It’s like Adrian said to Rocky: Win
Posted by: Peter Abraham - Posted in Misc on Sep 09, 2009 
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Joe Girardi inadvertently opened up a little box of controversy yesterday when he mentioned that one division series would require three starters and the other four. The team with the best record has a choice.
I would think the Yankees would use the longer series with fewer starters. That plays to their strengths and allows them to rest their position players an extra day, too.
What this means for Joba Chamberlain is incidental. There are no roles in the postseason, there is a team-wide task to win 11 games. Pitchers do whatever they’re asked to the best of their ability. If Joba pitches out of the bullpen in the division series and starts in the ALCS, so be it. Once the playoffs start, it’s about winning. Everything else is meaningless.
Mike Mussina pitched in relief in the postseason, so did Pedro Martinez, Randy Johnson and dozens of other starters over the years. The Yankees have spent the entire season rightfully concerned about Chamberlain and the rest of their pitchers. But all hands are on deck once the bunting is draped over the stadium railings.
Some fans and media are way too hung up on Joba and what his role might be. He’ll do what he’s told, that’ll be his role. And if he doesn’t pitch well, they’ll find somebody else who will.
Why is what Joe G. said controversial? It makes perfect sense.
No controversy that I can see.
Amen Pete.
Hopefully, whatever his role is, he learns to get that 3rd out before letting up 3 runs between it and the 2nd.
Completely agree Pete.
That’s why I’ve been saying for months Joba’s role or story or whatever you want to call it, isn’t a significant thing in the post-season.
His season is what its been. We can debate for days whether he’s done well, ok, poorly, or something else.
Fact is, come post-season, if he has to pitch out of the pen, so be it. If he starts? So be it.
Just do whatever it takes to win the game on the day its played. That’s all that matters once the post-season begins.
Perfectly said. I have no snarky comment at all.
I dont see any controversy there. Isnt that normal post-season protocol?
Hold My Close-Up, Tiny Danson:
http://hold-my-close-up.ytmnd.com/
gotta take the long series this way you have CC AJ and pettitte taking the ball. if AJ flops you have ace, joba, roberston (hopefully),and hughes behind him who could keep the tigers (or rangers) where theyre at and let our offense chip away.
posada behind the plate gives the yankees the best chance to win, i don’t follow your “nonsense”.
A little surprising since we haven’t clinched.
I’m sure that Joba will willingly accept any role, and do his best.
All the pitchers will be on short leashes anyway.
http://umpbump.com/press/2009/.....09-al-mvp/
Yeah, it would make perfect sense to sit Posada for Molina in the post-season.
No wonder why you changed your name prior to the post.
I wouldn’t show my blog name either considering benching Posada in the post-season is the dumbest idea one could offer.
SJ
I know this happened a long time ago and maybe you already addressed it, but has anyone from ESPN responded to your email regarding john Anderson and his “Boli, Boli, Boli” comment?
Thanks
Pel:
Please don’t clutter up your handle with comments and insert links that don’t exist. It’s going to screw up the comments section after a while. Just pick a name and only use a link if you actually have one.
I swear, this is like being a substitute teacher in 4th grade sometimes. I’m supposed to be covering the team, not babysitting comments. Stop making this harder than it needs to be, OK?
Only an idiot would want Molina to play instead of Posada.
Nick in SF:
“Hold My Close-Up, Tiny Danson”
LOL! Reminds me of this joke’s punchline:
http://jokes4u.mycybernet.ca/larry.htm
Brian DAmico
I love these 6 degrees of trade separation posts. It is interesting to see who got us what, and follow it all the way through.
Have fans been clammoring for a lot of Joba in these playoffs lately? I think by now, Girardi’s remarks are beyond the controversial stage, as Joba has pitched his way to 4th starter/bullpen status on this team, depending on which way the organization decides to go in the ALDS.
I’m not sure if Girardi made those comments inadvertently.
They seemed to be a subtle way of sending Joba a message. He seemed to be letting Joba know that he very well might not be a featured part of their initial post season run if he doesn’t turn things around.
The fact is the yankees best chance to advance in the playoffs by far would be picking the B series where you need 4 starters – but that’s only true if Joba is the good Joba rather than the mediocre one.
“Good Joba” as the number 4 starter would give the yankee’s their biggest matchup advantage in terms of pitching in the entire post season.
You could say that Verlander, Jackson, Porcello are comparable to Sabathia, Pettite, and Burnett. But Verlander, Jackon, Porcello, and Washburn aren’t nearly as competative compared to Sabathia, Pettite, Burnett and “Good Joba.” Same holds true with matchups against the Sox.
If Joba is pitching well enough to give the yankees the confidence to pick the B series where you need 4 starters it will increase their probability of advancing considerably.
Basically, we agreed to disagree re: a return comment from ESPN.
They felt they were within their bounds of “satire”. I felt it was agenda laden.
I think their new ombsbudman agrees with my take though because I’ve noticed less “satire” on Arod and other Yankees since his hire and that fallout.
From what I understand, mine wasn’t the only comment they received re: Anderson’s comments.
That’s what I’m talking about, Pete. Do what your told, shut up and win. PERIOD.
Check my link now.
CB,
I can’t even think of matchups right now. The wild card race is far from over.
But avoiding Verlander twice might be worth the risk of whatever Joba gives you.
Lovely link, Pel, but stop p*ssing off the blog host.
Pel’s seeking a one way trip to Bansville I see.
We would still face Verlander twice in the B series… if it gets to a game 5.
In the A series, we would be facing him in game 4 and be facing Edwin Jackson twice rather than Jackson and Washburn each once.
SJ:
I can only hope tht ESPN’s Public Editor/ombudsman fares better than the NY Times’ 1st Public Editor, Daniel Okrent, a true renaissance man and one of the originators of Rotisserie… along with WHIP.
http://online.wsj.com/article/.....89868.html
“We would still face Verlander twice in the B series… if it gets to a game 5″
True enough. However, I believe the argument is that a “good” Joba against Washburn would greatly diminish the chances of needing a Game 5.
Rangers had their opportunity to pick up ground this past weekend. They were in Baltimore and the Sox lost 3\4 in Chicago. But they lost 2\3 to Baltimore.
They also blew leads twice in Minnesota after playing us last week.
Might be too little too late for them.
matt d,
Oops. In my mind, I’m thinking very short series. haha.
Not so sure I want Texas to take over the wild card. Their bats are hot, hot, hot. And we know how to play Fenway.
Oh, well. Gotta play through them all anyway. No easy path in the postseason (except the one that avoids Anaheim altogether.
Well done to those who took the time to send a detailed note to ESPN. Personally I’ve moved over to the MLB network and haven’t noticed if they dropped some of their “witty” remarks towards players. There are so many other avenues to get updates (this blog for instance) that they only end up hurting their own brand to a certain degree with nonsense.
Of course, Texas is beating up on bad teams. What’s with Carmona? And they couldn’t do squat against Baltimore.
But they are doing it without Hamilton and Young.
Chances are, we’re not going to sweep the Tigers and would have to face Verlander in a game 4. If we had a good Joba, we would have a chance to face Washburn who has like a 10 ERA with Detroit.
It really isin’t a slam dunk either way. I suppose with Joba pitching like this, you almost have to talk the “A” series. You can’t take the risk that we’re going to beat up Washburn to support a subpar Joba. However, if he shows improvement, then it makes the decision tough.
If Texas holds on today, they are only 1 1/2 games behind the Red Sox for the WC.
If they can hold close for another week, when Young and Hamilton gets back, it could get interesting.
The Red Sox do have the schedule advantage. But, strange things can happen in the last couple of weeks in a season when you are fighting for a playoff spot.
Texas just can’t afford another lost weekend like they had in Baltimore.
Joba does not look ready for the playoffs right now. This could change by the time that the postseason arrives.
Joba can pitch with very little pressure tonight. Hopefully he comes out and pounds the strike zone early.
Jake:
After finishing up with the Tribe today, the Rangers head home for 9 straight with division rivals. I think they’ll have to be ahead of Boston at that point to have much of a shot as they close with 11 of their last 14 on the road, the exceptions being three games at home with Tampa.
Red Sox have 7 more left in this homestand, before embarking on a 10 game road that closes in NYC. Sadly, the 1st 7 bring them to Baltimore and Kansas City. Then they close with 7 at home against the Jays and Tribe.
I think Texas will need to have a small cushion, say 2-3 games with 15 left to win.
Outstanding. Completely agree. No one is above any role in the postseason. And only a primadonna would bother complaining about their role, rather than just going out and trying to win the World Series.
>Lovely link, Pel, but stop p*ssing off the blog host.
>Pel’s seeking a one way trip to Bansville I see.
http://i28.tinypic.com/r0o6qv.jpg
It’s all in good fun.
I think the “good Joba” vs. “bad Joba” argument is missing the point.
If Joba’s proven one thing so far this season it’s that at this point of his career, for whatever reason, he’s a question mark when he takes the mound. Even if he was lights out for the next two or three weeks – 3-4 starts – would you be comfortable with him starting in the playoffs?
I’m a big, big fan of his but I can’t say that I would be comfortable with him in a Game 4. He’s just too inconsistent at this point.
We are going to be playing Texas. Wouldn’t we rather make them use four starters?
“I’m a big, big fan of his but I can’t say that I would be comfortable with him in a Game 4.”
If the Yankees were up 2-1, I’d be fine. If they were down 2-1, I wouldn’t be able to sleep the night before.
I think the term I was looking for was:
If Joba’s proven one thing this season it’s that he is consistently inconsistent.
That’s better. Wish I had thought of it before I clicked submit…ah well lol.
————->
Even if Joba gets hot now, he’s still a question mark for the playoffs. Remember how he was lights out for a couple weeks after the All Star break? And then how he suddenly fell off? You just never know what you’re going to get with him.
Pete,
I heard this Girardi soundbyte yesterday on the radio, but I interpreted his statement differently. Perhaps, I misheard, but maybe not.
When asked about Joba’s role in the postseason, I thought Girardi said that one series would require three pitchers (i.e. ALDS), and the other series would require four pitchers (ALCS/WS). I interpreted this not as controvorsial, but rather suggesting that Joba would be needed to pitch in the ALCS/WS, and that in the ALDS, he may be used out of the pen.
Interesting stat of the day: Kenny Rogers is undefeated as a Yankee starter in the post season. It’s not important who starts a playoff game it’s important how they are managed once they get into trouble.
Listening to Mike Kay…….Is ‘Chink in his armor’ politically incorrect????????
Use in that context, it is not a bad thing:
A vulnerable area, as in Putting things off to the last minute is the chink in Pat’s armor and is bound to get her in trouble one day. This term relies on chink in the sense of “a crack or gap,” a meaning dating from about 1400 and used figuratively since the mid-1600s.
Pete, that was perfect. I couldn’t have said it better. Just win. It’s all about the team come the postseason, what role any single player will have is meaningless.