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Out Of Left Field: Yankees Outfield Among Best In Baseball

June 16, 2010 by William Juliano

With names like Teixeira, Jeter, Arod and Cano, it’s easy to see that the Yankees’ offense revolves around its infielders. For much of the early season, it hasn’t been uncommon to see all three outfielders positioned at the end of the lineup. However, as Joel Sherman outlines in his recent column, the Yankees outfield has not been the weakness that most thought it was going to be. In fact, it has not only been one of the team’s greatest strengths, but also one of the most productive units in all of baseball.

Top 10 Offensive Outfields (ranked by wOBA)

Team AVG OBP SLG OPS ISO BABIP wOBA
Cubs .291 .359 .509 .868 .218 .327 .378
Yankees .283 .371 .446 .818 .163 .332 .366
Tigers .303 .368 .453 .820 .150 .357 .366
Cardinals .284 .357 .485 .842 .201 .332 .365
Brewers .272 .331 .483 .814 .211 .301 .357
Rangers .295 .335 .487 .822 .191 .333 .354
Dodgers .288 .348 .478 .826 .190 .329 .354
Blue Jays .256 .328 .487 .816 .232 .283 .350
Mariners .284 .365 .412 .777 .128 .347 .349
Reds .270 .338 .464 .801 .194 .330 .348

As evidenced by the chart above, the Yankees’ outfield ranks second to only the Cubs’, which is pretty incredible when you consider the amount of time missed by Curtis Granderson, who entered the year as perhaps the most productive cog. Since the start of the season, however, that distinction has belonged to Nick Swisher, who ranks sixth among all outfielders with an wOBA of .400. Despite being shuffled throughout the lineup, Swisher has maintained a level of consistency that has helped anchor a Yankees lineup compromised by injury for most of the season.

Not too far behind Swisher in terms of production has been Brett Gardner, whose wOBA of .390 ranks 11th in all of baseball. Gardner entered the season as a quasi-starter sitting against some lefties, but has since emerged as a key component of the everyday starting lineup. Gardner has not only improved both his plate discipline and power stroke, but also substantially increased his line drive percentage from 16% to 22%. To the naked eye, Gardner has made the necessary adjustment to turn on a good fastball, allowing him to evolve from his bail and slap approach that led to many anemic at bats.

Although he has yet to really catch fire, Curtis Granderson has been a relatively productive offensive player in his limited time in the lineup. His .246/.331/.449 line almost exactly matches his .249/.331/.449 output in 2009, but the Yankees still have to hope he can regain his form from 2007-2008. Even if he remains at his current level of production (OPS+ of 111 and wOBA of .343), however, Granderson is still a productive option in center field.

Marcus Thames, who filled in admirably with the bat (although definitely not the glove) when Granderson missed most of May with a groin injury, is also worthy of an honorable mention. Despite playing a very poor left field, Thames did contribute a wOBA of .362 during his time in the outfield, not to mention one very big home run off Jonathan Papelbon to win a game.

Snapshot of Yankees Key Contributors in the Outfield

PA AVG OBP SLG OPS OPS+ BABIP wOBA
Nick Swisher 253 0.301 0.389 0.530 0.919 149 0.357 0.400
Brett Gardner 236 0.322 0.406 0.436 0.842 131 0.367 0.390
Marcus Thames 94 0.276 0.394 0.408 0.802 120 0.358 0.362
Curtis Granderson 158 0.246 0.331 0.449 0.780 111 0.290 0.343

In addition to being potent on offensive, the Yankees outfield has also performed well in the field. Although the unit’s UZR/150 (usual defensive metric disclaimers inserted here) of 1.1 ranks right in the middle of all 30 major league teams, that includes the many below average innings contributed by Marcus Thames and Randy Winn. On an individual basis, Swisher’s rate of 8.7 ranks 10th among all right fielders, while Granderson’s rate of 16.7 would rank sixth among center fielders if he had enough innings to qualify. Only Brett Gardner rates as below average, but his -2.4 UZR/150 hardly qualifies as a liability.

Past results are not necessarily an indication of future performance, so it remains to be seen if the Yankees outfield will maintain its impressive pace. Despite making a noticeable adjustment in his approach at the plate, Swisher is probably a good bet to regress to a more normal wOBA plateau of .370, where he has resided in three of his previous four seasons. On the other hand, Granderson could in fact rebound to his 2007-2008 form, which would more than make up the difference. That leaves Brett Gardner as the big question mark going forward. If he can come close to maintaining his current output, the Yankees outfield should continue to lead the majors in terms of production. If not, the unit could still remain a relative strength, especially if they are able to maintain their defensive performance.

Having said that, the trio’s performance will not necessarily preclude the Yankees from being players in the Carl Crawford and Jayson Werth sweepstakes this off season. If all three outfielders are able to put up good seasons, it would certainly alleviate the need, but that has never stopped the Yankees from swimming in the deep end of the free agent pool.

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And Still Champion…Yanks Take First Game of World Series Rematch

June 15, 2010 by William Juliano

So much for a pitchers’ duel. The heralded matchup between Roy Halladay and C.C. Sabathia didn’t turn out exactly as expected as the Yankees belted three home runs off the Phillies’ ace en route to an 8-3 victory.

Roy Halladay looks toward right field in disbelief after surrendering his third home run of the game (Photo: AP).

After a scoreless first inning, Halladay uncharacteristically struggled to command his cutter and curveball in the second. Robinson Cano lead off that inning by grounding out, but Halladay then gave up a hit to Nick Swisher on a 3-1 count before walking Jorge Posada on four pitches. With runners on first and second, Halladay once again fell behind in the count before yielding a two run triple to Brett Gardner on a 3-1 cutter.  Gardner would end up being stranded at third base, but by the end of the inning, Halladay had thrown 29 pitches.

C.C. Sabathia eased through the first three innings, striking out six batters along the way. Meanwhile, the Yankees went back to work on Halladay in the bottom of the third. Curtis Granderson led off the inning by sending a wayward changeup deep into the right field second deck. Then, after Mark Teixeira flied out to deep right, Cano lashed a curveball into the right centerfield gap for a double and later scored on Nick Swisher’s round tripper, which again came on a cutter.

Now staked to a 5-0 lead, Sabathia had his only hiccup in the fourth inning. Chase Utley led off the inning by singling off Sabathia’s left hand. It was the second time in Sabathia’s last three starts that he extended his pitching hand in the way of a batted ball, and each time thereafter the big lefty seemed to struggle with his location. After a visit from the trainer, Placido Polanco singled off Sabathia’s glove and then hit Ryan Howard with a pitch. Before plunking him in the shoulder, Sabathia had Howard set up for a third straight swing and miss at a slider low and away, but inexplicably tried to bust the Phillies slugger up and in with a fastball. Two consecutive RBI singles by Jayson Werth and Raul Ibanez then followed, after which Ben Francisco’s 3-4 force out (which could have been a double play if Sabathia remembered to cover first base) plated another run.  Sabathia rebounded to strike out Castro and retire Ruiz on a ground out, preserving the lead at 5-3.

With the Phillies back in the game, it looked as Halladay had regained his form by relying more on his fastball. Perhaps out of stubbornness, however, he tried to sneak one more cutter by Mark Teixeira, who promptly deposited the pitch just over the 314 sign in right. The extra run seemed to reinvigorate Sabathia, who finished off his night by easily retiring the side in the sixth and seventh.

The Yankees tacked on two more insurance runs when Francisco Cervelli worked his two out magic with runners in scoring position by singling with the bases loaded. All that was left was for Dave Robertson and Chan Ho Park to close out the game and give the Yankees a leg up in the first game of their World Series rematch.

Facing Roy Halladay was a true test for an offense that had been feasting on less than stellar pitching over the past three weeks. Even with Arod out of the lineup for his fourth straight game, the Yankees passed with flying colors.

CC Sabathia’s Pitch Breakdown

Avg. Speed

Max
Speed

 Count Strikes Percentage
Changeup 87.3 88 9 7 77.8%
Curveball 81.1 83.2 18 10 55.6%
Four Seam Fastball 93.2 96.1 64 42 65.6%
Sinker 92.7 94.2 16 6 37.5%
Slider 81.6 82.2 4 3 75.0%
Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 14 10 71.4%
2 16 9 56.3%
3 12 9 75.0%
4 29 20 69.0%
5 17 7 41.2%
6 14 8 57.1%
7 9 5 55.6%
  • Coming into the game, Roy Halladay had only given up three homeruns, none of which were to left handed hitters. The Yankees not only doubled Halladay’s season total, but all three home runs were hit by lefties.
  • Halladay surrendered a career high three home runs in a game for the ninth time. The prior two occasions were also against the Yankees on August 4 and July 4 of last season.
  • The Yankees six runs off Halladay matched the most they have ever scored against the righty. The other time the Yankees reached Halladay for six runs was on April 30, 2000.
  • By beating the Phillies, Sabathia earned his first victory against a team other than Orioles since April 16.

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Game 64: Phillies vs. Yankees

June 15, 2010 by William Juliano

When Shane Victorino steps to the plate to lead off tonight’s game, you can’t blame the Yankees if they immediately flashback to his groundout that ended the 2009 World Series. The Yankees haven’t become  a successful franchise by looking back, however, so while the fans revel in that recollection, you can bet the team will be focused on the task at hand.

Roy Halladay was not a member of last year’s pennant winning Phillies team, but the Yankees are still intimately familiar with the talented right hander. In 35 career starts against the Bronx Bombers, Halladay sports an 18-6 record with an ERA of 2.84, including seven complete games and three shutouts.

Of course, the Yankees haven’t been Halladay’s only victim over the years. Since 2001, Halladay’s ERA+ of 147 ranks second to only Johan Santana’s 150. With his move to the National League, Halladay has managed to increase his level of dominance, compiling an ERA+ of 212 and throwing a perfect game along the way.

While the trade for Halladay has certainly worked out for the Phillies (even if the corresponding trade of Cliff Lee serves as a mitigating factor), not much else has gone right for the National League champs. At only 32-29, the Phillies find themselves closer to the last place Nationals than the first place Braves. Part of the reason for the Phillies’ struggles has been the loss of All Star short stop Jimmy Rollins for much of the season. His absence, along with disappointing early season returns from Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, has robbed the Phillies offense of its trademark explosiveness (perhaps best exemplified by Placido Polanco hitting cleanup). Meanwhile, beyond the 1-2 punch of Halladay and Cole Hamels, the Phillies rotation has also underperformed, with Jamie Moyer, Kyle Kendrick and Joe Blanton all currently sporting ERAs well above the league average.

With Halladay on the mound and Alex Rodriguez still out of the lineup, Yankees’ starter C.C. Sabathia will need to be at his best.  The Yankees big lefty has not won a game against a team other than the Orioles since April 16, and has posted a 5.27 ERA in his last seven starts. In order for the much anticipated pitcher’s duel to come to fruition, Sabathia will have to improve the command of both his fastball and curve as well as keep the Phillies sluggers from leaving the yard.

After enjoying a very soft schedule since the end of May, the Yankees embark on a week that will begin with Roy Halladay and end with Johan Santana. By the end of the week, we should have a better idea about whether the Yankees are the major’s best team, or a paper tiger created by an easy schedule.

vs. Roy Halladay PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Derek Jeter SS 100 0.242 0.296 0.286 0 5
Curtis Granderson CF 14 0.417 0.500 0.833 1 1
Mark Teixeira 1B 38 0.250 0.289 0.444 2 4
Robinson Cano 2B 49 0.208 0.224 0.375 2 5
Nick Swisher RF 18 0.235 0.278 0.471 0 0
Jorge Posada DH 65 0.278 0.400 0.426 2 3
Brett Gardner LF 18 0.235 0.278 0.294 0 1
Francisco Cervelli C 3 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Ramiro Pena 3B 6 0.333 0.333 0.667 0 0
Total 311 0.250 0.299 0.387 7 19
vs. C.C. Sabathia PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Shane Victorino, CF 7 0.429 0.429 0.429 0 1
Chase Utley, 2B 3 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Placido Polanco, 3B 45 0.326 0.341 0.535 1 3
Ryan Howard, 1B 7 0.429 0.429 0.571 0 1
Jayson Werth, RF 6 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Raul Ibanez, LF 43 0.275 0.326 0.525 2 9
Ben Francisco, DH 6 0.200 0.333 0.400 0 0
Juan Castro, SS 20 0.278 0.350 0.333 0 4
Carlos Ruiz, C 3 0.667 0.667 0.667 0 0
Total 140 0.295 0.321 0.462 3 18
Yankees vs. Phillies
Season: 2010 Season: 2009 Season: 2008 All-Time
TIED: 0-0 PHI: 1-2 TIED: 0-0 NYY:11-10
  • Before the game, Sergio Mitre was placed on the disabled list with an oblique injury. Boone Logan was recalled from Scranton to take Mitre’s place on the roster.
  • Since 2001, Roy Halladay and C.C. Sabathia are the two pitchers in the major leagues who have compiled the most wins. Halladay has won 143 in that time span, while Sabathia trails closely behind with 142.
  • Halladay’s 18 wins against the Yankees is the most by an active pitcher. Tim Wakefield ranks second with 11 wins.
  • The last time the Yankees engaged in a World Series rematch during the regular season was on June 10-12, 2002, when the team took two of three from the Diamondbacks.
  • The Yankees will need one win in the series to avoid falling under .500 against the Phillies in regular season play. The only two teams with a regular season advantage over the Yankees are the Reds (4-2) and Dodgers (2-1).
  • At 137-97, the Yankees have the best cumulative record in interleague play, ahead of the Twins at 135-99. The Phillies, on the other hand, have the fourth worst interleague record at 98-125.

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Oscar Azocar Dead At 45; Free Swinging Left Fielder Helped Lead Yankees “Youth Movement” in 1990

June 15, 2010 by William Juliano

Yesterday’s off day brought news of the untimely passing of former Yankee Oscar Azocar, who died in his native Venezuela at the age of 45. Although Azocar was only a footnote during a down period, his short career epitomized a tumultuous era in Yankees’ history.

Oscar Azocar was part of a "youth movement" by the Yankees in 1990. After bursting on the scene, Azocar would struggle down the stretch and eventually be traded during the off season.

The 1990 Yankees’.414 winning percentage was the fifth worst in franchise history and the lowest since 1913. The team’s last place finish was also only the fifth time the Yankees ended the year in the cellar. After years of organizational turmoil, managerial turnover and neglect of the farm system, the Yankees had finally hit rock bottom.

At the same time the team was reaching new lows on the field, the Yankees were making unflattering news off of it. The beginning of the 1990 season revolved around George Steinbrenner’s ongoing dispute with and subsequent attempt to trade David Winfield, and culminated in the owner’s eventual lifetime ban for actions involved in the Winfield feud. Amid that backdrop, the Yankees won four of the first games to start the season, but then plummeted thereafter. By June 5, the team was already nine games out of first with an 18-31 record, which cost Bucky Dent his job as manager. Adding insult to injury, the axe was wielded while the Yankees were in the midst of being swept at Fenway Park, the site of Dent’s most heralded achievement.

With the season basically over before it started, and George Steinbrenner preoccupied with saving his baseball life, the Yankees began the process of rebuilding the team for the first time since the mid-1960s. Unfortunately, there weren’t many Roy White’s, Thurman Munson’s, Mel Stottlemyre’s or Bobby Murcer’s in the pipeline just yet.

Instead, the Yankees promoted a litany of non-prospects to bolster the club, which was now being managed by Stump Merrill, who previously had managed the team’s triple-A affiliate in Columbus. Along with Mike Blowers and Deion Sanders, who started the year with the big club, the Yankees’ mid-season “youth movement” also included Azocar, Kevin Maas, Hensley Muelens and Jim Leyritz.

Although Kevin Maas looked to provide the most promise, thanks to a stretch in which he hit 15 HRs over his first 42 games, it was Azocar who made the biggest splash, hitting .386 with 4 HRs and 9 RBIs in his first 15 games. In his first start on July 18 against the Royals, Azocar went 3-4 with a HR to help lead the Yankees to a 5-3 victory. In fact, the rookie trio of Azocar, Maas and Leyritz combined for six hits and three runs scored. Things were looking up.

I like this lineup now. It’s fun playing with Leyritz, Maas, Azocar and Deion. You see some serious talent there. And they’ve been impressive.” – Don Mattingly, quoted in the July 19, 1990 edition of the New Tork Times

On July 31, one day after George Steinbrenner’s lifetime suspension was announced, the team had two rookies in the everyday lineup sporting an OPS above 1.000 as well as a young catcher/3B in Jim Leyritz with an OPS of .840. Whereas the eve of the trade deadline was usually a time when the Yankees were shedding young players, this time around, the team’s youth movement seemed to be paying off. Of course, those early results were merely an illusion.

From August 1 until the end of the season, Azocar posted a brutal line of .197/.211/.242 in 161 PAs. Azocar was really never a prospect anyway, and that offseason he was traded to the Padres for a player to be named later. Like Azocar, Maas and Muelens would quickly flame out, while Blowers and Sanders would have limited success with other teams. Only Leyritz wound up leaving an indelible mark on the franchise as the author of two huge post season homeruns.

In what truly was a disastrous season for the Yankees, Oscar Azocar helped to offer some hope, even if it was just a glimmer that was destined to be extinguished. For Yankee fans who suffered through that period in team history, names like Maas and Azocar still elicit a wry smile…not only because they serve as a reminder of how far the team has come, but also because they provided a reason to watch amid so much despair.

Rest in peace Oscar Azocar…and keep swinging.

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Hall of a Catcher: Posada’s Place Is Still Behind the Plate

June 14, 2010 by William Juliano

Jorge Posada’s two grand slams over the weekend did more than just help the Yankees win two games. They also served as a reminder of how important he is to the Yankee lineup, particularly when healthy enough to play behind the plate.

Despite being such an important part of the Yankees’ 15-year run of success, Posada has often been overlooked by the media and fans alike. Most recently, the push to install Posada as a permanent DH has illustrated the lack of appreciation for the role Posada has played as an “offensive catcher”. Even as his defense has started to decline, Posada’s ability to catch has always been a huge asset to the Yankees. Although his bat is strong enough to serve as DH, the Yankees’ advantage is mitigated by shifting Posada from behind the plate.

Clearly, Francisco Cervelli has emerged as a significantly better defensive catcher than Posada. However, extended playing time has also exposed Cervelli’s much weaker bat. For that reason, the Yankees should not settle on the idea of Cervelli as an everyday catcher with Posada assuming the role of DH. Regardless of who else is missing from the lineup, the Yankees need Posada to catch as much as he physically can.

As the Yankees figure out Posada’s role in the present, it’s worth taking a look back at how his career fits into a historical perspective. Over the last few years, Posada has emerged as a borderline candidate for the Hall of Fame, but how close is he to clearing the bar? Listed below are Posada’s career stats to date along side the 11 modern era catchers in the Hall of Fame as well as two contemporaries who are all but assured of enshrinement?

Career Stats of Hall of Fame Catchers And Three Most Likely Candidates From Current Era (ranked by WAR)

Player PA R HR RBI OBP SLG OPS OPS+ WAR
Johnny Bench 8669 1091 389 1376 0.342 0.476 0.817 126 71.3
Ivan Rodriguez 9861 1324 306 1283 0.376 0.471 0.806 108 67.9
Carlton Fisk 9853 1276 376 1330 0.341 0.457 0.797 117 67.3
Gary Carter 9019 1025 324 1225 0.335 0.439 0.773 115 66.3
Yogi Berra 8364 1175 358 1430 0.348 0.482 0.830 125 61.9
Mike Piazza 7745 1048 427 1335 0.377 0.545 0.922 142 59.1
Bill Dickey 7060 930 202 1209 0.382 0.486 0.868 127 54.4
Mickey Cochrane 6206 1041 119 832 0.419 0.478 0.897 128 51.2
Gabby Hartnett 7297 867 236 1179 0.37 0.489 0.858 126 50.3
Jorge Posada 6459 837 251 987 0.379 0.482 0.861 125 45.7
Ernie Lombardi 6349 601 190 990 0.358 0.46 0.818 125 39
Roy Campanella 4816 627 242 856 0.36 0.5 0.86 124 36.2
Rick Ferrell 7072 687 28 734 0.378 0.363 0.741 95 22.9
Ray Schalk 6217 579 11 594 0.34 0.316 0.656 83 22.6

Note: Includes all players with at least 75% of career games as a catcher.

Jorge Posada’s Ranking Among 14 Catchers Listed Above

G PA R H HR RBI BA OBP SLG OPS OPS+ WAR
Jorge Posada 12 10 10 12 7 10 9 3 5 4 t6 10

Among the 14 catchers included in this comparison, Posada currently ranks fourth in OPS and is tied for sixth in adjusted OPS. Even though OPS is not the best measurement of offensive production because it discounts OBP by weighting it equally with SLG, Posada’s relatively higher ranking in the former actually makes his OPS+ ranking even more impressive.

Aside from Mike Piazza, whose reputation as a strictly offensive catcher separates him from the pack, the upper echelon of Hall of Fame catchers share remarkably similar offensive numbers. Posada already possesses rate stats that place him among the all-time leaders, but does rank a notch below in accumulated totals. However, if he is able to sustain a solid level of production throughout the last year and half of his contract, he’d close that gap considerably. Continue Reading »

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We Have Lift Off: Another Posada Slam Helps Blast Yankees Past Astros

June 13, 2010 by William Juliano

For the second straight game, Jorge Posada broke open a close game with a grand slam. With Alex Rodriguez out of the lineup, Posada’s power surge has been a welcomed sign for the Yankees. Before the series against Houston, Posada had been 3-27 with one RBI since returning from the disabled list. Whether the result of healing injuries or bad Astros’ pitching, Posada ended the series going 4-9 with eight RBIs.

Jorge Posada launches his second grand slam in as many days to help the Yankees sweep the Astros (Photos: AP).

Just as important as Posada’s resurgence with the bat was his ability to get behind the plate for the first time since breaking his right foot on May 16. If Posada can continue to increase his workload behind the plate, it could open up the DH slot for Arod in the event his hip delays a return to the field. In the meantime, the added flexibility should help the Yankees compensate for a very weak bench that was further compromised by yesterday’s injury to Marcus Thames.

Although Posada’s impact on the game was substantial, perhaps no base hit was bigger than Ramiro Pena’s two out, two run single in the bottom of the fourth that broke a 1-1 tie. Just like Francisco Cervelli’s clutch hit in the first inning of Friday’s game, Pena’s hit provided production from the bottom of the lineup, something of which the Yankees will need more in Arod’s absence.

The Yankees’ nine run outburst in the middle innings provided enough support for Phil Hughes to increase his record to 9-1. For the second straight start, Hughes struggled with his command, especially in the middle innings, but was able to persevere in the game long enough to pick up the victory. Although the runs scored against Hughes were relatively soft until Kevin Cash’s two run homer that knocked him out of the game, the five runs yielded tied for the most that the Yankee righty has given up all season. On the whole, Hughes actually pitched a pretty good ball game, but the combination of a driving rain and some shaky defense conspired to increase his pitch count and hasten his removal from the game.

Because Hughes wasn’t able to make it through the rainy sixth inning, the Yankees bullpen was called upon to pick up 10 outs to close out the ball game. Over the final 3 1/3 innings, the combination of Marte, Park, Chamberlain and Rivera surrendered only one hit to close out the game and send the Astros packing with three losses. Another positive sign of late has been the improved performance of the bullpen. After a brief hiccup in mid-May, Rivera has not given up a hit in nine of last 10 appearance, while Chamberlain has only given up one run in seven appearance since his meltdown against the Indians. Even Damaso Marte has been reliable, allowing only one hit in the 4 1/3 innings that cover his last nine appearances.

A fun side bar to the game was the major league debut of Yankees’ right fielder Chad Huffman. With YES chronicling his family’s reaction to each AB, Huffman managed to reach base in his first three at bats, including an infield single, walk and wild pitch after a strikeout. Also of significance, Brett Gardner made his first start since suffering a thumb injury that kept him out of the lineup since June 8. In addition to collecting two hits, one single to left and a hard hit double down the right field line, Gardner also stole a base and made a nice leaping catch against the left field wall.

Phil Hughes’ Pitch Breakdown

Avg. Speed Max Speed Count Strikes Percentage
Four Seam Fastball 92.1 93.9 61 46 75.4%
Two Seam Fastball 92.8 94.1 8 5 62.5%
Curveball 76.6 78.6 18 7 38.9%
Cutter 88.8 90.1 22 15 68.2%
Inning Pitches Strikes Percentage
1 18 13 72.2%
2 13 8 61.5%
3 15 9 60.0%
4 11 8 72.7%
5 25 14 56.0%
6 27 21 77.8%
  • With the Rays’ loss to the Marlins, the Yankees reclaimed a tie of first place for the first time since April 21.
  • Jorge Posada became the first Yankee to hit grand slams on consecutive days since Bill Dickey performed the feat in August 3-4, 1937 against the White Sox. The only other Yankee to hit a grand slam in two straight games was Babe Ruth, who did it twice (1927 and 1929).
  • Robinson Cano’s fourth inning home run was the 100th of his career. Cano is only the third Yankees 2B to reach the century mark. The other two, Tony Lazzeri (169) and Joe Gordon (153), are both Hall of Famers.

Posted in Baseball, MLB, Yankees | 3 Comments »

Game 63: Astros vs. Yankees

June 13, 2010 by William Juliano

The Yankees will have their brooms out once again as they seek to sweep the Astros in the weekend series. With a day off looming, the Yankees need to make sure they do not suffer a let down because after today the schedule starts to get tougher heading into the dog days of summer.

Phil Hughes will take the ball for the Yankees in search of his fourth straight victory. In his previous start against the Orioles, Hughes struggled with his command and ran his pitch count up early in the game, but the young righty was still able to grind his way through the game. Against the free swinging Astros, Hughes can afford to be aggressive with his fastball and should be able to pitch deep into the game. Perhaps most significant, Hughes will be pitching to Jorge Posada, the first time he has caught a game since returning from the disabled list. Hughes and Posada have teamed up as a battery many times earlier in the season, so there shouldn’t be much of a disruption.

Standing in the way of a sweep for the Yankees will be journeyman righty Brian Moehler, who was recently promoted from the bullpen to the rotation despite sporting a 6.12 ERA. Once again, the Yankees lineup will be without Arod, who continues to sit with hip flexor tendonitis, as well as Marcus Thames, who was placed on the 15-day DL with a sore hamstring. Replacing Thames on the roster is Chad Huffman, who was claimed off waivers from the Padres earlier in the season. Huffman gets the starts in the right field, which allows Nick Swisher to get a half day off in the DH slot. Meanwhile, Ramiro Pena gets the not at 3B rounding out a power vacuum at the bottom of the lineup.

vs. Brian Moehler PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Derek Jeter SS 36 0.281 0.361 0.469 1 4
Curtis Granderson CF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Mark Teixeira 1B 8 0.333 0.500 0.833 1 1
Robinson Cano 2B 3 0.000 0.333 0.000 0 0
Nick Swisher DH 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Jorge Posada C 13 0.417 0.462 0.500 0 7
Brett Gardner LF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Chad Huffman RF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Ramiro Pena 3B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 60 0.308 0.400 0.500 2 12
vs. Phil Hughes PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Michael Bourn CF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Jeff Keppinger 2B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Hunter Pence RF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Carlos Lee DH 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Cory Sullivan LF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Pedro Feliz 3B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Geoff Blum 1B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Tommy Manzella SS 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Kevin Cash C 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 0 0.299 0.353 0.481 0 0
Yankees vs. Astros
Season: 2010 Season: 2009 Season: 2008 All-Time
NYY: 2-0 TIED: 0-0 NYY: 3-0 NYY:7-1

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