Baseball Musings: Last Licks

October 05, 2006

Last Licks

Bruney strikes out two as he retires the Tigers in order in the ninth. The bottom of the order is up for the Yankees, but Matsui, Posada and Cano could bat anywhere. Jones is coming on for the save. The Yankees scored five runs in 2 2/3 innings vs. Jones this season.

Update: Matsui lines a single into center to start the ninth. Melky Cabera pinch runs.

Update: Jones throws four strikes to Posada, the last catching him looking for the first out.

Update: Jones keeps throwing strikes. Cano's seen seven pitches, most fouled off. He flies out to left on the eighth. It's up to Damon.

Update: Jones gets ahead of Damon 0-2. He hasn't thrown a called ball since Matsui's at bat.

Update: Damon works the count to 2-2, fouls one off his back knee, then flies out to center to end the game. We have the first split of the LDS, and they'll play two in Detroit.

It was a bend but don't break day for Verlander, and a tremendous performance by the bullpen. In 3 2/3 innings, the Tigers' relievers allowed just one hit while striking out four. The offense hit for power, producing just enough runs to win. Now they get to face an injured Randy Johnson tomorrow.

Posted by David Pinto at 04:09 PM | League Division Series | TrackBack (0)

Comments

Hehe...A-Rod went 0/4 with 3k's and 3 men left on base. Cano was 0/4 with 6 men left on, but I'm sure nobody in the media will notice. How long until the A-Rod flaming starts?

Posted by: the other josh at October 5, 2006 05:04 PM

Not only that, but Sheff and Giambi were 0-4 and 003, with 2k's each. Sheff also left three runners on.

But I am sure we will hear about A-Rod not being clutch and leaving the bases loaded.

Posted by: dave at October 5, 2006 05:16 PM

Josh,
I see you on here posting a lot usually concerning the yanks and the sox so I just assume based on your rather shallow and dull comments that you are indeed a sox fan. Too bad they missed the playoffs this year. There were quite a few factors to take into consideration today concerning the meat of the yankees lineup. Number one, they faced guys throwing 100mph which in case you havn't noticed is pretty hard to hit. Number two, the shadows at the stadium had something to do with it also. Even Jim Leyland said in his postgame that they caught a break with the shadows. I have faith that AROD will be a big factor when they go to Detroit and close out the series.

Posted by: Jason at October 5, 2006 05:50 PM

Why can the Tigers handle the Yankee Stadium shadows, but the Yankees can't?

Maybe because the Tigers have better pitchers.

Maybe because the Tigers have a better team.

Posted by: Andrew at October 5, 2006 06:20 PM

Jason,
Umm...maybe I wasn't clear...but I wasn't criticizing A-Rod as much as the media firestorm that I'm sure is coming, and the irrationality of criticizing him but not the other members of his team who didn't produce tonight. I'm well aware that he made loud outs in every ab 2 days ago, and that he wasn't the first, and won't be the last, to flail look bad facing Verlander and Zumaya. I also already know about the effect of shadows on a hitter.

Apparently dave got what I was trying to say...so I couldn't have been that unclear. And your justifications about why the 4-5-6 hitters combined for 7 k's are accurate, but definately won't be mentioned by the pissed off NY media. (In fact, it's starting already...google Alex Rodriguez. Then go to the NY Times sports section. Or the NY Post) Which is what I was saying in the first post.

I was mostly just kidding around before...no need to be so damn hostile.

Posted by: the other josh at October 5, 2006 07:03 PM

People can be very selective about what they choose to remember about a player. In the 2001 WS everybody remembers how badly Byung-Hyun Kim performed, but Mariano Rivera's 9th inning in Game 7 lost the series for the Yankees. After that and two blown saves in the 2004 ALCS, Rivera's reputation is still intact as a great, untouchable postseason closer, and Kim is remembered as a choker. People can be very fickle.

Posted by: Adam Villani at October 5, 2006 07:15 PM

To Adam:
What has Kim done lately? Pitched a few good games for Colorado? And you need to look at the overall careers of both of those individuals. Most people won't even remember WHO Kim is or was let alone know that he still pitches. Mariano has a 0.80 ERA in the postseason and that includes a ton of apperances.

To Josh:
Putting "Hehe..." to begin your post leaves a reader with one thought...that you enjoyed what happened. Which is okay but maybe you should have put some of your insight in the second post into the first. AROD was the ONLY yankee who struck out with the bases loaded. Plus, Verlander was reeling in the first inning. He threw AROD two fastballs down the middle of the plate and froze him on a curveball. I've see AROD handle pitches like that before. I do think he gets unfair treatment from the fans and the media but everyone agrees that in those situations he needs to step up his game, especially in the playoffs. Giambi produced last night and Sheff just came back so i think AROD should be criticized for his lack of quality atbats. I went back and looked at ARODS atbats and here is the breakdown:

1st atbat: Strike (swinging), Strike (foul), Strike (looking), A Rodriguez struck out looking

2nd atbat: Ball, Ball, Strike (looking), A Rodriguez flied out to left

3rd atbat: Strike (looking), Strike (foul), Ball, Strike (looking), A Rodriguez struck out looking

4th atbat: Ball, Strike (swinging), Strike (looking), Strike (swinging), A Rodriguez struck out swinging

He was behind in 3 out of his 4 atbats. He needs to do a better job of taking pitches. Same thing happened on his west coast slump. He swung at everything and was lunging at the ball. he needs to stay back. Hopefully he can correct that by tomorrow night. If not, it may be a long postseason for him.

Posted by: Jason at October 5, 2006 08:08 PM

Didn't see his ab's...and yeah, I enjoyed the fact that the Yanks lost, as much as any Yankee fan would enjoy to see Boston flounder in the playoffs...if they'd made it...

Now I'm just confused about why you were mad at me to begin with...though if you assumed I was just being malicious just for the fun of it, I guess that would do it. Whatever. Peace.

Posted by: the other josh at October 5, 2006 09:57 PM

Alright Josh enough bantering. What do you think Boston does in the offseason? I posted here a whiole back that some nice additions would be Mike Gonzalez and Freddy Sanchez from the Pirates or Alfonso Soriano if they were desperate. Move Pap to the rotation as they have already done and shore up that middle relief. What do you see them doing?

Posted by: Jason at October 5, 2006 10:03 PM

I'm guessing Sanchez is probably as untouchable as Bay...a real fan favorite. Gonzalez I'm not so sure about...I think Boston might be able to trade for him, but don't know what he'd cost. He does have a history of injury problems...so I don't want them to break the bank if they don't have to. Plus, Theo's had bad luck with NL pitchers, especially relievers...

A lot depends on what Keith Foulke decides to do. If he does come back...he looked pretty solid in the last month or two. Not closer-solid but solid. 11.1 scoreless innings with a sub-1 whip and 9/1 k/bb. Bodes pretty well for next season.

If I'm Theo I go hard for Jamie Walker, Justin Speier, and maybe Francisco Cordero to shore up the MR. Closer is still an issue, though, and I really have no idea who Boston could manage to grab. Speier's got the stuff, but I'm not sure he can handle the use. If they did get Mike Gonzalez, he'd be the guy. Oh, and Gagne might be available. That'd be an interesting risk to take.

They still need a 5th starter, though, and the options out there aren't too good. I wouldn't mind a push for Schmidt, if they don't mind spending the money. Though what I'd REALLY like is for them to go after Japanese sensation Daisuke Matsuzaka. And Clemens is going to be up in the air again...but I won't plan on that happening. I guess in an ideal world:

SP: Schill, Beckett, Matsuzaka, (or Schmidt) Papelbon, Wake.
RP: Gonzalez, Snyder, Timlin, Foulke, Walker, Speier, Delcarmen and a rehabbing Eric Gagne. Tavarez is still around too...

As for offense...that's a whole other story.

And NYY? Offense is intact, but rotation right now is Wang, RJ, and maybe Moose?

Posted by: the other josh at October 5, 2006 11:07 PM

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