Comments on: What’s more important?

By: bill

bill — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 22:24:24 +0000

Gerry,

I don’t think you could ever lose on purpose but maybe you start Igawa or Karstens and rest most of the starters and let the chips fall as they may under that scenario.

As I said earlier, I’d much rather face Cleveland than Anaheim and think that would have more bearing on how far they advance than how the starting staff is lined up.

By: Gerry

Gerry — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:45:36 +0000

I agree Pete and I’m glad you brought this thought provoking idea up. They should rest Pettite and Wang and especially Joba, Viz, Clemens and Mo. I’m sure Cashman will let Joe use Joba on consecutive days, depending on pitch count.

I have a scenario for you, I hope you read this. What if the yankees are .5 game out with 1 game to play. Cleveland has 3 more wins than Anaheim, meaning that the Wild Card team will play Cleveland. If you’re the Yankees, would you consider losing that game on purpose so that the Yankees will play Cleveland (who they’re 6-0 against) or Anaheim (who has given them absolute hell in the regular and postseason)? I understand the Yankees didn’t face CC Sabathia this year, but still, CC and Carmona match up with Anaheim’s top as well.

What would you do? Of course Joe, Jete & Co. would never admit they lost on purpose, but what if it means an easier advancement in the post season?

thoughts?

By: VOIII

VOIII — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 21:30:30 +0000

Rest? they can all rest in November Rest is overated except for the starting pitching and Mo. You rest the hitters you risk messing with their timing. As I said before this team is deep enough that we can have our cake and eat it too. Full steam ahead boys…We overcome a 14 1/2 game deficit and win it all it’ll be one for the ages!

By: MGW

MGW — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 20:28:36 +0000

YC, I would think that Hughes and Kennedy would get the nod if Rocket and Moose become unavailable.

By: KurticusMaximus

KurticusMaximus — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:57:55 +0000

I was just looking at the postseason schedule, and there are all kind of rest days in there.

9/19- Pettite
9/20- Off
9/21- Wang
9/22- Clemens
9/23- Mussina
9/24- Hughes
9/25- Pettite
9/26- Wang
9/27- Clemens
9/28- Mussina
9/29- Hughes
9/30- Kennedy
10/1- Off
10/2- Off
10/3- Pettite (ALDS)
10/4- Off
10/5- Wang (ALDS)
10/6- Off
10/7- Clemens (ALDS)

Now, that assumes they play the “B” schedule- the “A” schedule would move the 10/4 off day to 10/3, but the point remains. All the Yanks have to do is pitch Kennedy that last day, and as it stands the starters would get 8 days of rest before their postseason starts.

So Torre has a lot of flexibility with the starters. He should probably give the big names in the pen (Mo, the Viz, Joba, Farnsy) late next week, and I think he needs to rest the position players too (esp. ARod, Jorge, and Jeter). But there’s plenty of wiggle room with those starters.

By: bill

bill — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:54:24 +0000

I think Jeter could use some time off to fully heal. Melky looks like he could use a few days of rest. Posada should be rested a bit because he won’t get many days off in the playoffs. If they are concerned with Joba’s and Kennedy’s overall innings, they should be careful how much they use those guys the rest of the way assuming Kennedy would even make the post season roster.

But in general, I’m for a push for some home field advantage and would love to see them face Cleveland rather than the Angels in the first round if possible. I recognize that the first round opponent is as much dependent on how the Indians and Angels perform as by winning the division though. I’m less concerned with how the starting pitchers line up in a five game series. Everyone is pitching fairly well right now but I don’t look at any of our starters matched up against Lackey or Sabathia and think, “I like that matchup.”

By: Yankees Chick

Yankees Chick — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:49:38 +0000

my question would be “what happens if moose blows up again?” or “what happens if roger’s elbow blows out?”. who do they use then?

i agree that chamberlain is probably not a viable option for a starter… but I do hope that the joba rules will be relaxed. i would imagine that they will be, since they wont be having to try to save his arm anymore.

By: Eli

Eli — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:36:17 +0000

Anyone who thinks the Yankees should go “full bore” should check out Joe Sheehan’s column today at Baseball Prospectus (subscription required). Anyone think the Tigers’ or Cardinals’ pennants from last year mean less because they nearly collapsed near the end? That the Red Sox or Marlins (’03 & ‘97) championships because they were the wild card?
We didn’t lose to Anaheim in ‘05 because we weren’t at home, we lost because Moose pitched terribly and Erwin Santana did not. Resting Jeter, A-Rod, Posada, Cano, Giambi, Mo, and Vizcaino is absolutely essential to winning the World Series, which is what this is all about, right?

By: randy l

randy l — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:29:30 +0000

“randy I = scott boras”
boy, do i wish.

By: jennifer 27 in 07

jennifer 27 in 07 — Wed, 19 Sep 2007 19:22:25 +0000

Angels stadium is the absolute worst place to play. They have those stupid clap sticks (since apparently it is too difficult to actually clap your hands) They make it so loud. (see bubba and sheff).