Bad inning does in Yanks
By Joseph PawlikowskiWe’ve seen both Good A.J. and Bad A.J. in various starts throughout the season, but rarely do we glimpse both in the same. That’s what we got today. Bad A.J. was as bad as he gets. Good A.J. was good for about four innings, but those came after Bad A.J. had staked the Orioles to a sizable lead. Combine that with a flat offense, and it’s a recipe for a loss.
Things looked optimistic from the outset. A.J. got a little help from a double play ball to escape the first, and the Yanks offense went to work. It wasn’t overpowering. Just a soft liner to left by Jeter, a steal of second, a bunt over to third, and a sac fly. They’d probably need more, but it was a good start. A-Rod tried to keep it going with a double, but the Nick Swisher couldn’t get a base hit to bring him home. That’ll happen.
Burnett wasted no time in giving back the lead, as Nolan Reimold took him deep to left field. It was an absolute fat pitch, one a hitter like Reimold, the rookie leader in home runs, is going to park more often than not. With that out of the way, maybe A.J. could just work through the lineup and hope the Yanks offense could put up a few more against Matusz. That was not to be, on either account.
After striking out Luke Scott, a walk and three straight singles plated another run and left the bases loaded. Brian Roberts then dealt the decisive blow, sending a pitch into the Yanks bullpen and putting his team out in front 6-1. A.J. managed to get the next two batters to end the inning, and in fact retired eight straight after the homer. Too bad it’s impossible to erase those runs from the board.
In the course of those eight straight, Burnett lucked out a couple of times. In the third Luke Scott and Matt Wieters both seemed to just miss pitches, flying out deep to Jerry Hairston and Melky Cabrera. It wasn’t until the fourth that he really settled down, and even then he had some trouble in the fifth, surrendering a leadoff double to Brian Roberts. He’d settle down and finish the inning unscathed.
Seven innings, six runs is not a good line by any measure. Burnett let one bad inning ruin an otherwise pretty damn good start. He pitched through the seventh, and in innings other than the second he allowed just three men to reach base. He kept his pitch count down, throwing just 108 pitches in those seven innings, which is all the more remarkable because he threw 42 in the second. He issued only two walks, though he managed to strike out only four.
This kind of start, of course, will not fly in the playoffs. It won’t fly in any kind of meaningful situation. Thankfully, the Yankees are still well out in front in the AL East and can afford a few bad games, even if they’re against the last place team in said division. Better now than in October. And, again, at least there were some positives to take from the game, even though the general outcome was starkly negative.
After the manufactured run in the first, the Yanks offense flailed against Brian Matusz. After A-Rod’s double in the first, they didn’t pick up a hit until Teixeira singled in the sixth. They didn’t put a runner on second until an inning later, and didn’t score again until the ninth, when they staged a mini rally that came up far short. But, as Paul O’Neill likes to say, they showed some fight in a blowout. Let’s see if they can build off that tomorrow.
The Yanks look to avoid their first sweep since early May tomorrow afternoon, as CC Sabathia goes against Jeremy Guthrie. I’d rather look forward to that one than harp on this one.
man i guarantee if the A-lineup had been playing both of the past couple of days, the yanks win both games, even with AJs bad performance.
“Too bad it’s impossible to erase those runs from the board.”
That’s why I hope Yankees fan builds a time machine…
Random question of the day: If Yankees fans built a time machine, but it would only work once, what moment do you change? I’m thinking either Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, or the 2004 ALCS.
the 04 ALCS for sure
i bet that if boston loses that series, they seriously consider getting rid of manny after that year as a meltdown move
Probably the top choice. But Game 7 of the ‘01 WS was heartbreaking. The Yankees seemed to be destined to win that one.
I hope someone breaks out the “Fallacy of predetermined outcome” on this one
No need. I vote for changing 2004, whether the Yanks would have gone on to win the World Series or not.
2001 was tough to take, but that team probably shouldn’t have been in the World Series in the first place and ran into a buzzsaw fronted by a ridiculous Johnson/Schilling combo and a surprising powerful (wink wink) D-Backs lineup. That team lost, but what they gave us that Fall was unforgettable anyway. 2004… Look, once the wildcard was introduced and the Yanks and Sox started getting into the postseason so often, any reasonable person had to know it was just a matter of time before the Sox would beat the Yanks in a postseason series. But to have it happen that way? I’d rather erase that from history than change 2001 WS Game 7 in the Yanks’ favor.
Fair opinion, but I’d still rather have the guranteed WS. You of course can think of it however you want, it’s a game, have fun, but in my mind the point of the game is to win a WS, and if we win in 04′ we don’t necessarily win a WS. True, we avoid incredible embarassment, but that’s not the point. We win game 7 of 01′ andthe WS is ours. I can’t turn that down.
Thank you for allowing me to have an opinion, you’re welcome to your opinion as well.
Now here’s why yours is wrong*:
There’s a World Series every year. There’s only one time you experience the most embarrassing, heart-breaking collapse ever, to your most hated rival, allowing them to go on to win their first World Series since 1918.
One is a once in a lifetime worst-case scenario that was the darkest chapter in modern Yankees history. The other was a World Series loss. The Yanks have had 13 of those and they’ll have more. They won’t have another 2004. There’s only one.
*I keed, I keed.
I know, but…the point is to win a World Title. Not to avoid embarassment. I mean, all they needed was that ONE win and they had it. And anyway who’s to say that if they win that game the 04′ collapse happens anyway? Fallacy of the predetermined outcome, just going farther into the past.
“And anyway who’s to say that if they win that game the 04? collapse happens anyway? Fallacy of the predetermined outcome, just going farther into the past.”
I already addressed this point, above. Nothing I’ve said is predicated on the Yankees winning the 2004 World Series.
______
Tom Zig: “I hope someone breaks out the “Fallacy of predetermined outcome” on this one”
Me: “No need. I vote for changing 2004, whether the Yanks would have gone on to win the World Series or not.”
Oh my bad… You’re saying that IF the Yankees had won 2001 WS Game 7 they might have won the 2004 ALCS. Dude… I think that’s a stretch. I think you’re also twisting the point of this conversation. What we’re choosing between, as I understand it is:
1. Yanks win 2001 WS, 2004 ALCS happens as it happened
2. Yanks lose 2001 WS, Yanks win 2004 ALCS
I really don’t the fallacy of the predetermined outcome is applicable to a choice like that, we’re talking about hypotheticals here.
Okay, here goes (it’s great to discuss these easy bubble gum questions instead of actual, nonexistent issues):
1. The question was this: “If Yankees fans built a time machine, but it would only work once, what moment do you change? I’m thinking either Game 7 of the 2001 World Series, or the 2004 ALCS.”
It does not mention either event happening as it happened. I guess it could be interpreted that way. Maybe it was meant to be. But that’s not what was said.
2. My point being that everything is different if that game is won. For all we know, thye may not make the 04′ ALCS. The things they would do say, think, and act would all change.
Personally, I’d take the guranteed title because that’s the point. If the Red Sox lost the 04′ WS, the 04′ ALCS would be cool but only a footnote in history…sort of similar to the 03′ WS. The Cards’ would be the story.
My pont being that I would want the World title anyway.
Last sentence should be: My main point being (my other point was not the main point)…etc. etc. etc.
Ok well then, for fun, answer the question the way I’m looking at it… Choose between the following:
1. Yanks win 2001 WS, nothing between 2001-2004 is different, then 2004 ALCS happens as it happened.
2. 2001 WS happens at is happened, nothing between 2001-2004 is different, then Yanks win 2004 ALCS.
I assume you’ll stick with saying you’d take the 2001 WS win, but yeah, it seems like we were interpreting the question differently.
You are right. I’d still choose 2001. It’s just that in my mind, you play all those games, all year, for the purpose of winning the WS. So if I can have that, guranteed, I’d take it.
It can’t be fun being wrong.
You should try it sometime. It can be a blast in the right circumstances.
Sorry if my question wasn’t clear. You can go back in time just once and change just one game. All other games happen exactly as they really happened, i.e. changing 2001 does NOT affect 2004 in any way, shape, or form.
Eh, I’m wrong plenty I’m sure. I’d say it’s more fun being right, but really it’s more fun getting to the best answer than it is being wrong or right. I just happen to be good (in my own mind at least) at getting to the best answer.
I have to run, but it was fun mixing it up for a few minutes. Take it easy.
+2004
Game 7 of 01′.
Winning te 04′ ALCS gurantees no titles. Win game 7, the title is guranteed.
2004 ALCS?
Huh? What’s that? I dont think we had a 2004. I think you’re misremembering…
I thought 04′ was cancelled after game 3.
lol ,ditto
and i would change game 7 of 2001
It’s great that we could lose two in a row to the last place O’s and just not really care.
Not worried about Burnett. One bad inning did him in, otherwise he was very, very good. Sometimes those bad innings happen, we’re just looking for good signs in the playoffs nad we’ve gotten them.
Yea, hopefully he can build on his good innings after the bad one.
and AJ ‘two-face’ Burnett strikes again….1 bad inning…and 6 really good innings.
because it’s just 1 inning just about every start…i’m not worried..slightly concerned maybe…but not worried.
I’d rather look forward to that one than harp on this one.
Take off the rose colored glasses, you positive posse junkie. `
lohud’d
Heh… But… Hold on… Aren’t you from LoHud?
And come on now, the proper response would have been: /Ironhorse’d
Yes I am. but I consider myself a duel citizen. Not to mention that perhaps 85 to 90 percent of the time I don’t react that way after a loss.
Okay, maybe 75%.
Heh, ok.
Actual quote from commenter on lohud (I suppose I should keep said commenter anonymous, although if you want to you can find him/her anyway:
“No reason to panic? #2 starter sucks. #4 starter stinks. Marte stinks. Bruney is terrible”
I am not making this up. Somebody actually said this just now, 5:23 PM, on lohud. (And before anything is said, it was not me).
This is not a momkey posting, people (unless of course they actually have taught monkeys how to blog). It is an actual human being.
Not surprising. I don’t know how reasonable, intelligent people can stand reading the comments over there, let alone participating in the conversations.
Another gem:
I going on record here at 5:35 PM on 9/12/09.
AJ will blow chunks
He will be pillared by the media and the fans
And once again, the media will act as Cashman’s apologists and excuse and cover-up his failures.
Awful.
What say we leave the LoHud comments over at LoHud from now on. I can’t speak for anyone else but I don’t go over there for a reason, no need to bring that stuff over here. I think we’d all be happier people if we just pretended the LoHud comment section didn’t exist.
I actually like lohud. There are smart commenters too. And there’s always lots of discussion, intelligent or otherwise.
But there are also too many trolls.
Fair enough, I’ll amend my comment… Let’s leave the retarded comments over there.
The Yankees got swept in the series right before the All-Star break. Or do we not count games against the Angels?
How does relate to the article or any comments?
“The Yanks look to avoid their first sweep since early May…”
Thnaks. Missed that one.
It shows how far I’ve put that back in my memory.
All I will say about the game, as I was there, was that it was boring.
Not even bad, just boring. Teams playing like they really wanted to be in bed sleeping.
Still, I got to see Shelley get a hit, so all is well.
+1, except on being there.
“except on being there.”
…which, unfortunately, is a mandatory minus 1 (being present during a loss) bringing your total net gain down to zero.
Sorry.
ayayay
Look on the bright side, you didn’t lose points.
Why doe she not lose points? I wasn’t at the game.
i was there too, was that you sitting 4 seats to the left of me ?
I was there. Brought a European friend who wanted to know what all the fuss was about baseball.
Really not a day to be doing that.
I’m scared shitless at the playoff rotation.
This is the best rotation they’ve had since 2003.
That was a hell of a rotation.
Yeah but he was scared so bad by the 2004 – 2007 playoff rotations that he had explosive diarrhea. So being scared shitless in 2009 is actually an improvement.
Ay.ya.yay.
maybe they should skip burnett’s next start. the only thing worse than burnett not pitching well in the playoffs is burnett being injured in the playoffs. maybe he’s fatigued a little. i’m just speculatin’, though, he might be totally fine.
01 ws…that is when that pos schilling first won a ring