Postgame notes: “We have to do our job”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes, Podcast on Aug 06, 2011 
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This is not the bullpen the Yankees meant to build. Boone Logan’s not supposed to be their top left-hander. Cory Wade’s not supposed to be pitching out of trouble in the sixth. Rafael Soriano is not supposed to be pitching the seventh, and Dave Roberton is not meant to be handling the eighth.
It’s not exactly how the Yankees drew it up this winter, but it might be just as good as they hoped.
“We have to do our job,” Mariano Rivera said. “We have enough people out there that can do the job.”
Tonight was really the first time we saw the Yankees full bullpen as it’s currently designed. It was the first time Soriano pitched in a significant spot since coming off the disable list, and having him in the seventh let everyone else fall into place. Five relievers were brought in for very specific jobs, and they all got it done. That’s why the Yankees are in first place.
Sure, the defense played pretty well tonight, and the lineup was able to scratch across some runs on Jon Lester, but this win rested on the pen. The Yankees relievers have allowed two earned runs on the road since July 15, a span of 26 innings with a 0.69 ERA. This was the second time in three games that the bullpen pitched four-plus innings.
“Our bullpen has been excellent, and we’ve had a lot of guys step up,” Joe Girardi said. “Booney, we go all the way back to Cincinnati, he’s been outstanding ever since Cincinnati. You get a big out from Cory Wade. Soriano, we get him back for his third appearance. Goes through a tough spot, does a good job, ends up getting Ellsbury out; this guy’s playing as good as anyone. Robby comes in and some guys that have had some success, he gets them out. And then Mo just does what he does. Our bullpen was outstanding.”
Here’s Girardi.
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Logan’s strikeout in the fifth inning was certainly the biggest out of the night, and it’s in the conversation for the biggest out of the season so far.
Given what was at stake. Given who was at the plate. Given the fact the Yankees hadn’t beaten the Red Sox since April. This game would have gotten out of hand had Gonzalez ripped a double into the corner, but Logan struck him out on three pitches.
“When he swung at that first slider I threw, I knew he had no chance,” Logan said. “If I just get this ball down in the dirt, he’s going to swing over it.”
Logan’s been much better since that first month and a half, and given all the lefties in this Boston lineup, he’s going to be crucial in the division race and possibly in the playoffs.
“He’s aggressive going after people,” Larry Rothschild said. “The velocity is up and when it’s there, he’s going at people aggressively.”
Here’s Logan.
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• Pretty good line from Derek Jeter about finally beating the Red Sox: “Percentages were probably on our side to win a game, right?” the captain said. “We can’t worry about how we played against them earlier in the season. We feel as if we’re playing well. We’re pitching well. It’s a big win, but you want to continue to play well. No one in here is talking about what happened earlier in the year.”
• An eight-game winning streak is the Yankees longest of the season.
• The Yankees struggled against Jon Lester, but in the sixth inning they scratched out three runs with timely hits and good at-bats. Even Robinson Cano’s double play came in a nine-pitch at-bat and resulted in the tying run. “Jon is a heck of a pitcher, there’s no doubt about it,” Nick Swisher said. “We had him on the ropes, and whenever you have a guy like that on the ropes, you have to put him down. You have to do your best to get that last run in.”
• Swisher on his go-ahead double past third base: “I thought Youkilis made a great play on it, because I lost it when it went by him. I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me.’ Then I saw it bouncing and I was like, ‘All right – yippee!’”
• Yes, Swisher actually said, “Yippee!”
• Jeter and Eduardo Nunez were both thrown out attempting to steal. The Yankees had been caught stealing only three times in their previous 51 attempts. The last time two Yankees were caught in the same game was way back on June 20 in Cincinnati.
• Bartolo Colon showed a lot of velocity and seemed to have good life on his fastball, but the Red Sox made him work. He was at 94 pitches after 4.2 innings, and after that infield single loaded the bases, Girardi didn’t want to take any chances with Colon against Gonzalez. “He had seen Bartolo a few times,” Girardi said. “I just thought, he’s getting a little tired, he’s thrown a lot of pitches this inning. I don’t want him to leave a ball up or a ball in the middle of the plate. I’m going to make a change.”
• Colon recorded his 100th strikeout of the season when Carl Crawford struck out in the fourth inning. It’s the first time Colon has struck out at least 100 batters in a season since 2005 when he had 157 Ks with the Angels.
• The home run Colon allowed to David Ortiz snapped his four-start homerless streak that dated back to July 14. Of the 12 home runs he’s allowed, 13 have been solo shots.
• Colon also walked a guy. The Yankees didn’t walk anyone during the White Sox series.
• Jeter’s run in the sixth inning was the 1,742nd of his career, passing Honus Wagner for 21st place on baseball’s all-time runs scored list… Rivera moved into a tie with Jose Mesa and Lee Smith for 10th on baseball’s all-time games pitched list. He’s pitched in 1,022 games.
• Last word goes to Swisher: “Right now, we feel pretty confident. It’s not a cocky confident, it’s a confidence on the inside that we know when we take that field, we’re going to give it all we got. We’ve been playing great baseball the past couple weeks, so we just want to continue it and keep it going.”
Associated Press photos
Chad…….Great coverage tonight, and we thank you…….
Actually Girardi and Cashman are probably having their best years in their career as management. All respect to Cashman in standing by his convictions and taking responsibility for his decisions. Would have been very easy to cave and overpay for Jiminez. Getting Rothschild was another master stroke.
Girardi is quietely going about his business – all the fuss and feathers re starting pitching, BP injuries, etc are a non issue. A nice quiet clubhouse. He’s not adding to the drama of the Jorges, AJs and A Rods. Professionals ar work, my highest praise.
Are the Yankees on an 8-game losing streak?
“Of the 12 home runs he’s allowed, 13 have been solo shots.”
I was never good with that ‘new math.”
An eight-game losing streak is the Yankees longest of the season.
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Is this a miss print? Should it be eight game winning streak?
Wow. Winning streak. Losing streak. Something like that. I’m definitely blaming that one on being exhausted! Good night everyone.
Go to bed, Chad!
Finally, a Boston writer (Massorotti) who admits to what Yankee fans have seen for some time:
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Let’s be honest with ourselves, Red Sox followers. When this season began, we all believed the Red Sox were the best team in the American League, if not all of baseball. Most of us conceded that if the Red Sox did not win the division this year, it would be a disappointment. The Red Sox appeared to have the far better team on paper, and most everyone, including Cashman, regarded the Red Sox as the team to beat in the AL.
Four months in, with essentially two-thirds of the season gone, there is no longer any gap between Boston and New York. The teams are running neck and neck. And while the division title generally means nothing, maybe it’s time for everyone to admit that the Yankees are right there with the Red Sox and Philadelphia Phillies among the World Series favorites, no matter how much we all try to convince ourselves otherwise.
This has been especially true with regard to the pitching staff, of course, which is where the biggest discrepancy between these clubs was alleged to have been when the season began. As it has turned out, New York currently ranks second in the AL in team ERA, the Red Sox eighth. And before anyone suggests that the difference can be accounted for solely in the bullpen – the Yankees have the best bullpen ERA in the AL and the fewest relief losses – New York’s starting rotation (54 wins and a 3.63 ERA) has outpitched Boston’s (49 wins, 4.14 ERA).
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http://www.boston.com/sports/c.....nkees.html
After four full months of baseball, after all the glowing reviews for the Red Sox’s offseason and all the dire predictions about the Yankees, their geriatric starting rotation and the Jurassic left side of their infield, after all the silliness of awarding Boston the World Series before an exhibition game had been played and all the foolishness of characterizing the $200 million Yankees as some sort of pathetic underdog, it has come down to this.
When the baseball world wakes up on Aug. 6, 2011, the Yankees will be in first place, a game ahead of The Greatest Team Ever Assembled with John Henry’s Money.
It’s improbable, yes, considering that the Yankees are old, the Red Sox are loaded, and through the first four months of the season the Yankees had seemed to have more players on the disabled list, or in a hospital bed or on an operating table than they did in their clubhouse.
And now, on Aug. 6 — I’m repeating the date here because it has some significance that I will remind you of later — after doggedly stalking the Red Sox for two months, the Yankees are atop the AL East.
http://espn.go.com/new-york/ml.....on-red-sox
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Matthews said that Bartolo looked none too pleased at being lifted and that he wasn’t around the clubhouse after the game. Is this true, Chad?
Anyway, I can understand why he’d be peeved. But he should be grateful he wasn’t tagged with the “L”.
Colon has only himself to blame for loading the bases. I hope it’s not true that he was peeved. Doesn’t sound too much like Colon.
You know, though, Colon may have thought: Hey Girardi, why are you lifting me when you let AJ pitch the Yanks right out of game after game before taking him out?
I want my pitchers to be peeved when they’re lifted by the manager. I’m sure Colon feels he could do better, but Girardi is trying to do what’s best for the team and win a game. By the way, I swore I saw an interview piece with Colon in the post game show.
I don’t know why Yankee fans read that hack Matthews. He hates the Yankees and does nothing, but negative articles on them. Stop giving his site hits by clicking on his articles. There are better writers covering the Yankees without any personal agenda.
Good morning.
Got to get to work but I just wanted to check in. Nothing like a big W and intelligent discussion to make this place a must-read.
Back later, but gave a good day all. No name calling
Driving to starbucks this morning and the Granderson special from E60 was on the radio……he really is an inspiring guy. Just a special player on and off the field that is roaming CF these days for the Yankees.
Great game last night…..Let’s go CC today!
Dante Bichette Jr. had a rough debut in pro ball, going 3-for-26 in his first eight games with the Yankees’ Gulf Coast League affiliate.
But since July 1, when Bichette made some changes to his swing on his own, the supplemental first-round pick in June’s First-Year Player Draft has been on a tear, hitting .398 with three home runs and 28 RBIs in 26 games.
“Obviously he comes from a baseball family, and not many kids have the background he has, but I haven’t seen anything like it,” Mark Newman, the organization’s senior vice president of baseball operations, said. “I haven’t seen anybody make the adjustments he’s made on his own.
Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....z1UFTUCX9f
GCL stats don’t mean much……but Id much rather see a guy OPS over 1 than struggle…….plus all the walks would indicate that Dante knows what he’s doing up there and has a nice approach…..Might turn out to be a steal of a pick……you never know….so far so good.
Gotta jump on what Bo knows said last night about the jobs that Cashman and Girardi have done this year…..both have been great. So far every dumpster dive Cashman has made has turned if not to gold at least to a productive piece and Girardi is IMO having his best season managing the Yankees…….he’s learning and he’s getting better. Love where this organization is going……..they have what every fan wants right now…..a chance for this year and a lot of hope for the future. Just consider that one of the Yankees problems is that they have too many starting pitchers……and that “problem” is only going to get worse next year.
Imagine how incredible the Yankee pen would be if Joba hadn’t gotten hurt
4 closer arms at the back end…….
Good morning.
That was quite a display by our BP last night. Great win.
Going for the series win today.
Unfortunately, I will have to miss today’s game.
Have to trade off one passion for another.
Got a chance to do one my 6 favorite hikes so off I go.
It would be sweet to win but we’ve done the minimum necessary so the pressure is off IMO.
I hope CC has a game to fit his size.
SI_JonHeyman 5 Aug officer at Bev Hills PD laughed when i asked if poker at home was illegal. “we’d have to lock up half the city if it was.”
Funny how such things get reported as illegal when they aren’t actually….you know…illegal. it’s almost as if the media gets there information from the tabloids……..oh wait.
MTU,
Silver lining…..you don’t have to hear Buck and McArver…….its almost to the point that Id really just rather listen to the game on radio than to watch on FOX. Have a good adventure bud
Blake-
Thanks. I will. You have a great day as well.
I always have the TV on mute when those 2 are on.
You’re right about Joba. A BP like that would be one for the ages.
Maybe next year ?
Have to say that last night, Soriano looked like the Soriano of last year. Filthy. Unhittable.
MTU,
Yup….next year they should have all 4. Yankees future is very bright.
Are the Yankees getting ready to go into Dynasty mode again ?
Just look at all the talent with more on the way.
Ability to cherry pick FA’s too.
Scary for the rest of the baseball world say I.
MTU, that was the plan all along. Love that we have stuck to our guns. We will be formidable, going forward and with a ridiculous core. Have a good hike!
Up in Bahston they are all scratching their heads over the loss.
They wonder how their super team got beat. At home.
The answer:
The Yankees are wicked good. And we didn’t even have A-rod.
Looking at the standing this morning……couple.of things jump out. The Tigers are widening their lead…….the Giants cannot shake the Dbacks…….and dont look now but the Angels are only a game back of Texas. The Angels can’t hit but they have a pretty good little rotation there in a short series. Just some observations. Towers has done a phenomenal job with the Dbacks…..getting some Ks off the roster, building their pen etc….
YF-
Leaving soon. thanks.
I hope you get to see the Yankees pound another nail into Boston’s coffin today.
Blake-
You’re right about Towers.
He just has one more important thing to do.
MTU, we got the Big Man going, and he is due.
MTU,
I think they have a chance to have another run soon…..obviously a lot depends on how the kids actually pan out and how they are able to replace key cogs like Jeter and Arods production as they age. There could be a perfect storm brewing though of prospects developing and players hitting free agency. Consider that the Yankees could theoretically add Montero, Betances, Banuelos,…..and then Hamels and Matt Kemp by 2013..
Last night was one of those win that makes everyone feel good.
This is a really good team with an off-the-charts bullpen that has the best record in the league despite long stretches without Jeter and ARod and horrific productivity from the DH.
If we can just get over this obsession about who the ” number two ” is for the post-season we might actually enjoy what this team is accomplishing
Good morning.
I got to watch the game on replay last night. Just so proud of our team. Scratching against Lester enough to eke out the win, with the strong bullpen literally saving the day. Special kudos to Logan, who took ARod message to “have a plan” very much to heart. Loved seeing Soriano skip off the mound in the 7th, like a guy with a purpose and glad to be there.
Eduardo Nunez continues to make me like him a lot.
The reliability of that bullpen has given Girardi the ability to pull his starters early if necessary, like with AJ and Colon this past week. If Logan hadn’t been doing the job, Girardi could be tempted to let Colon work out of his own trouble. But with the groundwork the bullpen has laid over the past month (and more) you know Girardi has no hesitation at all. The effectiveness of the bullpen makes this Yankees team very difficult to beat.
And the starters have not been too shabby either!
blake, Angels come in Tuesday, so our hitters will get a look at their pitching. I think Haren starts. Weaver-Burnett on Wed. I’ll never forget that playoff game against them where Colon was hurt and we faced and couldn’t hit Ervin. Never have liked the Angels…
SI_JoeLemire On Boston-bound train out of NYC. Most folks are sleeping, but conductor chimed in, “This is the Bronx, home of the first-place NY Yankees. ” No other announcement, just that.
pat
I said last week, that by the time I get to Newport, RI next week on vacation, I expected us to be in first place. That’s already happened. Just keep on lengthening the lead now, boys. Almost nothing more fun than wandering around New England in a Yankee cap. I am practicing my strut.
Some Red Sox fans are such babies. Always making excuses for losing and poor play.
If it isn’t the umps then it has to be someone using HGH/ steroids because Boston players are clean and the 2011 Red Sox are the best team ever.
Some just can’t admit that the Yankees are a really good team and that they are not the same team they were months ago.
yankeefeminista -
You are indeed a brave soul!
pat -
That tweet certainly brings a smile to the lips.
A couple of interesting things from an interview with Chipper Jones other than Citifield is killing Wright and Bays careers and the Mets should re-sign Reyes because hitting it in the gap is what you have to bank on when the walls are so tall and far….
“Jones pointed to one slip-up, the trade with Texas for Mark Teixeira when the Braves sent Elvis Andrus, Neftali Perez, Matt Harrison and Jarrod Saltalamacchia to the Rangers.
“One thing we try not to do is mortgage the future,” Jones said. “I think we can be guilty of that in the Teixeira trade but we still have beaucoups prospects down there.”
and on the Yankees cautious approach with injuries
………..Jones underwent knee surgery July 9, and recently got a text from Alex Rodriguez. “We talk,” Jones said of their friendship. “I think his [knee] was probably a little more severe than mine. It’s probably going to take a while longer for him to come back because of that. He texted me and said: ‘How you feeling?’
“I said, ‘I’m rehabbing in A-ball. I just struck out against an A-ball guy and made his whole career.’
“He said, ‘You’re playing and I’m still limping, what’s going on?’ ”
Jones LOL-ingly texted back to Rodriguez: “I just got better genes than you.”
Jones, 39, did caution A-Rod to be careful and not push it, because Jones feels that is why he has a quad problem now.
http://www.nypost.com/p/sports.....z1UFfSfbid
it’s entirely possible that Soriano was injured out of spring training and is just now getting healthy.
That would explain his comments in the spring about ‘not needing any more innings to be ready’. The guy is a competitor who landed a huge contract, the last thing he wanted was to not pitch at the beginning of the season
The thing that many fans don’t realize is that players play through injuries all the time and don’t say anything about it. A friend of mine, who played in the Braves system at AAA, figures that Jeter was hiding an injury all season until the calf sat him down and allowed him to get healthy and that is the primary reason for his resurgence since returning from the DL.
Great stuff, pat. Thanks.
pat August 6th, 2011 at 8:32 am
SI_JoeLemire On Boston-bound train out of NYC. Most folks are sleeping, but conductor chimed in, “This is the Bronx, home of the first-place NY Yankees. ” No other announcement, just that.
pat, that’s one of those ‘moments’ from NYC life you really understand when you’ve lived there, & it makes me miss living in the city. Only in NY. Classic. Thank you very much for posting it.
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Eduardo Nunez continues to make me like him a lot.
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Villa Nova, he’s invigorating the lineup. Nunez is a really good young hitter with fantastic speed &, despite being damned here defensively, excellent hands. He gives us something different from what we get from Gardner, which is speed by way of an excellent bat.
I couldn’t believe Michael Kay’s ignorance last night when he said that Nunez is “a really patient hitter.” I wonder if he just can’t watch & talk at the same time?? His tough BB off Lester played into what Kay said, even though it was a flawed observation. That’s obviously not his strength, but Nunez does manage to be aggressive & selective at the same time, but even more than selectivity is Nunez’s ability to adjust his swing on the fly to the pitch. He’s been doing that since we had him here in Trenton, so his offensive contribution isn’t a surprise.
What would be REALLY great would be adding better plate discipline to go with that stick. When Nunez is hitting & Gardner is patient or in one of his hot streaks, teams will have their hands full controlling our running game.
I expect they’ll start Chavez today against Lackey, but Gardner can handle Lackey so I anticipate we’ll get opportunities to run.
Villa, I am a vet of the NY-Boston sports wars after having gone to college in New England. Love flashing the colors and logo.
Just wish SWB were at Pawtucket while I am in NE on vacation, but no such luck.
MG, Injury factor can’t be overlooked in both cases with Soriano and Jeter. Having a healthy Soriano would be huge for us and Jeter was clearly hobbled earlier in the year; you could see it when he ran down the first base line. Girardi’s job is to try to keep Jeter, and the older players fresh, utilizing Nunez and making sure even Cano gets enough rest. Alex’s knee injury mandated some time off and a fresh Alex with some pop would be a big plus down the stretch and into the playoffs for us.
pat, good stuff and good advice from Chipper to Alex not to come back too fast.
Nunez seems a lot better in the field, these days.
I like the speed aspect of the Yankees’ game these days – that they’re more aggressive, and they now have Gardner & Nunez, plus Granderson, and Jeter will still run. The first three (especially Gardy & Nunez) can leg out hits, and can also avoid DPs on ground balls. It’s really a nice situation.
I see Nunez getting better and better at the plate. You watch him and in just a few short months he has lost the look of a rookie. He looks like he knows he’s a solid piece of this team.
Injuries stink, but the injuries the Yankees have sustained in their infield this year have proven to be the proverbial “blessing in disguise.”
pat, interesting stuff.
For those of us offended by the total lack of respect for older, Yankee greats around here, you should see what Braves’ “fans” were saying about Jones. I don’t care much for the Braves, but I have to say some of the mean spirited comments aimed at Jones made me wince.
When Jete gave Scutaro that little shove, I thought I bet some loser in the IGT cried that Jeter doesn’t care about winning, only about being buddies with Boston. I never went to look, but just laughed to myself, confident in the idiocy factor.
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Yankfem, give ‘em hell up there. BTW, Dellin on tap tomorrow. I hate these road games. No one covers them. I am hoping they let him work through trouble if it arises. Getting tired of their anal approach to that kid’s innings/pitch counts. He wants to get himself out of jams & they pull him at the first sign of trouble. Not too smart.
Some deserving props to Colon. He didn’t have his good command but “bulldogged” his way through 94 pitches Always good to have insurance runs but the shutdown bullpen made it insignificant.
Girardi and Rothschild manage a bullpen as well or better than any in the game. Nobody threw too many pitches which makes the entire bullpen available today if needed.
With C.C. going today, it lessens the chance and the bullpen won’t get taxed.
I’d try to avoid DRob today though. I think he’s thrown two days in a row. Sori didn’t throw too many pitches, nor Mo. But best would be: CC CG
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Villa Nova-Ya August 6th, 2011 at 9:06 am
Nunez seems a lot better in the field, these days.
I like the speed aspect of the Yankees’ game these days – that they’re more aggressive, and they now have Gardner & Nunez, plus Granderson, and Jeter will still run. The first three (especially Gardy & Nunez) can leg out hits, and can also avoid DPs on ground balls. It’s really a nice situation.
I see Nunez getting better and better at the plate. You watch him and in just a few short months he has lost the look of a rookie. He looks like he knows he’s a solid piece of this team.
Injuries stink, but the injuries the Yankees have sustained in their infield this year have proven to be the proverbial “blessing in disguise.”
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Well said and the faith in Nunez is paying dividends. There was never a question of his tools, just refining them. Spelling Jeter and Alex is no easy task. He’s feeling like a part of the team. Fortunately he wasn’t dealt last year for short services of Cliff Lee. Cashman did the smart thing.
Good news on Matt Auffrey signing with the RiverHawks for the coming
season…Wonder why the RiverHawks were removed from the header on
the Chronicle’s online sports page??? http://bit.ly/pyC4RR