Get ready for some weekend night games. According to Carig, the Yankees and Angels have start times for Friday’s and Saturday’s games. Game 1 on Friday will start at 7:37 p.m., and Game 2 on Saturday will start at the same time. First pitch times for the games in Anaheim have yet to be announced. All ALCS games will be broadcast on FOX by the dynamic duo of Tim McCarver and Joe Buck. Hooray.
NLDS Game Four Thread: Phillies @ Rockies
Much to everyone’s surprise, Brad Lidge managed to preserve a one-run lead in the ninth inning last night, giving the Phillies a 2-1 series lead over those pesky Colorado Rockies. Both clubs are going back to their top starters on regular rest, so it’ll be Ubaldo Jimenez (0-1, 9.00 in the playoffs) against Cliff Lee (1-0, 1.00). First pitch in chilly Denver is set for 6:07pm ET; TBS has the call. Chat about the game here if you want.
Yanks turning to Sabathia for Game 1
Had the Twins won last night to force a Game 4 in the ALDS, CC Sabathia would have been on the mound this evening in an effort to bring the Yanks to the League Championship Series. Instead, Andy Pettitte and the Yanks’ bats wrapped up the series in Minnesota, and the Yankees have a week off in which they can set their rotation.
Although the Yanks have not made an announcement yet, it is all but official that CC Sabathia will start Game 1 of the ALCS. The big lefty will take the ball against the Angels on Friday, nine days after facing the Twins in Game 1 of the division series. The long layoff may mean that Sabathia is too fresh, but that’s a risk I’m happy to take.
Last week, Sabathia had a pretty good ALDS start. His final line — 6.2 IP, 8 H, 1 ER, 0 BB, 8 K — earned him a postseason win, but it doesn’t tell the whole story. For the first three innings, Sabathia labored. He needed a Jobaian 64 pitches to record nine outs and did not have his best fastball. Rather, he and Jorge Posada came up with a game plan that relied on change-ups and sliders instead. It worked as he needed just 49 pitches to record the last 12 outs.
In a sense, Sabathia is the perfect pitcher to face the Angels. Most important for a series against the Angels is the fact that Sabathia simply doesn’t issue many walks. To win against the Angels, it is important to avoid giving them free bases. As the team demonstrated against the Red Sox this week, they will capitalize against pitchers who give them walks. Although the Twins did not score much against A.J. Burnett and the Yanks during a Game 2 that featured no 1-2-3 innings, the Angels will not let the Yanks off the hook that easily.
Furthermore, as a lefty, Sabathia can cut down on the Angels’ running game. Not as sneaky with the pick-off move as Andy Pettitte is, Sabathia can try to keep Bobby Abreu and Chone Figgins, Anaheim’s two biggest base-stealing threats, closer to first.
With the advantages, Sabathia is primed to face the Angels at least twice and maybe three times. If the Yankees opt to take advantage of the extra day off during the season to go with three starters, Sabathia could pitch Game 1 on Friday, Game 4 on three days’ rest and Game 7 on full rest. Who needs a fourth starter?
Yet, despite this profile, the Angels, a right-hand hitting team, have given Sabathia trouble this year. He allowed four earned runs in 6.2 innings on May 2nd and five earned runs in 6.2 innings on July 12. In fact, the Angels were one of only two teams to beat CC twice this season. Still, there is no one I would rather see on the mound come Friday. With the K pitch working, Sabathia can neutralize the Angels. As Joe wrote earlier today, the Yanks’ good pitching will determine the extent of their October success. In the ALCS, as CC goes, so go the Yankees.
2009 ALDS Review/ALCS Preview Chat
NLDS Game Three Thread: Phillies @ Rockies
Ah Denver, the sunshine state. Snow postponed what would have been Game Three yesterday, but the Phillies and Rockies are right back out there today. With the series tied at one, someone’s going home tonight just one win away from a date with the Dodgers in the NLCS. Pedro Martinez was originally supposed to take the mound for the Phightin’s, but instead it’ll be JA Happ (12-4, 2.93). The Rockies will counter with former AL East punching bag Jason Hammel (10-8, 4.33). TBS (surprise surprise) will carry the game. First pitch is set for 10:07pm ET. Chat about it here if you like.
ALDS Game Three Spillover Thread IV
Do your thing, A-Rod. I’m not greedy, a double will do just fine.
ALDS Game Three Spillover Thread III
What the hell is the point of pulling Andy when he was at 81 pitches? He wasn’t struggling. Like, at all.
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