Jody Gerut hits for the cycle

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Jody Gerut hit for the cycle on Saturday night in Arizona against the Diamondbacks. He was making only his fourth start of the season and he made the most of it.

By the fifth inning, Gerut had already collected a single, triple, and homerun. However he had to wait until a long ninth inning for him to collect the double (while driving in two in the inning). Gerut became the sixth player in Brewers history to hit for the cycle (and first since 2004). Gerut became a part of history as the Brewers pummeled the Diamondbacks 17-3. He also drove in four, as did outfielder Ryan Braun.

After being rained out in Minnesota Friday night, the Twins and Baltimore Orioles were set for two on Saturday. Game 1 went to the Orioles as they pounded out 12 hits and seven runs against Twins starter Francisco Liriano (and reliever Alex Burnett).

O’s starter Jeremy Guthrie capitalized on the run support as he picked up his first win of the 2010 season. He allowed three runs (on homeruns hit by Justin Morneau and Michael Cuddyer) on five hits in 6.2 innings. The top of the order for the O’s (Julio Lugo, Adam Jones, and Nick Markakis) was a combined 7-for-14 with five RBIs.

Game 2 went to the Twins as starter Scott Baker limited the O’s to one run on three hits in eight innings (he allowed a Luke Scott homerun) while striking out eight. O’s starter Kevin Millwood dropped to 0-4 after allowing three runs on seven hits in seven innings. Twins DH Jim Thome went 2-for-3 and Delmon Young went 3-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

The LA Angels and Seattle Mariners were battling it out in Seattle on Saturday night. It was a matchup of the struggling Angels starter Joe Saunders against the Mariners surprisingly dominant starter Doug Fister. Both pitchers gave up three runs and the game stayed tied into the ninth inning. In the ninth inning, Fernando Rodney walked three batters but was an escape artist and did not allow a run.

Hideki Matsui's 1500th RBI

However in the top of the tenth inning, the Angels would score a run off of Mariners closer David Aardsma. Hideki Matsui would drive in the game winner as he collected his 1,500th RBI in professional baseball. Angels closer Brian Fuentes pitched a perfect tenth with two strikeouts to pick up his fourth save.

The Washington Nationals are slowly beginning to surprise everyone throughout baseball. Last night, the Nationals received solid pitching from spot starter Matt Chico (who was called up to start in place of the injured John Lannan). For five innings, Chico outdueled Florida Marlins ace Josh Johnson as Chico gave up just two runs to Johnson’s three runs.

Matt Capps

After the Marlins took a 4-3 lead off of Nationals reliever Tyler Clippard on a Gaby Sanchez two-run homer, Josh Willingham came up in the seventh inning and hit a solo homerun to tie the game. In the eighth inning with the bases loaded, Marlins lefty reliever Renyel Pinto (who came in to face the left-handed hitting Adam Dunn) hit Dunn to drive in the winning run. Matt Capps came in to collect his 12th save in a perfect ninth inning.

The Chicago Cubs were pummeled by the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday night. Despite collecting 12 hits, the Cubs could only muster two runs. The Reds on the other hand, scored 14 runs on 15 hits. The game was close until the seventh inning before the Reds scored five runs and another six runs in the eighth inning.

The Reds Brandon Phillips, Jonny Gomes, and Ryan Hanigan collected three hits a piece and Hanigan drove in five runs (four coming on his first career grand slam). Also good for the Reds was the pitching performance by Aaron Harang. Harang pitched into the seventh inning and allowed two runs on seven hits while striking out nine. This was the Harang that Reds fans want to see every start.

Tags:

Baltimore Orioles, Diamondbacks, Doug Fister, Florida Marlins, Francisco Liriano, Hideki Matsui, Jody Gerut, Kevin Millwood, Matt Capps, Milwaukee Brewers, Ryan Braun

Sabathia exists the game after giving up his first hit

On Saturday afternoon, NY Yankees ace CC Sabathia made quick work of the Tampa Bay Rays at Tropicana Field. He got within four outs of a no-hitter. In the seventh with two outs catcher Kelly Shoppach (and a former teammate of Sabathia’s with Cleveland) ripped a single to left field on the very first pitch to break up the no-hitter. Sabathia threw 111 pitches and was helped out by great defense in the infield by Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, and Robinson Cano. The Yankees spanked the Rays 10-0.

Gaby Sanchez of the Florida Marlins hit his first big league homerun, a three-run shot, off of LA Dodger Vicente Padilla. In the bottom of the ninth and the Marlins down 6-4 (after the Dodgers came back against the Marlins bullpen to take the lead), pinch-hitter Ronny Paulino delivered a two-run double off of Dodgers reliever George Sherrill to tie the game. Hanley Ramirez was intentionally walked to load the bases to face Jorge Cantu. Cantu launched a fly ball to centerfield for a sacrifice fly to score Chris Coghlin for the game winner (the Marlins won 7-6).

Zach Duke of the Pittsburgh Pirates seems to have rediscovered his dominance of a few years back. Against the Arizona Diamondbacks he got 14 ground ball outs to go with his two strikeouts in his seven solid innings of work. Duke allowed just four hits and two runs, which scored on Mark Reynolds’ two-run homerun in the seventh inning. The Pirates bullpen held on for the 6-3 win.

Matsui tips hat to the fans after gw hit

New LA Angels ace Jered Weaver dominated in his second start against the hot-hitting Oakland A’s. Weaver went six innings allowing one run on four hits while striking out seven (to just one walk). However the A’s were happy to see Weaver exit the game as they scored single runs in the seventh and eighth innings to tie the game at 3-3. In the bottom of the ninth, the A’s elected to intentionally walk Torii Hunter after Bobby Abreu doubled. That brought up Hideki Matsui, who ripped a 2-0 fastball down the right field line to win the game 4-3, which broke the Angels four game losing streak.

The Colorado Rockies and the San Diego Padres battled into the 14^th inning with Padres first baseman Adrian Gonzalez coming through with an RBI double for the game winner. The Rockies could not muster any offense against the Padres bullpen and had just two hits after the sixth inning. Tim Stauffer of the Padres went three shutout innings out of the pen while allowing just one hit while striking out three.

The Philadelphia Phillies continue to put runs on the board and rack up hits. They have 10 or more hits in each of their first five games (they are 4-1). Last night, veteran left-hander Jamie Moyer was cruising along until a five run third inning gave the Houston Astros the lead (their first lead of the year). The Astros, who were the only team in baseball without a homerun, hit two on Saturday night in that third inning (both Jason Michaels and Hunter Pence homered). Unfortunately for the Astros, their bullpen could not hold the lead. Brandon Lyon, who was signed to bolster the pen, gave up four hits and three runs in the seventh inning to take the loss (two of the runs came on a Ryan Howard homerun). In the ninth, Astros closer Matt Lindstrom gave up a two-run homerun to Shane Victorino. Despite the Astros hitting homeruns and scoring a run in the ninth against Phillies closer Ryan Madson, they lost 9-6 and have lost all five games to open the season at home at Minute Maid Park.

In San Francisco, the Atlanta Braves halted the Giants four game winning streak with a 7-2 win. Braves starter Derek Lowe did not have his best stuff but gutted it out. He walked seven but gave up just one run and four hits. Offensively the Braves were led by rookie Jason Heyward, who snapped an 0-for-11 skid to go 3-for-3 with two walks, two RBIs, and two runs scored, and the league’s leading hitter in second baseman Martin Prado (he is batting .600) as he went 2-for-4.

Tags:

Adrian Gonzalez, Arizona Diamonbacks, Atlanta Braves, Bobby Abreu, Brandon Lyon, CC Sabathia, Chris Coghlin, Colorado Rockies, Derek Lowe, Florida Marlins, Gaby Sanchez, Hideki Matsui, Houston Astros, Jamie Moyer, Jason Heyward, Jered Weaver, Jorge Cantu, Kelly Shoppach, LA Angels, LA Dodgers, Martin Prado, Matt Lindstrom, NY Yankees, Oakland A's, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Ronny Paulino, Ryan Howard, San Diego Padres, SF Giants, Shane Victorino, Tampa Bay Rays, Tim Stauffer, Torii Hunter, Zach Duke

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

Manager Mike Scioscia guided the LA Angels through a season of adversity, starting in early April with the loss of young pitcher Nick Adenhart, just a few hours after his dominant outing against Oakland. In keeping his players together through injuries and tragedy to make the playoffs, Scioscia was named American League Manager of the Year.

Jered Weaver (16-8 with a 3.75 ERA in 33 starts with 174 Ks) carried the Angels through the season until the injured starters returned. Veteran John Lackey, Joe Saunders, and Ervin Santana rounded out the rotation until management traded for lefty Scott Kazmir to bolster the staff (2-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 6 starts). Nine other pitchers made starts for the Angels in 2009.

Many questioned the signing of lefty closer Brian Fuentes, as he has not been the most consistent closer in the game. It became more of a concern when setup man Scot Shields went down with a knee injury (and missed the entire season) and Jose Arredondo struggled. However Fuentes got the job done (1-5 with a 3.93 ERA and he converted 48 of 55 save opportunities) and unknowns such as Jason Bulger, Matt Palmer, and Kevin Jepsen stepped up. Veteran lefty Darren Oliver was dominant all season long (5-1 with a 2.71 ERA in 73 innings), surprising many.

The addition of free agent rightfielder Bobby Abreu proved genius (and he re-signed for two more years) as his veteran leadership and patience at the plate rubbed off on all of his teammates. All Angels starters batted better than .272 on the season and even fellow veteran Torii Hunter credited Abreu for his batting average increase (.299 in 2009, .278 in 2008).

Unfortunately this offseason has not been as flashy as some of the other teams in the AL. Sure Abreu re-signed and World Series MVP Hideki Matsui signed, but the Angels lost veteran Lackey and super utility man Chone Figgins. Losing Lackey loses a bulldog and Figgins was one of the best leadoff hitters in the game. Can the Angels offense repeat their 2009 and be as productive? Can the bullpen be consistent? 2010 could be another challenging managerial season for Scioscia if he can guide them to the playoffs. Here’s their wish list:

1. Starting pitching: Going into spring training, the top four spots in the rotation appear to be filled by Jered Weaver, Scott Kazmir, Joe Saunders, and Ervin Santana. However the fifth spot is wide open. The Angels could fill the spot in-house with Matt Palmer, Sean O’Sullivan, Trevor Bell, or Anthony Ortega. Or they could sign a free agent pitcher or make a deal for one (they were front-runners for Roy Halladay but the Phillies pulled the trigger). The Angels have a solid rotation and the final piece could make them one of the best.
2. 

   Fernando Rodney

   Bullpen depth: The loss of veteran lefty Darren Oliver leaves a large hole in the bullpen as they do not have another left-hander in the pen. Veteran setup man Scot Shields should be healthy in 2010, but will he be as effective as in the past? Closer Brian Fuentes needs to be consistent for the Angels to be successful. If Palmer wins a rotation spot, he will be missed in the bullpen (2-1 with a 2.74 ERA in 46 innings). The addition of Fernando Rodney and his explosive fastball and changeup should help. He closed the last few years with the Detroit Tigers (he blew just one save in 2009) and could be an option if Fuentes struggles or Scioscia could rotate Fuentes and Rodney in the eighth and ninth innings based on the situation and hitters coming to bat.

3. A power bat: Most would think that the Angels would re-sign DH Vladimir Guerrero. Instead they signed Hideki Matsui, who carried the NY Yankees in the World Series. If Matsui can stay healthy, he should add to an already potent lineup. Rumors have the Angels linked to free agent outfielder Jason Bay, but it doesn’t look like he will be signing with anyone anytime soon.

Tags:

Bobby Abreu, Brian Fuentes, Darren Oliver, Fernando Rodney, Hideki Matsui, Jered Weaver, LA Angels, Matt Palmer, Mike Scioscia, Scot Shields, Scott Kazmir, Torii Hunter

The 2009 NY Yankees Parade

As the Yankees celebrate their 27th World Series title by parading around Manhattan, let’s look back to how the Yankees won the World Series by defeating the defending world champion Philadelphia Phillies.

*Starting pitching: Many questioned manager Joe Girardi’s decision to remain with the 3-man rotation, even with the pitchers having to pitch on short rest after their first start in the series. When AJ Burnett could not get out of the third inning in Game 5, Yankees fans and the media groaned about the 3-man rotation. However, this was the only poor start the Yankees had during the entire series. Outside of Cliff Lee for the Phillies, the Yankees rotation out pitched the Phillies. CC Sabathia and Burnett proved worth the cost as they pitched brilliantly in the playoffs and the World Series, both of their first times in the World Series.

* Mariano Rivera: Rivera could be the best postseason pitcher ever. His career postseason numbers are ridiculous (8-1, with a 0.74 ERA and 39 saves in 88 games) and every team wishes they had someone as reliable as him. In Games 3 and 4 combined, Rivera threw just 13 pitches to get five outs against the Phillies. If that’s not a dominant closer, I don’t know what is.

* The bullpen: Everyone questioned both teams’ bullpens heading into the World Series, but the Yankees bullpen was just a bit better. Despite losing Game 5, the Yankees bullpen pitched 6 innings and gave up just 2 runs, with Dave Robertson and Alfredo Aceves pitching 2 shutout innings a piece. Despite giving up the game-tying homerun in Game 4, Joba Chamberlain pitched well, giving up just that one run. Throughout the World Series, lefty Damaso Marte shutdown the Phillies left-handed bats, without giving up a hit. He also struck out Chase Utley and Ryan Howard on just 6 pitches. If that’s not dominant, I don’t know what is.

Hideki Matsui waves to the crowd during the parade

*Hideki Matsui: Matsui carried the Yankees in Game 6 (3-for-4 with 6 RBIs which tied a World Series record for most RBIs in a single game) and thus was awarded the World Series MVP. But it just wasn’t Game 6. Matsui was Pedro Martinez’ nemesis in both Games 2 and 6. He went 8-for-13 overall in the series with 3 homeruns and 8 RBIs. It didn’t matter who was pitching, a left-hander or a right-hander, Matsui was raking.

*Johnny Damon: Damon struggled in the ALDS and many were concerned about his production. Damon proved all of the doubters wrong by being clutch throughout the World Series. Damon’s numbers were 8-for-22 with 2 doubles, 3 walks, 4 RBIs, and 3 stolen bases, none bigger than the two he stole off of Brad Lidge in Game 4. His Game 4 at-bat against Lidge was classic as he battled to reach base and rattle Lidge, leading to the Yankees winning and taking a commanding 3-1 series lead.

The Yankees finally proved that spending money can equate to a World Series championship. Many feel that they should make it back to the World Series again next season, along with the Phillies to battle it out once again.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, CC Sabathia, Damaso Marte, Dave Robertson, Hideki Matsui, Joba Chamberlain, Johnny Damon, Mariano Rivera, NY Yankees, World Series

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

Yankees 3, Phillies 1: The game began with Jay-Z and Alicia Keys performing their hit song (and Derek Jeter’s entrance song) and most felt this was an omen that the Yankees would win. This was a game many felt would be high scoring with the bullpens battling it out, myself included. However both starting pitchers pitched gems like their Game 1 counterparts. The veteran for the Phillies, Pedro Martinez, entered the field to the expected “Who’s your daddy?” chants. He fed off the hostile crowd to, for the most part, dominate the potent Yankee lineup, a lineup most expected would kill the Phillies pitching. So far, that hasn’t happened. The Yankees are hitting .222, with the red-hot Alex Rodriguez going completely cold, 0-for-8 with six strikeouts. Pedro made just two mistakes, two sole homeruns by Mark Teixeira and Hideki Matsui, before being taken out in the seventh. Watching Pedro take the mound in the seventh, it reminded me of the 2003 playoffs when he was with Boston and manager Grady Little left him in the game too long (and got fired soon following). With double-barreled action in the Phillies bullpen, manager Charlie Manuel decided to stay with Pedro to start the seventh and it backfired as he gave up back-to-back hits, leading to another run.

Yankees starter AJ Burnett avoided the big wild inning, throwing first pitch strikes to 22 of the 26 batters he faced. Burnett’s curveball was working throughout the night, making the Phillies hitters look silly. He gave manager Joe Girardi seven solid innings, allowing him to go to closer Mariano Rivera for another six out save. Rivera looked hittable in Game 2, especially in the eighth inning when the Phillies had two men on and only one out. Manuel decided not to send the speedy runners (Jimmy Rollins and Shane Victorino) on a 3-2 count and the batter, Chase Utley, grounded into a double-play to end the inning. Utley meanwhile, extended his consecutive on-base streak in postseason games to 27 with a walk in the 3rd inning, continuing to add on to his Major League Baseball record.

Has Girardi completely lost faith in his entire bullpen? I’m not sure Girardi can continue to go to Rivera for six out saves, especially if he continues to throw close to 40 pitches an outing. We will see as the World Series continues.

Neither team is tearing the cover off of the baseball and both teams RBI machines have cooled off. I mentioned A-Rod earlier, but Ryan Howard went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts last night against the combination of Burnett and Rivera and never looked comfortable at the plate. Unlike in Game 1, Burnett only showed the fastball on the first pitch to most of the hitters and they were taking it for a strike, trying to be patient and run up Burnett’s pitch-count. That approach never really worked. The Phillies struck out 15 times in Game 2, yet only lost 3-1.

The Phillies left Yankee Stadium with a split, something they did last year in the World Series against Tampa Bay and something they just did in this year’s NLCS. They left smiling, with all of the confidence that they have retaken home-field advantage and can win three straight to celebrate in Philadelphia behind their wild and raucous fans. The Phillies have lost just one postseason game at home in the past two years (11-1).

Tags:

AJ Burnett, Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, NY Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies, Ryan Howard, World Series Game 2

Angels 7, Yankees 6: At the start of Game 5 of the ALCS, it looked like the Angels were going to blow away the Yankees. Yankees starter AJ Burnett walked leadoff hitter Chone Figgins and allowed a double to Bobby Abreu. Torii Hunter followed with a 2-run single, Vladimir Guerrero followed with a RBI double, and Kendry Morales followed with a RBI single before Burnett got the first out. The three straight hits by Abreu, Hunter, and Guerrero were on three straight pitches. After the first inning, the Angels led 4-0. After the first, both starting pitchers, Burnett and John Lackey, were cruising along until the Yankees finally got to Lackey in the 7th inning. Lackey gave up a double to Melky Cabrera and walked Jorge Posada and Derek Jeter, before getting Johnny Damon for the second out. This would end Lackey’s night, without some argument from him with his manager Mike Scioscia, and began Darren Oliver’s night. On his first pitch to Mark Teixeira, Tex ripped a 3-run double to the left-centerfield gap to close the Angels lead to 4-3. The 3 RBIs were the first for Teixeira in the ALCS. Oliver had been great all season and in the postseason for the Los Angeles Dodgers (6 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 2 BB in the postseason prior to the 7th inning of Game 5). After an intentional walk to Alex Rodriguez, Hideki Matsui drove in Teixeira to tie the game at 4-4, thus ending Oliver’s night. Kevin Jepsen came in and gave up a 2-run triple to Robinson Cano. A six-run 7th inning for the Yankees gave them a 6-4 lead. The fans at Angel Stadium had become quiet (except for the Yankees fans in attendance) and so did the Thunderstix.

The Angels battled back against the combination of Burnett, and relievers Damaso Marte and Phil Hughes. Morales got a base hit off of Hughes with two outs to give the Angels a 7-6 lead. In the 3-run seventh, Abreu had an RBI groundout, his first RBI of the ALCS. Yankees manager Joe Girardi was again second-guessed for not taking out Burnett sooner (like not sending him out for the 7th inning), though in Game 3 he was second-guessed for having too quick of a hook with the relievers. Scioscia went to Game 3 starter Jered Weaver in the 8th inning, and he threw just 11 pitches, striking out both Cabrera and Jeter. The 9th inning was a bit of an adventure for Angels closer Brian Fuentes and the Angeles  fans, but Fuentes managed to go unscathed with the bases loaded, sending the ALCS back to NY for at least Game 6. The Angels Jeff Mathis yet again provided the offense at the bottom of the order, going 3-for-4, and having a hit in 6 straight postseason at-bats.

Game 6 will pit Joe Saunders of the Angels against Andy Pettitte of the Yankees. In his Game 2 start, Saunders pitched 7 innings, giving up just 2 runs. He was the recipient of 3 double plays, which neutralized the 6 hits he gave up. He received a no-decision as the game went into extra innings, a game the Yankees won. In his Game 3 start, Pettitte went into the 7th inning, giving up 3 runs, but received a no-decision as the game went into extra innings, with the Angels winning 5-4. Game 6’s weather forecast is dreary and the Philadelphia Phillies are hoping for the ALCS to go as long as possible to give them an advantage in terms of the pitching staff.

Tags:

AJ Burnett, ALCS, Bobby Abreu, Brian Fuentes, Darren Oliver, Hideki Matsui, Jeff Mathis, Jered Weaver, John Lackey, Kendry Morales, Kevin Jepsen, LA Angels, Mark Teixeira, Melky Cabrera, NY Yankees, Phil Hughes, Robinson Cano, Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero

The Minnesota Twins fought hard just to make the playoffs, finishing off the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday night in 12 innings to win the AL Central crown. It took 163 games for the Twins, only for them to fly out to New York that same night to face the New York Yankees the following day. The Yankees are one of the best hitting and pitching teams in the American League. Oh and they’re all well-rested.

The Yankees have 7 players with at least 20 + homeruns (Mark Teixeira, Alex Rodriguez, Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, Johnny Damon, and Jorge Posada). The Twins had to use virtually everyone in their bullpen to pull off their win over the Tigers in game 163 and used their top three in the staring rotation in their last three games. Finesse pitchers, which are what the Twins’ rotation is, do not thrive well at new Yankee Stadium. The Twins will send rookie lefthander Brian Duensing to the mound in the ALDS opener against CY Young hopeful C.C. Sabathia.

Game 1: C.C. Sabathia vs. Brian Duensing

Game 2: A.J. Burnett vs. Nick Blackburn

Game 3: Andy Pettitte @ Carl Pavano

A key matchup late in the game will be Twins left-handed power hitter Jason Kubel versus Yankees left-handed reliever Phil Coke. Kubel is 0-for-4 against Coke this year. Coke is Girardi’s most trusted lefty reliever. In 36.1 innings against left-handed hitters, Coke has 32 strikeouts, with just 24 hits allowed.

Twins Strengths:

*The bullpen: The bullpen proved great in Game 163, pitching 6 innings and allowing just two runs on six hits. Closer Joe Nathan has been just as solid as Mariano Rivera, though he doesn’t get much press coverage. The additions of lefty Ron Mahay and righty Jon Rauch has been welcome to a bullpen that had struggled early in the year.

*The middle of the order: With the loss of Justin Morneau for the season, many (including myself) thought that the Twins season was over. However, the middle of the order has stepped up around MVP candidate Joe Mauer. Jason Kubel and Delmon Young were co-players of the week for this past week, carrying the Twins into the postseason. Michael Cuddyer has had his best season yet, especially in terms of the power (32 HR, 94 RBI), while also playing adequate defense at first base.

*The Metrodome: If the Twins can split the first two games in NY, their home crowd will be loud and will be trying to carry the Twins into the League Championship Series. As Harold Reynolds of MLB Tonight always states, the Metrodome is the greatest home-field advantage in sports.

Twins Weaknesses:

*The rotation: This is especially true after having to fight to make the playoffs and using their top three just to get in. Nick Blackburn has been great as of late, as has ace Scott Baker. Carl Pavano has revived his career since joining the Indians/Twins this season after leaving NY. Rookie Brian Duensing has often been overlooked but won’t be in Game one. The rotation has been inconsistent, with one great game followed by a bad game. They need to step it up to beat the mighty Yankees lineup. With the offense mainly being a scratch and claw type, there will be pressure for the young starters to go deep and put up zeros.

*The season series: When the playoffs start, everyone says to throw out the numbers and everything that happened in the regular season. It is hard to overlook the fact that the Yankees beat the Twins 7-0 in the season series, with the Twins only scoring more than 5 runs in a game once. The Yankees, on the other hand, only scored less than 5 runs twice.

*The energy factor: The White Sox played the play-in game last year, only to be swept by the Rays in the divisional series. Did the Twins use up all of their energy just to get into the playoffs? Or are they more like the 2007 Rockies, who carried the play-in game momentum into the World Series?

Twins Key Players:

*Carlos Gomez: Gomez is a late inning replacement for Jason Kubel, bringing speed and great defense to the outfield. He also brings an added dimension late in the game-pressure on the base paths on opposing pitchers and catchers.

*Ron Mahay from the left side and Jon Rauch from the right side: These two relievers were the big acquisitions late in the season for the Twins. Both can pitch everyday and can get any team’s biggest lefty/righty threats out. Mahay, in 15 games versus left-handed hitters, had a 1.42 ERA, holding them to a .208 average. Rauch is 5-1, with a 2.61 ERA against right-handed hitters. They will most likely bridge the gap to closer Joe Nathan.

Yankees Strengths:

*The offense (1-9): The Yankees have one of the most prolific offenses in baseball, and it starts with leadoff hitter Derek Jeter, an MVP candidate, and goes all the way down to number 9 hitter Melky Cabrera, who has been their most clutch hitter. The Yankees are first in runs scored in the American League, and they also hit a ton of homeruns as their ballpark is a bandbox.

*Clutch hitting: Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui, Robinson Cano, and Melky Cabrera don’t get all the limelight that the rest of the Yankees offense receives, but these four have been the most clutch hitters on the team. They also have fun doing it.

*Mariano Rivera: How many teams in the playoffs have a closer as consistent as Rivera? None, and all of the teams wish they did. Rivera hasn’t been as lights out as in the past, but come playoff time, he is dangerous.

*Days off: By choosing the Wednesday start for Game one, the Yankees allowed for a possibility of three days off in the first round. This allows for manager Joe Girardi to only have to use three starting pitchers (Sabathia, Burnett, and Pettitte) and be able to use the same pitchers out of the bullpen in three straight games (like Phil Hughes and Rivera), without worrying about overuse.

Yankees Weaknesses:

*Starting pitching: With choosing the extra day off format, the Yankees chose not to use Joba Chamberlain in the rotation. So, what was the point of the “Joba Rules” at the end of the season to limit his innings if he’s barely going to pitch in the first week of the playoffs? Sabathia has not had success in the playoffs. Last year’s failure could be because of his overuse down the stretch for the Brewers before reaching the playoffs. However, he did not have good numbers while with the Indians. In 5 postseason starts, Sabathia has an ERA of 7.92. That needs to change if the Yankees intend on getting past the Twins. Burnett has been inconsistent throughout the season and Girardi is hoping that having backup Jose Molina catching him will help. Burnett also has no playoff experience (he missed the Marlins run to the World Series title in 2003 due to injury). Pettitte has had health issues late in this season, though he is known as a big game pitcher.

*The bridge to Mo: Phil Hughes has become that bridge in the 8th inning, after taking over for Brian Bruney. However, Hughes is new to the bullpen and the late innings. How will he adapt to the pressures of pitching in the playoffs and getting the lead to Rivera?

*Pressure: The Yankees feel the pressure of playing in NY everyday. The playoffs are different, especially when they weren’t there last year and haven’t won a World Series since 2000 and haven’t been in the World Series since 2003.

Yankees Key Players:

*Phil Hughes: Hughes has been great since moving to the bullpen and gaining manager Joe Girardi’s confidence to use him in the 8th inning to be the bridge to closer Mariano Rivera. As a reliever, Hughes is 5-1 with a 1.40 ERA and 65 Ks. He has only pitched 2.1 innings of relief against the Twins in 2009, allowing just one hit, while striking out two.

*Brett Gardner: The Yankees have their own speed and defense guy off of the bench. Gardner could be a defensive replacement for Swisher late in the game or pinch-run for Matsui.

Tags:

Alex Rodriguez, American League, Carlos Gomez, Delmon Young, Detroit Tigers, Hideki Matsui, Jason Kubel, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Justin Morneau, Mark Teixeira, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Nick Swisher, Robinson Cano