Pregame notes: “You’ve got to win this one”
Posted by: Chad Jennings - Posted in Notes, Podcast on Oct 06, 2011 
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Jim Leyland had a story to tell, and so he sat at the podium before today’s decisive Game 5 and began speaking before anyone asked a question.
“I have an announcement to make,” he said. “This will explain why you think I’m so old and grumpy and messed up. I got a telegram today from a professor from a prominent university. These are my instructions for tonight… I am supposed to pitch Valverde the first five innings tonight, then I’m supposed to pitch Verlander the last three, quote, ‘the seventh and eighth.’ So that’s where we’re at.”
Everyone, you see, has an approach to Game 5.
What interesting is that Leyland and Joe Girardi are approaching this Game 5 very differently. Leyland has shuffled his lineup again, going with the hot hand in Don Kelly at the top. Girardi has stuck with his regulars, whether they’re struggling or not. Leyland has talked about wanting to get through this game with a select group of rested relievers. Girardi has entertained the notion of every key reliever pitching more than an inning.
Mostly, Leyland and Girardi have differed in the way they plan to use their aces.
Leyland says Justin Verlander won’t pitch at all. In fact, Verlander already threw a bullpen this afternoon so that he’s prepared for a possible ALCS Game 1.
“I’m not going to use Verlander,” Leyland said. “I am not under any circumstances… You can argue till the cows come home, I’m not going to do it. I don’t think it’s a wise decision.”
Girardi has told CC Sabathia to be ready. Girardi’s thinks he could throw a “couple” of innings, and he brought up the idea of going to Mariano Rivera in the eighth inning, saving Sabathia to get the final few outs if Rivera runs out of gas before the end of the ninth.
“You can’t tell when you’re going to go to that move,” Girardi said. “There’s not an exact scenario.”
But would he be hesitant to use Sabathia, wanting to save his ace for Game 1 of the next round?
“You’ve got to win this one,” Girardi said. “(Otherwise) there is no Game 1.”
Here’s Girardi’s pregame press conference.
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• What’s the limit or Rivera tonight? “It’s more pitches than anything,” Girardi said. “You start to get around 35, 40 pitches you start to get into a gray area and you start to worry… That might be a situation where you have CC behind him. It could be something like that.”
• Girardi said it’s “very possible” that he’ll use Dave Robertson and Rivera to pitch the final three innings.
• A.J. Burnett is available if this game gets extremely crazy, but right now the plan is to have him in the rotation should the Yankees advance. “I imagine I would start him,” Girardi said. “I haven’t thought that far along, but yeah.”
• Girardi did not give any sort of pregame speech, and he didn’t ask a player or a member of the coaching staff to do so either. “I kind of watch what our guys are doing, and if they need something, they need something,” Girardi said. “I told you, I thought they were very loose the other day going into Game 4. I’ve seen some of the guys now, and they seem loose to me. I didn’t say anything magical to them in Game 4.”
• Today would have been a bullpen day for Sabathia, but he hasn’t thrown one yet. If this game becomes a blowout, and Sabathia starts to get loose, Girardi said that could be nothing more than a bullpen to prepare for the ALCS.
• Leyland explaining his Verlander decision: “One thing you have to remember, he went a little longer than CC the other night. He also was throwing 100 miles an hour in the eighth inning. He’s also thrown a lot of pitches under stressful circumstances. And I also remind you that Scherzer did a pretty good — he has more rest and he did a pretty good job against the Yankees. So Scherzer would be my first guy tonight if I needed a long guy.”
• Despite Leyland’s vow not to use Verlander, Girardi is approaching this game as if Verlander is available. “I know what Jim said,” Girardi said, laughing. “Sometimes circumstances change. You get into a crazy game and he might be the last guy. I’m not saying he’s going to put him in there, but I’m just saying, you get into an 18-inning game, you’re not putting Wilson Betemit out there, you know what I’m saying?”
Associated Press photos
Hopefully we only see Nova, Robertson and Mo……….
I fear this post was written on a smartphone in Beijing.
“I’m not going to use Verlander,” Leyland said. “I am not under any circumstances… You can argue till the cows come home, I’m not going to do it. I don’t think it’s a wise decision.”
——————————–
So if people argue and cows actually “come home”, Verlander can pitch?
I’m still not buying it.
Bronx
1. I believe Leyland
2. I don’t care if he uses Verlander.
nick it could have been, its all from the pressroom. which is exactly my point, thats all he ever covers.
I think a sharp reporter would find out where the cows went in the first place.
Where are the the Yankee scoops????
I looked all over town:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v.....re=related
No Ro Mo
and away we go!
tomorrow you are going to read what verlander felt about pitching today. somewhere…
Jeers,
I don’t think he would pitch after a BP session…..
Look at the photo of Leyland. Notice how he’s concealing the fingers on his left hand. He could easily be crossing them.
Verlander’s pitching tonight. Book it!
The last thing I feel like hearing is pre-game whining – about anything. I’ll see you all game time.
Random thought: Can you imagine if it were Girardi refusing to use his ace in this game? How thoroughly would he be hammered by everyone?
what?
Chad, we saw Verlander on short rest. Bring him on!
Hey Trish! I need your words of inspiration. My stomach has been in knots all day
1. I don’t believe Leyland. If necessary, Mickey Lolich would pitch.
2. I agree with Joe- if you don’t win today, there is no next game. Everyone is available.
3. CC’s next game will be Saturday night. Book it.
Chad,
He would be grilled slowly!!, but in any case….he should be a last resort option
chad, you have nothing for us from the locker room? anything that wasnt from the presser?
Joe,
AMEN!!!, i hope for an early blowout!!
CS, think Ivan Nova all season. Think Ivan Nova last game. Nova is a mini Mariano. Think Yankee offense. Think Fister against the Yanks – twice. Think Yankee Stadium. Think karma for Kenny Rogers. Take a deep breath and relax. It is all good. Think no Gerry Davis behind the plate.
The Yankees caught some breaks in the 1st game against Fister, even Jeter admitted as much. Therefore, if the Yankees do not score quickly against Fister I would hope the negative posts would be kept to a mimimum, you know the last time this guy pitched to an ERA of 12 and now he looks like Cy Young; what happened.
Although I would love the Yankees to have a huge blowout win, I think it will be a close game. This makes me nervous with Girardi managing.
However, if the Yankees do win late I hope it’s off Valverde; it would be even better if its a walkoff and whomever gets the GW hit does the Valverde dance.
Notice how Chad says nothing to offend his Chinese censors.
No quotes from Falun Gang members, nothing from Liu Xiaobo, or Tibet, or the Three Gorges Dam angle.
It’s so obvious, once you know.
All the answers are…
WRITTEN IN THE STARS!!
If only someone with a press pass would go read them and report back
Also, the Yankees have gone further than 25 other teams at this point.
If Yankees were to lose, you would need to be grateful for the moments you got this season that no other teams did. And the best team ever assembled tanked. So we’ve won a world series already!
That said, Yanks are not going to lose. They’re too damned good!
You guys are going to force me to use emoticons that I don’t wish to use.
Play today, win today. We’ve got the troops to do it. Quichurbichin.
Did Mike just say there’s pressure on the Jankees?
trisha – true pinstriped blue October 6th, 2011 at 6:32 pm
QFT!!
Who would of thought both Kennedy and Nova would be pitching deciding games?
Notice how Chad says nothing to offend his Chinese censors.
————————————
Blame it on Al Yankazeera!
Verlander, Verlander, Verlander.
Verlander on regular rest wasn’t looking sharp at Yankee Stadium. Verlander on short rest gave up four runs.
Verlander has not handled the Yankees once this season.
Don’t let that get in your way of worrying, though.
marcia, marcia, marcia…
Jootie, Jottie, Jootie! (it’s the pronunciation)
Okay, if anyone needs to worry please do it now. Once the game starts we really need positive vibrations. I will leave so I won’t be tempted to unworry you. (that’s a Roger Clemensism.)
Wierd Al Yankeezera.
it’s not worry , its anticipation…
sure, there will be nothing but positive vibes here on the lohud…especially if they fall behind by two…
Ys Guy,
Hopefully it won’t happen….and if it does we will come back
Seasons come and go.
But don’t worry, the lucky pizza has been secured.
Mick,
One thing is for sure….I wont be able to eat until it’s over
I too had pizza, but alas no gelato..
LGY……I hope that pie came with Garlic, Mushrooms & Anchovies ???? Neapolitan style….You live in NYC or in the Tri State area ???
Nick – I salute you. You know how to turn a phrase…..
I am looking forward to going to the Stadium Sunday night. There’s not a doubt in my mind that they’re playing.
No way does Dee-troit win.
I’m really getting fired up for this!
Let’s Go Yankees!
Postseason baseball rocks!
But I will never change! Im on my way!
Pat M,
Grew up in NJ, lived there off and on. Any time I get back there, I load up on real pizza, and bring a cooler to take real bread back here. Those things don’t exist in Georgia, as far as I know.
Thanks Trish! We better avenge 2006.
i had one regular slice and one sicillian… crust was awesome on the regular, way too thin on the sicilian. great wall poster of the harbor in napoli…
I’m stuck in class until 9, unfortunately, so I have to rely on here for updates. Go get em SuperNova.
George Weiss, when he was Yankees GM during the ’50s, once said that he enjoyed going to the Stadium and seeing the Yanks take an 8-run lead in the first inning, and then slowly pull away……
That would work for me tonight.
id really like to see swish bust out tonight. he’s too good to be this bad in the PS.
Tim Brown at Yahoo says that if the Yankees don’t get to the next round then they are just as big losers as the Red Sox: http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/ne.....iew_100511
I don’t think that we have to blow up the team if there is a loss.
Pat
NYC. Just plain greasy cheese pizza. I crave some toppings but my commitment to the Yankees is too deep to mess around.
Friday: No pizza, rainout
Saturday: Pizza, win
Sunday: No pizza, loss
Monday: No pizza, loss
Tuesday: Same pizza as Saturday, win
Coincidence? I think not. It must be…
Written in the stars for me to eat this pizza.
tomingeorgia – Georgia must work for you at some level. I know it’s tough without good food.
This could be one of the first winning playoff series in which Mariano Rivera has no saves since becoming the closer. Has nothing to do with the team blowing saves, either.
Doc Joe…..Enjoy the game and go Yanks……..Nick in SF, I have never lost a game that SJ is covering , besides Cal is not 25 points the lesser team….Can’t get a handle on why the Steelers have dropped on the wager line, but it’s a must win with Balt & New England coming up next…..
Joe,
Don’t be fooled. What they sell you as BBQ isn’t even close!
I too had pizza, but alas no gelato..
——
Gelato must only be consumed after a victory.
Can’t tempt fate with pregame indulgence.
Yes Joe, a nice tension free blowout is what the doctor ordered
I’m nervous as hell, I’m sitting in the class trying not to throw up, lol.
I’ll take a nice 6 run lead with Nova shutting down Detroit and turning it over to Robertson and Rivera to use as tune-ups against texas.
if they dont throw the dough, it ain’t worth spit…
LGY…..I’m burnt out on that song, but when it comes to baseball I’m very superstitious………GB, pool service was all legs today due to the unusual chill….
Go Yankees.
I ate something called a “Coney” for dinner.
Ive been in the bathroom all day with lots of ‘rrhea
That would be Nova shutting down Detroit over 7 innings and 100 pitches.
this team started out and then went through the season with one weakness…no #2.
…tonight we find out if we’ve got a #2…
go IVAAAAAAAN!
Let’s Go Yankees!!!!!
Pat M. October 6th, 2011 at 6:58 pm
LGY…..I’m burnt out on that song, but when it comes to baseball I’m very superstitious………GB, pool service was all legs today due to the unusual chill….
————————————————————————————————————————-
Unusual chill makes for great looking goose bumps, though.
yes shows nova and fister’s postseason era’s.
talk about small sample size…
Thought I just saw something written in the stars.
Turns out it was just the Conan blimp.
CC’s in the BP!
…LOVE that guy!!!
I’m betting on Jackson and Kelly opening up with bunts. Nova handled Young and Cabrera well, but, if they adjust, they can hurt them.
Sample size has nothing to do with a series=ending game. Somebody’s going to do something unexpected. Yankees win tonight.
GB….You got my drift you old dog….
Good vibes guys, win or lose this has been an incredible season. But i rather have them win it all!!
i cant believe verlander threw 50-some pitches in the BP today…if the guy has anything, he’s gotta save it for the game just in case. i love leyland, but that’s just crazy…
Reggie is in the dugout, good sign!!
Pat M. October 6th, 2011 at 7:07 pm
GB….You got my drift you old dog….
————————————————————————————————————————-
WOOF…WOOF. WOOOWLLLLLLLLLL!!!
I will post my predictions for the Rangers vs. Tigres series tomorrow.
Stay tuned.
Please do not let Miguel Cabrera beat us tonight…..
We win tonight! GO YANKS
Nova needs to have a good bender tonight….Down and away from the right hand hitters…If so he’ll be very effective tonight
Apparently, Leyland believes in my prediction — Tigres move on to ALCS.
LGY,
You better eat the darn pizza. I am nowhere near ready for the season to end.
Ainge, Santiago, and Don Kelly are the keys to this game.
Good to see you around Robin!, good omen!! for us!!!
… I have been saying that since Day One.
Pat M. – just legs, huh? I’ve always appreciated good legs.
tom – i’ve never had the pleasure of really good bbq.
Pat, Cabrera’s going to be a tough one to control. Nova handled him as well as anybody on the team in the last game. He’s too smart of a hitter to pitch him the same way twice within a week. I think the Yankee hey is what Rodriguez does….and to a little lesser extent, Teixeira.
Nova needs to keep the first two and Santiago off the bases.
Hey, stupid…Ainge hasn’t played pro baseball in 30 years.
LGY, You better eat the darn pizza. I am nowhere near ready for the season to end
—–
GB….Yes keeping Jackson and Santiago off the bases is vital……..I expect for The Yanks to run early and often, force the issue……I like Doc Joe’s George Weiss’s analogy about scoring 8 and then gradually pull away.
Red Rectum on board
good evening, guys. I feel comfortable.
GB7,
let him do his thing…..everytime he shows up, it goes the opposite way that he predicts it.
A word to the wise:
Baseball is a game of but-fors, as well as anything else. It really hit me watching this game (I’m in the 8th inning, watching Phil Hughes pitch.) “But for” Curtis Granderson’s catch in the first inning, the Tigers would have plated maybe three runs. IF that had happened, this forum would have been flipping out against AJ! And no matter how many great innings he may have thrown after that, posters (one in particular) would be railing about him not belonging on the postseason roster, yada yada yada and how the game was over.
Now as it happens, the Yankees ended up scoring 10 runs. So anyone who predicted the end of the world, had runs scored in the first, would have been wrong.
But for Grandy’s catch in the 6th, the ball would have dropped in, at least one run would have scored, and there would have been outrage against Sori, heard round the world! As it turns out he came back and pitched a beautiful 7th. But nobody would have wanted to hear it.
They say that pitching adjustments are made between innings, when the pitcher and pitching coach sit down and discuss things. It certainly looked that way for AJ once the second inning started.
For anyone who worried at any point in Game 4, the worry was needless. I think my point is that if you have faith in your team, you can’t let every little thing put you into a tailspin. The Yankees play as a t-e-a-m and they pick each other up, and they mount comebacks. You never give up on them.
Finally, and I don’t expect everyone to buy into this, but I think it’s still worth a thought. I’ve said it few times already, but every player on the Yankee postseason roster had a part in getting the Yankees to the postseason. Every one. So I would hope that there would be appreciation for them, no matter what may happen in a given game.
That is all.
RhapsodyInBlue October 6th, 2011 at 7:25 pm
Red Rectum on board
========
A-Rod might have a good game.
Tex? hmmmm, don’t know
No buffalo burgers for anybody……that was bad mojo last year. My lucky green sweatpants are on…..and my lucky recliner is primed. Go Yanks!
yes or no? miggy gets the bonds treatment all game
Trisha,
the wise just got wiser, thanks! spot on post!
trish – hi. more true words were never spoken/typed.
luis – you’re the last one who needed it! But thanks.
Joe from LI – thank you! (again, definitely part of the choir but someone I depend on for sane posting.)
less than 30 minutes!!
what a suck-up!
sending good vibes to the Yankees from Vermont!!!!
Theeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Yankees WILL win…
8-2, long balls from Grandy, Arod, and Teix, 6 strong innings from Nova with the bullpen in lock down mode for the last 3 innings.
Leyland said that he thought his team swung at a lot of pitches out of the strike zone in game 1. He said he hopes they are much more patient and try to lay off his slider. No matter what don’t let Cabrera beat you!!
im nervous, but….GO YANKEES!!!!!!
Pal, I suck to nobody but God. But I am loyal as hell to people whose backs I have. The way I like to think of it, I was brought up well.
Joba_62 Technology is amazing. Just had my first ever parent teacher conference for Karter via skype. Wow, do kids grow up fast!!
Who’s nervous/excited?
It’s about time.
Time to avenge 10 years:
Of ALDS nonsense to anyone but the Twins.
Of losing in the first round to teams that were not as good.
Of waiting to “get back” to Yankee Stadium for game 5′s that never happened.
Of midges in the 8th in Cleveland.
Of Gary Sheffield dropping the ball against the Angels in game 5.
Of Javier Vasquez being brought into game 7 in the second inning.
Of Jeff Weaver being brought into the game in the top of the 12th.
Of Cliff Lee going to the Rangers instead of the Yankees last year, and having to hear it every second from the Rangers GM.
Time for payback. The weather’s great. The Sox have collapsed. Time for the baseball gods to have their say. It’s the game 5 we all have been waiting for since 2001.
Go Yankees.
Trisha,
You’ve got plenty of back up around here, so don’t pay attention.
Pittsburgh – you forgot one. Time to avenge Kenny Rogers and his pinetar glove. How much closer can you get than that one!
luis, thanks, and I know that.
I put my thoughts and words out the way everybody else does. No skin off my back if someone doesn’t agree with them.
Trisha–I realized that as I submitted it:
Of Kenny Rogers and the steroid induced pine tar glove.
PittsburghYankeeFan October 6th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Hard to find truer words….
UnKnown October 6th, 2011 at 7:36 pm
Excited!!and impatient!!
I’m watching YES now and they just showed Delmon Young. I remember that when he came up with the Rays they said he was even better than Dmitri.
I should say people around baseball said it, not the Rays.
PittsburghYankeeFan – karma. It’s time.
@SBerthiaumeESPN
#Tigers Doug Fister retired the side in order during 1st inning in 15 starts this season, including each of his last 6 starts.
21 minutes for gamtime!!!
Joe, I didn’t get a chance to express my condolences on the loss of your beloved dog. I’ve never had a pet (goldfish don’t count), but I am a lover of animals and I consider them noble creatures……..noble because all they ask from us is love and they give it, too.
“I am a lover of animals and I consider them noble creatures……..noble because all they ask from us is love…”
Mine ask for food.
Posted before. Have a little faith and no negative waves!!
From Kelly’s Heroes and Donald “Oddball” Sutherland:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KuStsFW4EmQ
Trader – loved it!
trish,
Got your back here, too. Let’s go Yanks!
YT,
Good feed!!! better choice!
That too, Jeers, lol…….but then again, I ask for food as well……
tom – thanks.
GO YANKS!!!!
I think we are going to see Jeter and Gardner try and lay down a bunt tonight. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Jeter try it in the 1st inning. Jackson will probably try it also at some point in the game.
Guys,
you need to contact every yankee fan you know that is going to be at the stadium, we need a LOUD!!! crowd tonight!!
Allergies messing with me a little and my head is heavy. Even if I’m not posting througout the game, know I’m here in body and in spirit. Gonna take some advil and hope it helps.
STUNNED – Eckersley going with the Tigers.
Boomer – YANKEES ALL THE WAY!
Hey TBS takes Tigers suprise….
TBS 3-0 picking the Tigers.
Hey Everybody!!!
Great post Trish. You’re the best.
Tbs picks tigers win, lol, shocker.
Boomer picked yanks all the way.
Tar, my sweet buddy! Thanks!!!! And you know that’s a big vice versa.
Hopefully you can be in there cheering with Luis, Straw (if he’s around) and the rest. I’m gonna do my best but my head is really hurting.
Good news…Eck and Ripken pick the Tigers..
Doc,
They may have Eck and Ripken…but we have The Babe, Gherig, D’maggio, the Mick and Munson among others!!!
I hope we come out hitting bombs!! Grandy, Cano, Tex, ARod..
I’m here…..in a car on the way to inlaws in staten island. Tomorrow is my 10th wedding anniversary and the wife and I are going to see Wicked tomorrow nite. Tonight I just hope to see wicked sliders.
Damn
Sorry to hear about your dog Joe.. I love dogs!!!!
We had two of our dog die this year and I’ve known them since I was born. They were my best friends and what’s odd is that one was 14 years old was on the way out due to natural causes, so we were expecting her to go this year,but the other dog died from a poisonous snake bite unexpectedly , the odd part is that almost 2 weeks after he died my other dog had to be put to sleep.. almost as if she gave up and stop fighting to live after her best friend died. I think dogs are much much smarter than we know. Didn’t mean to sound so morbid here, so I will leave with a happy story..
They say dogs can’t see TV (they being those that claim to know). well, my dog would watch TV with us on the couch and whenever a commercial came on with an animal, be it dog,cat or squirrel whatever.. he would run up to the TV and follow it while smushing his nose all over the TV. Sometimes he’d even wag and bark at it wanting to play.
Okay, back to the Yanks!
Ball is flying out tonight…we can hit a few too..
OMG !! I thought the game started at 8:30 !!!!!!!!!!!!
UGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!
Hate Fat Young
This is the game where everyone on the NYY gets a clean slate from me.. including TEX !!!
Everybody needs to step up here and earn there place on this team and get the job done.. no excuses.. yesterday doesn’t matter whether you hit 1,000 (montero
or ..001 doesn’t matter.. our bats need to do what they have the potential to do.. SMASH THE HELL OUT OF THE BALL !!!!
LET’S GET IT DOWN YANKEES !
Cano missed several pitches down the middle