Archive for April, 2009
Game 16: From one hitter-friendly park to another
Posted by: | CommentsThere’s nothing like the first Yankees-Red Sox game of the year. It’s like coming back to school after summer break and finding your nemesis waiting by your locker. It’s time to renew the rivalry and get things going. The Yanks and the Sox look to do just that tonight, sending two of their finest young pitchers to duel it out.
You might remember the last time Joba Chamberlain started a game in Fenway Park. That was easily my favorite game of 2009. Joba vs. Beckett, and the pitching duel was everything it was hyped to be. We even got a Kyle Farnsworth signature meltdown, though Mo had mercy on him. The Yanks did let Beckett off the hook that night, putting 10 men on base against him and plating just one of them, as was their wont last year.
Joba has started one other game against the Red Sox in his career, going six innings and allowing three runs on four hits and four walks, striking out five. That’s not terrible, but the Yanks could use a bit more tonight. Jon Lester absolutely dominated them last year, giving up just three runs over 22.2 innings, striking out 24 to just three walks. We could be in for another low-scoring affair, my favorite kind of game.
Girardi did a good job with the lineup today. The bottom third of the order is a black hole no matter which way he lays it out, so we can kind of disregard that. I like that Jorge is DHing in place of Matsui against the lefty. This means that Jorge can catch tomorrow afternoon’s affair and Matsui can slide in against the righty Beckett. Girardi also gets the bat out of Brett Gardner‘s hands, which is fine considering 1) it’s a lefty, 2) Gardner hasn’t been very good, and 3) Melky’s the hot hand right now. It would take a pretty big night from Melky, I would think, for him to get the start again tomorrow.
Lineup:
1. Derek Jeter, SS
2. Johnny Damon, LF
3. Mark Teixeira, 1B
4. Jorge Posada, DH
5. Nick Swisher, RF
6. Robinson Cano, 2B
7. Melky Cabrera, CF
8. Jose Molina, C
9. Cody Ransom, 3B
And on the mound, number sixty-two, Joba Chamberlain.
To tide you over until the game
Posted by: | CommentsJust because there’s nothing going on heading into the game, here’s an episode of Wired Science which discusses science and baseball. Please do not misread: this is not Weird Science. I misread it at first myself, and got a little excited over vintage Vanessa Angel (I watched the show as a 12-year-old solely for her).
Anyway, this should tide you over until game time.
RAB Live Chat
Posted by: | Comments
Balls flying all around baseball
Posted by: | CommentsSorry, couldn’t resist the headline. Apparently, the homer-friendly atmosphere in the new Yankee Stadium might not be some kind of park effect. While we’ve seen a record number of gopher balls over the first six games at the park, Brian Cashman notes that homers are traveling further throughout baseball. On average, they’re going an extra eight feet, something which “may even out over the course of an 81-game home schedule.” Let’s hope this is the case. While a more homer-friendly park would obviously benefit the Yanks’ offense, opposing teams have the same advantage. I prefer the Yanks’ pitchers keeping the ball in the park.
Same rivalry, new faces
Posted by: | CommentsWhen David Ortiz takes to the field plate later tonight, it will mark his 101st regular season game as a member of the Red Sox facing the Yankees. Since 2003, no one on Boston has faced the Yankees more often than Ortiz has, and he knows the rivalry quite well.
Lately, though, Ortiz has been a shell of the player who killed the Yankees in 2003 and 2004. As Alan Schwarz detailed yesterday, Ortiz is an out-of-shape DH-only player, and those do not age gracefully. While his bat has shown signs of life over the last few games, he is hitting .220/.294/.322 with no home runs in the early going. He’s either primed for a breakout or has entered what we’ll diplomatically call the “decline” phase of his career.
Yesterday, in preparation for this weekend’s big series against the Yankees, the Red Sox vet offered up some unsolicited advice to the Yankees. Particularly, Ortiz decided to warn Joba Chamberlain about his past headhunting. “None of that, man — just play the game the way it’s supposed to be, and that’s about it,” Ortiz said “This is a guy, as good as he is, the next step for him will be to earn respect from everybody in the league. He’s not a bad guy, but when things like that happen, people get the wrong idea.”
Apparently, Kevin Youkilis can’t speak up for himself.
Anyway, when Joba takes the mound tonight, he’ll get the hero’s welcome in Boston, but he has a game to win. He has to keep his emotions — and his fastball — under control, and he will have to go toe-to-toe with the Red Sox ace. Last year, he outdueled Josh Beckett in Boston to announce his arrival as a Major League starter. This year, he’ll have to go toe-to-toe with Jon Lester, arguably a better pitcher than Beckett. It is no small task, and with boos raining down, it won’t be the easiest environment in which Joba must pitch.
But Chamberlain isn’t the only player due for some Boston scorn. While A-Rod, the object of New England’s collective affection, won’t be there, Mark Teixeira will, and you know what they say about a lover scorned. As the Yanks’ first baseman said to The Star-Ledger, he expects a hostile crowd tonight. “I’m sure they’ll be heavy boos,” Teixeira said. “I would expect nothing less from those fans. I would expect nothing less than tons of boos and tons of energy in the stadium. This is a great rivalry. It’s going to be a fun weekend.”
The Red Sox will be booing at Teixeira because he had the audacity to take a better offer in New York when the team’s owner refused to up his deal by another $10 million. Teixeira reminded anyone listening of that fact yesterday. “I enjoyed talking with the Red Sox all offseason,” he said. “There’s no question why the Red Sox are in the position they are. Because he’s an incredible GM and they have a great organization. There were opportunities for every team that I dealt with. Every team had a chance. Every team was given an opportunity to make their best offer. In the end, the Yankees made the best and it was a great fit for me.”
And so it goes. It’s the same game with new faces, and those new faces are fitting in off the field quite nicely. Welcome to the Red Sox/Yankees Rivalry 2009.
The A-Rod Watch never stops
Posted by: | CommentsAs the Yanks head up I-95 to Boston this weekend, they’ll do so without their offensive centerpiece. While A-Rod isn’t with the team, he is making steady progress, and if I were a betting may, I’d take the under on the May 15th date the Yanks keep putting out there. Yesterday, A-Rod, according to the AP, ran the bases for the second straight day. He went from home to first four times and from first to second six times. He took 28 swings off curveballs and another 63 in BP. I say A-Rod returns in time to face Boston or Tampa in New York during the first week in May. The crowd should cheer lustily and loudly for him.
Phil Hughes should start on Tuesday
Posted by: | CommentsPlease ignore the title of this post for just a moment. Let us review Chien-Ming Wang‘s performance in Extended Spring Training today, complete with instant commentary.
7 innings — 91 pitches, 70 strikes
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
9 hits
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
5 runs, 4 earned
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
0 walks
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
11 strikeouts
Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.
That’s two too many boos for my liking. The report from Nardi Contreras wasn’t much better. From Feinsand (well, really McCarron):
“Maybe it’s the arm strength, not getting enough innings pitched last year,” Contreras said. “He hadn’t pitched in eight months. With arm strength, it’ll be easy for him to get the ball down. More arm strength, more velocity. The man didn’t pitch for eight months. It takes time to get it back.”
That last line is the most troubling. The Yankees don’t exactly have time for Chien-Ming Wang to re-find himself in the majors. While Nardi was also complimentary of Wang, noting his slider was “the best [he has] ever seen and he threw a lot of real good changeups.” His very next utterance, though: “When his sinker was down…” Need I go any further? His sinker was down in the first inning on Saturday and it didn’t stop the Indians from tattooing him in the second. If the Yanks aren’t sure that Wang is over his belt-high woes, they can’t continue to run him out for starts.
As many of the beats have suggested, the Yanks could opt to place Wang on the disabled list. Given the information available right now, I think it’s pretty clear that this is the ideal course of action. If the Yankees can place Wang on the DL they can line him up for two or three minor league rehab starts where he can continue to work on his issues without costing the big league club. It also gives the Yankees an opportunity to bring in Phil Hughes and see how he’s progressed from last year.
What poses better odds: that Phil Hughes pitches as badly as Chien-Ming Wang, or that Chien-Ming Wang miraculously returns to form? Give me the former. There’s no doubt Wang can become what he was before, but it’s not a situation where, as Brian Cashman said, “it’s ‘pow,’ fixed right away.” It might take some time. Since Wang is out of options (and for those who asked and were not answered, Wang was added to the 40-man roster in 2003 and is definitely out of options), the only way to get him real work and to free up the roster spot necessary is to place him on the disabled list. I’m sure the Yankees can cook up a reason why.
The silver lining in this is that if Wang returns to form and Hughes is pitching well, the Yanks all the sudden have a nice problem on their hands. As we found out after Xavier Nady‘s injury, you can never, ever have too much depth.
McAllister dominant in Trenton win
Posted by: | CommentsTriple-A Scranton had a scheduled off day.
Double-A Trenton (4-1 win over New Britain)
Eduardo Nunez & Colin Curtis: both 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 K – Nunez was hit by a pitch
Reegie Corona: 1 for 4, 1 R, 1 K – 11 for his last 32 (.344)
Edwar Gonzalez, Frankie Cervelli & Chris Malec: all 0 for 3 – Edwar drew a walk & K’ed twice … Cervelli K’ed once, Malec twice
Jorge Vazquez: 2 for 4, 1 R, 1 HR, 4 RBI, 2 K – season debut was an impressive one
Marcos Vechionacci: 1 for 3, 1 K
Zach McAllister: 7 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 1 HB, 7-10 GB/FB – awesome
Mike Dunn: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K, 3-0 GB/FB - dude has been nails this year … 15 K in 8.2 IP
RAB on RBI Radio
Posted by: | CommentsJust a heads up, I’ll be appearing on RBI Radio at 9:10 to debate the Yanks and Red Sox with Allen of Joy of Sox. The show is hosted by RAB regular Joey Hayward, who you know as Joey H. from the comments. You can listen live here. Make sure you register at NowLive so you can participate in the chat and ask questions during the show.
Open Thread: Fun with small sample sizes
Posted by: | CommentsApril stats are always fun because the sample sizes are so small. It’s the only month of the season when the Pirates could rank first in team ERA (3.07) while ranking dead last in Kper9 (5.25), or when a guy with a .318 career OBP could lead the league in pitches seen per plate appearance (4.87), or when the Nationals could be only 7.5 games back of first. So, for your Thursday night entertainment, here’s some Yankee related statistical shenanigans:
- CC Sabathia is on pace to throw more than 262 innings and 4,730 pitches this year. Sabathia three just over 3,900 pitches last season, including playoffs.
- Robbie Cano is on pace for 237 hits, 25 behind Ichiro’s single season record.
- For Chien-Ming Wang to finish the year at his career 4.08 ERA in 200 IP, he’d need to pitch to a 1.21 3.11 ERA the rest of the year.
- Brian Bruney is on pace for 129 strikeouts. Brad Lidge struck out 157 batters in 2004. That’s insane.
- Derek Jeter has swung at a career high 25.8% of the pitches he’s seen out of the zone, and a career low 68.8% of pitching in the zone.
- Brett Gardner is on pace to reach base just 118 times, but steal 43 bases.
- Hideki Matsui is on pace for 97 walks and 75 strikeouts.
- Mariano Rivera is on track for an 86-0 K/BB ratio.
- The Yankees have already used 15 pitchers this season, including Nick Swisher but not including Steven Jackson who is with the big league team but has yet to appear in a game. By April 23rd of last season, the Yanks had used … 15 pitchers. Now that’s useless info.
- The Yanks projected pythag record right now is 70-92. Take out Wang, and it’s 91-69.
Anyway, use this as your open thread tonight. The Devils and Hurricanes play Game 5 tonight in Newark. The series is tied at two. Anything goes here, just be cool.
Just 21 days 'til pitchers and catchers report.
