Philles set Blanton for Game 4

October 30, 2009 by Joe Pawlikowski 65 Comments

Hot off the Twitter presses: Charlie Manuel will go with Joe Blanton in Game 4 instead of Cliff Lee on three days’ rest. The Yankees will presumably counter with their ace CC Sabathia. This move plays into the morning post about the Phillies giving the Yankees an advantage. Lining up Sabathia against Blanton certainly gives the Yankees that edge and could put the pressure on Cliff Lee in a potential elimination Game 5. In his career with Oakland against the Yanks, Blanton is 0-3 with an 8.18 ERA in four starts. Most of that damage came on May 5, 2005 when the right-hander gave up nine earned runs in 2.2 innings of work. Still, he has walked more Yanks than he has struck out and has allowed five home runs in 22 innings.

Steve H.

I just hope “Free Swinging Nick Swisher” (per Eric Young) is back in the lineup.
- TheLastClown
  
  Swish’ll be back in the lineup come tomorrow.
  
  Although I hear that Jerry Jr. beat up Hamels when he was a high school sr. & Hamels was a punk 7th grader, so you never know.
  - Bill R
    
    hahaha
- http://bronxbaseballdaily.com Matt ACTY/BBD
  
  Oh EY.
themgmt

Flipping Sweet.
Mike bk

wow. now if andy wins tomorrow then lee will be pitching to survive against AJ in game 5. this is a bad move by manuel who if lee is his horse needed to ride him for 1, 4 and maybe 7 and fill blanton in for pedro in game 5, but as a yankee fan i have to love it.
- Camilo Gerardo – your inception? fuck perception, go with what makes sense
  
  don’t call your chickens before they’re eggs!
  - Alex S
    
    “Don’t count your chickens before they hatch”
TheLastClown

I haven’t followed the Phillies, so I don’t know Manuel’s managerial style. However, it seems likely to me that he re-finagles this move if & when Hamels gets beaten tomorrow.
- http://www.riveraveblues.com Joseph Pawlikowski
  
  I’m not so sure. If Lee is in line to throw on Monday, he’ll throw a bullpen tomorrow before the game. Maybe they can hold the bullpen until during the game, but if he throws it there’s little to no chance he pitches on Sunday.
  - TheLastClown
    
    True, true. I guess the way Manuel said it he is pretty set on going Lee for game 5.
    
    Seems incomprehensible to me.
  - RKelly39
    
    Maybe somebody answered this aleady but what if Sunday is rained out? Will they go with Lee? Everyone is billing a potential rain out as a Yankee advantage. Now I’m not so sure.
http://kyivpost.img.com.ua/img/forall/a/355/5.jpg Rose

Said this earlier…

http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-661359

and followed with…

http://riveraveblues.com/2009/.....ent-661383

He’s not THAT bad…he’s no CC Sabathia…but he’s been pretty effective this season…especially for a back end rotation guy…
- Chris
  
  Cliff Lee = Sabathia > Other Yankee Pitchers >> Blanton
  
  Anything the leads to Lee only possibly starting 2 games in the series is fine with me.
  - http://kyivpost.img.com.ua/img/forall/a/355/5.jpg Rose
    
    Pedro was pretty good too though…and we haven’t seen Hamels yet. During the season it seemed as though all those struggling (formerly nasty) pitchers always found their groove when they faced us (including Cliff Lee after being shelled in his first 2 starts in the season; Kazmir is another example during the season). You just never know.
    
    But yes, Sabathia is still better than them. We just really need a great start out of Pettitte.
    
    If we win tomorrow night’s game it’ll be HUGE. Then again, like they all say. Everygame is huge.
    - BklynJT
      
      … I noticed that too, unfortunately.
    - Sweet Dick Willie
      
      Kazmir is another example during the season
      
      How’d that work out in the ALCS?
Michael Kay

I’ll believe it when Joe Blanton throws his first pitch in game 4….I don’t even know that I’ll believe it if he’s warming up before the game.
- Chris
  
  Technically, once the lineup cards are exchanged he has to face at least one batter.
  
  Seriously, though… as Joe mentioned above, when this gets set in stone is when Lee throws his bullpen session tomorrow.
  - http://kyivpost.img.com.ua/img/forall/a/355/5.jpg Rose
    
    Or when he reads all the newspapers telling him stupid he is…he might change his mind after that too lol
steve s

A good litmus test as to how bad a move having Lee pitch Game 5 is will be the Philadelphia media reaction. I’m sure they will rip Manuel a new one. Thanks so much Charlie!
http://bronxbaseballdaily.com Matt ACTY/BBD

This…doesn’t seem smart.
- Accent Shallow
  
  Yep. Of course, now watch him go 8 IP, 1 run.
  - Steve H.
    
    And lose 1-0!
    - Camilo Gerardo – your inception? fuck perception, go with what makes sense
      
      HEYYYYOOOOOH! icwudt
Cam

So Yanks go with CC game 4, then depending on the situation, who’s next in 5? DO you think they only use Gaudin if they’re up 3-1? If it’s 2-2, we gonna see AJ on short rest? So many questions about the rotation. Hopefully next year Joba or Hughes ends all these questions if we get back to the ALCS or WS.
- crux
  
  They can go with Gaudin in Game 5 if they are up 3-1. We still have 2 tries to close it out and Burnett can start at home and on normal rest.
  - Mike bk
    
    no they will go with AJ and have Andy and CC for the last two if necessary.
    - Steve H.
      
      That.
    - pollo
      
      Andy game 5. He’s ready 2 go.
      - pollo
        
        Shoot, I meant AJ.
      - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside
        
        Andy’s pitching Game 3. He can’t pitch Game 5.
        
        This wasn’t serious, was it?
        
        http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside
        
        Ah, you corrected yourself. Nevermind.
  - Camilo Gerardo – your inception? fuck perception, go with what makes sense
    
    if that is what JoeG is thinking, does he have AJ with Pettitte backing him in game 6? gotta give the big man game 7, no?
    - TheLastClown
      
      Gaudin is not going to start in the WS.
      
      If Joe meant to use him as a starter, I think we’d have seen it in Anaheim, game 5 up 3-1.
      
      MAAAAAYBE had the Yanks taken the first 3 in the WS we see Gaudin *still I think not*, but with the Phils having taken a game, we’ve got Andy/CC/AJ/Andy/CC.
      
      Of course, CC will not pitch game 7.
  - Accent Shallow
    
    Yeah, the only way I’d be ok with Gaudin is in a 3-0 situation, and that’s out the window at this point.
- Jersey
  
  Imagine if we still had Wang. *sigh*
  - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside
    
    WE DO!!!!
    
    Oh, you meant the pitcher. My bad, nevermind.
  - ShuutoHeat
    
    If we had vintage CMW for a 4 man post season rotation…it would be a pretty goddarn dominant rotation.
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside
  
  Given how good AJ looked last night, and really, all postseason minus that hiccup in Anaheim, and given how good A.J. has been on short rest in his career (4 starts, 2.33 ERA, .192/.279/.293 against in 27 innings), I’d say AJ gets Game 5 on short rest and Gaudin does not start a game this series.
  - Steve H.
    
    Gaudin starting = Guaranteed loss
    
    Gaudin would be an all-star if it weren’t for that little thing about LHB’s. Something tells me Utley/Howard/Ibanez/Rollins/Victorino might have an absolute field day against him, in either stadium.
    
    I like Gaudin, but the only way he should see the mound in this series is a 10 run game, either way.
- MattG
  
  Its just too early to talk about it, but I like the idea of Gaudin and others taking one for the team on Monday:
  
  1. Cliff Lee is having the run of his career. It’s likely to continue, and even last night’s AJ, who pitched his very best game but still needed 100 pitches for 7 innings, will be hard pressed to match Lee at the moment.
  
  2. Every non-Mo reliever is struggling, so having Pettitte available in relief, against a lefty-heavy lineup, would be sweet.
  
  3. If for some reason, Burnett-Pettitte-Rivera doesn’t get it done in game 6, you still have CC vs Hamels at home for game 7.
  - TheLastClown
    
    Someone should drop off an arcane binder full of odious spreadsheets on Manuel’s doorstep.
    
    Actually, on second thought, lets keep em.
    
    Scioscia & Manuel >>>>>>> Girardi
    
    Let’s just accept it.
    - http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside
      
      Scioscia & Manuel >>>>>>> Girardi
      
      Let’s just accept it.
      
      This is sarcasm, right?
      - TheLastClown
        
        Of course.
  - Tank Foster
    
    No…
    
    Lee has pitched two incredible games. Big deal. So did CC in Anaheim….
    
    Doesn’t mean he won’t get hit next time. In the Rockies second game against Lee, they scored 3 runs in 7 innings and Lee needed 117 pitches to get through 7. The Yankees can hit him.
    
    I don’t believe in pitching Gaudin because you are admitting a loss. I believe you consider pitching him if you’re up 3-1 and you want to maximize your chances in games 6-7. If Gaudin pitches game 5, and Burnett game 6 on full rest, then in game 7 you’d have BOTH Pettitte and Sabathia on full rest. Two lefties, in YS3. I like the odds of winning one of two at YS with three fully rested pitchers, and the Phillies not having Lee available to start either game.
Jersey

Clearly Manuel would rather get one sure start out of Lee than risk two starts on short rest.
Free Mike Vick

First we get “good” AJ!!

now this.

THERE IS A GOD!
http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside

Obviously, Charlie Manuel is thinking… I don’t know WHAT THE HELL he’s thinking!

/HarryDoyle’d
- Joe
  
  Dynamite drop in Monte! I can see that broadcasting school is really payin’ off!
Salty Buggah

When I read this post, there were 27 comments…
- Alex S
  
  i see about 5 of these types of comments a day…
- TheLastClown
  
  And you had to go & fuck up the numerology of the situation!
  
  26 previous world titles + Blanton starting game 4 + 27 RAB comments, = 27 World Titles!!
  
  You really are a Salty Buggah.
- Chris
  
  And yours was number 28! If the Yankees don’t win the series this year it’s all your fault.
Free Mike Vick

It was May 14th…not may 5
SCT

Speaking of game 4, anyone else looking forward to CC hitting in the 9 hole? Maybe bat CC 7th and Swisher 9th? j/k.
E-ROC

Hopefully, we get the good AJ on short rest away from Yankee Stadium.
Dela G

hmm i smell a good chance at a win here
Riddering

This feels a lot like the pitching choices Scioscia made last Sunday.

I like it.
YankeeScribe

I’m not going to count my chickens before they hatch. This move will look dumb only if the Yankees win tomorrow. If the Phillies win tomorrow and take a 2-1 lead, it’s not totally necessary to start Lee on 3 days rest
BklynJT

Hopefully we can take advantage of this move by game 3 and 4.
Nervous Nellie Debbie Downer

Of course, the downside to this “advantage” of ours is that, should Blanton manage to pull one of those “Yankees-fail-to-touch-journeyman-pitcher-or-unseen-rookie” acts, then game 5 has a fully rested Cliff Lee going to either win the series or put Philly up 3-2.

I’ll feel muuuuuuuuuuch better after the Yankees win game 3.
- http://twitter.com/tsjc68 tommiesmithjohncarlos a/k/a Ridiculous Upside
  
  should Blanton manage to pull one of those “Yankees-fail-to-touch-journeyman-pitcher-or-unseen-rookie” acts,
  
  Didn’t we debunk that as a false phenomenon?
TheZack

God its nice to see people off the “Guadin MUST start game 5″ juice here.

I can’t fathom Girardi would basically take an automatic loss by pitching Gaudin vs. Lee, but you never know.

And yes, I know nobody can predict this game of baseball, but if anything ever looked like an automatic, its Gaudin vs. Lee…
Jay

I really don’t get this move. How many times has it been said? If somebody is going to beat you, make them beat your BEST. I know Rose keeps pointing out that Blanton is pretty good. Yeah well, so was Joe Saunders. The right move was to start Weaver who is a much better pitcher.