No one has ever said Alex Rodriguez isn't talented, that he isn't a great batter, that he isn't MVP-caliber talent.
But he has been accused of being an underachiever, a choke, a less-than-real Yankee.
That's why it was only fitting when A-Rod's fifth-inning home run to bury the Angels in a 5-0 hole also capped an incredible seven games of baseball, putting him in good company with a Yankee great.
Rodriguez's two-run shot made tonight's game the eighth game in a row (seven this postseason) with an RBI, a figure that ties Lou Gehrig for first place in playoff history.
Angel Stadium went silent after A-Rod's latest bomb, as this year's postseason leader for the Yankees led his pinstriped fellows into familiar territory: getting inside the Angels' heads.
The game started innocently enough, with Derek Jeter slapping an opposite-field single in the gap. But Jeter got caught off the bag trying to steal, and the Yankees looked ready to repeat their gaffe-filled ways from earlier in the series (which, until yesterday's extra-innings Angels win, had yet to result in a New York loss).
But tonight's game turned out to be more like the New England Patriots' victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. After opening up with some terrible play (Yankees: the Jeter mishap, Swisher getting called out for not tagging up soon enough; Patriots: stalling in the red zone, missing a field goal), both teams went off and blew away their opponents. The Patriots won 59-0 behind six touchdowns from Tom Brady. The Yankees stacked it on until the night ended with a 10-1 score.
If there's a trademark to this Angels-Yankees series, it's that even when the Yankees hand it to the Angels, the Angels can't seem to take it, and then the Yankees decimate them. In the first two games, it was late-inning heroics. The Angels shed their demons in the 11th inning of last night's win only to invite them back today, letting the Yankees into their heads despite serious mental lapses by the Bombers (see Jeter, Derek; Swisher, Nick; and Posada, Jorge, which led to Cano, Robinson).
(Side note: There were some terrible calls by the umps this game, but at least they didn't affect the outcome.)
With the Angels not taking advantage of the Yankees' ineptness, they had no chance of stemming the tide that was the unstopable A-Rod and CC Sabathia.
Before A-Rod's big homer, the Yankees had scratched together three runs, but there was no astounding hitting. The real hero of the game so far had been Sabathia, who was being the ultimate team player as he pitched on three day's rest and kept his pitch count low to be able to stay in the game. In one inning, he had about a third of the number of pitches the Angels' starter, Scott Kazmir, had totaled, and the big horse lasted eight innings overall and was able to strike out five while allowing just five hits (the one run coming from a homer).
At this point, people start saying that the Yankees are winning because all their players get paid so much, but getting paid a lot is nothing until you produce. Ask A-Rod.
From 2004-2007, he had four home runs and nine RBI. This year alone, he has five home runs and 11 RBI. (And this is the first season his regular-season numbers weren't as hot...do you hear anyone whining about that?) Plus, there's those terrible numbers he's had in years past with runners in scoring position.
Sabathia has followed suit, minus the years of frustration A-Rod had. He may not always pitch pretty, but eight innings means valuable rest for the bullpen and no need for a run-around in trying to find a fourth man to pitch.
Once Sabathia started dominating the Angels bats, and Rodriguez began to light things up again, the rest of the Yankees followed. Johnny Damon bolstered his case to stay with the Yankees for another season with a two-run blast that put the game away. Melky Cabrera slapped in a couple runs in the ninth inning, after A-Rod teased Bobby's Abreu arm by tagging up on a flyout then scoring on the errant throw. (Want to know why New York didn't keep Abreu? Yeah, look at that arm. Swisher may strike out and look silly most days, but he can throw a ball.)
It was a definitive win by the Yankees, the ultimate yes-we-did victory that will give this team enough momentum to hopefully end the series Thursday or else close it out in front of a raucous New York City crowd.
Sabathia's win was his third of the postseason, which leads all playoff pitchers, and his ERA is now 1.19 after allowing just one run today.
Rodriguez and Cabrera both went 3-for-4, although Rodriguez's two RBI were bested by Cabrera's four. Jeter had two hits, Damon's home run was worth two RBI, and Cano added the final RBI for the Yankees, which got a hit from each member of the lineup sans Hideki Matsui (0-for-5) and Swisher (0-for-2).
Rodriguez and Posada (!!!) both had stolen bases.
Angel Stadium hosts Thursday's matchup, set for 7:57 p.m.
A.J. Burnett is expected to start for the Yankees, and John Lackey wil try to take the Yanks after losing Game 1.
Other Yankees Posts
Showing posts with label angels. Show all posts
Showing posts with label angels. Show all posts
10.20.2009
10.18.2009
"Classic," defined.
This kid has only been here since July, but Jerry Hairston Jr. knows what it means to be a 2009 Yankee: "We knew we were going to win this game."
Hairston was the baserunner for the Yanks in the bottom of the 13th, the random cog left from New York's postseason-shrunk roster who scored on a Melky Cabrera slapshot up the middle that the Angels bobbled. The Yankees won the second game of the American League Championship Series 4-3 but more importantly kept their hex over an Angels team that doesn't appear to be able to beat them, even with the game handed over on a silver platter.
Los Angeles left 28 men on base tonight, committed two errors and saw its everyone-hits-over-.300 lineup bat .170.
But the Angels faults were of secondary concern, for their failure was a reaction to the Yankees, who squandered most of the game until gutting out the win four innings past the end of regulation, in nasty conditions of heavy rain and whipping winds. New York had already committed three errors of its own, putting Angels on base with no outs due to walks, wild pitches, errors and muffed catches. Even the vaunted Yankees lineup left 20 men on base, with the 2009 Murderer's Row bleeting just .271 with hardly any runs to show for it.
The Angels left the door open, and the Yankees charged through. Pie in hands, ear-warmers in their pockets, Anaheim on their minds, New York took the contest by the neck once the game went to extra innings and produced what can be called nothing other than a fall classic.
It was a win so good you could barely touch it, with soaked fans in rally caps watching the new version of the New York Yankees sketch a picture-perfect win the same way Yankees teams have done in the postseason 26 times before.
Every New York starter had a hit in the marathon, sans Mark Teixeira (who was busy earning his paycheck by devouring every ball that came near first base). Robinson Cano, who appeared eager to become the team goat with two terrible errors, put the Yankees up early with an RBI triple.
Derek Jeter's solo home run gave New York a 2-0 edge before A.J. Burnett's wild throws let the Angels back into the game.
But New York's bullpen was phenomenal, and after Alex Rodriguez continued his postseason rampage with an equalizer in the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees calmly held on before squirting the winner across in the 13th, breaking the Angels' will.
Maicer Izturis lost the game for the Angels the same way the Pirates lose every season: trying to be the Yankees, when you really, really can't be. Izturis tried to throw across his body and get the runner on second, pulling a "Jeter" (the classic spin and throw move from the New York shortstop). Instead, he threw the ball, and the game, away.
Damon and Cabrera were the only Yankees with two hits. Jeter, Rodriguez and Cano had the three RBI (the final run scoring on an error).
Although his usual erratic self on the mound, Burnett threw some good stuff, too, picking up four strikeouts against only two walks in 6.1 innings of work.
Mariano Rivera worked a little longer than usual, logging 2.1 innings in the 13-inning contest.
The series now shifts to sunny California, with three games scheduled. Judging by the mood of the Yankees clubhouse, and all that shaving cream Burnett is stuffing in his duffel, though, the Angels' season could easily end in two.
Mrs. October? A tribute to the 2009 version of A-Rod
Photos from tonight's game
Other Yankees Posts
Hairston was the baserunner for the Yanks in the bottom of the 13th, the random cog left from New York's postseason-shrunk roster who scored on a Melky Cabrera slapshot up the middle that the Angels bobbled. The Yankees won the second game of the American League Championship Series 4-3 but more importantly kept their hex over an Angels team that doesn't appear to be able to beat them, even with the game handed over on a silver platter.
Los Angeles left 28 men on base tonight, committed two errors and saw its everyone-hits-over-.300 lineup bat .170.
But the Angels faults were of secondary concern, for their failure was a reaction to the Yankees, who squandered most of the game until gutting out the win four innings past the end of regulation, in nasty conditions of heavy rain and whipping winds. New York had already committed three errors of its own, putting Angels on base with no outs due to walks, wild pitches, errors and muffed catches. Even the vaunted Yankees lineup left 20 men on base, with the 2009 Murderer's Row bleeting just .271 with hardly any runs to show for it.
The Angels left the door open, and the Yankees charged through. Pie in hands, ear-warmers in their pockets, Anaheim on their minds, New York took the contest by the neck once the game went to extra innings and produced what can be called nothing other than a fall classic.
It was a win so good you could barely touch it, with soaked fans in rally caps watching the new version of the New York Yankees sketch a picture-perfect win the same way Yankees teams have done in the postseason 26 times before.
Every New York starter had a hit in the marathon, sans Mark Teixeira (who was busy earning his paycheck by devouring every ball that came near first base). Robinson Cano, who appeared eager to become the team goat with two terrible errors, put the Yankees up early with an RBI triple.
Derek Jeter's solo home run gave New York a 2-0 edge before A.J. Burnett's wild throws let the Angels back into the game.
But New York's bullpen was phenomenal, and after Alex Rodriguez continued his postseason rampage with an equalizer in the bottom of the 10th, the Yankees calmly held on before squirting the winner across in the 13th, breaking the Angels' will.
Maicer Izturis lost the game for the Angels the same way the Pirates lose every season: trying to be the Yankees, when you really, really can't be. Izturis tried to throw across his body and get the runner on second, pulling a "Jeter" (the classic spin and throw move from the New York shortstop). Instead, he threw the ball, and the game, away.
Damon and Cabrera were the only Yankees with two hits. Jeter, Rodriguez and Cano had the three RBI (the final run scoring on an error).
Although his usual erratic self on the mound, Burnett threw some good stuff, too, picking up four strikeouts against only two walks in 6.1 innings of work.
Mariano Rivera worked a little longer than usual, logging 2.1 innings in the 13-inning contest.
The series now shifts to sunny California, with three games scheduled. Judging by the mood of the Yankees clubhouse, and all that shaving cream Burnett is stuffing in his duffel, though, the Angels' season could easily end in two.
Mrs. October? A tribute to the 2009 version of A-Rod
Photos from tonight's game
Other Yankees Posts
Mrs. October? A tribute to the 2009 version of A-Rod
You want him to do it. He comes to the plate, and you say, "Come on, A-Rod. Over the fence."
And he does it, effortlessly. In his prettier-than-springtime swing, he sends the ball sailing out of the diamond. Left field, right field, deep, short — a homer's a homer, and Alex Rodriguez is hitting them whenever they're needed.
Rodriguez took the monkeys off his back last week as the Yankees steamrolled the Minnesota Twins behind half a dozen A-Rod RBI.
Tonight, he pulled the Yankees onto his back by keeping them in a game they blew numerous chances to win.
New York had been clipping along fine, with Robbie Cano smashing a triple to score a run, then Mr. Postseason hitting a homer (Derek Jeter, who is not much of a power hitter, smacks round-trippers in the postseason like a kid raiding the cookie jar once his parents have left the house).
But scattershot-throwing A.J. Burnett let the lead slip away. A walk and a wild pitch with hits interspersed vaporized the 2-0 New York edge.
Both teams hung tough and piled men on the bases. Both teams saw unusual errors fall from their usually golden gloves. Both teams also got gutsy pitching and good fielding to keep it all close.
At first base, Mark Teixeira showed he was worth every penny of his $172 million with play after play. Stretching, lunging, scooping — any ball tossed within 10 feet of the bag fell into Tex's mitt.
Johnny Damon made a great catch in left, and Yankees speedsters Freddy Guzman and Brett Gardner were available to spare the old legs.
But New York couldn't break the tie. And then Los Angeles went ahead by a run.
The Yankees have had 51 come-from-behind wins this year (out of 103 total wins) and 15 walkoff shots. Signs in the outfield seats read "WE WANT PIE" as the rain fell harder and Burnett, the team's resident walk-off baker, watched his squandered lead loom larger.
Enter A-Rod.
The cleanup batter was 0-for-4 so far in the game, the first game of this postseason he didn't have an RBI in yet.
But when Alex Rodriguez shows up in October, he really shows up. The 2009 A-Rod changes games, bails his team out, pierces the challengers to the heart.
A-Rod fell behind 0-2 in the count, but looking as calm as he has every other time he's altered a game in the past two weeks, he stepped back into the box for another pitch.
Connection. It's in the air, a line drive at least. It'll drop in right. No wait, it's carrying. It's carrying! It's in Bobby Abreu land (that's a good sign this won't be a catch).
It's gone. How on earth did he do that — again?
Bottom of the 11th, game tied, a few more scoreless frames to follow. (Including one where A-Rod fails to drive in a go-ahead run with the bases loaded; does he only work October magic when tying games?) I don't think there's anyone in New York, or the rest of baseball, doubting A-Rod anymore. Monkeys off the back, team on it.
I'm not ready to anoint him Mr. October — he still runs like a girl. Could this be Mrs. October?
Yankees 4, Angels 3 game recap
Other Yankees Post
And he does it, effortlessly. In his prettier-than-springtime swing, he sends the ball sailing out of the diamond. Left field, right field, deep, short — a homer's a homer, and Alex Rodriguez is hitting them whenever they're needed.
Rodriguez took the monkeys off his back last week as the Yankees steamrolled the Minnesota Twins behind half a dozen A-Rod RBI.
Tonight, he pulled the Yankees onto his back by keeping them in a game they blew numerous chances to win.
New York had been clipping along fine, with Robbie Cano smashing a triple to score a run, then Mr. Postseason hitting a homer (Derek Jeter, who is not much of a power hitter, smacks round-trippers in the postseason like a kid raiding the cookie jar once his parents have left the house).
But scattershot-throwing A.J. Burnett let the lead slip away. A walk and a wild pitch with hits interspersed vaporized the 2-0 New York edge.
Both teams hung tough and piled men on the bases. Both teams saw unusual errors fall from their usually golden gloves. Both teams also got gutsy pitching and good fielding to keep it all close.
At first base, Mark Teixeira showed he was worth every penny of his $172 million with play after play. Stretching, lunging, scooping — any ball tossed within 10 feet of the bag fell into Tex's mitt.
Johnny Damon made a great catch in left, and Yankees speedsters Freddy Guzman and Brett Gardner were available to spare the old legs.
But New York couldn't break the tie. And then Los Angeles went ahead by a run.
The Yankees have had 51 come-from-behind wins this year (out of 103 total wins) and 15 walkoff shots. Signs in the outfield seats read "WE WANT PIE" as the rain fell harder and Burnett, the team's resident walk-off baker, watched his squandered lead loom larger.
Enter A-Rod.
The cleanup batter was 0-for-4 so far in the game, the first game of this postseason he didn't have an RBI in yet.
But when Alex Rodriguez shows up in October, he really shows up. The 2009 A-Rod changes games, bails his team out, pierces the challengers to the heart.
A-Rod fell behind 0-2 in the count, but looking as calm as he has every other time he's altered a game in the past two weeks, he stepped back into the box for another pitch.
Connection. It's in the air, a line drive at least. It'll drop in right. No wait, it's carrying. It's carrying! It's in Bobby Abreu land (that's a good sign this won't be a catch).
It's gone. How on earth did he do that — again?
Bottom of the 11th, game tied, a few more scoreless frames to follow. (Including one where A-Rod fails to drive in a go-ahead run with the bases loaded; does he only work October magic when tying games?) I don't think there's anyone in New York, or the rest of baseball, doubting A-Rod anymore. Monkeys off the back, team on it.
I'm not ready to anoint him Mr. October — he still runs like a girl. Could this be Mrs. October?
Yankees 4, Angels 3 game recap
Other Yankees Post
10.16.2009
Yankees take the opener
CC Sabathia, the old workhorse, went eight innings and 113 pitchings in a game where the Yankees were clearly flummoxing the visiting Angels.
Countless dropped balls and missed opportunities led to L.A.'s demise while the steady puttering of the Yankees machine gave the home team the 4-1 victory edge.
In a game devoid of home runs, New York won it the old-fashioned way. Hideki Matsui went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI (that man's legs are truly old-fashioned), and Alex Rodriguez knocked in a run on 1-for-2 hitting.
Derek Jeter (RBI) and Johnny Damon went 2-for-5. Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira knocked in the other two hits.
Doubles by Matsui and Damon were the only extra-base hits.
Sabathia was the true star of the game, however, muscling his way through eight strong innings while only allowing four hits. He struck out seven and walked just one.
The Yankees also kept the speedy L.A. runners off the basepaths.
Tomorrow night the two teams play again in another 7:57 nightcap, with A.J. Burnett throwing to try to take the Yankees to Anaheim with a 2-0 edge.
The Yankees Not-So-Gaudy Playoff Statistics:
Alex Rodriguez: .462, 7 RBI, 2 HR
Derek Jeter: .400, 3 RBI
Hideki Matsui: .333, 4 RBI, HR
Jorge Posada: .286, 2 RBI, HR
Melky Cabrera: .214
Mark Teixeira: .188, game-winning HR
Johnny Damon: .176
Robinson Cano: .133
Nick Swisher: .125
CC Sabathia: 1.23 ERA, 15 Ks, 14.2 IP
A.J. Burnett: 1.50 ERA, 6 Ks, 6.0 IP
Andy Pettitte: 1.42 ERA, 7 Ks, 6.1 IP
Mariano Rivera: 0.00 ERA, 8 Ks, 3.2 IP
Other Yankees Posts
Countless dropped balls and missed opportunities led to L.A.'s demise while the steady puttering of the Yankees machine gave the home team the 4-1 victory edge.
In a game devoid of home runs, New York won it the old-fashioned way. Hideki Matsui went 2-for-3 with 2 RBI (that man's legs are truly old-fashioned), and Alex Rodriguez knocked in a run on 1-for-2 hitting.
Derek Jeter (RBI) and Johnny Damon went 2-for-5. Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira knocked in the other two hits.
Doubles by Matsui and Damon were the only extra-base hits.
Sabathia was the true star of the game, however, muscling his way through eight strong innings while only allowing four hits. He struck out seven and walked just one.
The Yankees also kept the speedy L.A. runners off the basepaths.
Tomorrow night the two teams play again in another 7:57 nightcap, with A.J. Burnett throwing to try to take the Yankees to Anaheim with a 2-0 edge.
The Yankees Not-So-Gaudy Playoff Statistics:
Alex Rodriguez: .462, 7 RBI, 2 HR
Derek Jeter: .400, 3 RBI
Hideki Matsui: .333, 4 RBI, HR
Jorge Posada: .286, 2 RBI, HR
Melky Cabrera: .214
Mark Teixeira: .188, game-winning HR
Johnny Damon: .176
Robinson Cano: .133
Nick Swisher: .125
CC Sabathia: 1.23 ERA, 15 Ks, 14.2 IP
A.J. Burnett: 1.50 ERA, 6 Ks, 6.0 IP
Andy Pettitte: 1.42 ERA, 7 Ks, 6.1 IP
Mariano Rivera: 0.00 ERA, 8 Ks, 3.2 IP
Other Yankees Posts
10.14.2009
Yankees Playoff Schedule
The Yankees playoff schedule for the American League Championship Series has been unveiled:
Friday, October 16: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Saturday, October 17: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Monday, October 19: Yankees at L.A. Angels 4:13 p.m. (FOX)
Tuesday, October 20: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Thursday, October 22: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)*
Saturday, October 24: L.A. Angels at Yankees 4:13 p.m. (FOX)*
Sunday, October 25: L.A. Angels at Yankees 8:20 p.m. (FOX)*
*only if needed
Friday, October 16: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Saturday, October 17: L.A. Angels at Yankees 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Monday, October 19: Yankees at L.A. Angels 4:13 p.m. (FOX)
Tuesday, October 20: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)
Thursday, October 22: Yankees at L.A. Angels 7:57 p.m. (FOX)*
Saturday, October 24: L.A. Angels at Yankees 4:13 p.m. (FOX)*
Sunday, October 25: L.A. Angels at Yankees 8:20 p.m. (FOX)*
*only if needed
10.06.2009
Yankees-Twinsies, tomorrow at 6
The Yankees will play the Minnesota Twins Wednesday at 6:07 (on TBS) in the first game of the American League Championship Series. New York is expected to start CC Sabathia. The Red Sox play the Angels on Thursday.
9.30.2009
Ugly Sox
I'm at the Globe, watching the Red Sox play the Blue Jays. Wait, that's not what's happening; the Red Sox are getting killed by the Blue Jays.
A day after Boston let itself earn a playoff berth by watching the Texas Rangers lose out, the Red Sox are looking positively minor league-ish. Roy Halladay is tossing a no-hitter through five, and the camera just cut to a guy in the parking lot who had left the Sox game and was lucky enough to snatch a sixth-inning Blue Jays homer.
Toronto now leads 9-0.
Rest is one thing, but the Red Sox have looked so bad these past few games (albeit with a lot of benchwarmers in) that you wonder whether they'll be able to turn it back on once the postseason starts. The Angels are pretty sharp this year, and no one should be counting them out, especially with the kind of effort Boston's had lately.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are facing off against the Royals, looking for the sweep. Derek Jeter hit a home run in the first at-bat of the game for the Yankees, notching the game at 1 early.
A day after Boston let itself earn a playoff berth by watching the Texas Rangers lose out, the Red Sox are looking positively minor league-ish. Roy Halladay is tossing a no-hitter through five, and the camera just cut to a guy in the parking lot who had left the Sox game and was lucky enough to snatch a sixth-inning Blue Jays homer.
Toronto now leads 9-0.
Rest is one thing, but the Red Sox have looked so bad these past few games (albeit with a lot of benchwarmers in) that you wonder whether they'll be able to turn it back on once the postseason starts. The Angels are pretty sharp this year, and no one should be counting them out, especially with the kind of effort Boston's had lately.
Meanwhile, the Yankees are facing off against the Royals, looking for the sweep. Derek Jeter hit a home run in the first at-bat of the game for the Yankees, notching the game at 1 early.
Labels:
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blue jays,
derek jeter,
new york yankees,
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9.23.2009
Yankees in playoffs, take series from Angels
The Yankees edged into the playoffs yesterday when Texas lost, then topped the Los Angeles Angels 6-5 on the fast feet of Brett Gardner, who ran home on an Alex Rodriguez sacrifice fly.
Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
Other Yankees Posts
Today, the Yankees beat the Angels again, this time holding off a small comeback to win 3-2. That gives New York the series victory, a reassuring sign after the slides of late (and the recent lackluster performance by the Yankees in the playoffs against the Angels).
That means that all that's left for the Yankees is the division. New York looks to hold off Boston, while in the Central Detroit competes against Minnesota. Los Angeles is holding off Texas's last gasps in the West.
The Yankees are 6.5 games up on the Red Sox headed into Boston's game at Kansas City tonight (where the BoSox have already lost two). After another Royals-Sox bout tomorrow, the Red Sox come to the Bronx for a three-game set this weekend, with Boston's last chance to make a run at the division.
In today's game A.J. Burnett helped everyone calm down by pitching into the sixth with 11 strikeouts and only two earned runs. It was only his second win since July as the Yankees try to line up reliable starters behind CC Sabathia.
Other Yankees Posts
9.15.2009
Stinkin' Yankees
Well, it's a good thing the Yankees won't be facing the Baltimore Orioles or the Toronto Blue Jays in the playoffs, because New York has been horrible against them lately. (New York is currently losing to Toronto 9-2.)
As the last two weeks until the end of the season trickle by (with most of the playoff berths tied up in both leagues), many teams are trying to conserve talent and rest players. That could really hurt the Yankees, though. They need to keep plugging, keep hitting, keep pitching...especially with all the lackluster playoff performances they've had lately.
In the tiny series that are the first round of the playoffs, even a great team can get sent home with a couple bad games. And considering the crap that A.J. Burnett and Joba Chamberlain have been tossing off the mound lately (actually, Chamberlain would be throwing crap, but he hardly stays in long enough to throw anything), it's looking scary. CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte can't handle it all, and they've been shaky plenty of times this season, too (although Sabathia is a real September-October workhorse).
The good news is, the Yankees bullpen is great, and those pitchers have able to keep their arms fresh as the bum half of the pen has taken care of these last few games.
The return of Brett Gardner to the lineup has also given New York a little spark, and the spate of young players that showed up with the September expansion of the rosters has also been a good test of the Yankees' wide range of weapons.
But really, Yankees? Losing to the Blue Jays? And by half a dozen? That's got to stop.
Roy Halladay, a usual Yankees foil, was pitching for Toronto today. That means that as good as the Yankees are this year, they're still not drop-dead amazing enough to dethrone players who usually give them fits, such as the entire rosters of Red Sox and the Angels and even Detroit's Justin Verlander (a probably first-round foe). Not a good sign.
These next few games will be a good test to see whether New York is going to keep its foot on the gas, or whether the Yankees are letting off just in time for the most important games of the season.
Other Yankees Posts
As the last two weeks until the end of the season trickle by (with most of the playoff berths tied up in both leagues), many teams are trying to conserve talent and rest players. That could really hurt the Yankees, though. They need to keep plugging, keep hitting, keep pitching...especially with all the lackluster playoff performances they've had lately.
In the tiny series that are the first round of the playoffs, even a great team can get sent home with a couple bad games. And considering the crap that A.J. Burnett and Joba Chamberlain have been tossing off the mound lately (actually, Chamberlain would be throwing crap, but he hardly stays in long enough to throw anything), it's looking scary. CC Sabathia and Andy Pettitte can't handle it all, and they've been shaky plenty of times this season, too (although Sabathia is a real September-October workhorse).
The good news is, the Yankees bullpen is great, and those pitchers have able to keep their arms fresh as the bum half of the pen has taken care of these last few games.
The return of Brett Gardner to the lineup has also given New York a little spark, and the spate of young players that showed up with the September expansion of the rosters has also been a good test of the Yankees' wide range of weapons.
But really, Yankees? Losing to the Blue Jays? And by half a dozen? That's got to stop.
Roy Halladay, a usual Yankees foil, was pitching for Toronto today. That means that as good as the Yankees are this year, they're still not drop-dead amazing enough to dethrone players who usually give them fits, such as the entire rosters of Red Sox and the Angels and even Detroit's Justin Verlander (a probably first-round foe). Not a good sign.
These next few games will be a good test to see whether New York is going to keep its foot on the gas, or whether the Yankees are letting off just in time for the most important games of the season.
Other Yankees Posts
9.14.2009
Roundup for the night: Yankees, Pats, Fed
It was a big night in sports, with the Yankees and Patriots recording comeback wins and Roger Federer losing a stunner to Juan Martin Del Potro.
In the Bronx, Mark Teixeira (3-for-4, two-run triple) and Nick Swisher (2-for-4, home run) led the Yankees to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Mariano Rivera got his 40th save (the seventh season he's done so) and Joba Chamberlain went four innings in his start, allowing just one run (breaking his recent trend). The Yankees are now 93-52.
In Foxborough, the Patriots came out looking very 2003, which is to say that they were terrifying, falling behind early, and almost dead before they magically came back from 11 down on some flukish plays to win the game. They have a lot of new players this year, and a Tom Brady who's still coming back from injury, so I suppose all that can be excused. A win's a win, right? And at 25-24, despite all the miscues and missed plays, the Patriots have won.
Finally, Federer was rolling until Del Potro dug into some place crazy to find the magic to bust him in two tie-breakers then nab the fourth set. It's too hard to talk about, but the recap is here.
In the Bronx, Mark Teixeira (3-for-4, two-run triple) and Nick Swisher (2-for-4, home run) led the Yankees to a 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Mariano Rivera got his 40th save (the seventh season he's done so) and Joba Chamberlain went four innings in his start, allowing just one run (breaking his recent trend). The Yankees are now 93-52.
In Foxborough, the Patriots came out looking very 2003, which is to say that they were terrifying, falling behind early, and almost dead before they magically came back from 11 down on some flukish plays to win the game. They have a lot of new players this year, and a Tom Brady who's still coming back from injury, so I suppose all that can be excused. A win's a win, right? And at 25-24, despite all the miscues and missed plays, the Patriots have won.
Finally, Federer was rolling until Del Potro dug into some place crazy to find the magic to bust him in two tie-breakers then nab the fourth set. It's too hard to talk about, but the recap is here.
9.08.2009
90.
Yes, that's walkoff win #12 for the Yankees, who take down the Rays 3-2 with a Nick Swisher home run in the bottom of the ninth.
The win is the 90th of the season for the Yankees.
Swisher's left-handed bomb redeems him for leaving men on base earlier in the game and gets New York reliever Phil Hughes off the hook after the first run he allowed in 13 games turned out to be a game-tying homer. Swisher also hit a right-handed home run in the second, going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI for the game.
Derek Jeter, with the pressure on to catch up to Lou Gehrig's Yankees hits record, went 0-for-4, marking the third game in a row without a hit for the New York captain.
Other than Swisher, only Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez (RBI) and Robinson Cano had hits in a quiet night for the Yankees.
After a chance to sweep the Rays tomorrow, the Yankees host the Orioles for three games this weekend before heading west to face the Angels.
Other Yankees Posts
The win is the 90th of the season for the Yankees.
Swisher's left-handed bomb redeems him for leaving men on base earlier in the game and gets New York reliever Phil Hughes off the hook after the first run he allowed in 13 games turned out to be a game-tying homer. Swisher also hit a right-handed home run in the second, going 2-for-3 with 2 RBI for the game.
Derek Jeter, with the pressure on to catch up to Lou Gehrig's Yankees hits record, went 0-for-4, marking the third game in a row without a hit for the New York captain.
Other than Swisher, only Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez (RBI) and Robinson Cano had hits in a quiet night for the Yankees.
After a chance to sweep the Rays tomorrow, the Yankees host the Orioles for three games this weekend before heading west to face the Angels.
Other Yankees Posts
7.08.2009
Yankees hit 50 wins
The Yankees won their 50th game of the season tonight, pulling out a 4-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins.
A.J. Burnett continued his solid pitching, allowing only two runs over his six and one-third innings. Mariano Rivera notched his 22nd save, out of 23 chances.
Brett Gardner singled in two runs, and Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher (both 1-for-4, 1 RBI), Derek Jeter (2-for-5) and Jorge Posada (2-for-3) helped the Yankees at the plate.
Tomorrow night the Yankees close out their series in Minnesota, going for their second sweep of the Twins this year, before flying to Los Angeles to face the American League West-leading Angels (46-36) on Friday.
Other Yankees Posts
A.J. Burnett continued his solid pitching, allowing only two runs over his six and one-third innings. Mariano Rivera notched his 22nd save, out of 23 chances.
Brett Gardner singled in two runs, and Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher (both 1-for-4, 1 RBI), Derek Jeter (2-for-5) and Jorge Posada (2-for-3) helped the Yankees at the plate.
Tomorrow night the Yankees close out their series in Minnesota, going for their second sweep of the Twins this year, before flying to Los Angeles to face the American League West-leading Angels (46-36) on Friday.
Other Yankees Posts
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