Game 44. Alex and Andy lead Yanks, 8-3.

Andy Pettitte proved that last week was no fluke, as he pitched seven strong innings against the Royals tonight in the Yankees’ 8-3 victory.

The win was #242 of Pettitte’s career, and enabled him to surpass fellow Yankee lefty great Herb Pennock on the all-time list. It’s Pettitte’s 205th win as a Yankee.

After Andy put down the Royals 1-2-3 in the first, the Yanks struck vs. Will Smith of the Royals. Smith, making his MLB debut, may turn out to be the Prince of KC, but he wasn’t the Prince of the Bronx—at least tonight.

Granderson homered (#14) to give the Yanks a 1-0 lead. This after he showed bunt. After a walk to Teixeira, A-Rod, who had hit only one HR since April 27th, finally hit #635 (sixth of the year) to give Pettitte an early 3-0 lead.

In the fourth, Jeter doubled for the first of his three hits for the night. Granderson singled him to third but Teix GIDP. The run scored, no RBI, Yanks up 4-0. A-Rod then homered again. #7 of the year, #636 for his career and the Yanks went up 5-0.

Pettitte gave up solo HRs in the fourth and fifth to cut the Yanks’ lead to 5-2.

The Yanks got three runs on only one hit in the fifth to push it to 8-2. Nix HBP, Jeter got a bunt hit (YAY! Littleball!) and an E-5 put men on 2nd and 3rd, no out. Granderson walked to load the bases and a walk to Teixeira forced in a run. A-Rod grounded into a force at the plate. He is still one behind Lou Gehrig’s record of 23 grand slams. Cano hit into a force, run scored. Swish HBP. Jones walked, forcing in a run.

Pettitte wound up going 7+, 2 R, 7 H, 1 walk and 8 K. He improves to 2-1, ERA to 2.53 (from 2.51).

Jeter’s 3 hits tonight tie him with Paul Waner on the all-time list at 3152. 16th on the all-time list. Next up? George Brett at 3154.

Phelps went the last two innings. 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 2 K. ERA to 2.87.

Hopefully this starts A-Rod on a streak where he can carry a team.

The Yanks are off Thursday as they head to the West coast. Yuk. Late night games.

One bad thing about tonight? The continued struggles of Martin, who left seven on and is down to .173.

Game 43. Still problems, but a 3-2 win.

The Yanks went to 22-21 tonight, but the offensive woes continued.

Phil Hughes was strong through six,  2 R, 5 H, 2 walks and 7 K. He goes to 4-5, 4.94. It’s still below average, but from where he once was at, it marks improvement.

On the down side, it also marks the ninth straight start in which he has given up a HR. The guys on My 9 noted that it is one behind “Black” Jack McDowell in 1995 with 10 straight starts.

After a 1-2-3 first, I got ticked off right away. In the bottom of the first, with one out, Granderson walks. He doesn’t even try to steal. Now, the Royals did pitchout with A-Rod up. Ok. But Grandy is still just 1 of 3 this year. You can’t just wait on Cano or A-Rod to do something. MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! I miss Gardner. I miss the times when Rickey Henderson would MAKE THINGS HAPPEN! Grandy doesn’t go. Nothing happens.

Down 1-0 in the third, I really got ticked off. Martin walks to lead off the inning and Wise is up. Wise strikes out. For most of the at bat, Wise, 2 for 20, does NOT try to bunt. Are you kidding me? You are having trouble scoring runs, and a 2 for 20 AAAA player isn’t bunting? He makes out. Jeter GIDP. Aaaaaargh.

Hughes gives up a HR in the fourth. 2-0 KC. In the bottom of the inning, Cano hits #5. 2-1. A-Rod singles and steals second. 5 for 5 in steals. Do you know A-Rod is second on the team in that? Behind Nunez’ 6 for 7? Why isn’t Jeter or Grandy going?

So he is on second, one out. Ibanez and Swish can’t get him in.

To the fifth, and the biggest play of the game may be on something the Yankees have NOT been doing—-bunting.

Teix singles. Martin HBP. Two on, none out. Wise bunts, as he (2 for 21) should. It actually goes for a HIT!

Bases loaded, none out.

Jeter singles, hit #3149, to tie the game. Bases still loaded, and the Yanks still don’t take advantage.

Granderson grounds out, which leads to the game-winning run. But no one knew it at the time, and the Yanks don’t pad their lead.

Cano is walked intentionally. Bases loaded & one out. Do the Yanks tack on? Are you kidding me? A-Rod & Ibanez both strike out.

It could have been fatal.

Girardi worked the pen. Wade 2/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 2.18.

Logan 1/3, 0 R, 1 h, 0 walk, 1 K. 3.12.

Eppley 1/3, 0 R, 0 h, 0 walk, 0 K. 3.24.

Rapada 2/3, 0 r, 0 h, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.95.

Soriano 1 IP and gave us a scare. For with one out he gave up a double. He got a groundout. Runner to third. A grounder to A-Rod. The throw. Teix made a GREAT play in stretching for the throw and keeping his toe on the bag. Just got him. Yanks win 3-2.

Soriano 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and K. Save #3, ERA 2.35.

Swisher is slumping so badly, he is down to .239.

…and to think. Wise’s bunt may be the play of the game…

Game 41. Yanks lose 5-2. Where’s the SB? The Littleball?

I have been getting on this team for waiting for the three-run HR. Case and point. Bottom of the 8th. Down by a run, Granderson gets on. He doesn’t even TRY to steal second. Why not? Now, Alex hit one to the warning track with one out (1 HR since 4/27, warning track power now?), but they are waiting for the possible HR? Whatever happened to littleball? As I’ve written, Granderson has had seasons of 26, 20 and 25 steals. In the last 85 (I probably had 90 before, looked it up. 85) games, he’s tried to steal just SIX times. Six. Has the power gotten to him? 41 HR last year, 13 so far this year. It’s nice. But I thought we got a well-rounded player, not a one-dimensional one. Do you want to know why the Yanks are now 21-20? There you go. There’s one reason. One-dimensional.

A one-run loss. NO ONE STEALING BASES. For those of you who have knocked Brett Gardner in the past, what are you thinking now? For this team looks SLOW and OLD without Gardner. I’ve never missed Gardner as much as I do now. Station to station baseball is what doomed Boston for YEARS. Simple offensive fact: You have to RUN the bases.

I really can’t believe it. Granderson. A guy with speed. Maybe Girardi needs to put the take sign on more often, or call for steals himself. Something MUST be done. This team doesn’t run with guys who SHOULD run (like Granderson).  There aren’t too many guys who can run, or bunt. They don’t bunt. No hit and run. Granderson gets on and they don’t try littleball at all? No hit and run? No try for a steal? Guys never bunt. No littleball, no a-b-c baseball. I hate to say it, but in playing like this, the Yanks deserve to lose.

Ibanez hit a 2-run HR in the sixth (9, 261 career). There’s your runs for the day. HR or nothing. No littleball, no a-b-c baseball, wait for the HR. CC couldn’t hold it.

In the top of the 7th, CC gave up a HR, got an out, gave up ANOTHER HR. An infield single and  a strikeout. CC then WALKED three straight batters to give Cincy the lead at 3-2.

CC (5-2) 7 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 5 walks, 6 K. ERA 3.78. 3.78 is too high for someone supposed to be your ace.

Wade 1 1/3. 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 2 K. 2.25.

Logan 1/3, 2 R, 2 H, 0 walk, 1 K. 3.18. He left with two out and two on in the 9th.

Soriano then gave up a double to let the game get away. 5-2 Reds. Wise tried, but couldn’t get it. Miss Gardner yet? Maybe he gets it. And without Gardner in the lineup (or Nunez at AAA), this team doesn’t run… not even those like Grandy run.

Soriano 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 2.57.

21-20. And deservedly so.

I have to wonder why the media doesn’t ask about the lack of making things happen? About WHY Grandy isn’t running? Why no aggressive baserunning? Or are guys who used to run (Jeter/A-Rod, etc.) just too old to do so anymore?

No running equals what you got the last two games. One-run losses.

Game 41. The lineup

We’ve hit the quarterpole, and the Yanks are just 21-19. Mediocre. They have to start picking it up soon, in every facet of the game.

21-19, 4th in A.L. East, 5 1/2 back of those surprising (best record in A.L.) Orioles. Even with the Pythagorean record, which says that they are what they should be. 21-19, no better or worse via some kind of luck. OPS+ 110, ERA+ 103, and that’s not too much above the mean (100). Hence, once again, the 21-19.

Jeter SS .355-5-15  3/4   140
Granderson CF .256-13-23  1/3  136
Cano 2B  .302-4-16  1/1   119
Rodriguez 3B .278-5-15  4/4  112
Ibanez DH .264-8-25  2/2  132
Swisher RF .260-7-27  0/0  117
Chavez 1B .288-3-6  0/0  111   15 for 52
Wise LF   2 for 17 (.118) 1 SB  .118-0-0  1/1   -8 (Minus 8)
Stewart C   6 for 30, .200-0-5  0/0  24

Sabathia LHP   5-1, 3.77   ERA +  113

Notes: Jeter’s 59 hits lead the majors. 3147 career, five behind Waner, seven behind Brett.

For the life of me, I can’t understand why Granderson has decided to stop stealing bases. Since August 9th of last year, he has only attempted to steal SIX times, going 4 for 6. In other words, in the last 90 games, Granderson is just 4 of 6 in SB. This from a guy 26 for 27 in 2007, 20 for 26 in 2009, and 25 for 35 last year. This lineup is struggling to score runs. Struggling to get a hit with RISP. It seems as if Granderson is power only now, and that is just wrong. Curtis must run!    

A-Rod has just one HR since 4/27. Stuck on 634. He needs 185 hits for 3000, 92 RBI for 2000.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5q2Qx6gVXq0

Check the link. If only the Mick were alive to teach this to Granderson, Gardner, Wise…

Interesting horserace. Could this be like 1978, the last year a horse won the Triple Crown? Affirmed over Alydar that year by what, length, head and nose? Here we have I’ll Have Another and Bodemeister, with I’ll Have Another winning by a length and a neck. Apparently Bodemeister may not race the Belmont. That’s too bad. It’d be great to see those two repeat the great Belmont stretch run of 1978, where the Triple Crown was won by a nose by Affirmed. Alydar was a great horse. In any other year…. much like Bodemeister appears to be now.

 

Game 38. A-Rod off.

Last night Jeter had the night off. Tonight it is A-Rod.

Yanks 20-17, 3rd, 3 1/2 out. One game better than Pythagorean,
OPS+ 113, ERA+ 103.

BA/HR/RBI/SB/Att/OPS+

 

Jeter 6  .366-5-15  2/3 150    Hit count: 3144
Granderson 8 .248-13-23  1/3  136    Remember when he used to STEAL?
Cano 4 .302-3-14  1/1  114
Teixeira 3  .234-5-20  1/2   83
Ibanez 7  .263-7-22  2/2  128
Swisher DH  .258-7-26  0/0  123
Chavez 5  .295-3-6  0/0  120
Jones 9  .226-4-8  0/0  107
Martin 2 .172-3-9  1/1  72

Hughes 1  3-4, 5.50   ERA+ 78

Hmmm. See my previous post regarding aggressive baserunning. With Alex (4 for 4) out, Gardner DL’d and Nuneeeeez down, you don’t see any baserunners in the lineup. 12 attempts (8 successful) by the WHOLE lineup. Jeter isn’t running much. One guy who can and doesn’t is Granderson. He had 25 steals last year and doesn’t run anymore.

The Yanks picked up Matt Antonelli off of waivers. The second baseman is 27, a righty hitter, and has 57 major league at bats (2008 Padres), hitting .193-1-3. He’ll go to AAA.

Game 36. Yanks bats silent as CC absorbes first loss of 2012

You knew CC wouldn’t go undefeated, and tonight he suffered his first loss of 2012. The Yanks’ bats didn’t help matters in a 5-2 loss.

CC went 6, 4 R, 8 H, 4 walks and 6 K. ERA to 3.77, record to 5-1.

Freddy Garcia went 2, 1 run (unearned), 1 h, 0 walks and 3 K. His ERA dropped to a still-ugly 8.69.

It was a rough night for Chris Stewart—two passed balls.

The Yankees’ offense wasn’t much to write about. Just five hits. The only runs came on a Granderson HR, #13. He has 23 RBI. That means a lot of solo shots. Tonight’s happened to be a two-run HR, and truth be told, it seemed like a fan wearing a Yankees jacket interfered.

Granderson has 13 hr. 10 at home, 3 in Baltimore. Is that funky, or what?

Just checking some batting stats. No out, 2nd and 3rd, 0 for 3. Ugh. 1 out, man on 3rd, 1 for 7. 2 out, man on 3rd, 2 for 16. It goes on. It seems that when they get a guy on 3rd, the batting average sinks and they can’t get him in. Check it out yourself.      RISP tonight? 1 for 9.

Jeter one hit. 3144.

Game 35. Banged up Yankees post an 8-5 win.

So, where to start? Ivan Nova took one off his leg and although he went 5 1/3, he limped off with a bruise & could miss a start. Teix has been playing through illness, now it appears that Rapada has picked up a viral infection. Ibanez was HBP tonight and was removed from the game.

The Yanks did pick up a game on the Orioles with an 8-5 win. Nova wasn’t great, got hit by a liner, may miss a start but a W is a W. Teixeira, struggling through an illness, hit a 2-run HR to break a 5-5 tie, then later doubled and scored.

Nova was off from the get-go. He gave up two in the first. The Yanks tied it in the fourth on a two-run double by Swish, then went ahead the next inning on a HR by Granderson (12).

Nova however, gave up 3 in the fifth. It is unknown whether the injury hurt him in that inning or not.

Nova 5 1/3, 5 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 4 K. Not impressive. A no-decision, ERA to 5.44 (yuk) despite the 4-1 record. He may need to miss his next start because of the bruise.

If so, hopefully David Phelps takes the start. Phelps got his first MLB win tonight.

Down 5-3, the Yanks bounced back in the sixth. An error enabled the Yanks to tie the game, but with the bases loaded and one out, Jeter whiffed and Granderson flew out. Opportunity wasted.

Teix hit his two-run HR (5) in the seventh to give the Yanks the 7-5 lead. In the ninth Teix doubled and scored on a SF for the final tally, 8-5.

Nova’s stats are above.

Rapada 1/3, 0 R, 0 h, 1 walk, 0 K. 3.60.

Phelps 1 IP, 0 R, 3 h, 0 walks and 1 K. Shaky, but his first MLB win. ERA 2.96.  (1-1).

Logan 1 IP, 0 R, 0 h, 0 walks and 3 K. 2.30.

Wade 1/3 IP, 0 r, 0 h, 0 walks and 1 K. 1.59.

Soriano the 9th. Save #2. 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 k. ERA 2.57.

Jeter got hit 3143 to pass Yount.

A-Rod three hits, but it’s interesting to see the O’s play him as if he were Jeter. Not for power, and not to pull. Playing him to hit singles to RF.

The Yanks (20-15) won despite going 1-11 with RISP and stranding 10.

Robertson has been out with a sore rib cage. Sheesh.

A win tonight. We will see how this M*A*S*H* unit is tomorrow.

 

Game 31. Bullpen concerns? Call on CC

The best way to alleviate bullpen concerns? Get 8 or 9 out of your ace.

Which is exactly what CC did tonight. Not that I had concerns over Robertson (who was due for a bad game). But CC went 8 and gave up 2 runs (both unearned, we’ll get to that), 7 hits, 1 walk and 10 K. He improved to 5-0 with an ERA of 3.51.

The problem is, two unearned runs. Two errors, and you can guess who made them both. Nunez. At 3B tonight. A-Rod has DH’d in what—10 of the Yanks’ 31 games so far? If he or Jeter DH (and they have combined for half), then Nunez is in the field, and he’s got to be driving you nuts.

Nunez has four errors this year. He also is hitting .294 with 6 SB in 7 attempts. He drives you nuts. In the same game, he could make two errors but get two hits and two steals. You don’t know if he’ll win the game (the hits or steals) or lose it (the errors).

Because of Nunez, both of the runs CC gave up were unearned. You see CC’s line. 8 IP, 2 R, 0 ER, 7 h, 1 walk and 10 K. 5-0, 3.51.

Soriano went the 9th. Robertson got the night off. Sori 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks or K. ERA 2.77.

Down 2-0 on those unearned runs, the Yanks tied it in the second. Granderson hit #11. Nunez walked, stole 2d and scored on a hit by Stewart. I like the “Victory is Mine” analogy to Stewie.

Three in the fifth broke the tie and gave the Yanks the lead and win. Cano a 2-Run HR. (3). It was a shot over the bullpen in RCF. After that, A-Rod doubled, Teix walked & after a DP, Jones doubled. 5-2.

The run in the 9th that Sori gave up made it 5-3.

As for Gardner? Shut down for 10 days.

As for Nunez, one thing— Ronnier Mustelier is hitting well. He’s short and you don’t think the power will translate to the majors. But Mustelier is Ok at 3B. 2B, they say, lousy. Ok LF/RF. But he doesn’t play SS. Nunez can (insert punch line here….  ) But Nuney drives you nuts. In the same game he can have 2 hits, 2 SB …. and 2 Errors.

 

 

Game 29. Ibanez 2 HR leads Yanks, 5-3.

Raul Ibanez had 2 HR and 3 RBI, and Curtis Granderson added a solo shot as the Yanks held on to beat the Rays 5-3.

The Yanks got a taste of life without Mo as both Soriano and Robertson staggered in the 8th and 9th before closing it out.

Ivan Nova started and hopefully has started a new streak. The last time out, his loss snapped a 15-game regular season winning streak going back to last year. Nova, 4-1, 5.02 (ERA still ugly) went 7, 2 R both on HR, 6 h, 2 walks, 8 K.

In the 4th, Ibanez hit a 2-run HR to put the Yanks up 2-0. Granderson’s solo shot in the 5th (10) made it 3-0.

Nova gave up a HR to our old buddy Jose Molina in the 6th, then one to Luke Scott in the 7th. 3-2 and here things got hairy.

After the HR to Scott, Nova gave up a walk and a double. 3-2 Yanks, but the Rays had 2nd and 3rd, one out. A short fly couldn’t bring the runner home. Then Nova got the strikeout of the last batter he faced.

Ibanez’ 2nd HR of the game (5; 257 career) in the bottom of the 7th made it 4-2.

The Yanks would need that HR. Soriano came in and gave up a leadoff triple. He then struck out the next two hitters but then drove you nuts by letting in the run anyway on a wild pitch. 4-3. A walk, then another K.

Soriano 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 walk and 3 K. ERA 2.45.

The Yanks got an insurance run in the 8th when Alex singled, went to second on an e-8 by Upton and scored on Teix’s double. 5-3.

Jeter got hit #3137 in the game.

To the 9th. Life without Mo. Robertson in. GO, walk, single. K. Walk. Bases loaded, tying run on 2nd. Pena up. K. Nothing like making it interesting.

Robertson 1 IP, 0 R (ERA 0.00), 1 hit, 2 walks and 2 K.

Yanks go to 16-13.

Congrats to Josh Hamilton. 5 for 5, double, a record-tying 4 HR, 8 RBI. I couldn’t even do that in wiffle ball.

Game 23. Yanks lose 7-1. Buck’s 1000th win.

I respect Buck Showalter for bringing the Yanks back to respectability when he was Yankees manager. When he managed the Yanks to a 1995 playoff berth, it was the first playoff appearance for the Yanks in 14 years.

I also congratulate him on his 1000th win as a manager. I only wish it wasn’t against the Yankees.

The good news on Hughes: He pitched into the sixth and lowered his ERA. The bad news: He lost, his ERA only dropped from 7.88 to 7.48 and he’s now 1-4.

The Yanks only got one run, on Granderson’s 9th HR of the year. Of the seven hits the Yanks got tonight, all of them were by the first three hitters in the order. Jeter with 3 (taking him to 3128 and a .400 average), 2 by Granderson and 2 by A-Rod. Nothing from anyone else.

With all the talk about the starters stinking out the joint recently, why is there NO criticism yet of Robbie Cano? We are 23 games (1/7) into the season, and Cano is at .255-1-4. 1 Homer, 4 RBI from someone supposed to be a middle of the order presence—in 1/7th of the season! .255, or about fifty points LOWER than expected? How about someone writing about Teixeira’s .233 besides me? Or Martin’s .158? How about making Kevin Long accountable? (Isn’t this the same Kevin Long who wanted to change Jeter’s swing last year and bleeped Jeter up until Jeter got hurt and consulted his own hitting guru?)

1 run, on seven hits, against someone who hadn’t won in 11 months. Sheesh.

As for Hughes, 5 2/3, 4 R, 4 H, 1 walk, 6 K. 2 HRs hurt his line.

You put an infielder in the outfield, eventually it hurts you. Remember when the Yanks did that with Enrique Wilson (he f/d up and the Boss wasted no time in trading for Mondesi)? Nunez misplayed a ball tonight and it led to unearned runs.

Logan 3 batters. No outs, two hits, An E-7 by Nunez. Two unearned runs. 0.96 ERA

Wade 1 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 2 K. 1.50

Sorian0 1 IP, 1 R, 2 h, 0 walks 1 K. 2.25.

D.J. Mitchell his MLB debut. 0 r, 2 h, 0 walks, 1 K.

A better outing by Hughes, but probably not enough to keep his rotation spot.