Flash Points: John Flaherty breaks down the Game 1 pitching match-up
Posted by: Sam Borden - Posted in Misc on Oct 16, 2009 
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Former Yankee and current YES Network analyst John Flaherty has agreed to break down the pitching match-up for every Yankees postseason game exclusively on the LoHud Yankees blog. Here’s his take on the Game 1 starters:
YANKEES: LHP CC Sabathia (1-0, 1.35 ERA)
WHAT’S HE THROW? “Fastball, slider, change-up in that order. The slider is his strikeout pitch.”
STRENGTHS: “During the start against the Twins, he had a nice little hesitation over the mound and then got everything moving in the right direction, so right away you saw him throwing fastballs in on right-handed hitters and hitting his spots. Tonight he’s got to get ahead of the guys that aren’t big bombers, like Aybar and Figgins, because they will make him work and push the pitch count up. I’d also look for less sliders because the weather can make breaking pitches hard to grip. He may try to pound more fastballs in.”
WEAKNESSES: “If you see the running game get him distracted from what he’s got to do, he’ll have some problems. When the Angels get on first and second base, they’re a distraction for the pitcher and catcher, and it takes your focus away. How do you know if he’s distracted? If he’s suddenly taking longer between pitches or looking over constantly, it shakes his rhythm and that’s when he can get into trouble.”
——-
ANGELS: RHP John Lackey (1-0, 0.00)
WHAT’S HE THROW? “Fastball, curveball, hard slider, but his pitch is his fastball. He’s got a straight one, a four-seamer, and a hard biting two-seamer.”
STRENGTHS: “If you’re going to talk about the strengths for Lackey, you don’t even talk about his stuff. You talk about his makeup. He’s a big-game guy who has been there and won those games and is a competitor – that’s why he started Game 1 against Boston and that’s why he’s starting Game 1 tonight. … He’s changed up what he does since he won Game 7 in 2002 – he throws a little more two-seamers than when he was young – but the look on his face is the same. He’s a gamer. … In this cold weather, he’s going to be pounding fastballs in on the Yankees hands and if he hits his spots, it’ll be tough.”
WEAKNESSES: “I would take the start he had against the Yankees this year and just throw it out. He was hurt early in the year and, even though he pitched well, wasn’t nearly at the level he is tonight. For him, it’s going to be all fastball location because he likes to attack. If he misses, though, and the Yankees are aggressive early in the count, they can do some damage against him and maybe knock him out.”
———–
EDGE: “This is a flip of the coin for me. I feel good about both guys pitching well and I think the wild card in this is going to be the weather: who’s going to be able to handle the elements? Who’s going to want it more? Who’s going to compete and challenge? We’ll see. I think both guys could pitch great and the game will end up in the bullpens.”
This Tynan thing is picking up a lot of steam fast.
no ronan tynan singing god bless america… yankees banded him from stadium after anti-jew comment… what a dirtbag tynan is
From previous thread:
Did anybody hear about Ronan Tynan and his comments towards not wanting to live in a building with Jews?
Seemed like a nice fellow, but this ultimately led to his firing. He was always a good singer.
All about bullpen cars
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn.....ars/071018
repost:
Since no one has bothered to look at the numbers:
Marte vs. lefties in 2009:
28 PA, .120/.214/.280 (.494 OPS)
Sure, pretty small sample size… but it is pretty much in-line with his career avg’s:
Marte vs. lefties in his career:
736 PA, .197/.294/.287 (.581 OPS)
Righties have murdered Damaso this year:
34 PA, .414/.485/.690 (1.175 OPS)
He won’t be used to turn around a switch hitter because even a guy like Figgins (who stinks batting right-handed) will have an advantage over the lefty throwing Marte.
He’s there to face Abreu early in games, and after Coke/Hughes/Joba/Mo have all been used.
Still more useful than Brueny, IMO.
I don’t get taking Marte over Bruney. I don’t trust either of them, but at least with Bruney, if we need another arm due to the weather, he can go a couple of innings. Marte can’t do that.
He probably was just kidding around, however, it is a pretty strange thing to say to someone you don’t even know.
Where are you guys reading this Tynan thing?
What’s up with Ronan Tynan? I have no idea what you guys are talking about, lol
Oh, I see what someone posted above. Um, if he said it, I doubt he was kidding around. That is not the kind of thing you say as a joke.
betsy
http://www.puristbleedspinstri.....y-are.html
Betsy, I guess only Ronan knows for sure.
I would think the “wet track” tonight has got to hurt the Angels who base their offense on their legs. Hopefully Yanks will take advantage of the field conditions and throw strikes
Maybe Janet Jackson can sing “God Bless America”. A cold weather wardrobe malfunction would be great!!! Maybe Chris Russo is singing “God Bless America” and thats why he is at the stadium.
As far as the Tynan remarks goes, it only goes to show that name, money and education can’t hide stupidity.
Tobbi, someone called Mike Francesa yesterday and mentioned the wet track possibly slowing the Angels down. Mike pretty much called the guy an idiot.
West Point vocalist will sing GBA tonight.
“Tobbi, someone called Mike Francesa yesterday and mentioned the wet track possibly slowing the Angels down. Mike pretty much called the guy an idiot.”
Well, then, now you know the track will slow the Angels down.
Unless the infield is wet, it’s not going to inhibit the Angels running game. If it’s wet, it won’t stop the Angels from doing a lot of bunting….in fact, it should help them.
From the NY Times
In theory, mushy basepaths could hinder the Angels’ celebrated running game, but the Yankees cannot count on that. In Game 5 of last year’s World Series, with rain engulfing Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tampa Bay’s B. J. Upton managed to steal second and score on a single to left field, tying the game just before it was suspended.
GB7
Do you see Angels challenging A-Rod’s hip?
yeah, plus the angels do have a bit more pop in their lineup then they are getting credit for…spend too much time worrying about speed and that pop will hurt a lot…it goes to the comments of Joe and the pitching staff…”we have to worry about the guy in the box”
“Well, then, now you know the track will slow the Angels down”.
LOL. Rebecca, you pretty much summed it up.
Ronan Tynan is boss over his lips, as soon as he opens them he is entitled to get busted
I am starting to get nervous now. I just want this thing to start already. The anticipation is killing me.
About Tynan–this is getting blown out of proportion. Should Sox fans be offended as well?
About Flash’s analysis–he’s being nice to Lackey.
i just got tix to tomorrows game…
thought i would ask everyone… any tips on staying warm/dry? things you may have done in the past worth trying!?
my pinstriped poncho will finally get some use!
iiicollies
October 16th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
GB7
Do you see Angels challenging A-Rod’s hip?
————————————————————
Yeah, I do. They have 3 or 4 guys that can bunt as well as anybody in the league in Figgins, Izturis, Kendricks and Aybar. They can run Rodriguez ragged and pull Teixeira off of 1st base.
Oh come on how does CC not have the edge over Lackey? That’s a bit silly if you ask me.
I think the following is more important than Lackey’s “makeup”: all the yankee starters except Arod and Swisher have an insane average against Lackey. Starting with cano at .296 to Tex at .400–all with plenty at bats (20-40. Arod is 9 for 47 against Lackey, BUT he’s on fire AND 4 out of the 9 Hits were homeruns, yikes.
The Angels offense on the other hand have hardly seen CC let alone hit him. Clear advantage for the Yankees in Game 1.
Flash’s run down is WAY too diplomatic.
Shaking my head at Ronan Tynan.
I liked Tynan’s version of GBA. I hope they find another opera singer instead of just putting on the Kaye Smith recording.
Oh well.
Playball… Arod may not have a high average but of hit hits he has 4hrs a double and a triple
Nevermind I’m an idiot my phone didn’t load ur full comment
Great just what the Yankees fans need,another thread of doom and gloom.
Will there be any threads on the positive side before the game.
Pete today,wrote a really great thread about CC,that should’ve been written on this blog,instead we get the normal Yankees slight that’s featured on espn.
Yankees were even in playing the Angels this year. They have won 103 games,which earned them home field, an added plus.They play well on the road too.
Getting this far was no easy task for this team.
They have found ways to win games,walk offs,come from behind wins,the bullpen was lights out.Lets hear it for the boyz!!
Reading constant threads about how formidable the Angels are is getting old.
So they beat the Socks,News Flash SO DID THE YANKEES,and not just this year!
playballnyy,
Your statistics may be right, but there is no doubt about it that Lackey is a good picture, and regardless of previous numbers, could very well pitch a tremendous game. So, although I sure hope CC is at his best today because than it wouldn’t matter, Lackey sure can keep it a one run game into the 6th or 7th.
pitcher*
6 of 8 predictions at mlb.com have the Yankees winning, mostly due to CC, so it is not all gloom and doom reporting.
What is the weather like? It is very sunny, but cold (frost this am) upstate.
Mike and the Mad Dog on…..well, for an hour at least.
Guess who’s back on WFAN?!? It’s Mad Dog!
Clay, it doesn’t matter. Who makes jokes like that? Even if he is, good riddance to him……what a you-know-what.
If Joe puts Marte in against Abreu,Yankees better have a good lead.He was bad in the division series,loading the bases..
Bruney must’ve really soured Giradi on his pitching dependability to trust Marte more.
i miss mad dog as stupid as he can be..
LOL I’m sorry, but Mike and Chris are funny today….
i havent seen mike this happy since dog left…makes sense that hes here and the laughter is a plenty
Chris Russo is absolutely nuts….. I miss them both!
He predicted to us to win. We’re gonna lose to the Angels.
OT: But I did miss Maddog.
They do play well off each other. I’d give anything to know what really went down. Unless I missed it, that is one of the best kept secrets there is! Unless they just got sick of each other, which I guess can happen after 19 years together or whatever it was.
Mike & Chris Russo are still the VERY best! What a hoot!
Boy I missed Russo….as much as I hate when he bashes the Yankees I really missed him. I have not laughed this much since he left to go to that place called Sirius (I still don’t know what that is lol).
Mike and the Mad Dog are better together than apart
Trisha,
I think Russo simply received an offer far too good to turn down…
I agree with Flash. This one is tough to call. You can’t say CC is way better than Lackey, just as you couldn’t say that about him over Beckett or Verlander. Lackey is the Angels’ CC.
Ace vs Ace= tossup.
Wow Frank, I didn’t think it was anything that simple. I remember when it happened that there was so much secrecy around it and neither of them would make any statements about it, so I just figured there had to be trouble in Dodge!
Mike & The Dog are together talking at the Stadium! Dog says the Yankees are dangerous and Mike says it’s the kiss of death! Also, Dog saus that the Yankees should have kept Abreu. Fack Youk begs to differ.
haiku-man
October 16th, 2009 at 1:14 pm
If Joe puts Marte in against Abreu,Yankees better have a good lead.He was bad in the division series,loading the bases..
Bruney must’ve really soured Giradi on his pitching dependability to trust Marte more.
————————————————————
Just to keep the facts straight, Marte only faced two batters. He didn’t load the bases.
Trisha,
Both had challenges with one another – and then, I think that huge $$ came out of nowhere. When push comes, they both like and enjoy one another’s knowledge base.
Frank, I really wish they were back together. I think they are so much better together than apart.
I think the Angels will cool off Al, Srsly I really believe that. That article w/ the Angels scout really doesn’t bode well for Al. Robi & Johnny better step up, more importantly the pitching staff.
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo....._arod.html
I still have the Yankees sweeping. We’ll see if it’s wishful thinking.
What I remember about Lackey is that he seems to give it up fast when he does give it up, kind of like Wakefield. He can definitely be gotten to.
Trisha,
I’m sitting in my daughter’s kitchen using her old laptop which has most keys still in place. I think my grandson got here b4 me today and peeled a few (10) off. This is a typing challenge. Daughter & son-in-law are shopping!!! At least I have Mike & this Blog! while my GS naps.
He put 2 lefties on that he was suppose to get out,he loaded.
Go back and look it up,he was pulled.
The cold weather will make it difficult to throw the bender…
Frank -
How old is your grandson?
I’m about to embark on some errands. I think I’m dogging it because it is so cold out!!
If he faces two batters in the beginning of an inning, and there are 3 total bases to be loaded, in what world did he load them.
Technically robertson loaded the bases because he gave up a hit to Cuddyer after marte gave up a hit to kubel and mauer. You should probably look it up.
Domenic is 20 months. Diaperville. And, a budding vocab.
It’s cold & danky here in Chatham.
Dog and Mike on the FAN and the Yankees in the ALCS. It feels like old times…
Brandon,
I don’t think the pitching staff needs to steop up as much as certain hitters.
I think our top three can go toe to toe EASILY with Anaheim’s top 3.
I agree that Robbie and Damon have to participate in the offense this round. CRUCIAL.
And I will say this: our bullpen IS BETTER.
trisha,
a sweep is wishful thinking at its best but I DIG the optimism!
Frank, that is such a beautiful age. Still there is something peaceful about their naptime, isn’t there?
One of my brothers and his wife just had a son and asked me to be the baby’s godmother. So today we are going out to find a christening outfit. I guess I better get in gear!
GO PHILS!
GO YANKEES!!
Talk to you soon Frank!
Mad Prince, thanks! You know I can’t do it any other way.
Okay kids, here is the CLS chart. Join up if you want to.
I’ll catch up with you later.
http://members.cox.net/lsdorgan/CLS2.pdf