Yankees say goodbye to the West Coast
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Misc on Sep 15, 2011 
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On the final off day of the season, the Yankees are flying across the county one more time. It’s been a long, strange trip so far.
The Yankees knocked around Felix Hernandez, but couldn’t do anything against Jason Vargas. They saw Mariano Rivera reach 600 career saves, but watched Scott Proctor and Cory Wade give up extra-inning walk-offs. They got key pieces back from nagging injuries, but shutdown their cleanup hitter for nearly a week. They stayed at the top of the division, but missed out on some chances to put some real distance between themselves and the Red Sox.
“I like the way we went and won a series,” Joe Girardi said. “Unfortunately, we’ve lost a lot of one-run games on this trip, and that’s the hard part. We’ve lost three games by one run each, but our club has been pretty good and to win two out of three (in Seattle), you’ve got to keep doing that.”
The Yankees started this trip with a one-run loss in Baltimore. Then they lost a one-run game in Anaheim and a one-run game in Seattle. They hadn’t lost back-to-back Ivan Nova starts since May 28 and June 3, but they managed to do that this trip (losing one Nova start against the last-place Orioles, and another to the last-place Mariners).
Splitting six games on the West Coast is far from the worst-case scenario, and the success or failure of this trip will be decided this weekend in Toronto. It will be decided by the Yankees ability to beat the Blue Jays, and it will be decided by Alex Rodriguez’s ability to come back healthy and productive.
Mostly, it will be decided by where the Yankees stand in the American League East when they return home on Monday. Right now the Yankees are four games up, and Boston seems to be reeling. A big weekend in Toronto could put some real distance between first and second. A bad weekend could put the Red Sox back within reach.
“We know what’s happening to the teams behind us,” Girardi said. “It’s hard not to look. Every scoreboard has every score up, so you’re not going to miss any score. We’re going to notice.”
Associated Press photo
“Yankees say goodbye to the West Coast”
Amen to that !
Chad-
You need to double that 300.
I’m off too to say goodbye to all of you and wish you a terrific day.
Touch base later.
No more west coast games- yay!!
seeeeee ya YT
Catch U later YT.
Have a good one.
Kate-
Next time you speak to your Mother you need to tell her to buck up her Rays so they beat the Sux.
300! Wow. Can you tell I slept an hour last night?
Chad-
Very understandable.
JonLaneNYC #Yankees didn’t up their AL East lead, but magic # for playoff spot at 7. And the unearthed gem named Ivan Nova continues to be polished
Seems like home team almost always wins extra inning games…..wonder if there is data on that.
Erin-
Nova seems to be having fun out there.
Doesn’t hurt that he’s really good too.
Blake-
We had a lot more pies in 2009.
Another reason we can move AJ. His pie-ing duties are not needed either.
MTU,
Id rather Boston nit make the playoffs as well….however it all depends on their health and primarily Beckett…..if he and the rest are 100% they are very dangerous…..if they aren’t then they can back into the playoffs for all I care and get bounced in the first round. It’ll be intersting to see how he throws tomorrow.
MTU
I am spending the weekend w/ one of my red sox lovin sisters…I will have to pretend to be sympathetic as the sox lose
Blake-
That would be very satisfying to say the least.
A team better than the 1927′s who couldn’t even get thru the doorway.
Too funny.
I don’t expect Beckett to be sharp. We’ll see.
blake September 15th, 2011 at 9:19 am
Seems like home team almost always wins extra inning games…..wonder if there is data on that.
——————————
I watched through the top of the 10th. The way the Yanks were swinging the bats last night I was not surprised to see this result when I got up this morning.
JonLaneNYC Provided Colon doesn’t gas out, CC-Nova-Big Bart looks to be DS rotation. ALCS spot between AJ, Garcia & Hughes #Yankees
kate-
Do a good job of acting.
Try to supress your delight.
OK, I feel stupid-I didn’t even realize last night’s game went into extra innings. LOL
ALCS spot between :
Garcia/Hughes.
AJ home fishing and combing the want ads.
See I fixed that one.
Nova has no playoff experience.
Big step up.
Will he maintain his poise ?
I wouldn’t close the door on AJ just yet. History screams that he won’t maintain whatever he seemed to acquire 2 nights ago but I believe he’s got a few more starts to convince the brass that he’s worthy of being on the roster.
I’m pretty sure they believe he still has the ability to shut a lineup down.
Jeers-
They might not have but I have.
Another annoying game by the yankees. Everyone looked like they were sleep walking thru this one. Missed a big chance to put some distance between them and Boston, hope it doesn’t come back to bite them in the ass in the next 2 weeks. Vargas is not an elite pitcher, offense just took the night off.
Not a bad visit to Seattle. Beating King Felix was a plus and winning a game in which Burnett started was unexpected.
On to Toronto where taking 2 of 3 would be good and reducing the magic number.
Maybe the Yanks WERE sleep walking through this game.
They haven’t had much time to rest lately and I would imagine that lack of rest has taken it’s toll.
It’s human nature.
Besides, they are still leading the best team ever assembled by 4 games in the all important loss column.
MTU,
AJ’s like an old pair of underwear that keeps appearing in your drawer every so often. You probably should have thrown them out long ago but they’re in good enough shape to keep them just in case of emergency.
Jeers-
If they put AJ out there I’ll pull for him to win. Goes w/o saying.
I’d rather they didn’t have to use him though.
Hope we don’t have that kind of emergency.
P.S. Don’t be so sentimental. Get yourself a new pair.
MTU, ud rather have hughes in a playoff game?
Doc-
Yes. I’ll take my chances on him over AJ.
Might not need either.
Probables for Sox Rays
Thursday: Hellickson vs Weiland. (Advantage Rays)
Friday : Shields vs Beckett (push….but could be advantage Rays)
Saturday : Niemann vs Lester (advantage Sox)
Sunday: Price vs Wakefield. (Advantage Rays)
Staying up until 2 am is bad enough…but staying up until 2 am to watch the Yanks lose yet another extra-innings game, this time to the miserable Mariners, has left me feeling decidedly grumpy this morning. My only solace is that the Red Sox and Rays fans must be feeling even more pissed about “the one that got away.” We’re going to make the play-offs, we’ll probably win the division, but three defeats in extra innings to the Os and Ms in the last week has stuck in my craw.
i hope we dont need ether as well, like in the alcs if we got a 3-0 lead, pitch one of them is fine
it just hughes hasnt shown he can beat a good team yet…
i think id go with aj as of right now,
Basically I think the Yanks have to decide which of Hughes, Garcia, Burnett they want to throw game 4 of the ALCS and WS if they get there……the decision may depend on the matchup.
They wont need any if them in the first round…..CC, Nova, Colon.
Jon Lane has it right. ALDS – Sabathia, Nova, Colon and ALCS add Hughes, Burnett or Garcia. I’d go with Hughes.
Bronx Jeers September 15th, 2011 at 9:59 am
MTU,
AJ’s like an old pair of underwear that keeps appearing in your drawer every so often. You probably should have thrown them out long ago but they’re in good enough shape to keep them just in case of emergency.
By the way, that’s very funny. If only I knew how to make an emoticon smile on my Mac…
Doc-
Not me brother.
AJ is low man on the Totem pole, and it ain’t even close.
It’s between Garcia and Hughes for me. if Hughes looks good towards the end I go with him. If not it’s Freddy.
The only thing is…..that all things equal….Hughes is the better reliever out of those 3. His stuff probably plays up in short relief and he can help there wheras Garica and AJ cannot. I have a feeling the Yankees are going to transition Hughes to the pen at some point in the next couple weeks……and that they’ll go with AJ in an ALCS game 4 like they did last year……not saying that’s what they should do…..but Im.starting to think that’s what they will do.
If the Yankees throw Hughes out there in a crucial post-season game, and he implodes, which based on past performance is a more than reasonable assumption, it would an indefensible move.
Blake-
You’re probably right because the Yankees still may have faith in AJ.
Justified or not. He’s been turning it around more times than a merry-go-round.
Me. I just do not trust him. period.
Blake-
If it’s between Garcia and Burnett. I’m goin’ w Freddy.
MTU,
I’d definitely lean towards Freddy but let’s hope that his September swoon ends on his next start. Other than that he’s been an old pro. Like a righthanded Pettitte. Phil’s stuff has been a bit too inconsistent.
AJ’s stuff has always been good. At times it’s great. It’s his command that can completely fall off the table.
“If the Yankees throw Hughes out there in a crucial post-season game, and he implodes, which based on past performance is a more than reasonable assumption, it would an indefensible move.”
He’d be the 4th option…..and he’s been a dominant reliever in the past…..Id certainly rather see him out there in a tight spot than Ayala.
MTU,
Just my feeling where this is headed…..Id go with Freddy also
Jeers-
Like I said. I just don’t trust AJ.
Garcia has been there done that. He may not have the best stuff but he’s around the zone, konows how to pitch, and he competes. He’d be a better choice as a #4 than Burnett IMO.
sp: knows
It’s Mop walk time.
Just consulted with them.
They prefer anyone to AJ too.
Back in a while.
Vargas is not an elite pitcher, but he is not a scrub, either. He’s had an inconsistent year, but especially earlier in the season, he was doing quite a good job. He was a good pitcher having a good night.
If you expect only elite pitchers to beat the Yankees, you’re going to find yourself disappointed a lot. On any given day, any pitcher can throw a gem and on any given day, an elite guy like “King Felix” will give up 6 runs.
I am half asleep – I meant to say I would go with Hughes over Garcia or Burnett in an ALCS. We’ve seen Garcia not pitch well lately too. I guess it’s fair in the end that none of them is ideal. It is what it is and we have no choice at this time of the year. It’s one of those three.
I must admit those who are pointing out that Hughes stuff translates better into a short bullpen role make a good point. I can see him going all out for 25 pitches throwing 94-95.
MTU-so let me get this straight- are you trying to tell us that you don’t trust AJ?
“I must admit those who are pointing out that Hughes stuff translates better into a short bullpen role make a good point. I can see him going all out for 25 pitches throwing 94-95.”
Yea….I would go with Hughes over AJ…..however Hughes has the relief experience and could actually help in the division series in that role as well.
RAB:
The 12th inning walk-off loss to Mariners dropped the Yankees to 4-10 in extra inning games this season, the worst mark in the AL.
So I wasn’t just imagining it. We really do suck in extra innings. Surprising, given the strength in depth of our pen.
How many of those 10 losses were on the road?
Extra innings losses on the road are pretty understandable-for the most part those are tough to win. The ones they lost at home sting.
The game never should have went to extra innings……they lost it in the first 9 when they only scored 1 run. It happens.
I wouldn’t be so quick to assume the Yankees go with only 3 starters in the ALDS.
Between Nova, Garcia, and Colon there isn’t a clear winner so it might be best just to save CC for game 5 on full rest.
LGY,
How does the schedule work out for the ALDS?
ALDS Game One Friday, September 30 TBS TBA
ALDS Game Two Saturday, October 1 TBS TBA
ALDS Game Three Monday, October 3 TBS TBA
ALDS Game Four* Tuesday, October 4 TBS TBA
ALDS Game Five* Thursday, October 6 TBS TBA
ALCS Game One Saturday, October 8 FOX TBA
ALCS Game Two Sunday, October 9 FOX TBA
ALCS Game Three Tuesday, October 11 FOX TBA
ALCS Game Four Wednesday, October 12 FOX TBA
ALCS Game Five* Thursday, October 13 FOX TBA
ALCS Game Six* Saturday, October 15 FOX TBA
ALCS Game Seven* Sunday, October 16 FOX TBA
“So I wasn’t just imagining it. We really do suck in extra innings. Surprising, given the strength in depth of our pen.”
****************
I’m not so sure about the strength and depth of our pen; especially in the pressure cooker late inning situations of post-season games. It seems to me as if Mo and Robertson fit the bill – but it’s a crap shoot after that. Wade, Ayala, Logan and sad to say Soriano are all nerve wracking propositions. And even Noesi got lit up lately, in Anaheim.
I may have just inadvertently answered the Hughes question again.
Off Day Gossip Break- it’s official-People has it now
http://www.people.com/people/a.....pheadlines
i feel that this 6 man rotation has screwed up a couple of wins.. Make the damn decision and keep one guy as the long man who can come and pitch in the extra innings… Instead its the cory wade, luis ayala, hector noesi, aaron laffey and scott proctor who come and pitch in the extra innings and give up these important wins… Invariably it looks like if one of these guys come to pitch after the 9th inning we end up losing.. it kind of explains the 1 run losses and the extra inning losses..
JF,
Thanks. I think it depends on who they play and his the first 3 games go. The schedule works out so if CC goes in game 4 then the Game 2 starter can go on full rest for game 5. If its Texas then I would go CC on short rest in Game 4 because Nova/Colon vs Wilson in a potential game 5 wouldn’t be a huge mismatch……if they played the Tigers then different story….you probably have to see what they do with Verlander.
Extra innings games are often decided by which struggling offense can get a big hit……games go into.extra innings most of the time.because both offenses have stalled that day.
New Post: Nova solidifying spot in Yankees rotation
Burnett should never be considered as a bullpen piece especially if he comes in with runners on base and holding the record for wild pitches. Much too risky. He won’t be needed at all for the ALDS. If Colon, Garcia, and Hughes show well, take Burnett off the postseason roster altogether.
I’m actually happy with our pen. It’s probably a misplaced believe but I can see Soriano doing a Marte a la 2009 – sucking during the regular season but proving lights out in the play-offs. By and large, I think Wade and Ayala have been great pickups, and even Logan has improved greatly in the second half of the season. My main frustration is with how our offense has been unable to sustain a hot spell for any length of time. We need A-Rod to get hot for the play-offs, but I’d rate the chances of that happening given his nagging thumb injury and the number of games left in the regular season at about 10 to 20%.