Benching Alex Rodriguez for Game 5 of the ALDS was a distinct possibility for New York Yankees manager Joe Girardi.So the announcement that Rodriguez is not in the starting lineup for Friday's do-or-die game against the Baltimore Orioles shouldn't be a surprise. Yet Girardi's decision to sit his third baseman down for Game 5 has still raised plenty of eyebrows.For one thing, Rodriguez has hit well against Orioles starting pitcher Jason Hammel. He's batted 8-for-24 (.333) versus Hammel with four home runs and nine RBI. But as the New York ...
The 2012 Major League Baseball season has been one dominated by pitchers across the sport. That has been no different throughout the divisional league playoffs, all of which have gone to the deciding fifth game.In advancing to the Championship Series yesterday, the San Francisco Giants and Detroit Tigers both rode the backs of their ace pitchers. Matt Cain and Justin Verlander, respectively, had enough to get their teams over the hump.Verlander was absolutely dominant, throwing a complete-game, four-hit shutout to knock off the Oakland Athletics. In fact, the 2011 AL ...
Though it's out of their control, the Detroit Tigers would certainly prefer to face the Baltimore Orioles in the 2012 American League Championship Series.The O's battle the New York Yankees in a winner-take-all Game 5 this evening. Whomever wins will advance to meet Detroit in a best-of-seven series beginning on Saturday.Justin Verlander and Co. were in this position a year ago, tested over five games in the divisional round and set to oppose a team that had a superior regular-season record. It didn't work out, as the Tigers were eliminated ...
The 2012 New York Yankees have to put all previous games and performances behind them and focus on Friday night and Friday night only.Think of it as a brand new season, winner takes all, nothing else matters.While much of the Yankees troubles have circled around it's multi-million dollar third basemen Alex Rodriguez, plenty of the Yankees haven't shown up this post season.While recapping the first four games, I would like to predict what I think the lineup will look like on this early evening game in the Bronx, as well ...
The Baltimore Orioles forced a decisive Game 5 in their ALDS with the New York Yankees on Thursday night (Oct. 11) with a 2-1 victory in 13 innings.While the Orioles deserve credit for pushing the series to this point due to some outstanding pitching and unexpectedly timely hitting (Nate McLouth? Really?), the storyline is inevitably going to be "What's wrong with the Yankees?" rather than how the O's won.Giving that Yankees-centric storyline even more juice is the fact that three of the team's most prominent hitters have struggled terribly through ...
The New York Yankees are a team filled with aging players and bloated contracts. Somehow, they were able to over come their age for the first 162 games and win the NL East by the skin of their teeth.Of the Yankees' starting nine, only one player is under 30. Robinson Cano, 29, who is 2-18 with four RBI so far in the ALDS. He will turn 30 on October 22. In the first four games of the ALDS, the Yankees' highest-paid players are struggling to perform. Alex Rodriguez, 37, and his ...
In the 13th inning of Thursday's Game 4 ALDS showdown between the Baltimore Orioles and the New York Yankees, as the O's sealed victory and a listless Bronx crowd filed out onto River Avenue, one could sense a deep gloom settling over Yankee Nation.Like a bitter, disgusted, vent-your-frustration-on-call-in-radio kind of gloom.Was this really happening? Were the Baltimore Bleepin' Orioles about to steal a series from their Mighty Pinstripes?Little did the joyless masses know, but hope was brewing just one channel away.Over on TNT, the Detroit Tigers, a team seemingly destined ...
We should be cheering for Joe Girardi. We should cheer regardless if we love, hate or love to hate the New York Yankees. Rooting for Girardi in no way is abandoning a favorite team. It’s supporting a fellow person after the loss of a loved one. Girardi's father, Jerry, died Saturday at the age of 81. Through the pain and mourning he has managed the entire ALDS against the Baltimore Orioles with a heavy heart. Although he lost his father, he didn’t lose his father’s lessons of hard work and ...
On Thursday night, the Baltimore Orioles were able to stare elimination in the face and overcome it on the road.They were able to knock off the New York Yankees 2-1 in 13 innings to tie the American League Division Series at two games apiece, setting up a decisive Game 5 for Friday afternoon.CC Sabathia will take the ball for the Yankees and Jason Hammel will be pitching for the Orioles.It's fitting that after 22 games, with each team tied at 11 apiece during the regular season and in the playoffs, ...
Joba Chamberlain had to leave in the 12th inning of the ALDS between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles. He was hit in his pitching elbow by the barrel of Matt Wieters' bat.The Yankees hoped Chamberlain would be able to remain in the game. He took a few practice throws off the mound, but the swelling was too much and he was replaced by David Phelps.Baltimore scored a run off of Phelps the following inning, grabbing a 2-1 win in 13 innings.The early injury report from Bryan Hoch, MLB.com writer ...