Archive for October, 2009
CC Your Friends: Sabathia, Yankees Have Angels on »
The Yankees kept blowing opportunities to score. In the first, Derek Jeter led off with a single, but was caught stealing. In the second, the first two men reached, but again, New York couldn't get a hit with runners in scoring position. In the third, Melky Cabrera used a bunt to get aboard, but the Yanks refused to utilize any more [...]
MLB Playoff Umpires Strikeout Yet Again, Ruling »
If playoff baseball has the best umpires in the business, there is something very wrong with the business. In a postseason that has already seen a number of gaffs, the six-man crew covering Game Four of the Yankees-Angels ALCS took incompetency to a whole new level. The umpiring team made three awful blunders, leaving fans wondering just how many [...]
Yankees-Angels: A-Rod, CC Sabathia, Mash L.A., Move »
Alex Rodriguez connected on his fifth home run of the postseason and CC Sabathia dominated the Los Angeles Angels on short rest as the Yankees won 10-1 to move one win away from a trip to the World Series. A-Rod tied a postseason record with his eighth consecutive game with at least one RBI, and Sabathia handcuffed the Angels through eight [...]
Hinske Omission Looms Large »
While the majority sentiment has focused on over-managing and the alleged Mariano Rivera spitball, it’s an entirely different issue that may have cost the Yankees a nine-inning win last night. With two on and one out in the top of the eighth and the score tied at four, Melky Cabrera and his slumbering bat feebly approached the plate. [...]
Should the Yankees Be Trusting Joba Chamberlain in Big »
Throughout the playoffs, Joe Girardi has turned to Joba Chamberlain in high-leverage situations. My question is, why? I haven't seen Chamberlain do anything to warrant trusting him in a big spot. Chamberlain has been inconsistent all season and there is no doubt that David Robertson is a better option out of the bullpen at this point. Now, I'm not [...]
ALCS: Yankees, Girardi Must Break Deadly Habits »
During the 11th inning on Monday, seconds after Dave Robertson had registered the second out of what seemed to be an uneventful half inning, FOX cameras cut to Joe Girardi. The Yankees manager looked discombobulated...even frantic. He took three quick steps toward his matchup binder sitting on the dugout bench, hurriedly flipped through the first [...]
Why The Yankees Lost »
We could go through this a thousand times. The New York Yankees lost because they left too many men on base. Because they only tried to hit homers and not get on base. Because Joba isn't used to being a reliever anymore. Yadda yadda yadda. We could list all the what-if scenarios and come up with plenty of reasons why every team has lost every [...]
Los Angeles Angels-New York Yankees: Game Four »
Leave it to Los Angeles manager Mike Scioscia and the Angels to usher in the return of enthusiasm and drama after their remarkable 5-4, 11-inning comeback victory over the Yankees in Game Three of the American League Championship Series. Four runs wasn’t enough to beat the Los Angeles Angels this time. Following the sting of losing two games in [...]
The Angels Are Who We Thought They Were (But I’m »
There was a scenario I forgot to mention at the end of the last column . If the Angels were able to come back from a big deficit and beat our bullpen in Game Three, that might make this series a series again, too. That was silly of me to overlook. I forgot about Game Three of the 2005 ALDS, when the Angels blew a 5-0 lead against Randy Johnson, [...]
Mathis’ Second Double’s the Charm: Backup »
Jeff Mathis reacts after his double scored Howie Kendrick all the way from first for the winning run, giving the Angels life in their series against the Yankees. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong) In the bottom of the 10th inning of Game Two of the American League Championship Series, Anaheim Angels backup catcher Jeff Mathis clocked a ringing leadoff [...]