Confidence still high on eve of Game 6
Posted by: Josh Thomson - Posted in Misc on Oct 23, 2009 
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As you can see in the grainy photo above, the Yankees are on the field for this evening’s optional workout. Most players are in attendance, including Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, Robinson Cano, Nick Swisher, Joba Chamberlain, Brett Gardner, and Jerry Hairston. That’s Cano in the cage, pictured above.
UPDATE, 5:45 p.m.: As I mentioned before, most Yankees are in the house for today’s workout. Chief among them is a struggling Nick Swisher, who, after making the final out of Game 5 with the bases loaded, sunk even further into his postseason swoon. Swisher said if he and Kevin Long knew how to correct where it went south, they would. The only solution? “Hits,” Swisher said. He wasn’t kidding.
Later in the clip, someone asked Swisher if he showed up at the park today to get out of his funk. It seemed like a rhetorical question for someone who is 3 for 29 this postseason with one extra-base hit, no homers, three walks and 10 strikeouts.
“Hell yeah,” Swisher said. Listen to more from the right fielder here:
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The scrum then moved over to Jeter’s locker. The captain said he felt better but he never reveals much on physical problems anyway. He had more to say about the position the Yankees find themselves in, one both he and Posada appeared comfortable with. They both knew this would turn into a tough series and feel confident in their club’s chances up 3-2 at home.
Both Jeter and Posada discuss their belief in Pettitte. Posada also said he will talk to Phil Hughes before Game 6, hoping to set the right-hander’s mind right after another tough outing.
Here’s Jeter:
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And Posada:
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UPDATE, 6:00 p.m.: The Yankees will be leaving the field soon. They are just taking their last swings. I will be downstairs for Joe Girardi and about 45 more minutes of clubhouse time. There will be audio from Girardi and a few leftover thoughts upon my return.
Nice to see Swisher participating.
Stub Hub has a lot of tickets for 120 and under.
PLEASE YANKEES PULL THIS ONE OUT otherwise Im not really sure what Im gonna have to do.
stubhub is going to get cheaper with the forecast looking bad. In game two tickets were going for half price almost.
I ran into former Yankee killer & Ex Angel Pitcher Chuck Finley at my Ortgopedic’s office this morning……He thinks the Yanks take care of business Saturday night…..The Yanks are just to strong & forget last nights bullpen snafu, the pen is the best in the game……
RT @lenno212: Swisher (.103 BA 10K/29ABs) ? if came to optional NYY workout to work on some things at the plate. His response? “Hell yeah.”
Swisher has taken a beating in this post season. The longer his slump goes, the more he is pressing. It was a tough one last night.
I don’t think Girardi makes the best moves this post season, but it does seem that he learned some lessons on managing after the drubbing he got for his management of game 3. Unfortunately he was a little too delayed in giving Burnett the hook last night.
While I am not happy with the results of last night’s game, I am encouraged by Girardi calming down his tendencies a little. I thought Scoscia actually showed a bit of panic in his management of the game last night.
If the game goes on tomorrow night, I think the Yankees will win it. At home they are very dominating. Last night was close to being won, tomorrow it should be.
Thanks, Josh.
Another thing to think of… with the Yankees/Angels series going longer it means less time off between series. The bats especially seem to do better by the steady work, meanwhile Phillies have more time off.
Just saying this may not be such a bad thing to be coming back to NY.
hey everybody.
Abdababdaserser
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:37 pm
Another thing to think of… with the Yankees/Angels series going longer it means less time off between series. The bats especially seem to do better by the steady work, meanwhile Phillies have more time off.
Just saying this may not be such a bad thing to be coming back to NY.
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Keep up the positive posts. Very refreshing.
I don’t like the fact that Girardi reacted to the reaction to game 4.
I would’ve preferred he treated this like a must-win because every game in the postseason is a must-win.
He gave Andy and AJ quick hooks in the Twins series, AJ should’ve got one after the leadoff single.
And I don’t know why Hughes was allowed to stay in after letting the inherited runners score.
So, I would like Girardi to use his gut instinct rather than worry about people calling him out for overmanaging.
We will win if we can hit Saunders better than game 2. I don’t think the Yanks can afford to play another nail bitter or the Angel’s either for that matter with another game on Sunday.
I don’t feel like the low scoring game gives us a advantage. Clearly to win tomm the Yanks need to score early and often.
Nick Riviera
October 23rd, 2009 at 5:40 pm
hey everybody.
–=-=-=-=-=
Hi doctor Nick!!
“Confidence high”?
Sure am glad the team doesn’t read the blogs
Chuck Mangione? The Yanks are gonna party like it’s 1978.
Ironic that Andy and Phil both get dished by Viad on pretty much the same 2 strike count. Both mistakes and both in almost the same spot with two outs and a chance to get out of Dodge.
m
Do you really think Joe makes his decisions based on what people say?
If he did he wouldn’t have gotten this team where it is now.
So, I would like Girardi to use his gut instinct rather than worry about people calling him out for overmanaging.
Hum, not sure I totally agree with that one. He has been going with his gut and it hasn’t payed too many dividends.
Good to see the boys out there . Putting away last night and gearing up for tommorow. Its time to seal the deal. enough is enough !
MaineYankee, it might be time for Mr. Girardi to take a page from the Costanza playbook and try going with the opposite for a while.
maineyankee,
maybe I overstated it, but it’s curious that he left phil in that long a game after being criticized for lifting robertson (which was justified because bases were empty)
and working around hunter? not a good strategy (and i believe that it was) putting the tie run on.
m
I think Joe is trying to be creative, proactive because Scioscia is in his head.
He is acting like a rookie and doesn’t have to, with the talent he has.
It looks like he doesn’t trust his pen by mixing and matching.
Why not use the formula that got him here.
In season, he didn’t even have Joba. He had the 7th inning to be flexible. Now he is doing this in the 7th-9th.
We had runners all game vs Saunders !..
“Do you really think Joe makes his decisions based on what people say?”
Based on the Guess The Line-Up results- No.
Josh -
Thanks for these updates. I love our Yankees. I love their attitude, and I’ve loved it all season.
Our collective problem, as fans, is wanting to be able to have some influence on the outcome even though we know we can’t really. We have no control. But the players do, and these players are not giving up or giving in.
Doreen–nicely said.
Good to see the Yanks had lots of opt inners for optional workouts.
Gary October 23rd, 2009 at 5:46 pm
Ironic that Andy and Phil both get dished by Viad on pretty much the same 2 strike count. Both mistakes and both in almost the same spot with two outs and a chance to get out of Dodge.
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that’s what bothered me the most, throwing Vlad a fastball on a 1-2 count. Why would you throw any kind of fastball in that situation. They missed location both times and Vlad capitalized on it.
Lisa from Whitestone says:
We should be the arrogant Yankee fans the rest of the country hates us for.
She is ashamed of us.
I guess she isn’t shellshocked from the losses of the past 9 years.
We need to win this year to get over our recent past.
Gary,
I don’t think so. First of all, they’re 5-2, they’re (the coaching staff) doing something right.
What gut instinct move hasn’t worked out? Only Aceves has really cost us. And Phil last night, if that was his gut instinct that Phil would get over his whateverness.
-Andy in game 2 could’ve executed that pitch to Vladi better.
-AJ’s first inning
Neither of these two moves had anything to do with Joe’s gut instinct.
Swish sounded pretty chipper which is a good thing, but it sounded a bit like the patient before the big surgery. Stiff upper lip. Underneath I think his confidence is pretty shaky and he doesn’t have any clue as to what is going on with his struggles.
m
I guess the way I look at it is it isn’t all on Joe.
The players need to do their job in order for the move to work.
I cannot begin to fathom that pressure that Girardi is under this year. He has handled it very well up to now. Last night seemed like a fire drill in the pen. First Joba was up, then down for Hughes.
Marte did his job. Hughes did not.
Over under of how many errors angels infield makes in a cold rainy night. 2
Andy Pettitte will be the most winningest pitcher in the playoffs and the most clinching wins with 5. Bank on it.
mick,
give girardi a little more credit than that. he really is trying to manage the game the way he wants to. he likes to be aggressive on the basepaths and with his bullpen. and he probably wants to avoid the going to one or two guys all the time. in the long run that may pay off.
Hey Val.
Pretty brutal loss last night, legendary comeback by us, and I hate to say it but Phil Hughes literally single handedly lost us the game. It is a bit mystifying why he was so great in the regular season and now he is borderline garbage in the playoffs. I guess the pressure has gotten to him a little bit. After all, this is his first postseason in his career as a reliever. I believe in his talent enough that he will bounce back and get big outs for us in the future in these playoffs, maybe even game 6.
That being said, a lot of good happened last night. AJ gave up those early runs and very easily could have completely blown up and gave up 9 runs in 2 innings. Instead, he settled down, battled and gave his team a chance to win. He kept them in the game and look what happened- the Yankees staged a furious rally to take a 6-4 lead.
That hit by Tex was huge for the team and possibly big for him as well. If Mark comes out and has a solid game 6, I wouldn’t be surprised. Hideki hit the ball hard a couple times and got a huge RBI hit. Even Robbie smashed that clutch, 2 RBI triple. Damon hit some balls hard, the whole team hit a lot of at ‘em balls as well. The lineup looks to be coming around, finally. Aside from a few blips on the bullpen radar, this team is extremely solid. They easily could have swept this series or won in 5- they’ve been in position to win every game.
Yanks are going home for games 6 and 7 with their two best starters on the mound. They’re confident and basically, they have the Angels right where they want them. This is why the Yankees battled for home field advantage. They will take care of business tomorrow night. There won’t be a game 7.
Joe’s problem might be that he has TOO much to work with.
From an extra pinchrunner to an extra catcher to the most elongated bullpen he’s ever had. He doesn’t know who to use first.
For his sake I hope we get 7 good ones from Andy then go to Mo.
m,
Even better their 6-2.
I have an idea for Swisher. Bench him for Hinske till its Hinske’s turn to bat in the second inning(guess). You hit 2 birds with one stone. Hinske finally feels like hes part of the team and therefore Swisher feels like he is equivelent to the sixth man in basketball. Pressure is off him and he finally does something right.
He’s got a 3 man rotation, when in season it was 5.
Those 2 starters are now relievers, Joba and Gaudin.
Too many cooks spoil the broth.:)
Thanks, Josh.
I like that Jorge plans to talk to Phil. I’m sure that Phil’s had a few players approach him to give him support. If there’s a lesson he could take from Mo is that once it’s done, it’s done.
Aceves evolved into Joba’s caddy. Nobody has a defined role.
Chaotic.
Just need length from our starters. CC length, like that commercial he did with Santana.
3 (formerly S.o.S.) October 23rd, 2009 at 6:02 pm
m,
Even better their 6-2.
I have an idea for Swisher. Bench him for Hinske till its Hinske’s turn to bat in the second inning(guess). You hit 2 birds with one stone. Hinske finally feels like hes part of the team and therefore Swisher feels like he is equivelent to the sixth man in basketball. Pressure is off him and he finally does something right.
Hinske is not on the roster, bad idea.
Im lost here?? Isnt it the catchers fault Phil gave up all those runs? Im really confused. Isnt it Posadas fault? The only change that should have been made after Hunter is a catching change. Wheres Pornestache when you need him.
Wait, unless Jorge plans on yelling at him and telling Phil to throw what he calls!
I won’t be able to watch the game on sat. night
I’ll be back at my computer 11:30ish so can somebody send me a recap then?
mick October 23rd, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Joe’s problem might be that he has TOO much to work with.
From an extra pinchrunner to an extra catcher to the most elongated bullpen he’s ever had. He doesn’t know who to use first.
For his sake I hope we get 7 good ones from Andy then go to Mo.
Doubtful, he won’t put any of the unwashed Gardner, Harrison, Guzzman into the game except late for defensive purposes or pinch running. Most of us are clueless on his plan for Robertson and Gaudin, they apparently are being saved for the season opener next April. His biggest problem is the decision he made on Hinske, keeping both Guzzman and Cervele on the active roster and not Hinske was just plain stupid, wouldn’t he like to have that one back right now. As a matter of fact wouldn’t we all like to have Eric right now.
If the HP umpire is giving Saunders that 2 inch outside pitch a strike tomorrow, it might be a long night.
m, I think Girardi has been doing more than just the in game managing. I think as the post season moved along, he was getting more and more controlling and forgot that it was these very players who got them there.
I wasn’t a fan of him leaving in AJ for two guys to get on base. I do understand some of his thinking, AJ settled down well and was at 80 something pitches. Still, its AJ.
The other moves? While a little questionable, mainly because they didn’t work out, weren’t horrendous.
Pinch running for Alex? An either or type move. Guzman is faster than Alex and that was do or die. It was a gutsy move and only would be validated if the Yankees pulled ahead.
One big thing I noticed was that Cano was back to being aggressive with his bat. Think about how he has been looking at the plate lately. It almost looked like he was told that he was not to swing the bat under any circumstances for the first pitch… maybe even more. Last night that was not the case. Just look at the way he was holding his bat.
The Yankees were beaten last night, but if I were the Angels I would be very worried. Scoscia has no faith in his closer. None. If he did he would not have walked Alex. The odds of him hitting one out are so low, and even at that, you can pitch around him and hope he chases.
Think about having 2 outs with your closer and end up having bases loaded, all started by an intentional walk your manager called for.
The main thing to remember is that Girardi is a type A personality. He is going to manage like a type A no matter how much he is ripped for it. If he can tone it down a little bit, so much the better. He just needs to learn how to get out of the way of this team.
If the Yankees fail to win game 6, then I can see becoming more worried about how it will go.
”If the Yankees fail to win game 6, then I can see becoming more worried about how it will go.”
Yeah, I agree. If the yanks lose game 6, worrying is in order.
Joe just needs to put down his Big Three-ring Binder of Overmanaging (1.0).
Watch the game, go with the hot hand.
7th inning, RH pitcher only at 80 pitches, and up by two and a light-hitting catcher leading off followed by the number nine hitter, and then the lefty lead-off man:
Big Book of Overmanaging says: leave the starter to take advantage of righty on righty to get two outs then bring in the lefty specialist. Stick with the starter at least through the first two right-handed batters and then go to the lefty specialist — take advantage of the next two batters who are both lefties. How bad could things get?
Watch the Game says: the starter has sat on the bench for a half-hour rally (yeah!), is prone to periodic melt downs, and the light hitting catcher has not only been hot, but hit him hard the previous at bats. The bullpen includes a guy who has been lights out and is sporting a 2-0 record in the playoffs. No time to be cutesy with the two out nonsense — give Robertson a shot, then maybe Marte. In the 8th, you go batter to batter to get at least two outs to get to you-know-who.
Blinders to the binder!
Famous Brian Cashman quote “If you make decisions based on what the fans think,soon you will be sitting with them.”
Valerie, if I remember I can, do you mean just like post a recap on the comments of whatever post is most recent at about 11:30??
ShamWow–nice quote.
Does anyone else dislike Juan Rivera? He looks positively like a “lump.”
A-Rod…–I really don’t understand what you just said.
I think the decision to pick Guzman over Hinske was because of the opposition. The Angels running game and how poorly they reacted to the Yankees pushing the running game.
In the WS it is more important to have a bat coming off the bench when they are in the NL park, which means Hinske is probably on the roster and Guzman off.
is there a new thread or something?
Girardi presser
Andy is the Game 6 pitcher whenver that game is
Will sleep on the line-up and make decisions tomorrow
Pinch ran for Alex because an extra step or 2 is important if a ball is hit in the gap
u asked someone to post a recap of tomorrow night’s game for you….
CR9, its up to the batters to make adjustments to the strike zones, just as its up to the pitchers to adjust.
Pettitte is a very good big game pitcher. Saunders is good, but there is a lot of pressure on him. Add to that his manager displayed less faith in him in saying that Lackey will pitch on short rest if the game is not played tomorrow.
For all the griping on Girardi, and I have done it as much as anyone, Scoscia should be ripped even more so for all the stupid moves he made last night that ended up working out OK.
Taking out Lackey in that game would be like taking out CC and putting in Marte. Girardi wouldn’t have done that.
The Yankees are still in the lead in this series, that means they have twice as many chances to seal the deal. Scoscia and his Angels can’t bobble the game at all. And with them coming to NY its even harder for them.
A-rod–yeah, if you could that would be tremendous! Just when i post, just a quick summary of the game and any important posts i missed. that would be great!!!!!!!!!
@MLB Jeter just tried to show Girardi he can drag bunt from left side in BP. #epicfail
33 minutes ago from web
Saunders is pitching game six whether it gets played tomorrow night or pushed back to Sunday. The only question is, does Lackey pitch on three day’s rest in a potential game seven if that game is on Monday?
pat–where can I find that?
Valerie G, you’re asking for a summary of important LoHud posts during the game tomorrow night?
A-Rod = no longer mental in the playoffs …
Regarding Hughes. I think some of the problem is he has a lot more adrenaline flowing and its affecting his control. He is also going to the nibbling act. When both are going on, he is going to do what he is doing. Not pitching as well.
If Teixeira is coming out of his slump then the Angels are in real trouble.
Somehow I still expect Swisher to get his head back on straight and contribute to the hitting. He is just too tense with the bat. If the other bats are working he will come around as well.
Nick–Okay, maybe not. But I’ll be going through yankees/lohud withdrawels!
k I assume that’s 11:30 EST time? just so I know around when to look for your post…..
Nick–i meant withdrawals.
Rebecca ripped off what every one on Lohud said and put it on her own website about leverage. She ripped what people on here said word for word and didn’t give any of the posters here any credit. Then River Ave Blues goes and gives her kudos for an article that she didn’t even write but ripped off. Rebecca should be ashamed of herself.
“pat–where can I find that?”
Find what?
Jeter bunt? Twitter
Girardi press conference? was on WFAN
A-rod–yeah. I’m hoping it’ll be around there, but if not, i’ll definitely check in on sunday (day/night) and look for a post from you then. will you be on the blog sunday night?
rebecca who?
Abda, It is up to the hitters and pitchers to adjust. But adjustments are more difficult if each team has a different strike zone.
For all the clamoring by ESPN, FOX, and the rest of the media about how great Jason Bulger’s AB was against Jorge Posada in Game 3. Here is a link to show that the final count to Jorge was 5-1. See, what happens is, each cheap call affects subsequent takes or swings. That is just baseball.
http://www.brooksbaseball.net/.....namlb_1%2F
Let me rephrase myself. Adjustments are harder for the team with the smaller pitching strike zone and the bigger hitting strike zone. >>>>>>>>>>>NYY
yeah i should be at some point, i check it pretty regularly
A-rod–thank you so much!
Abda
This goes to your point about some of the moves Scoscia made.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.co.....versy.html
I’m probably late to this, but so be it. I couldn’t disagree more with ,CB and those who are placing ALL the blame on AJ. LOL Come on……I suppose Andy was gutless when he blew the 3-0 lead? Where were the gutless comments then? Nowhere. The next few years are going to be fun. Don’t get mad at AJ for being an average pitcher – get mad at the Yankees (if you are so inclined) for spending unwisely (if you think they did) yet again. IMO, and I hate to say it, this is all on Phil. He had one job to do and one out to get and he completely fell apart. I still think the world of him and I think he will be a stud SP, but boy he was awful. I don’t know what to think of him going forward for this and future post-seasons. It was ugly.
Posada and AJ have to matched from now on – that much is clear. Of course, the Yankees have work to do. I am glad they are confident, but they don’t look that good to me. I think they are better than the Angels, but if they get to the WS (a big IF), I don’t see how they beat the Phillies with a pen in shambles (can’t count on Phil now)and hitters who aren’t hitting…..not to mention a so/so AJ and Chad Gaudin? Worst of all is a manager who I have absolutely zero trust in anymore. When you have to literally be scared of the moves a manager is going to make, you know it’s bad.
no problem at all….
Valerie G, I’m guessing there will be some amusing posts, some informative posts, lots and lots of annoying posts, but I’m not sure how many posts will be important.
‘Rebecca the ripp off artist’, if you’re going to make a claim like that, especially the ‘word for word’ part, you should back it up with quotes, including the threads and times they were taken from.
nick–ok. i get it. just tell me the good stuff
And I agree with respect to rebecca. what exactly did she take from here?
According to that site, that ball to walk Posada was actually a strike. But if you look at the rest of the called strikes, they were balls, so in that instance, the calls evened out.
http://latimesblogs.latimes.co.....trope.html
Here’s another one for all the ones that think that Joe is the one making all the wrong moves.
i’m not totally sure if you can do anything about copying comments on a blog word for word. they aren’t copyrighted and they’re completely anonymous.
Good visual….
Paradise City by Guns n Roses playing here and A-Rod cranking line drives everywhere. Wind blowing in from LF bigtime.
about 1 hour ago from web
Swish mentions something on the tape that I think is interesting. He said the Angels had been burying a lot of off-speed stuff on 3-2 counts, which we’ve all seen. He, Cano, Melk have swung at tons of junk in the dirt. 3-2 isn’t an automatic fb count. Many on here have commented on that.
The only useful thing that the FoxTrax thing has given me is the ‘reaction time’ number for the hitter. Anywhere from .3 to .5 seconds from release to swing. I understand that these guys are professional hitters and all, but the time it takes to pick up the release point, decide whether it’s a fb or off-speed, the location and then to swing… wow. I know I couldn’t do it. Hell, I can’t even do it in softball. (I’m lame, I know)
He got a pitch to hit, but just got under it. It’s not a consolation, but I’d be way more annoyed if he struck out on ball 4.
LOL Girardi……..give me a break. I don’t care if Alex runs like he’s carrying a bag of rocks on his back, you don’t pinch run for him.
Bench Swisher – he admitted to feeling the pressure right? I don’t want any guy in the lineup who admits to choking.
I’m not sure who posted this earlier, but someone said that Eiland mentioned Phil is getting nervous in these situations. That doesn’t speak well for Phil and Eiland should not be revealing that kind of info.
I am really getting nervous about the game tomorrow.
I have tickets and was planning on leaving after my 9am class tomorrow, however I don’t want to drive 3 hours to the city to find out the game is going to be cancelled… Do you guys think they will wait it out for a while to get the game in?
Obviously no one knows for certain but any insight would be helpful. Thanks guys..
When did Swisher admit to choking? Feeling pressure is not the same as ‘choking’.
If Swisher putting a pitched baseball in play and recording an out is ‘choking’, how is AJ giving up 4 runs before recording an out not ‘choking’?
Christina, Before the game starts, I believe that the home team has the discretion. I believe it is in the best interests of the Yankees to get the game in tomorrow, so they should at least start it. Am I correct in the home team discretion, guys?
“I’m probably late to this, but so be it. I couldn’t disagree more with ,CB and those who are placing ALL the blame on AJ. LOL Come on……I suppose Andy was gutless when he blew the 3-0 lead? Where were the gutless comments then? Nowhere. The next few years are going to be fun. Don’t get mad at AJ for being an average pitcher – get mad at the Yankees (if you are so inclined) for spending unwisely (if you think they did) yet again. IMO, and I hate to say it, this is all on Phil. He had one job to do and one out to get and he completely fell apart. I still think the world of him and I think he will be a stud SP, but boy he was awful. I don’t know what to think of him going forward for this and future post-seasons. It was ugly.”
***************************
It’s not all on Phil at all – that’s just not accurate at all.
AJ gave up six runs in six innings. Doesn’t it say something that I, who has never been critical of AJ, was pretty disgusted by his outing, even this morning?
They both had fairly ugly outings – end of story.
CR9
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:57 pm
Christina, Before the game starts, I believe that the home team has the discretion. I believe it is in the best interests of the Yankees to get the game in tomorrow, so they should at least start it. Am I correct in the home team discretion, guys?
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I think it’s up MLB and the umps.
Good point, Phil. Reaction time is nice to know. Does anybody really care about that other lame FOX thing, speed as it hits home plate. I’m not sure that bears any relevance at all.
CR9 – you’re right for the regular season, however, during the playoffs the commissioner’s office takes over. I think that primarily due to the obvious scheduling issues brought about by TV. I think that’s what happens.
MaineYankee is right. Playoff games are up to the discretion of MLB.
Christina
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:55 pm
I am really getting nervous about the game tomorrow.
I have tickets and was planning on leaving after my 9am class tomorrow, however I don’t want to drive 3 hours to the city to find out the game is going to be cancelled… Do you guys think they will wait it out for a while to get the game in?
Obviously no one knows for certain but any insight would be helpful. Thanks guys..
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You just go half way like on a fly ball to the outfield.
AJ shouldn’t have even been brought out for the 7th inning. You leave him in for as many innings as u can while he’s still pitching well, until u get the lead. It was obvious Joe should have gone to the pen in the 7th.
AJ had a horrible start to the game but he battled and kept his team in it- that is all u can ask for, especially considering how he started in the 1st inning. The obvious fact that the Yankees were able to come back and take a lead just proves totally that AJ did his job. Phil Hughes, and Phil Hughes alone is the only pitcher responsible for the loss. There’s really no way around it. He couldn’t even keep the game tied after the Vlad hit.
CR9:
Re: game start, I thought it was mentioned before game 2 that it’s up to MLB and the umps, but they ask the managers for their opinion. I recall Buck saying the umps asked Scioscia and Girardi if they wanted to start.
As for the stupid start speed/end speed thing, all I can say is, duh. You mean to tell me that something when you throw a ball at one speed, it will slow down and get to home plate slower than when it was thrown? That’s AMAZING! ::rolleyes::
Harold Reynolds says some thing that make you wonder if he ever played baseball. “All the pressure is on the Yankees”. Huh?
Who ever thought that the Angels would just roll over in this series? Many felt the key to this series would be for the Yankees to take one game out there. Of course that changed with each game played.
Thanks Maine, Joe and Josh.
I guess that means that MLB will be doing its darndest to make sure a game is not played tomorrow night.
As for the stupid start speed/end speed thing, all I can say is, duh. You mean to tell me that something when you throw a ball at one speed, it will slow down and get to home plate slower than when it was thrown? That’s AMAZING! ::rolleyes::”
You did not know that when Daniel Bard or Josh Beckett or Jon lester throw a 95-98 MPH fastball, it actually ends up at the plate at 105 mph. There pitches get faster as they go along and defy every law of gravity
Fox is just looking for things to say because their announcers are so poor. They are desperate to fill the time in.
The whole “pressure on the Yanks” thing sounds better to the media. Same as the whole “Girardi should be fired” thing. There’s no discussion/fodder if they say that the pressure is on the Angels.
Folks. It doesnt matter if the game isnt played till Tuesday. Lackey will not out pitch C.C.. Saunders will get shelled his next start. He played with fire his last start. He wont be so lucky. W.S. for our Yankees is inevitable. Plus i keep thinking this might be the best thing for us. In 2007, the Rockies got ice cold once their nlcs was over quickly. Maybe Phillies can follow suit.
Thank you, guys. I guess I will just have to hope they get the game in. Can’t take the chance and assume a rainout, not show up, then they end up playing.
Worst case scenario, I will sleep at the stadium Saturday night and wait for the game Sunday, whether they like it or not. I am sure one of the TV booths has to be heated with comfy chairs for one to sleep in.
CR: Well, for those guys, sure! But for the lowly Yanks, who are only human, Fox really needs to explain rudimentary physics to us. Isn’t this the same network that had a talking baseball explain how pitches work?
Sometimes technology shouldn’t be used, just because it can…
I have to say, Morales’ RBI single in the 7th was met by Joe Buck with the enthusiasm of a kid in a candy store, for lack of anything better I could come up with. He sounded rejuvenated, almost like one would think he might be after a GW Super Bowl catch.
CR: Well, for those guys, sure! But for the lowly Yanks, who are only human, Fox really needs to explain rudimentary physics to us. Isn’t this the same network that had a talking baseball explain how pitches work?
Sometimes technology shouldn’t be used, just because it can…
HAHAHAHAHA Scooter!!!
Christina, I’m sure Al Leiter can get you into the YES studio.
CR9,
I have to admit. I would love to see that start/end speed thing clocked on Wakefield. Better yet on Damons throw home from the outfield. Better yet, why not go a step further and have a runner start/end speed on a steal. Wonder what Flash Gardner vs. that new guy would be.
Nolan Ryan was the only big league pitcher in the modern era who could make the ball arrive at a higher speed.
You mean you didnt learn anything from Skeeter(i believe)the baseball? I was taking notes.
3: Unfortunately, with Gardner in Anaheim, the operative comparison is between his running speed from first to second and his trotting speed from second back to the dugout.
Nick:
I do like the fact that Ryan is trying to get the Rangers to use pitch counts less and their eyes more. That’s how it used to be and it worked out well for him and a whole host of Hall of Famers…
I think this will be done in Game 6. Even Accuscore has the Yankees winning it in 6, and Accuscore has been right this entire postseason. On top of that the lineup is starting to hit much better so I don’t expect Saunders to have a good night.
“All the pressure is on the Yankees”.
Have you ever heard a media member not say that. Up 2, down 2 or tied, everyone always says the pressure is on the Yankees.
Sure the pressure is on the Yankees. They have to win 1 game while the Angels only have win 2.
lol Nick. The reasoning there was the end vs. start speed time to home plate was much much faster on that pitch out. That doesnt count. Start with a clean slate. Ignoring the pickoff.
Josh Thomson October 23rd, 2009 at 7:01 pm
MaineYankee is right. Playoff games are up to the discretion of MLB.
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Thanks, Josh. You think you can sneak me up there and find me an open booth at night if the game is rained out?
Can’t see driving back home and back to the stadium the next day after making that trip.
“As for the stupid start speed/end speed thing, all I can say is, duh. You mean to tell me that something when you throw a ball at one speed, it will slow down and get to home plate slower than when it was thrown? That’s AMAZING!”
That is pretty amusing how they are incorporating that info. Most people know it’s relative, maybe not McCarver who seems to get excited every time they put up the graphic.
As far as Buck’s annoying and apparent enthusiasm whenever the Angels get something going, I just mute that BS. Same thing when McCarver starts talking about the end speed of a pitch.
Has anyone ever considered the fact that “all the pressure” is on BOTH teams… as it is in every playoff game.
Writers need to make a story out of every game, and for the majority of the writers/talking heads, NY being up against the wall, and having “all the pressure” on them is a more compelling story, nationwide.
How could there not be more pressure on the Angels? They lose and they go home.
But there is indeed pressure on NYY. Lose and they run the risk of blowing the series.
Both teams have pressure. Writers like to have a narrative to write. Talking head need something substantial to say.
Just have to ignore all that garbage. None of it means anything.
Christina,
Here in So.Cal there is cheap hotels called Motel 6. It looks identical in the room to a 5 star hotel with the lights turned off. Rent a room and sneak some food in the ballpark to make up for it. Problem solved.
pat
October 23rd, 2009 at 6:31 pm
@MLB Jeter just tried to show Girardi he can drag bunt from left side in BP. #epicfail
33 minutes ago from web
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Pat, I don’t know who wrote that, but, clearly, they don’t know a sac bunt from a sac fly. Right handed batters don’t drag bunt. Only left handed batters can drag bunt. That’s where the term came from, they are moving from the batter’s box and drag the ball up the first base line with them. Right handers will bunt, but, that’s a push bunt. I realize that it’s pretty much a case of semantics, but, if these writers want to sound intelligent, it would help to know the proper terms.
Can someone tell me how accuscore works? Is it computer generated. Expert combined numbers(not including our favorite Gammons)etc?
AJ never really looked like a good pitcher in the game tbh. Not many strikeouts, but a lot of deep fly ball outs, or lucky double plays.
I was thinking he should have been yanked as soon as they got the lead, and definitely after the leadoff single.
From Tom Verducci’s article in SI when they won the 98 World Series:
“Brosius’s RBI production (98) and clutch hitting (a team-high .372 with runners in scoring position) during the regular season from the seventh, eighth or ninth spots in the batting order typified not only the team’s depth but also its uncommon success in evaluating players. Despite Brosius’s poor batting average last year, the Yankees believed he was hurt by injuries and by having to play several positions. “No other team wanted to trade for him,” says Yankees scout Gene Michael. “We saw that his defense never went into a slump. We liked the fact that he was athletic and a hard worker.” New York dumped disgruntled lefthander Kenny Rogers to get Brosius.”
I thought Swish would be the new Scott Brosius. I guess not!
We can talk all we want to about what Girardi should have done or should do in a particular instance, which is natural to want to do. But you have too step back and look at the repeatability of the decisions that have been made to get an overall indication of what is probably going to happen. In
this regard Girardi, unfortunately, is far too predictable.
In the military the best performers and leaders seem to have good to excellent “situational awareness” and show flexibility in their thinking process. Unfortunately Girardi demonstrates a lack of flexibility in his thinking process that leads to repeated situation response. He is using static thinking processes within the context of a dynamic situation that doesn’t bode well in the near future for both the ALCS and WS. Also, He is too “married” to his initial decisions, which then greatly affects his subsequent thinking and decisions. The thinking is I must have been right when I made the first decision so the tendency is to repeat the same action. Not uncommon, but it has no place in combat as it can negatively contribute to the outcome.
Recognizing fatigue, especially mental fatigue, is very important and when given the chance should be exercised. Usually a short rest is all that is necessary, and it is all that I am advocating. In this case, sitting someone out for a single game of baseball. Unfortunately baseball managers seem particularly loath to practice this concept.
I have nothing against any of the Yankees players, but their current sate of level of performance needs to be included in the decision making. Girardi needs to be practicing short term situational awareness rather than just practicing the “standard operating procedures” method of baseball managers.
An obvious example is Girardi’s tendency to repeatedly use overly slumping batters and overly struggling pitchers. Perhaps Girardi has become overly close or vested in particular players to make good situational awareness decisions.
If the above observations and speculations are correct, then Girardi’s decisions are fairly predictable. He is most likely going to continue to put Swish in every game, rather than sit him out for one game; and he is going to continue to use Joba in the 7th inning, rather than use Robertson.
As always it’s ultimately up to the player to perform. However, better situational awareness and flexible decision making on the part of Girardi would seem warranted. Practicing SOP managing in the postseason isn’t going to help.
Stiltus,
I think they are trying to give people an idea of the relative change in velocity. I was unaware that it was that much. However, it doesn’t affect how much time the batter has to react, that hasn’t changed. And I agree that they are overusing it.
Let’s all be grateful that the Yankees finished with the best record and HFA. Playing 4 games in Anaheim would have been much more challenging.
Nice to see Cano taking batting practice, but can someone tell me why they don’t have men standing at second and third every time he’s in the cage? Maybe he’d hit better with RISP if he actually practiced it every single day.
was that Pete who asked Jete the first question?