6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
DeSalvo holds the NCAA single season and career strikeout records. Â
by Mike 4 Comments
6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K
DeSalvo holds the NCAA single season and career strikeout records. Â
As we stew and stew over last night’s loss, here’s something to chew on. Doug Mientkiewicz’s last hit was on April 5, the second game of the season. Over his last 22 plate appearances, he is 0 for 21 with 1 walk. That’s a .045 OBP. What will it take to get someone — anyone — else into his spot in the lineup?
Player | WPA | pLI | Pitcher | WPA | pLI |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Giambi | .177 | 2.22 | Vizaino | .213 | 2.78 |
Cano | .090 | 1.79 | Proctor | .050 | 1.13 |
Jeter | .082 | 1.15 | Myers | .048 | 1.82 |
Alex | .048 | 1.86 | Igawa | -.022 | 1.02 |
Posada | -.030 | 1.60 | Farnsworth | -.122 | 1.33 |
KT | -.062 | 2.38 | Bruney | -.205 | 3.03 |
Abreu | -.104 | 1.65 | |||
Damon | -.147 | 1.36 | |||
Melky | -.163 | 2.23 | |||
Minky | -.353 | 2.23 |
Not much to add to Ben’s comments. Badly managed, badly played. Oh yeah, and Minky stinks. Big time.
I would like to see two tidbits of conventional wisdom erased from baseball groupthink: the hit and run and not using your closer on the road in a tie game. Stupid, stupid, stupid.
I missed a lot of the Igawa innings, so I’m not going to trash him or praise him. It just hurts that Chavez took him deep on a pitch left up. Tsk tsk tsk.
At this point, we’re better off playing Giambi at first and letting the pitcher hit.
When George Steinbrenner fired Joe Torre at the end of the disastrous ALDS against Detroit last fall, I wasn’t disappointed. Joe had a great run in New York, but his flaws had been out in the open for everyone to see since the 2004 ALCS. When he was unfired, I figured the Yanks could win despite Torre’s flaws.
Tonight’s game proved me wrong.
Let’s start at the end. With Brian Bruney working his second inning in the 11th, Torre let him pitch into trouble and toward a Yankee loss. Meanwhile, the Yankees’ best reliever, Mariano Rivera, never entered the game, never warmed up, never did anything. Bad decision number one.
Flashback to the 7th inning. Kyle Farnsworth, who had given up four runs in 0.2 innings one game ago, comes into the game, and, you guessed it, blows a one-run lead. Brian Bruney, who did pitch admirably in extra innings, was no where to be seen. Bad decision number two.
Bear with me as we jump ahead to the top of the 8th. First, Torre pinch runs for Jason Giambi. Had Giambi scored, he would have been insurance. Giambi – or pinch runner Kevin Thompson – never makes it around the bases, and the Yanks lose Giambi’s bat. Bad decision number three. Stop pinch running for your number five RBI guy in tie games. Just stop.
Same inning, Doug Mientkiewicz strides to the plate with the bases loaded and one out. Mientkiewicz swings mightly and hits a dinky pop up just past the pitcher’s mound. A-Rod, who had to hold at third, is out at the plate by a mile. Dougie, whose terrible throw at the end of the game sealed the deal for the A’s, had hit into double plays in his previous two at bats. Josh Phelps sat on the bench. And sat. And sat. And sat. Bad decision number four.
So that’s it. Mientkiewicz went 0 for 5 and stranded seven runners. He was responsible for 7 of the Yankees’ 33 outs this evening. Is his average defense really making up the runs for this pitiful offensive performance? I don’t think so. Does Joe Torre even know that Josh Phelps is on this team? I don’t think so.
Meanwhile, as is his style, Torre left Rivera in the pen and Josh Phelps on the bench. So while Brian Bruney, who threw well but had to go to a third inning (!) took the loss, this one belongs on Torre’s shoulders. Huston Street gets the win; Torre the loss.
Meatball’s out and Phil Hughes lines right up to start on Tuesday. I mean really, are the baseball gods going to have to buy ad space in the Stadium to get their point across any more???
Triple-A Scranton (6-2 win over Pawtucket)
Alberto Gonzalez: 1 for 3, 1 2B – .308-.357-.423-.780 for the supposed all glove/no hit shortstop
Bronson Sardinha: 1 for 4, 1 RBI, 1 K
Eric Duncan: 0 for 3, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K
Angel Chavez: 2 for 4, 2 R, 1 RBI
Shelley Duncan: 1 for 3, 1 R, 1 HR, 3 RBI, 1 BB, 1 K – leads the league in RBI (9) despite missing 3 of 9 games
Ross Ohlendorf: 4 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 6 BB, 4 K, 2 WP, 6-2 GB/FB – only 45 of 84 pitches were strikes (53.6%)
TJ Beam: 2.2 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 0-5 GB/FB
Ron Villone: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
Chris Britton: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
He has what Torre is describing as “forearm soreness,” though we’ve heard that one before (like Mariano last year). Rasner starts in his place, Henn starts for Moose on Tuesday.
Chien-Ming Wang will take his first major step back toward the Yankee rotation tomorrow as he is set to make a start in Extended Spring Training. According to PeteAbe, the staff ace should step back into the rotation around April 24. Tonight, we’ll start to see if he’ll be replacing Kei Igawa or Darrell Rasner.