Another postseason start for Colby Lewis
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Oct 30, 2010 
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Tonight, the Giants get their chance against Colby Lewis. The Yankees had two chances against him, and couldn’t solve him either time.
“We have confidence in all of our starters,” third baseman Michael Young said. “But Colby’s coming off the win that got us to the World Series, and we have a ton of confidence in him.”
With the DH back in play, the Rangers get to use their regular lineup in tonight’s Game 3. It’s not quite a must-win for the Rangers, but it’s very close.
• Nolan Ryan is throwing the ceremonial first pitch.
• Kelly Clarkson is singing the National Anthem, and actress Martha Plimpton is singing God Bless America.
• The actual first pitch is scheduled for 6:57 ET, the earliest World Series start time in more than 20 years.
Associated Press photo
Do the Texas Rangers have anyone besides Nolan Ryan to throw out the first pitch??????
Juan Gonzalez?
David Clyde?
Lenny Randle and Frank Lucchesi, together?
Just one more … Chuck Norris?
AldotheApache -
Thanks for that.
Lenny Randle – there’s a name I haven’t heard for a while!
The Lone Ranger?
I see McGargle is rooting for the Rangers tonight.
I must confess … this is the first game I’m watching. And I’m just killing time here! When the Yankees’ season ends, so does mine.
Texas says they’re aggressive on the basepaths; no, they’re reckless. Sometimes they get lucky.
GB7′s nomination wins!
Chuck Norris?
GB7-
Funny!
Jerry Jones
Doreen October 30th, 2010 at 7:34 pm
Texas says they’re aggressive on the basepaths; no, they’re reckless. Sometimes they get lucky.
——————————————————
Absolutely! High risk – high reward. But if you play against a good veteran defense, you don’t get away with it very often.
Of course, they didn’t need to … not with all the scorching line drives they hit against our guys.
Ya know, it really stinks that the Yankees aren’t playing tonight.
Why am I not surprised?
I kind of wanted Sanchez to fail tonight, even though I’m rooting for the Giants. I have my reasons…
I was hoping for a SF sweep.
Tom in N.J. October 30th, 2010 at 7:36 pm
Chuck Norris?
———————————-
Tom, are you submitting his name? Or wondering why I did? If it’s the latter reason … “Walker, Texas Ranger.”
Doreen, that’s a conundrum! Share your reason, if you will.
Laura -
It’s early; it could still happen. I don’t want the Giants to fail, just Sanchez.
That was TWO balls called strikes against Renteria. Even McGargle the Ranger fan said it.
I missed your post Aldo.
I guess I’m seconding your nomination…
AldotheApache -
I think his talents have been overstated on this blog…..
Tom, that’s cool. I was just wondering.
Doreen, it looks like your gonna get your wish. It looks like it’s going to be an early night for Sanchez, with the ropes they’re hitting off him.
An aside, I know it’s old news, but I’d like to share … when CC’s knee surgery was announced, all I could think was, “Damn, bad knee and all – and he turns in a 21-7 season and may win the CYA. What a gamer! He’s worth every penny!”
The game is on Fox on Cablevision!
What happened?
AldotheApache -
I have to admit that at first I was a skeptic as far as CC was concerned. Boy, has he proved me very, very wrong. He’s a gamer, and he’s like the nicest guy in baseball, to boot! What a season!
I’ll tell ya, I’m of the opinion that a lot of times, things happen (or don’t) for a reason. I was not overly upset that the Yankees didn’t advance this year. And after hearing about CC’s and Andy’s troubles, I’m glad they didn’t have to be pushed further. Who knows what could have happened. Not saying I’m glad the Yankees didn’t get to the WS, just that it might not be the worst thing to happen.
Burrell has not been impressive so far. I know he meant a lot to the Giants when he first joined the team, but right now? Well, he did make a great catch earlier.
At least Lewis is an enigma to the Giants, too.
Doesn’t look like anybody hits Colby Lewis…..
Rangers still saying that Hunter is pitching tomorrow…..crazy, luckily the Yankees already have a guy that can go 1, 4, 7 if need be…..Cliff can slot in games 2 and 6 nicely. Meaning that in a 7 game series either Sabathia or Lee could pitch 5 of the 7 games if they really needed them to.
Doreen, if you mean you were a skeptic at first when the Yankees were courting CC, then so was I. Bigtime!
I didn’t give much weight to his post season problems before the Yankees. But I WAS thinking that no way he’d last 7-8 season, as big as he is.
But hell, the guy is in good enough shape to pitch like he did on a bad knee! Not too shabby.
Like many of us have said here, it’s not about spending the money … it’s about the choices (see the poor Mets for reference).
Cashman deserves all the credit.
Doreen,
J. Sanchez has been the worst Giants starter this postseason from what I’ve seen. I want the Gaints to win the WS but I knew they would have a tougher time with him on the mound. Also, am I the only one who is constantly wondering which sanchez is which when they are up to bat? I finally realized they bat from different sides of the plate
Anybody got a donut ?
AldotheApache -
That’s exactly what I meant.
I didn’t realize the stamina he has, the heart he pitches with. Any of it.
I was really blinded by his size.
Cashman had him in his sights for awhile, I guess, and really went after him. He may have had some misses on the pitching front, but this was a big, big HIT.
tyanksfan36 -
I agree about Sanchez being the least impressive of the Giants starters. I don’t like his demeanor and he hasn’t been “on” to say the least.
I am also getting confused about the batting Sanchez’ – I didn’t even notice they bat from different sides!!!
I kind of figured the Rangers would win tonight – for no logical reason.
Game’s not over, but 4 runs seems like a huge lead the way Lewis is pitching (again).
GreenBeret7 October 30th, 2010 at 7:32 pm
The Lone Ranger?
____________________________________________
He’s dead, but then again the Rangers might join him soon.
Giants only need 1 game in Texas, they should get at least 1.
Later
Ruby Tuesday is a MO – RON.
my guess is that payroll will be up around 220 mil next year, that will make a lot of people happy
If Feliz changed his name to Darren, would they let him pitch?
Rangers take all 3 middle games. They have to.
Giants in WS? REALLY?
So Colby Lewis is for real……I guess it was too much to hope for that the Giants would sweep.
Source: Dave Eiland Felt De-emphasized.
By Andrew Marchand
ESPNNewYork.com
NEW YORK — Although Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he had no prior knowledge that pitching coach Dave Eiland would be fired following the season, a person with knowledge of the relationship between Eiland and Girardi said it went south after Eiland returned in June from his nearly month-long personal leave of absence.
The person said that, upon his return, Eiland believed his opinions were de-emphasized. It is unclear if by the end of the season if Eiland and Girardi were working better together. Neither could be reached for comment Saturday.
After the Yankees’ lost in the American League Championship Series to the Texas Rangers, general manager Brian Cashman said it was his decision alone to make the change. Girardi said he had no warning that Cashman might want to make a change until the general manager told him.
“When we left [last Saturday] I talked to all my coaches … anticipating that everyone was going to be back,” Girardi said Friday. “I don’t think I’ve ever anticipated not having my whole coaching staff back. [But] Cash felt it was important that we make a change. So I said basically, ‘OK. You got to move on.’ ”
During the season, Eiland’s absence coincided with A.J. Burnett’s demise. In June, Burnett went 0-5 with an 11.35 ERA. In July, with Eiland back, Burnett was 3-1 with a 2.00 ERA.
Eiland, though, could never fully straighten out Burnett. It could be argued that the failure of Burnett was the biggest reason the Yankees are not playing right now. If Burnett didn’t finish with the worst ERA for a Yankees starter in team history (5.26), then he would have won more than 10 games and lost fewer than 15.
Eiland also may have been more outspoken than the tight-lipped Girardi would have liked. For example, before Javier Vazquez’s season went downhill, Eiland revealed the pitcher had a “dead arm,” which is a condition the manager had not mentioned.
Often when answering questions, Eiland would point to the manager’s office when there was a query that could get him in trouble.
Cashman and Girardi both have praised Eiland as a pitching coach, and have no replacement yet in mind. They are beginning the hiring process now, but ultimately they believed Eiland was no longer the right man for the job. The change became official in October, but it may have started in June.
“It could be argued that the failure of Burnett was the biggest reason the Yankees are not playing right now.”
Not very persuasively, imo.
It certainly was a fairly significant contributing factor don’t you think?
As much as I would like to blame Burnett (and never see him pitch for the Yankees again), neither CC nor Hughes pitched particularly well, the bridge to Wood/Mariano was underwhelming, and the offense couldn’t produce, especially with RISP.
I think all of those were much bigger factors.
Plus, Texas was simply better.
All true. I think maybe the writer was referring to the entire season not just the Texas series. Maybe not, the writing is a bit ambiguous.
It’s all about pitching and what was thought of in April as a strength turned out to be a weakness because of Burnett and Vazquez. I guess, given that, it was inevitable that someone be held accountable and Eiland was the logical sacrificial lamb. Maybe he deserved it, as a fan it’s hard to know.
The more I watch this game the more convinced I am that you can’t have too many high-end starters. I’d love to see the Yankees go after another near-the-top of the rotation guy in addition to Lee. It would be worth it IMO to give up some top prospects and even a major leaguer or two to get one. Someone like a Clayton Kershaw, Tommy Hansen or Yovani Galardo.
CC had a very good year – no problems with him at all. His knee probably had something to do with his problems in the post-season – but even so, I wouldn’t “blame” Eiland for him. I don’t blame Eiland for Phil, either..really, there’s only so much you can expect a pitching coach to do. If the player doesn’t execute, it’s on the player.
That article was stupid – no one can fix AJ. AJ is what he is………for better or for worse
. . . and he’s ours for three more years.
Let’s all hope you’re not with us that JE.
WCYF – Redfish – Vineyard Yankee – BobbyCA
Good night, the folks at the Daily News Blogs & Hermosa Beach Patch say hi.
Sorry, I forgot, you can’t blog there any longer after being banned, and your blogs deleted.
Interesting take from Ledger.
“Girardi may oversee a reshuffling of the lineup. Girardi left the door open during a conference call Friday to making changes in the batting order, depending on the pieces brought back next season.
It’s an issue that hits directly at Jeter. The Yankees captain has always hit in the upper third of the order. But at age 36, Jeter hit just .270 this season and reached base at a .340 clip, generally not a high enough rate to justify the extra plate appearances that come with a spot near the top of the order.
“I don’t think you just look at the leadoff spot,’ Girardi said. ”I think you look at every slot and how our club is made up. … Our lineup is something that could maybe change a little next year.’’
That’s music to my ears!
http://www.nydailynews.com/blo.....nt=Twitter
Eiland calls ESPN report “absolutely ridiculous”
A major problem with sports reporting; one anonymous source.
“…a person with knowledge of the relationship between Eiland and Girardi”.
I doubt Marchand invented the source. But who knows how credible he or she is.
1. “A major problem with sports reporting; one anonymous source.
“…a person with knowledge of the relationship between Eiland and Girardi”.
I doubt Marchand invented the source. But who knows how credible he or she is.”
That’s why Woodward and Bernstein needed two sources for everything. Well, that and the fact that this is sportswriting. It’s “info-tainment,” not Hard News. Then again, what passes for news these days is pretty low.
2. In case you are already making out that summer reading list, check this out: Loopyca has a new “novel” coming out. A real departure from his teen series, including Heat and Travel Team.
Publishers Weekly praised the novel, saying “Lupica offers a change of pace from his previous sports stories for younger readers, deftly reworking the traditional superhero origin story into a moving tale of adolescent growth.”
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....z13vx8WSPr
ROFL. Mr. Tough Guy sportswriter, “deftly reworking the traditional superhero origin story into a moving tale of adolescent growth?” Gag me.
Marchand gets owned:
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....BnWeTTesUO
Sort of like Dan Rather.
Eiland is entitled to his privacy, but when you take a leave of absence in the middle of the season, it’s hardly unexpected that the media will engage in speculation about potential consequences, even if it’s putatively sourced.
Dan Rather? Can we please leave politics off the board, because any discussion about the story you are referencing invites a political discussion.
If Harkey replaces Eiland, I will lose some faith in this organization. Get an innovative guy with an impressive resume of major success.
Rich in NJ:
Accurate analogies aren’t “political,” IMO.
A reporter who gets out in front of a story based on one source who turns out to be unreliable is the equivalent of another reporter who got out in front of a story relying on one source who turned out to be unreliable. One of the most memorable occasions when a reporter made the same mistake was Mr. R’s mistake.
Drawing accurate analogies shouldn’t give grownups agita.
Rich in NJ October 31st, 2010 at 7:51 am
If Harkey replaces Eiland, I will lose some faith in this organization. Get an innovative guy with an impressive resume of major success.
~~~~~~~~~~
I wouldn’t just lose some, I’d lose a lot.
Almost all good reporters only go forward with two sources. I guess sports is down there pretty low on the totem pole in terms of “hard news” requirements. Well, it also has a lot to do with the reporter’s editor.
A lot of true stories are denied by multiple sources. Doesn’t mean a thing.
I’m on the fence on this one re Eiland.
http://www.nydailynews.com/spo.....es_pl.html
What is all this talk about Jeter moving to 3d base? He doesn’t have the arm, throwing accuracy for 3d base and A-Rod still plays a pretty good third base, even if he has to play it less often.
And if they need to rest Jeter at SS, they’ll need to rest him at 3d base too, no? So, assuming they move Jeter to 3d, they will need an everyday SS replacement, plus still have A-Rod play 3d base part time. That would be extra weird, the two of them playing the same position – - and A-Rod playing it better, IMO. I don’t endorse this idea but it makes more sense in view of Jeter’s arm to move him to 2d, Cano to third and A-Rod back to SS. The problems with that are two of the three would be learning new positions and there is no way Jeter plays 2d as well as Cano does. IMO, leave A-Rod at 3d, have Nunez spell A-Rod and Jeter and see how it goes.
Arm strength and accuracy are needed more at SS than at 3B. Jeter could play third…but that doesn’t help anything because Arod would have to DH (he couldn’t play SS anymore). They aren’t moving Cano because he’s maybe the best 2b in baseball and that’s his natural position.
Best thing to do is to let Jeter play SS until they have a better option to replace him….which at present they don’t. The worries about Jeter’s defense in 2010 are overstated IMO….
murphydog -
But, but, but that makes sense.
Wang IS Taiwan:
“A lot of true stories are denied by multiple sources. Doesn’t mean a thing.
I’m on the fence on this one re Eiland.”
I’m not cynical enough yet to say that one voice crying against the others is obviously the truthful one
On the face of it, the more witnesses that contradict an account, the less likely the account is to be true, unless the multiple witnesses have credibility flaws. But it certainly happens that sometimes only one person in a story is willing to tell the truth. Deep Throat for example.
Editors are supposed to be the gatekeepers. But even editors need to pay the bills. Yankee hate sells papers (generates web hits). Girardi is a proponent of the white lie to protect his guys, including Cash and to a lesser extent now, Eiland. A Girardi denial plus a source might almost equal two sources if a person were to squint and needed to sell newspapers.
Donuts = Doreen ? ?
Doreen:
“But, but, but that makes sense.”
I guess. But Jeter at 2d, Cano at 3d and A-Rod at SS would be “tres” weird. Like when Fritz Petersen and Mike Kekich traded wives!
blake:
“Arm strength and accuracy are needed more at SS than at 3B.”
As a general rule I agree. I do, however, cringe sometimes now when Jete releases the ball, even when he’s not hurried. The solution is as you stated: Jete plays SS until they have a real option to replace him.
murphydog -
I meant – Nunez coming to fill in on occasion for ARod and Jeter makes sense. Should have made that clear.
I’m not a proponent of the rotating infielders. Or wife-swapping.
The answer for a pitching coach does not lie with Mazzone (out of touch for 3 years) nor does it lie with Harkey who I believe has never been a full time PC.
I think Cashman will stay within the organization and select Aldred, if not try Cone or Mussina if they are interested that is.
Hey MurphyDog,
Who you calling cynical?!
We’ve seen time and time again how Girardi likes to keep all the “juicy” stuff in-house to protect…whomever. I don’t see those stories as Yankee “hate” stories — just good old-fashioned gossip that folks in this world love.
I’m just not surprised nor am I convinced when several in the organization are willing to vehemently deny possible relationship problems. But every organization has flair-ups. That’s just life.
I think there was simply a lot of curiosity about the firing if it wasn’t performance-based. I don’t really care one way or the other, but I’m not swayed blindly by the denials nor by the original report.
Doreen!!!
Wife-swapping coming from you?!? Shocking, just shocking.
Doreen:
“I’m not a proponent of the rotating infielders. Or wife-swapping.”
As strategies, they’re about equally like to work out in the long run
Wang IS Taiwan:
“I think there was simply a lot of curiosity about the firing if it wasn’t performance-based. I don’t really care one way or the other, but I’m not swayed blindly by the denials nor by the original report.”
Honestly can’t really say you’re 100% wrong. The denials of the ESPN story may well just be pinstriped tail covering more than anything else, a version of “you didn’t get that from me.”
Murph,
Yea I know how it looks sometimes but Jeter’s throwing really doesn’t worry me all that much…he’s pretty accurate and can still air one out when he needs to. Range is the only real issue defensively to me with him.
I actually do think we may be heading for a situation down the road where Jeter is at 3rd and Alex is the primary DH…especially if his.hip continues to give him trouble…but I don’t think we are there yet and its a premature decision to make at this point.
The Yankees once decided to put the better SS option at 3B and now some think they should entertain putting the better 3B option at DH?
Francesa started this looking to create a position for Jeter and everyone else has jumped on board.
I don’t think.anybody thinks they should put alex at DH now….or maybe not even in the future but its something I think you have to be open to if he keeps having injury issues….hopefully that’s in the past now but you never know.
I’m not that concerned who the pitching coach is, but wonder why some fans are so anti-Harkey. I believe he is well liked, has extensive minor-league experience and his stint in the pen should have served him well in terms of knowing the staff intimately.
If after interviewing candidates the Yankees hire him, what would the casual fan know about his qualifications to be against the move? After paying their dues, people deserve a shot.