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Andy Wins 200 As Arodless Yanks Hold Off ‘Stros

June 12, 2010 by William Juliano

The Yankees kicked off the second leg of interleague play with some sobering news: Alex Rodriguez was diagnosed with tendonitis in his right hip flexor. Even though the third baseman and Joe Girardi declared this to be “good news”, the fact remains that any mention of Arod and hip in the same sentence should be a major concern for the Yankees. Whether he winds up just missing the weekend series or much longer, the rest of the Yankee lineup needs to start compensating for the loss of the team’s most potent offensive weapon.

Derek Jeter jumps out of the way after making a key error that gave the Astros a chance to tie the game in the eighth inning (Photo: AP).

Against that backdrop, the Yankees took the field against the woeful Houston Astros. Despite entering the game winners in eight of their last 10 ballgames, the Astros fielded a lineup that featured four hitters with an OPS under .600. What’s more, the entire team has posted an astonishingly low OPS+ of 69, with only Lance Berkman’s .764 OPS grading out above league average. So, when the Yankees took a 3-0 lead on Francisco Cervelli’s two out, two run single, it seemed as if the game was primed for the win column.

The Astros immediately jumped back into the game, however, scoring two runs in the top of the second on Tommy Manzella’s RBI double. In the inning, Pettitte seemed to lose command of the strike zone and wound up throwing nearly one-third of his total pitches for the game. After recovering to retire the side with the lead still intact, Pettitte resumed dispatching the Astros lineup with his usual efficiency by setting down 16 of the next 17 batters.

The Astros weren’t the only ones making outs quickly, however. After seeming to be on the verge of an early shower, Brett Meyers also settled into a rhythm and retired the Yankees in order over the next three innings. In the fifth inning, the Yankees finally gave Pettitte some breathing room when Mark Teixeira’s bloop singled plated Kevin Russo, who had walked to lead off the inning and then stolen second base.

With Pettitte dealing and the Astros lineup acting like an assembly line for making outs, the insurance run seemed like window dressing, but it would eventually prove to be the difference in the game. After Manzella led off the top of the eighth with his second hit of the game, Pettitte induced an easy double play ball off the bat of pinch hitter Humberto Quintero. Unfortunately for Pettitte, however, Derek Jeter, in his haste to turn the twin killing, dropped the throw from Robinson Cano. With Quintero running, there was no need to rush the transfer, but Jeter’s shocking error set up a sacrifice bunt by Michael Bourne that knocked Pettitte from the game.

All of a sudden, the Yankees easy victory was hanging by a thread. Joba then retired Jeff Keppinger, who hit the ball hard in every at bat, on a sacrifice fly to right, which set the stage for a pivotal showdown with Lance Berkman, by far the Astros’ biggest threat. For some reason, Girardi decided to pitch to the switch hitting Berkman (.831 OPS vs. righties) instead of set up a righty-righty confrontation with the struggling Carlos Lee (.611 OPS vs. righties). Had the move backfired, it would have been a legitimate second guess, but luckily for Girardi, Joba was able to strike the Big Puma out on a slider.

Not only did Joba pick up the Captain by pitching out of the eighth inning jam, but he also helped preserve Pettitte’s 200th win in pinstripes. Mariano Rivera made the victory official by retiring the Astros in order to end the game, but on this night, it was really Joba who earned the save.

The Yankees starting pitching has been a strength all year, so if Joba and Dave Robertson can continue to get big outs, the team should remain in contention all year. The Yankees are built to do more than just hang around, however, but the dwindling offense seems to be preventing the team from pulling ahead in the division. Even though the Yankees still lead the AL with over 5.5 runs per game, the lineup’s output has been far from consistent, particularly on the road, where they have been scoring two fewer runs per game. What’s more, the Yankees have scored four or fewer runs in six of their last seven games, forfeiting a chance to take over the division lead by only going 4-3 over that stretch of games. So, with Arod out of the lineup and Posada still struggling to regain his form, it now becomes imperative for Mark Teixeira to start carrying the load. If the Yankees are going to make a move in June, Teixeira has to get hot along with the weather.

  • Andy Pettitte became only the third Yankee to win 200 games. Whitey Ford (236) and Red Ruffing (231) are the others.
  • With his four strikeouts, Pettitte also moved within one of Ron Guidry for second place on the all-time Yankees list.
  • Derek Jeter’s streak of reaching base in 28 consecutive games came to an end with his 0-4 performance.

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Hip Check: Yankees Season Rides on Arod’s Side

June 11, 2010 by William Juliano

It’s bad enough that the Yankees lost a ballgame to the lowly Baltimore Orioles, but last night they also lost their cleanup hitter to what was termed “groin stiffness”.

According to postgame comments, Arod’s groin had started bothering him during pregame warm-ups, yet despite this information, Joe Girardi inexplicably decided to keep him in the lineup. That decision was a major contributor to the 4-3 loss because Arod’s inability to range to his left for a groundball cost the Yankees two runs in the first inning. Also, a seventh inning rally was thwarted when Francisco Cervelli was forced to pinch hit for Ramiro Pena, who was hitting in the cleanup spot.

Not only do I make the play, it’s a routine play,” he said. “It’s a play that you make 10 out of 10 times. I just locked up. At that point, I pointed at Nino.” – Alex Rodriguez’ postgame comments, as quoted by the LoHud Yankees Blog

Why Girardi would think Arod would loosen up as the game approached is bewildering. After all, it was just last Sunday when Arod was forced to leave a game with the same sore groin.  What’s more, groin issues are often symptoms of the kind of hip problems Arod has had in the past, so there was all the more reason to exercise caution, not only to avoid putting the game at risk, but a vital cog in the Yankees’ lineup as well.

So, now the Yankees have to hold to their collective breath as Arod meets with team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad. If the groin stiffness turns out to be a pull, or even worse, points to a reoccurrence of his hip injury, the Yankees will be in full panic mode. With Mark Teixeira struggling, Nick Johnson likely out for most of the year and Jorge Posada battling to regain his form, the loss of Arod would be too much for the team’s precarious lineup to survive. Even though he hasn’t been hitting for his usual power, Arod is still the linchpin of the offense, so if the Yankees are forced to pull him out, the entire lineup could collapse.

Posted in Alex Rodriguez, Arod, Baseball, MLB, Yankees | 3 Comments »

Game 60: Yankees vs. Orioles

June 10, 2010 by William Juliano

After tonight’s game, the Yankees bid farewell to the Birds until September 6 and move aside so the rest of the AL East can prey on the division’s soft underbelly.

Being leaving town, however, the Yankees will look to pin one more loss on the struggling Orioles, who have promoted Jake Arieta to pitch the series finale. Arieta features a mid-90s fastball and above average curve, so the Yankees could have their hands full with the Orioles’ young righty. Arieta is prone to throwing a lot of pitches, however, so the Yankees patient lineup probably means the Orioles’ bullpen will also have to play a prominent role if he is to pick up his first major league win. Regardless of how his debut turns out, the addition of a third rookie to the Orioles’ starting rotation could be just the beginning of a roster turnover as the Birds enter a full rebuilding mode and look to 2011.

Meanwhile, AJ Burnett looks to rain on the rookie’s parade by bouncing back from his poor start against the Blue Jays. Burnett will once again be caught by Chad Moeller, so it will be interesting to see how the pair works together. With Brett Gardner still recovering from a sore thumb, Marcus Thames also gets a rare start in left. Otherwise, the Yankees hope to keep taking advantaging of the schedule by finishing off the sweep in Baltimore.

vs. Jake Arieta PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Derek Jeter SS 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Nick Swisher RF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Mark Teixeira 1B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Alex Rodriguez 3B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Robinson Cano 2B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Jorge Posada DH 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Curtis Granderson CF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Marcus Thames LF 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Chad Moeller C 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Total 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
             
vs. AJ Burnett PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Corey Patterson LF 18 0.059 0.111 0.059 0 1
Miguel Tejada 3B 23 0.333 0.391 0.381 0 1
Nick Markakis RF 45 0.300 0.356 0.350 0 3
Ty Wigginton 1B 33 0.207 0.303 0.379 1 3
Luke Scott LF 25 0.286 0.400 0.667 2 4
Adam Jones CF 31 0.200 0.200 0.367 1 4
Matt Wieters C 12 0.000 0.083 0.000 0 0
Scott Moore 2B 0 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Cesar Izturis SS 22 0.150 0.190 0.200 0 0
Total 209 0.217 0.273 0.333 4 16

 

Yankees vs. Orioles    
Season: 2010 Season: 2009 Season: 2008 All-Time
NYY: 10-1 NYY: 13-5 NYY: 11-7 NYY: 1232-839

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Revolution! Upstart Yanks to Battle Brits in World Cup; Why Americans Should Embrace the Beautiful Game

June 10, 2010 by William Juliano

The FIFA World Cup is such a big event that it is even able to distract attention from the Yankee Universe…and by Yankee, I mean the United States, not our beloved Bronx Bombers.

The front page of The Sun shows what England thinks about its draw in the upcoming World Cup.

Although we Americans hate to accept it, the world doesn’t always revolve around us. As successful as we have been exporting our culture (and our sports) around the world, soccer (known as football just about everywhere else) has persevered as the most popular sport on the planet. So, for the next month, life in 31 of the participating nations will grind to an absolute halt. Meanwhile, in the United States, the interest in the World Cup will likely be much more casual, with regular season baseball, the NBA Finals and even NFL summer camps drawing more attention.

Undoubtedly, part of the reason our country has failed to embrace soccer is because we didn’t invent it. Brushing aside the influences of Europe has been an American pastime since the days of the founding fathers, so there really is no way the United States will ever fully accept the sport, regardless of how explosive growth in youth soccer becomes. Still, there is something to be said for winning at someone else’s game, and when looked at in that light, maybe it’s time for our country to increase its stake in this most cherished global competition.

As luck would have it, the United States opening match on Saturday is against England, the country that gave birth to “the Beautiful Game”. Of course, England is also the home of the most arrogant and rowdy fans on the planet (in comparison, Yankees fans come off as incredibly modest wallflowers); if you weren’t aware of the prowess of English football, there are millions of Brits more than happy to provide a history lesson. So, despite not winning the World Cup since 1960, England still brings with it the expectations of a tournament favorite. As a result, you can bet the haughty English are looking straight past the lowly U.S. team to the knockout round. Maybe someone should remind them about the perils of overlooking a band of upstart Yanks?

Beating England wont be easy, to say the least. The bluster of their supporters aside, they do have a terrific team as well as one of the world’s best players in Wayne Rooney. History is also on their side. In head-to-head matchups between the two nations, England has a 7-2 record, including a 35-8 goal advantage. Then again, in the two nations’ lone matchup in the 1950 World Cup, it was the United States that came out on top by shocking the English with 1-0 victory in Brazil. Most Americans have probably never heard of that result, but Walter Bahr, the U.S. midfielder who scored that game’s only goal, is as infamous in England as Bucky Dent is in Boston.

In some ways, facing England in the World Cup is just like the United States’ epic battle against Canada in this year’s Olympic Gold Medal Final in that it is another rare opportunity for the United States to play the role of underdog against a powerhouse that also happened to invent the sport.  This game is even more compelling, however, because unlike U.S. hockey, which is legitimately a world power, the soccer team still remains a “mid major”. Beating England would not only stun the Brits, but possibly represent a new milestone in the progress of American soccer, even if not many people back home are watching.

So, if you have some free time on Saturday, it might be worthwhile to tune in. It’s not often the Yankees are underdogs with an entire nation to support them.

Posted in Baseball, MLB, World Cup | 1 Comment »

Time Is the True Test for Strasburg

June 9, 2010 by William Juliano

Stephen Strasburg endures some rookie hazing after making a major league debut fit for a King (Photo: AP).

Unless you just crawled out from under a rock, you already know that Stephen Strasburg was absolutely fantastic in his major league debut, even though the Pirates’ lineup he faced still suggested minor leagues. Amazingly, by striking out 14 batters in only seven innings, he may have actually exceeded what were incredibly high expectations. Cooperstown here he comes, right?

Judging by some of the articles written in the afterglow of Strasburg’s gem, not to mention Bob Costas’ constant evocation of Walter Johnson during the game, you’d almost think no one else has ever possessed a blazing fastball and knee bending hook. As great as Strasburg’s raw stuff appears to be, however, he is really not such a freak. In fact, Strasburg’s arsenal resembles very closely that of a young A.J. Burnett and Kerry Wood, just to name two. Both very good pitchers in their own right, each failed to meet expectations due to a combination of injuries and inability to harness their talent on a consistent basis. Overcoming that combination, which is the nemesis of every pitcher, is what will define Strasburg’s greatness, not one dominating performance at the beginning of his career. Only time will tell how great Strasburg will be, and even after such a dominating opening performance, the odds are still against him.

Mere numbers could speak to how extraordinary Stephen Strasburg was Tuesday night, numbers like 14 strikeouts and zero walks. Or 101, the top radar-gun reading on the right-hander’s fastball. Or you could take the words of Orel Hershiser or John Smoltz or Curt Schilling, who all, in one way or another, said they have never seen anything like him.” – Buster Olney, ESPN.com

Olney’s quote above illustrates the kind of hyperbole that has almost overshadowed the performance itself. I haven’t seen the quotes to which Olney refers, but I have a hard time believing that Hershiser, Smoltz and Schilling have all never seen the likes of Strasburg. What’s more, Olney even credits Strasburg’s greatness for Delwyn Young’s two run homer (that’s right, Strasburg did not retire every batter he faced). Apparently, Olney suggests, only a unique pitcher like Strasburg could give up such a home run. Against any other mortal, like say Ubaldo Jiminez or Roy Halladay, Young would have only hit a double in the gap. Go figure.

I am not trying to rain on the Strasburg parade. Quite the contrary. I’d love to see him realize his potential and help boost the game of baseball in the nation’s capital. However, it is unfair to all the great pitchers in the game to treat the new toy as if it is an entirely different concept.

If after a full season or two, Strasburg is still averaging 98mph and striking out hitters at an absurd rate, maybe then we can start the coronation. In the meantime, let’s just hope his arm and shoulder can stay healthy enough to allow us to enjoy his abundant talent.

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Fine and Grandy: Yanks Slam Orioles With Three Homer Night

June 8, 2010 by William Juliano

After struggling to score all weekend in Toronto, the Yankees pounded out 12 runs and 15 hits against the free falling Orioles. It didn’t take long for the Yankees to get on the board as Nick Swisher sent the sixth pitch of the game 420 feet over the centerfield fence to give the Yankees an immediate 2-0 lead. Then, in the third, Curtis Granderson’s grand slam extended the margin to 6-0, likely causing every television set tuned into the Orioles to immediately switch over to watch Stephen Strasburg mow down the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Curtis Granderson is greeted at home plate after clearing the bases with a third inning grand slam (Photo: AP).

Phil Hughes, who entered the game as the league leader in run support, was once again the beneficiary of a Yankee offensive outburst, but for the first three innings it didn’t appear as if he would need much help. In the fourth and fifth, however, Hughes’ command abandoned him, causing the Yankees’ righty to throw 50 pitches while giving up three runs that cut the lead in half. Hughes eventually rebounded with a quick and easy 10-pitch sixth, but his mounting pitch count ensured that it would also be his last inning.

Meanwhile, with scouts on hand to evaluate Kevin Millwood in anticipation of a trade, the veteran righty allowed fifteen base runners over only 5 2/3 innings. At 0-7, Millwood’s ERA has been on the rise, while his trade value has been in decline.

In the top of the seventh, the Yankees scored six more runs, highlighted by Nick Swisher’s three run double and Mark Teixeira’s two-run homer. Although Swisher’s hit broke the game wide open, Teixeira’s blast may have been even more important as it could help ease some of the tension that has led the New York tabloids to call for the Yankee first baseman’s demotion in the lineup. Teixeira ended the night going 3-4 with two walks, matching the three-hit output of both Swisher and Cano.

Two negatives from the Yankees perspective was the hitless performance of Alex Rodriguez, who left six runners on base, as well as the dismal effort by Chad Gaudin, who yielded four runs over two innings to raise his ERA to 8.53. Gaudin has now given up a run in four of five outings since returning to the Yankees and may be looking at his third DFA this season.

Of course, the Yankees won’t get much sympathy from the Orioles, whose season is approaching historic levels of futility. At 16-42, the Orioles are on pace for their worst season in franchise history and within reach of establishing the worst record in modern history.

  • The Yankees have homered in 18 straight games at Camden Yards, a record by a visiting team.
  • With a home run and a double, Nick Swisher improved his OPS at Camden Yards to 1.226, the highest by any visiting player.
  • Robinson Cano’s three hit performance was his 9th of the season, which is best in the American League. Nick Swisher is one behind Cano with eight such games.
  • The Orioles .276 winning percentage would rank as the lowest in franchise history. The 1939 St. Louis Browns currently hold that distinction with a .279 winning percentage. The lowest winning percentage recorded in Baltimore was .335 in 1988.

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Game 58: Yankees vs. Orioles

June 8, 2010 by William Juliano

As the Nationals and Pirates get ready to host Stephen Strasburg’s debutant ball in Washington, the Yankees and Orioles will be playing just 35 miles down the road in Baltimore. Judging by the size of the shadow cast by Strasburg’s long anticipated unveiling, however, you’d think the game was being played light years away.

Amid much less fanfare, the Yankees will be sending their own young phenom to the mound. Still only 23 years old, Phil Hughes seeks to improve upon his breakout 2010 campaign by facing a struggling Orioles team that just recently snapped a 10-game losing streak. Hughes has already faced the Orioles on two occasions during the early season, surrendering two earned runs in 12 2/3 innings. In total, his 7-1 record tops the American League in winning percentage while his 2.54 ERA ranks fifth. It may have taken a little longer than hoped, but the Yankees first round selection in the 2004 draft seems to finally be paying off with results that even Strasburg would be proud to own.

Hughes’ mound opponent this evening is Kevin Millwood. Although not drafted until the 11th round in 1993, Millwood was once himself a hot young pitcher who won 40 games before the age of 25. Now, he finds himself pitching solidly as a journeyman, but winless nonetheless because of the poor performance of his ballclub.

After being swept by the Yankees last week in New York, the Orioles’ poor start finally cost manager Dave Trembley his job. It remains to be seen whether interim manager Juan Samuel can lead the Birds to a respectable finish over the remainder of the season, but at least for the next three games, the Yankees  hope it’s business as usual.

The Yankees will play over half of their remaining games in June against last place teams, so this upcoming series in Baltimore marks the beginning of a stretch during which they can make some headway in the division. Of course, the Yankees still have to play…and win…the games. So, while most of the baseball world will be watching the spectacle played just to the south, the Yankees full attention will need to be on the task at hand.

vs. Kevin Millwood PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Derek Jeter SS 35 0.290 0.353 0.419 0 2
Nick Swisher RF 41 0.343 0.439 0.657 3 7
Mark Teixeira 1B 21 0.353 0.476 0.647 1 1
Alex Rodriguez 3B 29 0.370 0.414 0.630 2 4
Robinson Cano 2B 24 0.391 0.417 0.565 1 4
Jorge Posada DH 23 0.263 0.391 0.579 2 3
Curtis Granderson CF 38 0.242 0.342 0.455 1 4
Francisco Cervelli C 6 0.200 0.333 0.200 0 1
Brett Gardner LF 12 0.273 0.273 0.545 1 2
Total 229 0.313 0.389 0.547 11 28
vs. Phil Hughes PA BA OBP SLG HR RBI
Julio Lugo 2B 1 0.000 0.000 0.000 0 0
Miguel Tejada 3B 12 0.182 0.250 0.364 0 0
Nick Markakis RF 21 0.300 0.333 0.400 0 3
Ty Wigginton 1B 9 0.333 0.333 0.667 1 3
Luke Scott DH 12 0.600 0.667 0.800 0 1
Adam Jones CF 14 0.286 0.286 0.643 1 3
Matt Wieters C 8 0.000 0.125 0.000 0 0
Lou Montanez LF 2 1.000 1.000 1.000 0 0
Cesar Izturis SS 6 0.250 0.500 0.250 0 1
Total 85 0.299 0.353 0.481 2 11
Yankees vs. Orioles
Season: 2010 Season: 2009 Season: 2008 All-Time
NYY: 8-1 NYY 13-5 NYY 11-7 NYY:1230-839

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