping up to be an epic pennant race among the game’s three best teams. While it would definitely be nice to split the series with the Mets, the Yankees need to keep winning games just to keep possession of a playoff spot. Although a Subway Series victory would have more cachet for the Mets, their reality is not much different. Along with the Braves and Phillies, the Mets also have a heated three-team race in their future (and maybe more if the Marlins and Nationals can hang around). So, although each team will go their separate ways after the conclusion of their cross town showdown, they are likely headed down very similar paths that could very well reconvene in October.

vs. Johan Santana PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Derek Jeter SS 32 0.433 0.469 0.667 1 5
Nick Swisher RF 20 0.176 0.300 0.176 0 1
Mark Teixeira 1B 30 0.233 0.233 0.367 1 3
Alex Rodriguez 3B 31 0.192 0.323 0.423 2 2
Robinson Cano 2B 20 0.400 0.400 0.450 0 1
Jorge Posada DH 17 0.133 0.176 0.267 0 3
Curtis Granderson CF 14 0.000 0.077 0.000 0 0
Francisco Cervelli C 5 0.600 0.600 0.600 0 2
Brett Gardner LF 4 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 173 0.258 0.306 0.384 4 17
             
vs. CC Sabathia PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Jose Reyes SS 3 0.667 0.667 0.667 0 0
Angel Pagan CF 3 0.333 0.333 0.333 0 0
David Wright 3B 6 0.167 0.167 0.333 0 1
Ike Davis 1B 3 0.667 0.667 0.667 0 0
Jason Bay LF 12 0.273 0.333 0.818 2 3
Rod Barajas C 24 0.409 0.435 0.955 3 5
Fernando Tatis DH 6 0.250 0.500 0.250 0 0
Jeff Francoeur RF 10 0.222 0.300 0.222 0 1
Ruben Tejada 2B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 67 0.344 0.388 0.656 5 10

 

Yankees vs. Mets    
Season: 2010 Season: 2009 Season: 2008 All-Time
NYM: 3-2 NYY: 5-1 NYM: 4-2 NYY: 44-33

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Awful Offense Abandons Andy; Phillies Win World Series Rematch

June 17, 2010 by William Juliano

After scoring six runs against Roy Halladay on Tuesday, the Yankees offense didn’t bother to show up over the last two games of the series, scoring four combined runs against soft tossing Jamie Moyer and Kyle Kendrick. As a result, the Yankees dropped another game to the Phillies and ceded their World Series rematch to the National League champs.

Placido Polanco braces for a diving catch, which extinguished the Yankees only real threat in the ballgame.

For the first three innings, Andy Pettitte was able to match zeros with the Yankees’ anemic offense, but a Ramiro Pena error in the top of the fourth helped set up the game’s first run when Ryan Howard singled through the fist base hole. For some reason, Joe Girardi decided to take the shift off, curiously assuming that Howard would not stay true to his tendency with men on base. That faulty logic cost the Yankees a run because Howard’s ground ball would have otherwise nestled into Cano’s waiting glove.

In the top of the fifth, Charlie Manuel helped his team create two more runs when he employed a hit run with Carlos Ruiz on first. By avoiding the double play with the light hitting Wilton Valdez at the plate, the inning was extended, allowing Shane Victorino to increase the Phillies lead to 3-0 with a two run blast off Pettitte.

The Yankees did get back in the game briefly when Robinson Cano’s two out RBI single scored Mark Teixeira, but the rally died when Placido Polanco made a diving catch over the tarp on Nick Swisher’s foul pop. In the top of the seventh, the momentum seemed to shift back to the Yankees when Pettitte pitched out a base loaded, one out jam, but the offense could never pick up any traction against Kendrick.

Instead of leaving an effective David Robertson in the game after he retired the side in the eighth, any last hope for a ninth inning rally was extinguished when Girardi once again engaged in a game of bullpen roulette. Also, after Carlos Ruiz led off the inning with a double against Joba Chamberlain, Manuel took advantage of Girardi’s foolish use of the wheel play on a bunt attempt with a man on second. Valdez’ single up the middle scored Ruiz and effectively put the game out of reach. For good measure, however, Girardi cycled through Damaso Marte and Chan Ho Park before the inning ended with a 7-1 Phillies’ lead.

All of the goodwill from Tuesday’s victory over Halladay was dissipated by lackluster efforts in the final two games of the series. Of most concern, Alex Rodriguez continues to look like a compromised player, which is bad news for an offense suffering from absolutely no depth. Making matters worse, Derek Jeter and Mark Teixeira have fallen back into a slump, which has left the lineup excessively dependent on Cano and Nick Swisher. If Arod does not show signs of rounding into full health, Brian Cashman needs to quickly swing a deal to compensate for the lack of depth that has resulted from his offseason maneuvers. In the meantime, the Yankees need their bats to awaken against the surging Mets to avoid suffering further embarrassment over the weekend.

Andy Pettitte’s Pitch Breakdown

Avg. Speed Max Speed Count Strikes Percentage
Changeup 80.9 82.1 5 3 60.0%
Curve 76.3 78 12 6 50.0%
Cutter 83.8 85.7 20 17 85.0%
Four Seam Fastball 89.8 91.7 44 29 65.9%
Two Seam Fastball 89.7 90.8 10 6 60.0%
Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 8 6 75.0%
2 13 8 61.5%
3 10 6 60.0%
4 16 13 81.3%
5 16 8 50.0%
6 18 13 72.2%
7 10 7 70.0%

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How Slow Can You Go? Yanks Shutdown By Soft Tossing Moyer

June 16, 2010 by William Juliano

Tonight’s result was solely a product of the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of the starting pitchers. As soon as AJ Burnett was removed from the game, the slumping Phillies resumed having unproductive at bats, while the Yankees lineup came alive once Jamie Moyer exited the mound. Unfortunately for the Yankees, Moyer dazzled the Yankees for eight innings, while Burnett’s three-plus were a complete disaster.

Jamie Moyer puts every ounce of effort into one of his pitches (Photo: AP).

The maddening inconsistency of AJ Burnett was evident once again as the erratic Yankees righty allowed 11 base runners and six runs in 3 1/3 innings. Burnett has now lost his last three starts while pitching to an ERA of 9.00. Not only did Burnett walk four batters in his brief outing, but he constantly pitched from behind, barely throwing half of his pitches for strikes. After setting up a four run second inning with his wildness, Burnett then surrendered back-to-back home runs to Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth in the third. Finally, after failing to cover first base on what would have been an easy ground out, Girardi mercifully ended Burnett’s evening.

Like or not, AJ Burnett is never going to be consistent. More than most starting pitchers, Burnett runs hot and cold, and right now he is in the midst of another frigid stretch.  More frustrating, however, is Burnett’s tendency to throw in the towel when faced with adversity. His failure to cover first base in the fourth inning was further evidence of Burnett’s lack of concentration, and it earned him a well deserved chorus of boos when he walked off the field.

Meanwhile, the Yankees were flailing away at Jamie Moyer’s slow and slower approach. Moyer’s arsenal ranged from a 69mph curve to an 81 mph sinker, yet somehow the Yankee batters seemed to behind on just about every pitch. The Yankees did manage solo home runs by Jorge Posada and Robinson Cano, but otherwise could not sustain any pressure against the Phillies’ aged lefty.

If there was any doubt about whether Burnett pitched poorly or the dormant Phillies lineup had finally been revived, the combination of Boone Logan and Chad Gaudin combined to pitch 5 2/3 perfect innings (not including one intentional walk). Even the most optimistic Yankee fan would have to concede that the bullpen’s sterling effort was the result of a still struggling Phillies’ lineup, which makes Burnett’s bad start all the more alarming.

The Phillies also came away with some cause for alarm as Brad Lidge was once again very shaky in trying to close out a 6-2 lead. As they seem to always do, the Yankees rallied to bring the tying run to the plate in the ninth, but the comeback fizzled when Posada swung over a slider in the dirt (one pitch after taking a hanger right over the plate). Even though he was able to finish out the game, the Phillies can’t be too confident in Lidge’s ability to close.

Although maddening, Burnett’s implosion really isn’t a long-term concern. However, the Yankees do need to be a little concerned about Arod, whose base running in the ninth didn’t suggest a fully healthy player. Even though the offense has compensated for his absence over the past few games, the Yankees need Arod in the middle of their lineup. Burnett will eventually hit a hot stretch, but a lineup without Arod would be a major blow.

AJ Burnett’s Pitch Breakdown

Avg. Speed Max Speed Count Strikes Percentage
Four Seam Fastball 93.2 95.7 37 21 56.8%
Knuckle Curve 81.6 84.1 23 13 56.5%
Sinker 93.1 94.8 26 14 53.8%
Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 19 13 68.4%
2 33 17 51.5%
3 22 12 54.5%
4 12 6 50.0%
  • Jamie Moyer (47 years 210 days) surpassed Phil Niekro (47 years 122 days) as the oldest pitcher to beat the Yankees.
  • Ryan Howard’s and Jayson Werth’s home runs represented the first time the Phillies went back-to-back all season.

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