Joey Votto's RBI single

The Cincinnati Reds and Florida Marlins went into extra innings for the second straight night and the Reds won it again. The game went back and forth all night with the Reds scoring two in the top of the eighth and the Marlins countering with three in the bottom half to tie the score. The game went to the 11^th where Joey Votto and Brandon Phillips hit back-to-back RBI singles with two outs. Francisco Cordero worked a perfect 11^th to earn the save and win it for reliever Micah Owings who worked two scoreless innings. The Reds have won five of their last six and all five wins have come in their final at-bat. Jorge Cantu of the Marlins became the first player since 1921 to have a hit and RBI in his first 8 games.

Tampa Bay and Baltimore also went into extra innings. After the Rays were dominated for seven innings by rookie left-hander Brian Matusz, they finally got to him and the O’s bullpen in the eighth, scoring five runs. The resilient Orioles scored two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game up. It stayed tied until the tenth when Rays slugger Carlos Pena blasted a three-run homerun off of Matt Albers to take an 8-5 lead. The O’s did score a run off of Rays closer Rafael Soriano (a solo homerun by Ty Wiggington) but could do no more damage. The hopeful Orioles dropped to 1-7 on the season and attendance is dropping quickly (they had just a little over 13,000 for Tuesday night and just 9,000 on Monday).

Resilient is the best way to describe the 2010 Detroit Tigers (at least early on). On Sunday, ace Justin Verlander was battered by the Cleveland Indians, but the Tigers stormed back to win the game in their final at-bat. On Tuesday, it was more of the same but this time the KC Royals did the battering to Dontrelle Willis. The Royals held a 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers scored six runs in the inning, finally chased starter Brian Bannister (who gave up just three singles through six innings), and again ripped the Royals bullpen (just as they did during the first series of the season as it took three relievers to get out of the inning). It was the Tigers fifth comeback of the season.

Mark Buehrle of the Chicago White Sox had the best defensive play on Opening Day (most likely one of the best of the season). On Tuesday night in San Francisco, Pittsburgh Pirates starter Paul Maholm made a play to rival Buehrle’s. On a ball hit by the Giants’ Aubrey Huff, Maholm dove to stop the ball as it was rolling by him, rolled over, and flipped the ball over his head (from inside his glove) to first base for the out. Check out this site to see the play in real time (http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=7432519). The Pirates also held on in a nail-biter, 6-5.

Ricky Romero

In Toronto, the Blue Jays had another no-hitter watch, this time from second year left-hander Ricky Romero (they also had one from Double-A New Hampshire prospect Luis Perez at the same time and last week Shaun Marcum had one). Romero went into the 8^th inning while no-hitting the White Sox, but he hit AJ Pierzynski and former Blue Jay Alex Rios sent a 2-1 changeup into the left field seats for a two-run homerun. Romero finished the inning with three straight ground outs and he struck out 12 on the night as the Blue Jays won 4-2. “We were just in awe,” Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells told reporters after the game. “It was one of the most dominant performances I’ve seen as a Blue Jay. It was fun to be a part of.”

NY Yankees ring

The NY Yankees began the second season at new Yankee Stadium with the ultimate pre-game festivities: the unveiling of the World Series champion’s banner and the ring ceremony. Yankee greats Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford were on hand to present the Yankees with their World Series champion rings. Former Yankee Bernie Williams threw out the first pitch. The Yankees received stellar starting pitching from veteran Andy Pettitte (6 innings of shutout baseball), though the LA Angels came back against reliever Dave Robertson to make the game close (the Yankees won 7-5).

Tags:

Alex Rios, Andy Pettitte, Baltimore Orioles, Brian Bannister, Brian Matusz, Carlos Pena, Cincinnati Reds, Detroit Tigers, Florida Marlins, Joey Votto, Jorge Cantu, KC Royals, Matt Albers, NY Yankees, Paul Maholm, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ricky Romero, Tampa Bay Rays, Toronto Blue Jays, Vernon Wells

Fenway Park

The NY Yankees versus the Boston Red Sox is considered to be one of the best rivalries in all of sports. The Yankees are the 2009 World Series champions and are looking to begin the quest to repeat tonight. The Yankees will have to travel to Fenway Park in Boston to face their rivals to begin defense of their title. The Red Sox will be trying to knock the Yankees down off their pedestal. So the greatest rivalry in sports opens the 2010 baseball season.

Opening Night (8pm EST on ESPN) pits staff aces CC Sabathia of the Yankees against Josh Beckett of the Red Sox. Beckett has had some health issues lately and Sabathia struggled all spring. Both pitchers will thrive off the adrenaline of pitching the very first game of the season. Heading into tonight, the Yankees had a few injuries (both catchers, Damaso Marte, Nick Johnson, and Alfredo Aceves), but all were cleared to play and made the Opening Day roster.

Curtis Granderson

The Yankees were not just content with winning the World Series; they want to win it again in 2010. Manager Joe Girardi changed his jersey number from 27 to 28 (the hopeful number of Yankee World titles). Gone are Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, two major reasons why the Yankees beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the World Series. Gone are key relievers Brian Bruney and left-hander Phil Coke. Arriving are outfielder Curtis Granderson and a return of pitcher Javier Vazquez. Also joining the Yankees are DH Nick Johnson, and outfielders Randy Winn and Marcus Thames. However the core group is still intact and the team feels that the 2010 team will be better.

John Lackey

The Red Sox also made changes this offseason after a disappointing divisional series loss to the LA Angels. They added John Lackey (a former Angel) and his bulldog mentality to the rotation. They added defense-minded veterans Mike Cameron, Marco Scutaro, Adrian Beltre, and Bill Hall, though all four have the ability to hit. Many are concerned that the Red Sox may not have enough offense. The new players will quickly get a taste of the rivalry in Game number 1 of the season.

Do not expect to see much young talent on Opening Night or throughout the series. Both teams rely on veterans and a high payroll. The Yankees have backup catcher Francisco Cervelli, utility infielder Ramiro Pena, and starting left fielder Brett Gardner entering their second seasons. The Red Sox have starting left fielder Jacoby Ellsbury and reliever Daniel Bard.

Opening Night at Fenway Park is always packed with Red Sox Nation fans but this year with the hated Yankees in town, it is expected to feel like a late season playoff push type of game. The crowd will be into everything. “It’s special. Always, going in there is special,” Yankees starter Andy Pettitte said. “It’s fun. The fans make it fun. The atmosphere is always great, but what makes it great is the excitement. When you walk out of that dugout and go to the bullpen, there’s that buzz, man. That doesn’t get old.”

After Opening Night, expect to see the Yankees AJ Burnett and Javier Vazquez match up against the Red Sox John Lackey and Jon Lester to finish out the series.

Most agree that the Yankees and Red Sox will once again be fighting for the American League East title and it all begins on Opening Night.

Tags:

American League. Boston Red Sox, Andy Pettitte, CC Sabathia, Joe Girardi, John Lackey, Josh Beckett, NY Yankees

The Yankees Win

“The Yankees win” was heard round the world when the NY Yankees won their 27^th title in 2009. The big three acquisitions prior to the season, CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira, were keys to the Yankees playoff success. When spring training opened to third baseman Alex Rodriguez’ steroid scandal and the Yankees struggled in the beginning of the season, many called for manager Joe Girardi’s head and changes to be made because the team just wasn’t good. However the Yankees got hot and the same people who were bashing them were saying that they were the best team.

The top three in the starting rotation were strong with Sabathia, Burnett, and veteran left-hander Andy Pettitte. Joba Chamberlain was also solid but management is concerned about his workload. Due to former 19-game winner Chien-Ming Wang’s struggles and injuries, the fifth spot on the staff was ever-changing.

The bullpen was also a constant shuttle with Triple-A Scranton. However by the end of the season, young arms such as Phil Hughes, Phil Coke, Dave Robertson, and Alfredo Aceves (along with Chamberlain) solidified the bullpen in front of closer Mariano Rivera.

While A-Rod was out with a hip injury at the beginning of the season, the offense struggled. Once he returned, every piece fell into place. The captain Derek Jeter thrived in the leadoff spot putting up MVP numbers while playing Gold Glove caliber defense at shortstop. Rightfielder Nick Swisher, outfielder Melky Cabrera, DH Hideki Matsui, and second baseman Robinson Cano were clutch, constantly winning games late. With injuries to both catchers (starter Jorge Posada and backup Jose Molina) at the same time, rookie Francisco Cervelli stepped in and thrived (.298 in 42 games).

Burnett's pie-in-the-face

Swisher and Burnett brought a new attitude to the usually stuffy Yankees, with the pie-in-the-face becoming a signature Burnett move. This offseason has been a busy one, though GM Brian Cashman has made blockbuster trades rather than spending big money on the free agent market. The blockbuster trades have depleted the minor league system a bit, with top prospect Austin Jackson, pitcher Ian Kennedy, and lefty reliever Michael Dunn being dealt away. The bullpen has also taken a hit with lefty Phil Coke and righty Brian Bruney being traded away too. It’s a disappointing season if the Yankees do not win a World Series so Girardi has a lot to do in 2010 with free agents Matsui and Damon gone and a bullpen under renovation. Here’s their wish list:

1. Re-sign Andy Pettitte: Pettitte has always been an integral part of the Yankees. That is why re-signing him was a priority. Having Pettitte, a seasoned veteran, takes the pressure off of some of the other pitchers. GM Brian Cashman signed Pettitte to a one-year deal.
2. 

   Curtis Granderson

   An outfielder: With Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and Xavier Nady as free agents, the returning outfielders consisted of Melky Cabrera, Brett Gardner, and Nick Swisher (none of them with a lot of power). So Cashman pulled the trigger on acquiring All-Star centerfielder Curtis Granderson from the Detroit Tigers. Granderson struggled badly last season against left-handed pitchers (and overall) despite hitting for power (.249 overall with 30 homeruns but just .183 against lefties with just 2 homeruns). His defense also suffered in 2009. Hopefully the pressure will be off (he was the face of a struggling city and offense in Detroit) and he can relax and have fun. Unfortunately they had to give up their top prospect, centerfielder Austin Jackson to get Granderson. They did receive LA Dodgers outfielder Jamie Hoffman in the Rule V draft, who is considered the Dodgers (and now Yankees) best defensive outfielder. He could help off the bench.

3. A starting pitcher: The Yankees have three spots set with Sabathia, Burnett, and Pettitte. However the last two spots were up in the air. Cashman filled one of those spots by trading for former Yankee and current Atlanta Brave Javier Vazquez. Vazquez was dominant in 2009 with the Braves and garnered CY Young votes (15-10 with a 2.87 ERA in 32 starts with 44 BB/ 238 Ks). The last spot will be filled by either Joba Chamberlain or Phil Hughes, with the other going to the back end of the bullpen. Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre will be given a chance at beating out Hughes or Chamberlain for the final spot, as Gaudin pitched well when he joined the Yanks (2-0 with a 3.43 ERA). If anyone struggles in spring training or during the 2010 season, don’t look for the Yankees to sit back and wait for something to happen (they will probably make a deal or call someone up from the minors). Two in-house candidates are Romulo Sanchez and Ivan Nova, who both pitched well in the minors in 2009.
4. A leftfielder: Johnny Damon played solid in his years with the Yankees, as he was a huge reason why they won the World Series. As a free agent, both sides are far apart on money and years. With Granderson in center, left field figured to be manned by Cabrera and Gardner. However to get Javier Vazquez in a trade with the Braves, it cost them Cabrera. So now the Yankees are short on outfielders at both the big league level and in the minors. Many believe Damon may re-sign, but the Yankees still need another outfielder.
5. A DH: Many talked about this opening as being a good thing to get the bench players time on the field by having the stars DH. Matsui was the main reason the Yankees won the World Series (he won MVP), but he signed with the LA Angels. There seemed to be hope for former Cuban prospect Juan Miranda as he has been stuck in Triple-A Scranton. Unfortunately for him, the Yankees signed oft-injured Nick Johnson, who always hits and gets on base when healthy. The former Yankee will slide into the 2 hole to bat in front of Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. The DH spot may be best for Johnson to limit his time on the field and hopefully limit the injuries.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Brett Gardner, Chad Gaudin, Curtis Granderson, Derek Jeter, Francisco Cervelli, Hideki Matsui, Jamie Hoffman, Javier Vazquez, Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, Nick Johnson, Nick Swisher, NY Yankees, Phil Hughes

The NY Yankees win their 27th World Series title

Yankees 7, Phillies 3: The Yankees celebrated their 27th World Series victory by jumping up and down like little kids. Even closer Mariano Rivera was jumping around in jubilation on the podium after hoisting the World Series trophy. It never gets old, as four of the Yankees have now won 5 World Series titles (Jeter, Rivera, Posada, and Pettitte). It is sort of surreal because every little kid who plays baseball dreams of winning the World Series. That’s the goal every year when spring training begins for all 30 MLB clubs.

Pedro Martinez of the Phillies began the game with a max fastball of 85 mph. It was not a good sign. After issuing a leadoff walk to Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui battled Pedro, with Matsui winning the battle by crushing a 2-run homerun into the right field upper deck seats. The Yankees held an early 2-0 lead. With one out in the top of the third, Phillies catcher Carlos Ruiz ripped the pitch from Andy Pettitte off of the left centerfield wall for a triple. Jimmy Rollins followed with a sacrifice fly to cut the Yankees lead to 2-1. After a misplay in centerfield by the Phillies Shane Victorino on a ball hit by Derek Jeter, Pedro then walked Johnny Damon and hit Mark Teixeira to bring up A-Rod. Pedro struck him out looking, but it brought up Matsui with the bases loaded. Instead of going to the bullpen, manager Charlie Manuel decided to stick with Pedro, which blew up in his face. Matsui was 8-for-18 against Pedro in the postseason before this at-bat. On a 0-2 pitch, Matsui laced a single back up the middle to drive in two more runs, increasing the Yankees lead to 4-1.

The NY Yankees hoist their 27th World Series trophy

The Yankees increased the lead to 7-1 in the fifth inning off the Phillies bullpen combination of Chad Durbin and JA Happ, highlighted by a 2-run double by Matsui. Matsui finished the game 3-for-4 with 6 RBIs, which tied a Major League World Series record for a single game). Ryan Howard tried to get the Phillies back into the game by hitting an opposite field 2-run homerun off of Pettitte to cut the lead to 7-3. This ended Pettitte’s night, yet the Phillies could do nothing against the Yankees bullpen. Damaso Marte continued his postseason mastery of lefties as he struck out both Chase Utley and Howard on just 6 pitches. Howard struck out 13 times in the World Series, which set a World Series record. This meant the Phillies would have to score against closer Mariano Rivera, who came in to record the final five outs. Though it took Rivera 41 pitches to get those final outs, he was the one on the mound in the celebratory moment when Victorino grounded out to end the game.

Hideki Matsui wins mvp

As the Yankees players ran around the new stadium celebrating with their teammates, coaches, fans, and family, the Phillies players looked on from the dugout in disbelief. Matsui, deservedly so, earned the World Series MVP. In the World Series, Matsui, the free-agent to be, was 8-for-13 with 3 homeruns and 8 RBIs. “They’re partying in Tokyo tonight,” teammate Nick Swisher said. “I know that. What a great job Matsui did for us, coming up in clutch situations all year long. He deserved that MVP trophy, no doubt about it.”

Tags:

Andy Pettitte, Carlos Ruiz, Damaso Marte, Hideki Matsui, Mariano Rivera, Pedro Martinez, Phillies, Ryan Howard, World Series Game 6, Yankees

Yankees 8, Phillies 5: Game 3 in Philly began just like it did in last year’s World Series, in a rain delay. The only difference this year was that it was warmer and the delay wasn’t as long (1hour and 20 minute delay and a new 9:17 start time). The Yankees Andy Pettitte looked rattled early on, needing 51 pitches to get through the first two innings. In the second inning, left-handed pitcher killer Jayson Werth blasted a solo homerun to left field near the MasterCard “Hit It Here” sign to give the Philadelphia Phillies a 1-0 lead. After loading the bases, Jimmy Rollins walked to force in a run and Shane Victorino (after swinging at two bad pitches) drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. Pettitte ended the damage by striking out Chase Utley (for the second time) to end the inning. Utley’s postseason on-base streak ended at 27 games. Cole Hamels was cruising along like he did in the 2008 postseason until walking Mark Teixeira (though replays showed ball four was strike three) in the 4th inning, before giving up his first hit-a double turned homerun by replays to Alex Rodriguez (his first World Series hit). That cut the Phillies lead to 3-2. And now the 2009 version of Hamels was fully back, getting hit around in the 5th inning. After not throwing a curveball all night, he threw three straight to the struggling Nick Swisher with the third being hit for a double. After getting Melky Cabrera to strike out on a changeup, Hamels hung another curveball to the pitcher Pettitte, who flared it into centerfield for an RBI single. Derek Jeter followed with another flare to center before Johnny Damon ripped a 2-run double to give the Yankees a 5-3 lead. After walking Teixeira again, manager Charlie Manuel came out to remove Hamels, who left the game to boos from the Philly fans. It wasn’t much better with the Phillies bullpen. Each reliever (JA Happ, Chad Durbin, and Brett Myers) gave up a single run in their inning of work until Ryan Madson worked a scoreless ninth.

Phillies pitching wasted an offensive effort from Werth, who belted another homerun off of Pettitte in the 6th, this time hitting the Geico sign, which was about 20 feet from the MasterCard sign. If he had of hit it, MasterCard would have donated $1 million to the Stand Up To Cancer initiative. The theme for the World Series so far for the Phillies has been a lack of offense from anyone other than Werth and catcher Carlos Ruiz. Pedro Felix got his first hit in Game 3. Ryan Howard had struck out 6 straight times before finally making contact (though also making an out). The top four batters in the Phillies order is hitting .200 or below, not giving Werth a chance to drive anyone in. The Yankees however, showed no signs of needing the designated hitter in Game 3, even getting a pinch-hit homerun from their DH, Hideki Matsui, in the 8th inning. Sure the Yankees aren’t tearing the cover off of the baseball, but they are getting clutch hits and have 5 homeruns in the three games. The Yankees are also getting excellent starting pitching, with Pettitte winning his ML record 17th postseason game. The Yankees hope to continue the trend of great starting pitching when they send ace CC Sabathia to the mound in Game 4 on short rest.

Rollins predicted that the World Series would actually feel like a World Series when the games moved to Philadelphia. Philly fans are known to be passionate, yet hostile to opposing teams and their fans. I was disappointed in the Phillies fans last night. Sure, they were into the game early on and into each of Werth’s blasts. But while watching on TV, I should not have been able to hear Yankee chants and cheers over the Phillies fans. Late in the game, I could hear “Let’s go Yankees!” and “Hip-hip Jorge!” when Posada was batting. And the Phillies fans sat in silence, allowing the hated Yankees to hear support. Not what I had expected, especially when they are considered to be fans that hang onto every moment and cheer for every hit and opposing teams’ hitters’ strikeouts.

Tags:

Andy Pettitte, Cole Hamels, Hideki Matsui, Jayson Werth, Nick Swisher, Phillies, World Series Game 3, Yankees

Another World Series in Philadelphia Phillies means rain in the forecast. Unlike last year, at least the temperatures are warm and not freezing. Game 3 was still set to begin on-time, despite the darkening clouds and rain incoming on the radar. As many of the Phillies players’ stated, the real World Series begins now, meaning the Philly fans are going to be electric, like nothing the Yankees have ever seen. Game 3 pits the Yankees Andy Pettitte against the Phillies Cole Hamels. Pettitte is hoping to increase his all-time postseason wins to 17, which would continue to put him in first place in that category. However, Pettitte isn’t averaging more than seven innings in a postseason start, so that means manager Joe Girardi will need to use more than closer Mariano Rivera out of the bullpen. It will be interesting to see how Pettitte approaches the Phillies lineup with the two switch-hitters at the top (Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino) and the lefties after them (Chase Utley, Ryan Howard, and Raul Ibanez). I suspect Howard will not see many fastballs. Hamels was last year’s NLCS and World Series MVP, though in 2009, he has not been very consistent. The Phillies need Hamels to pitch like he did in 2008 for them to be successful in Game 3. Hamels will need to keep the Yankees hitters adjusting and off-balance all night to be successful. The key to this game will be Pettitte versus the Phillies running attack and the Phillies Jayson Werth. Werth has one of the best batting averages against left-handed pitching over the last two years.

The Phillies have announced their Game 4 starter as Joe Blanton and the Yankees are leaning towards the three-man rotation, meaning Game 1 starter CC Sabathia would pitch in Game 4. Blanton had been the Phillies most consistent starter throughout the 2009 season. Blanton pitched mostly out of the bullpen so far this postseason, though he made the Game 4 start in the NLCS against the Dodgers. Many of the Yankee hitters are familiar with Blanton from his days with the Oakland A’s. Sabathia was good in his first start of the World Series, but was out-pitched by his former teammate. It will be interesting to see how he adjusts his game plan and how the Phillies hitters adjust to him. A key to Game 4 is how long Blanton goes in the game. It could be a game that is determined by the bullpens. Another key will be Carlos Ruiz. It will be Blanton’s first go-round against the Yankees in the playoffs and he’ll need to rely on Ruiz. Ruiz will also need to be big at the plate to turn the lineup over to the speed and power.

Game 5, and the final World Series game in Philly, has the Phillies sending Game 1 starter Cliff Lee probably up against Yankees Game 2 starter AJ Burnett. Will Burnett be just as dominant as he was in Game 2 or will his wild side re-emerge? The Phillies hitters need to adjust and jump on the fastball early in the count. How will the Yankees hitters react to seeing Lee a second time? A key will be Yankees catcher Jose Molina. He will need to keep Burnett’s emotions in check and to keep everything in the dirt in front of him. Molina will also need to produce at the plate or he may be the first move Girardi makes in terms of pinch-hitting. However, Girardi could go with Jorge Posada as the catcher to get more offense, but it would be sacrificing defense and stability with Burnett.

It will be interesting to see if Girardi gets Hideki Matsui some playing time in the outfield with the 3 games in Philly. He has been one of the Yankees best hitters of late (3-for-6 in the World Series so far) and I find it hard to believe that Girardi would only get him 3 at-bats as a pinch-hitter in the 3 games. We will find out how good of a manager Girardi really is as he’ll have to manage pinch-hitters and game situations, along with double-switches.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Carlos Ruiz, CC Sabathia, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Hideki Matsui, Jayson Werth, Joe Blanton, Joe Girardi, Jose Molina, Phillies, World Series, Yankees

The 2009 World Series is truly a matchup of the two best teams in baseball. There is trash-talking, with each city’s media taking things to the extreme and trying to get the players involved. One NY newspaper depicted Phillies outfielder Shane Victorino in a cheerleading skirt and called the Phillies the “Frillies”. Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins predicted the Phillies would win in 5 games. Both teams expect hostile crowds while on the road and Rollins loves to silence opposing teams’ home crowds. Plus he used to being hated in NY.

Both team’s ballparks are susceptible to the homerun as they were ranked in the top two in homeruns in Major League Baseball. Both team’s lineups are the two most-prolific homerun-hitting clubs in MLB. And as Nike stated in a 90’s ad, “chicks dig the long ball”. It’s not surprising that both teams sometimes live and die by the long ball. Both teams looked beatable in their respective league championship series, but both overcame their bullpen obstacles to win and advance. Both teams are led by their RBI machines: Alex Rodriguez of the Yankees and Ryan Howard of the Phillies. A-Rod has stripped the label of “postseason choke artist” and become the Yankees best postseason offensive threat. This will be A-Rod’s first World Series appearance. Howard has continued his usual late season hot streak into the postseason, earning NLCS MVP. Both tied the MLB postseason record for consecutive games with an RBI. It will be interesting to see how the managers elect to pitch to these two sluggers.

Both teams have a few questions marks in their lineups. The Phillies Chase Utley has a 25 straight postseason games of reaching base streak, which ties a ML record. Though he has been on base, he really has not been hitting (.211 against the Dodgers). The Phillies need more than just Victorino, Howard, and catcher Carlos Ruiz to produce. Rollins will need to be the fire-starter and put pressure on the pitchers and Jorge Posada behind the plate for the Phillies to be successful. Mark Teixeira and Nick Swisher of the Yankees have been struggling throughout this postseason and some have talked about benching Swisher. The Yankees are relying on Swisher becoming the clutch hitter he has been all season long and Tex to be the power-hitting, RBI machine he was all season.

Both teams have question marks in the bullpen. Ryan Madson, the setup man for the Phillies has been inconsistent all season and has mostly struggled this postseason. Closer Brad Lidge seems to have found his 2008 self. Chad Durbin has been lights-out coming in to get out of jams and if his sinker is working, double-play balls will be common. Everyone else is either hurting or coming back from an injury (Scott Eyre, Chan Ho Park, and Brett Myers) or inexperienced (Antonio Bastardo, Happ). Yes the Yankees have postseason sensation Mariano Rivera as their closer, but he has been far from dominant in the last year or so. Getting to Mo has been a challenge and manager Joe Girardi has been using him for more than an inning lately. I think that the young bullpen pitchers have struggled lately mainly due to overuse throughout the regular season. Look at box scores and some pitched almost every day (like Phil Coke and his 72 games). Alfredo Aceves ended up with 10 wins, mainly out of the bullpen. Dave Robertson was in the top 5 in the AL in strikeouts per nine innings (12.98) and has been dominant. Phil Hughes has been struggling though he has been the 8th inning setup man for most of the second-half. Since Girardi seems to have lost some confidence in his bullpen, Brian Bruney has been added to the roster and could regain his role of setup man if he dominates.

The pitching staffs are evenly matched. Both have seasoned playoff veterans in Andy Pettitte and Pedro Martinez. Both managers have decisions to make regarding their Game 4 starters.

Game 1: Cliff Lee @ CC Sabathia
This may be the best pitching matchup that the World Series has had in a long time. They are the last two American League CY Young award winners. They were teammates with the Cleveland Indians up until last July. Lee and his Indians opened up new Yankee Stadium this year against Sabathia and his Yankees, winning 10-2. Sabathia has pitched better than ever in this year’s postseason, rather than in year’s past and is earning every penny the Yankees are paying him. Lee has made other teams look silly for not pulling the trigger and adding him to their pitching staff. Lee has been dominant in his first experience in the postseason.

Game 2: Pedro Martinez @ AJ Burnett
Pedro is sure to hear “who’s your daddy?” throughout this game at Yankee Stadium. He was not well-liked in his Red Sox/Mets days when playing at Yankee Stadium, so it should be no different being with the Phillies. Pedro dominated the Dodgers in his lone playoff game this season for the Phillies (though the bullpen blew his win), and manager Charlie Manuel is hoping for Pedro’s continued playoff success. Burnett is known to be wild but can keep the damage to a minimum if he keeps his emotions in check. Burnett got lit up by the Phillies in back in May, but that was a long time ago. Manager Joe Girardi is hoping for an ALCS Game 2 type outing (6.1 IP, 2 R, 2BB, 1 HBP) from Burnett rather than ALCS Game 5 types outing (6+ IP, 8 H, 6 R, 3 BB, 1 HBP).

Game 3: Cole Hamels vs. Andy Pettitte

Pettitte is the seasoned playoff veteran and he continued his playoff dominance against the LA Angels in the ALCS, winning the deciding Game 6. That win was Pettitte’s 16th career postseason victory. Hamels was last year’s NLCS & World Series MVP. He has not been close to the same pitcher so far this year. The Phillies will need the 2009 version of Hamels to regain his 2008 form.

Game 4: Joe Blanton/JA Happ vs. Sabathia/Chad Gaudin/Joba Chamberlain
This is where the debate begins. Happ made his first start of 2009 at new Yankee Stadium back in May and dominated (though Brad Lidge blew the game). Blanton has been the most consistent starter for the Phillies and the backbone of the rotation. Both will be available out of the bullpen for the first two games and whoever pitched the least will probably get the Game 4 nod. Girardi has used the 3 –man rotation throughout this year’s playoffs, though Sabathia has been the only one to pitch on short rest. With only one guaranteed off-day (2 total) and inclement weather looming, can Girardi afford a 3-man rotation? Can all 3 pitch on 3 days rest? Gaudin only made one playoff appearance so far this postseason (1 inning) and Chamberlain has struggled out of the bullpen lately. Neither is stretched out for a long starting stint. Depending on the first three games of the series may dictate how Girardi chooses the Game 4 & 5 starters.

The Phillies won the season series in NY 2-1, though Lidge was not lights-out (2 blown saves and a loss). The Yankees are trying for their 27th World Series title (these reason Girardi wears number 27 on his jersey) and the Phillies are trying for their 2nd consecutive. Both teams have played loose throughout the postseason. On paper, the Yankees would be the choice to win, but the Dodgers on paper looked like the team to be in the World Series. It’s time to throw out all the stats and watch the two teams play ball. It should be exciting.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Brad Lidge, Brian Bruney, CC Sabathia, Chad Durbin, Chase Utley, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, Dave Robertson, JA Happ, Jimmy Rollins, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Blanton, Mark Teixeira, Nick Swisher, NY Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Phil Hughes, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, Ryan Madson, Shane Victorino, World Series

Phillies 11, Dodgers 0 (Game 3): The Dodgers arrived in Philadelphia and knew they would have to deal with the weather and hostile crowds. They also had to deal with the buzz saw that is Cliff Lee. The Phillies received another dominant pitching performance from Lee (8IP, 3H, 0BB, 10K). The Phillies also got outstanding offensive performances from everyone up and down the lineup and it came early an often. The Phillies jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the 1st inning, highlighted by a Ryan Howard 2-run triple and a Jayson Werth 2-run homer. In the 2nd, the Philadelphia Phillies jumped out to a 6-0 lead, knocking Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda out of the game. Despite the overall solid bullpen performance from the Dodgers, Lee was virtually unhittable for the entire Dodgers lineup, except for Manny Ramirez. Carlos Ruiz continued his hot-hitting against the Dodgers, collecting 2 hits, an RBI, and 2 runs scored. The exclamation point to the game came in the bottom of the 8th when Shane Victorino blasted a 3-run homer to right field on an inside fastball.

Angels 5, Yankees 4 in 11 innings (Game 3): The Yankees and Angels yet again battled into extra innings. Against Angels starter Jered Weaver, the Yankees got 3 solo homeruns from Derek Jeter (whose HR led off the game), Alex Rodriguez, and Johnny Damon. The Angels battled back against starter Andy Pettitte, getting a solo homerun from Howie Kendrick and a 2-run homerun from Vladimir Guerrero (his first RBIs of the ALCS). After Pettitte was lifted for Joba Chamberlain in the 7th, the Angels offense went to work and finally scored a run to take the lead at 4-3 on a Kendrick triple and a pinch-hit sacrifice fly from Maicer Izturis. This lead was short-lived as Angels reliever Kevin Jepsen gave up a solo homerun to Jorge Posada to tie the game in the 8th. This could have been worse, but pinch-runner Brett Gardner was thrown out trying to steal second while Posada was batting. The game then became a battle of the bullpens. In the bottom of the 11th, newly inserted catcher Jeff Mathis led off the inning with a double off of Phil Hughes. The Angels then loaded the bases against Mariano Rivera, but could not get a run across with the heart of the order up. In the bottom of the 11th after Dave Robertson got two quick outs, manger Joe Girardi decided to go to Alfredo Aceves to face Kendrick. Kendrick singled and Mathis followed with another double off the left field wall, scoring Kendrick from first base to win the game. Mathis is a career .200 hitter and only had 8 doubles all season, but now has 3 doubles in the ALCS. The Angels needed the win in LA to get back in the series and they celebrated on the field accordingly. The Angels will send lefty Scott Kazmir to the mound in Game 4 against the Yankees CC Sabathia on 3-days rest.

Phillies 5, Dodgers 4 (Game 4): The Phillies capped the night of postseason games by providing more late-inning drama. Phillies starter Joe Blanton was cruising along through the Dodgers order with an early 2-0 lead thanks to a Ryan Howard first inning 2-run blast. However in the 4th, Blanton struggled giving up three hits and two walks, with 2-out RBIs from James Loney and Russell Martin. Meanwhile Los Angeles Dodgers starter Randy Wolf pitched well after the 2-run first inning. Matt Kemp belted a solo homerun to dead center on an elevated 2-0 pitch to give the Dodgers a 3-2 lead. Casey Blake delivered another 2-out RBI in the next inning to give the Dodgers a 4-2 lead. Blake had been 1-for-25 against Blanton in his career. The Phillies finally started to get to Wolf in the 6th, ending his night. Shane Victorino tripled, Chase Utley hit an RBI single, and Howard walked. Ronald Belisario came in and got Jayson Werth to ground into a force out, and Hong-Chih Kuo got Raul Ibanez to line out to left field to end the inning. The 4-3 lead for the Dodgers held up until the bottom of the ninth inning. With one out, closer Jonathon Broxton walked pinch-hitter Matt Stairs and hit Carlos Ruiz. After getting pinch-hitter Greg Dobbs to line out, Jimmy Rollins came up and ripped a 99 mph fastball into the right-center field gap, driving in the tying and winning runs. All of this sent both the Phillies players and their fans into a frenzy. In Game 5 and the possible clincher for the Phillies, they will send Cole Hamels to the mound hoping to rebound from his Game 1 loss. The Dodgers will counter with former Phillies Vicente Padilla, who stifled the Phillies in Game 2.

Tags:

ALCS, Andy Pettitte, Cliff Lee, Howie Kendrick, Jeff Mathis, Jered Weaver, Jimmy Rollins, Joe Blanton, Jonathon Broxton, LA Angels, LA Dodgers, NLCS, NY Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Randy Wolf, Ryan Howard

The LA Angels and NY Yankees matchup looks to be a hard fought battle that may take the seven games to crown an American League Champion. The two teams split the season series 5-5 and the home team won 7 out of the 10 games. Both teams are evenly matched. Where the Angels use speed and athleticism, the Yankees use power and strength to win games. Both teams have solid starting pitching, with the Angels more confident in using four pitchers than the Yankees. The Angels beefed up their rotation by acquiring Scott Kazmir from the Rays and getting John Lackey and Joe Saunders back from injuries. Jered Weaver has been the ace all season long. The Yankees have the stronger bullpen with the combination of Alfredo Aceves, Dave Robertson, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Coke, and Phil Hughes getting the lead to closer Mariano Rivera (who may be the best closer ever) in the ninth inning. All have the ability to strike anyone out (Robertson: 63 K in 42 2/3 innings, Hughes: 65 in 51 1/3 innings). The one weakness to the Yankees bullpen is their youth and inexperience in big games, and their overuse all season long. The Angels have the stronger outfield, with better range and throwing arms, and more offensive firepower. The Angels go first to third better than any team in baseball and will take advantage of the Yankee outfield of Johnny Damon, Melky Cabrera, and Nick Swisher. Behind the plate, the Angels sometimes sacrifice defense for offense with Mike Napoli over Jeff Mathis though Napoli has gotten better behind the plate. The Yankees have Jorge Posada and Jose Molina and it’s almost a guarantee the Angels will run, just like they did against the Boston Red Sox. The infields are evenly matched: the Angels (Chone Figgins, Erick Aybar, Howie Kendrick, Maicer Izturis, and Kendry Morales) are more athletic and have more range and the Yankees have a gold glover at first base in Mark Teixeira, who saves errors by his teammates. The Yankees infield produces more homeruns though the Angels have more speed. The entire Angels team is patient at the plate (except for Vladimir Guerrero) and the Yankees pitchers tend to walk a few too many. This could be the key to the entire series.
The biggest question mark for the Angels has been their bullpen. Veteran Darren Oliver has been stellar all season long and against the Red Sox he was just the same. Closer Brian Fuentes is not conventional or automatic, but he got he job done against the Red Sox in the ALDS. As I mentioned above, the middle relief for the Yankees is a question mark. It looked strong in the ALDS against the Twins. How will the young guys react to the added pressure of being one series win from the World Series? Will Joe Girardi be able to use the same guys everyday like he did in the ALDS?

Game 1: John Lackey @ CC Sabathia
Lackey was dominant against the Red Sox in the ALDS and he made one start against the Yankees in 2009. Lackey went seven innings giving up six hits and two runs, while striking out six. His one start was in LA. Yankees manager Joe Girardi is hoping to have Sabathia pitch in Games 1, 4, and 7, all on three days rest. Sabathia thrived down the stretch last season with the Brewers when he pitched the entire month of September on three days rest.

Game 2: Joe Saunders @ AJ Burnett
Saunders faced the Yankees twice in LA, pitching 13.1 innings, giving up 16 hits and seven runs. However his second start after the All-Star break was excellent, going into the 9th giving up just two runs without walking a batter. Burnett has had problems with his command throughout his career and his start against the Twins was no different. However, if he can find a way to escape the jams he put himself into, he can be dominant. In his two starts against the Angels this season, Burnett struggled against their left-handed hitters, giving up five runs. In all, Burnett pitched 12.2 innings, giving up 15 hits and six runs, while walking four and striking out 16.

Game 3: Jered Weaver vs. Andy Pettitte
Weaver struggled against the Yankees in three starts this season. Weaver has been better at home (17 GS, 9-3, 2.90 ERA, 27 BB/ 99 K) than on the road this season, so manager Mike Scioscia lined him up to pitch in LA. Pettitte may be the wild card for the Yankees. He has the playoff experience and success. Plus he has one of, if not the best pickoff move in the game. His presence on the mound could keep the Angels running game in check. However, Pettitte has not had success against the Angels this season in three starts (16 IP, 21 H, 14 R, 8 BB, 6 K), two of which came in LA.

Game 4: Scott Kazmir vs. ?
The Angels acquired Kazmir for these situations. Kazmir had success in his career against the Red Sox and though he struggled in his Game 3 start, he kept the Angels in the game long enough for them to come back and win. Kazmir also has had success against the Yankees. In 3 starts this season, Kazmir pitched 19.2 innings, giving up 17 hits and seven runs while striking out 14. He also only allowed one homerun. Yankees manager Joe Girardi is planning on using a 3-man rotation for this seven-game series, though weather permitting. With the extra days off, the Yankees can get away with only using three starters, though the weather forecast for the first two games in NY is rainy and cold. This could force the Yankees to go with Joba Chamberlain or Chad Gaudin to start Game 4.
Key Matchups:
Brian Fuentes vs. Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez: This may be Fuentes toughest test. To get to the World Series, Fuentes will need to keep Teixeira and A-Rod in check. Fuentes has pitched better on the road than in LA. Against right-handed hitters in 2009, Fuentes has struggled, giving up 6 homeruns (0 to lefties). Against left-handed pitchers, Teixeira’s power numbers were down (just 9HR and 31 RBI), though his batting average was over .300. A-Rod’s power numbers were also down against left-handed pitchers (just 8 HR, 21 RBI). He also struggled this season in late-inning at-bats.

Mariano Rivera vs. Bobby Abreu, Torii Hunter, and Vladimir Guerrero: In four games against the Angels this season, Mo gave up just two hits (0 runs) with 5 strikeouts. In 41 late-inning at-bats, Abreu hit well over .300, with 7 RBIs and the typical 12 walks, getting on base for those behind him to drive him in. Late in the game Hunter has thrived, hitting over .380 in 49 at-bats, with 4 homeruns and eight RBIs. Vlad also thrived late in the game, hitting close to .450 in 31 at-bats, with 2 homeruns and 6 RBIs.

Chone Figgins: In his career, Figgins has owned the Yankees. This year he hit over .330 against them. However, Figgins has struggled throughout his career in the postseason, with a batting average hovering around .180. The Angels will need Figgins to step up and get on base for the Angels to win the league crown.

Tags:

ALCS, Alex Rodriguex, Andy Pettitte, Angels, Brian Fuentes, Chone Figgins, Jered Weaver, Joe Saunders, John Lackey, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, Scott Kazmir, Yankees

Angels 7, Red Sox 6: Angels players talked during the first days of the postseason that they’re a different club than years past and they don’t think about always losing to the Boston Red Sox in the postseason. Whether they thought about it or not, the monkey is off their backs as the Angels swept the Red Sox 3-0 to head to the league championship series.

Down by 3 heading into the 8th inning and facing the Red Sox combination of Billy Wagner and Jonathon Papelbon, the Angel came within one run, scoring three in the inning. They could have had more, but Papelbon picked off pinch-runner Reggie Willits to end the threat.

However, Angels reliever Kevin Jepsen allowed a run to score in the bottom of the 8th, increasing the lead to 6-4. With closer Jonathon Papelbon in the game, both players and fans were pretty confident there would be a Game 4. After getting two quick outs, Papelbon got into trouble.

After a single to Erick Aybar, he walked Chone Figgins, bringing up the most patient hitter in the game, Bobby Abreu. After fouling off pitches, Abreu ripped an RBI double off the Green Monster getting the Angels within a run.

The Red Sox chose to walk Torii Hunter intentionally and face Vladimir Guerrero. Guerrero ripped the first pitch he saw into centerfield for a 2-run single, giving the Angels a 7-6 lead, and ending Papelbon’s day. The three runs were the first postseason earned runs Papelbon had given up in his career. Los Angeles Dodgers closer Brian Fuentes pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, shocking Red Sox Nation and completing the Angels three game sweep.

Red Sox starter Clay Buchholz pitched well until the sixth inning, when he loaded the bases, but Daniel Bard and his 100 mph fastball got out of the inning. Angels starter Scott Kazmir pitched well in the 1st, 2nd, 5th, & 6th innings, but struggled in the 3rd &4th, giving up 5 runs. The Angels scored 5 runs off of Wagner and Papelbon, and scored 5 runs with 2 outs. The Angels will face the NY Yankees in the ALCS beginning on Friday.

Yankees 4, Twins 1: The baseball career of the Metrodome ended after Game 3 of the ALDS. The Twins, hoping for home-field advantage while playing the middle games at the Metrodome, got surprisingly dominant starting pitching from Carl Pavano, who matched Andy Pettitte zero for zero.

The announcers talked about who would be the first to falter, and Pettitte was, giving up a run in the bottom of the sixth. However the Yankees stormed back, getting solo homeruns by Alex Rodriguez and Jorge Posada in the top of the seventh, which proved to be the game winners.

The Twins had their chance to score in the bottom of the 8th inning, but Nick Punto went through his third base coach’s stop sign and then was thrown out at third while trying to scamper back. The Twins bullpen could not keep the game at 2-1, as 4 relievers combined to give up 2 runs in the 9th. The difference in the series was that the Yankees could get quick runs with the homerun (they hit six); while the Twins had to scratch and claw to get a run across (they had zero homeruns). The Yankees will meet the Angels in the ALCS beginning on Friday.

Phillies 6, Rockies 5: After the Saturday postponement, both teams were primed to break through the blistery cold weather. The Phillies scored first, off a 1st inning homerun by slumping Chase Utley. The Rockies answered in the bottom of the 1st with 2 runs on four hits, highlighted by a Garrett Atkins RBI single. Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision as the Phillies JA Happ only went 3 innings and allowing 3 runs, while Rockies starter Jason Hammel went into the 4th innings, allowing 4 runs as the Phillies had a 3-run 4th highlighted by a Carlos Ruiz RBI single.

In the bottom of the 4th off of Joe Blanton, the red-hot Carlos Gonzalez (who had another 3 hits in the game) crushed a homerun to tie the game at 4. Ruiz hurt the Rockies again by getting an RBI single in the 6th, giving the Philadelphia Phillies a 5-4 lead. The Rockies in the 7th got a sacrifice fly from Troy Tulowitzki, as he just missed a 3-run homer off of Ryan Madson, to tie the game at 5.

This could have been a big inning for the Rockies as Madson entered with runners on first and third with no one out. He came in to strike out Todd Helton, gave up the sacrifice fly, and struck out Yorvit Torrealba to end the inning. In the top of the 9th inning, the Phillies got to Rockies closer Huston Street, as he was not sharp, giving up a sacrifice fly to Ryan Howard, giving the Phillies a 6-5 lead. Phillies manager Charlie Manuel elected to go with Bad Lidge to close out the game. After getting the first hitter to ground out, he walked Gonzalez, who proceeded to steal second base.

However, Lidge came back to strike out pinch-hitter Jason Giambi, but then walked Todd Helton. With the winning run on first base, Lidge got Tulowitzki to fly out to end the game. It was a hard fought win for the Phillies, as their bullpen outlasted the Rockies. The walks (eight of them) by Rockies pitchers came back to haunt them as three of them scored and a bases-loaded walk forced in a run in the 4th inning. Game 4 will be Monday night in Denver, with Phillies Game 1 starter Cliff Lee going up against Rockies Game 1 starter Ubaldo Jimenez.

Tags:

Andy Pettitte, Angels, Billy Wagner, Bobby Abreu, Brian Fuentes, Carl Pavano, Carlos Gonzalez, Clay Buchholz, Garrett Atkins, Jason Hammel, Jonathon Papelbon, Kevin Jepsen, Phillies, Red Sox, Reggie Willits, Rockies, Scott Kazmir, Torii Hunter

Alex Rodriquez hit his 563rd homerun, tying the slugger with Reggie Jackson for 11th place on the all-time list

Two good, high-priced teams will be in New York this weekend as the New York Mets host the New York Yankees at Citi Field starting on Friday night. Both teams won Thursday night to tighten their respective races. Laden with injuries and the usual controversies that accompany both teams, the weekend series has big pennant race potential for the Big Apple’s finest.

In Atlanta, the Yankees finally got plenty of hitting and run production from the cleanup slot in an 11-7 win over the Braves. Alex Rodriquez hit his 563rd homerun, tying the slugger with Reggie Jackson for 11th place on the all-time list.

The Atlanta win was A-Rod’s first multi-hit game since May 25th. His 3 for 5, one homerun and 4 RBI night brought some relief to a troubled clubhouse and manager. In a rare road appearance, General Manager Brian Cashman paid a road visit to the Bronx Bombers who have lost 9 of their last 11 and relinquished the league lead to the dreaded Bosox.

With their talented slugger mired in a .223 slump, the Yanks have struggled for hits much less runs. A-Rod’s slump has been so pronounced that Braves Manager Bobby Cox did the unthinkable walking Mark Teixeira to load the bases for the struggling third baseman. A-Rod used an inside out swing to plate two runs with a clutch single.

Speculation has been that his strike zone is extended and that he has not fully recovered from hip surgery. Yankee fans have short memories and when you are the cleanup hitter for the highest profile team in the sport, you had better produce.

The Yankees’ most consistent starter, Andy Pettitte only lasted 3.2 innings yielding 7 hits and 6 runs before giving way to Alfredo Aceves who went 2.1 innings recording his 5th win against one loss. Mariano Rivera posted his 17th save retiring the last batter.

Resurgent left fielder Johnny Damon also drive in 4 runs with another solid 4 – 5 night at the plate. Damon raised his average to .293 and has been the most consistent Yankee batsman to date.

Mets 3, Cards 2

Two of the game’s best pitchers, both Cy Young winners, went at it on Thursday with the Mets Johan Santana (9-5) out-dueling Chris Carpenter (5-2) and giving the Mets consecutive wins for the first time in 16 days.

With Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Carlos Delgado out with injuries, the Mets’ lineup has some serious holes. Disabled pitchers John Maine and Oliver Perez has pushed the bullpen the brink.

Double A callup, Nick Evans delivered a clutch two run shot in the three run third. With help from Pedro Feliciano, who pitched the eighth and closer Francisco Rodriquez, who notched his 20th save, the Mets pulled within a half game of the Phillies in the NL East. What weekend!

Tags:

A-Rod, Alex Rodriguez, Andy Pettitte, Atlanta Braves, Citi Field, Frnacisco Rodriquez, Johan Santana, Johnny Damon, Mariano Rivera, Nick Evans, NY Mets, NY Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals