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 44. Teix back to 3rd in lineup today

The Yanks try to stay above .500 today. Teixeira is back up at 3rd in the lineup.

22-21, 4th in A.L. East, 5 1/2 back. Even with the Pythagorean mark, OPS+ 108, ERA+ 102.

Jeter SS .341-5-16  3/4  130  Hit count: 3149
Granderson CF .250-13-24  1/3  134  Still want him to RUN!
Teixeira 1B .229-5-20  1/2  78   Needs to get it going. 
Rodriguez 3B .276-5-15  5/5  109   See below
Cano 2B .304-5-17  1/1  127
Swisher RF .239-7-27  0/0  102  See below.
Jones DH .217-4-8  0/0  93    See below.
Martin C .179-4-10  1/1  79   See Below.
Nix LF .263-2-4  0/1  129  5 for 19. 

Pettitte LHP  1-1, 2.51. ERA+ 171.   3rd start of his comeback.

Jeter leads the AL in hits. 3 behind Waner and 5 behind Brett on the all-time list. But since May 4, hitting .231 (15 for 65), with last night’s RBI as his only RBI in that period (16 games). All hits are singles except for one double, and there have been 6 GIDP.

A-Rod has just 1 HR since 4/27. Of his 43 hits, only 10 are XBH. Where’s the power?

Swisher:  .177 since 4/28, 1 HR, 4 RBI.  11 for 62, 17 strikeouts in that span (compare lack of HR to A-Rod; same time period).

I have to wonder if Mustelier, at this point, would be a better option than Jones. Mustelier in 42 games AA/AAA? .337-8-29. 5/9 in SB.

I also have to wonder if a 40 year old Posada could hit better right now than Martin. (Not catch better, mind you…)

Pettitte is looking for career win #242, Yankee win #205.

Game 39. Pettitte awesome as Yanks win 4-0.

I’m speechless. Really. What to write? It’s like I stepped into a time machine and went back ten years.

In his second start of his comeback, Andy Pettitte tossed 8 shutout innings.

Let that sink in for a minute or two. After a year away from baseball, and one month from his 40th birthday, Andy Pettitte tossed 8 shutout innings for career win #241, #204 as a Yankee.

And to make it more amazing… he basically NEEDED to throw a shutout. For the Yanks are now 3 for their last 48 with RISP.

Pettitte went 8. ZERO runs. 4 hits, 1 walk and an amazing 9 K. (1-1, 2.51).

Boone Logan the 9th. No runs, 0 h, 0 w, 1 K. 2.16.

As for the offense, they were lousy until the 8th. In the 2nd, a leadoff double by Alex. They strand him.

Man on 3rd, one out in the 4th. Granderson and Cano singled, Cano thrown out at second. A-Rod’s weak grounder gets Grandy in.

In the sixth, the Yanks had the bases loaded, no one out, and COULD NOT SCORE.

The pressure was on Pettitte to hold the Reds, and boy did he deliver.

The tension mounted as you knew the Yanks couldn’t score. Let me repeat 3 for 48 with RISP.

I was as shocked as anyone that Pettitte, in only his 2nd start of his comeback, came out for the 8th. But hold them he did.

In the bottom of the 8th, it was still 1-0 when Cano hit a bomb for HR #4 with two out. After A-Rod singled, Ibanez got HR #8 (260 career) for a 4-0 lead.

Logan then slammed the door.

But Pettitte? My goodness. They need to add this one to his YANKEEOGRAPHY.

What an amazing performance under the circumstances (2nd start of comeback, 40 next month, off last year, offense struggling). Wow.

Quick notes: Not happy that the Celts lost to the 76ers tonight. Up 18-3 at one point, they lost. It could have been 3-1 Celtics going back to Boston, instead it is even.

How could a team with Wade and James be held to 75 in two consecutive games? As for Indiana, Congrats to Larry Bird. The 3x NBA MVP has now ALSO won a coach of the year and now executive of the year—the only man to have done that. Talk about a trifecta!

Are the Kings (#8 seed) about to take over LA from the Lakers & Clippers (not to mention the Dodgers)?

 

Game 39. Teix out. Andy must be the stopper

Only one start into his comeback, Andy Pettitte is called to be the stopper tonight. The Yanks have lost three in a row, four of five, and now head into interleague action vs. the Reds.

Mark Teixeira, fighting a respiratory ailment since before Opening Day, FINALLY gets a night off to deal with it.

Yanks 20-18, even with the Pythagorean record. OPS+ 111, ERA+ 102.
4th place in AL East, 4 1/2 out.

They are 3 for their last 41 with RISP.

Jeter 6 .363-5-15  2/3  148    3145 hits
Granderson 8  .257-13-23  1/3  142   Why isn’t he running?  
Cano 4  .303-3-15  1/1  117  .176 with RISP
Rodriguez 5 .279-5-14  4/4  115   Also .176 with RISP
Ibanez 9 .255-7-22  2/2  124
Swisher 3 .252-7-26  0/0  119   8 for last 43
Chavez DH .292-3-6  0/0  118
Wise 7  2 for 12, 1 SB   He’s got to run if he gets on.
Stewart 2  .222-0-5  0/0  38   6 for 27    Can he bunt?

Pettitte LHP  0-1, 5.68    1 start, 4 R in 6 1/3    ERA+ 79

Game 34. Andy ok, bats not in loss to M’s

Andy Pettitte was okay in his return to the majors, but the Yanks bats were shut down by the other old guy on the mound, Kevin Millwood, and the Yanks lost to Seattle 6-2 today.

Pettitte went 6 1/3, 4 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 2 K. 2 HR, 1 WP. He gave up no hits until the fourth, when the first hit he gave up was a two-run HR. Even after five, he had given up just two runs on two hits.

In the sixth, he gave up a 2-run HR off the foul screen, and got out of a bases-loaded jam.

For his first time out after being away since October, 2010, he wasn’t that bad.

The Yanks’ bats against the aging and fading Millwood? That was bad.

The Yanks got 1st and 2nd in the third. One out. Jeter GIDP.

In the fifth, the Yanks got a bases-loaded walk to Martin to cut it to 2-1, but with the bases loaded and one out, Jeter GIDP again.

Jeter did get hit #3142 in the 8th, tying Robin Yount on the all-time list.

Ripken 3184, Brett 3154, Waner 3152, JETER 3142, Yount 3142, Gwynn 3141.

Down 4-1 in the 8th, a bases-loaded two out walk to Cano cut the lead to 4-2. Teixeira then struck out. The Yanks were 0 for 5 with RISP.

Wade replaced Pettitte, 1 2/3, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 3 K. ERA 1.62

Rapada came in and got a couple of outs, but why did Girardi stick with him? Rapada is a LOOGY. You don’t let the guy face righties.

After getting two outs (both lefties) with a man on second, Rapada walks a righty batter, then a lefty batter. Bases loaded. He stays in to face a righty batter. A hit and an error by Rapada bring in two runs. 6-2.  Rapada has great splits vs. lefty batters. Terrible ones against righties. Leaving him in against the righties cost the Yanks a chance at a comeback. Righties hit .349 off Rapada. Lefties .164. You cannot let Rapada face righties if you can help it. After Rapada got the two lefties, Girardi should have brought someone else in to face the righty (Garcia?) for the last out. By not doing so, he gave up two runs. In the end, it didn’t matter, but…

Rapada 1 IP, 1 R, 0 ER, 1 h, 2 walks, 1 K. 3.72.

In the bottom of the ninth, big mistake by Swish. He doubles to lead off the inning, but is thrown out going for three. Down by four runs? That is inexcusable.

The Yanks only got six hits, two by Chavez, two by Swisher.

Eppley was sent down when Pettitte was activated.

Game 34. The glare returns. Andy’s back

The glare returns as Andy Pettitte returns to the major leagues today after a year’s retirement.

Andy, 40 next month, will be facing another “oldster” in Kevin Millwood.

Yanks 19-14, 3rd in AL East. 2 1/2 back. Riding a 3 game win streak.
Right on the Pythagorean Record. OPS+ 117, ERA+ 107.
For OPS+, ERA+ 100 is average. The higher the number, the better.

BA/HR/RBI/ SB/total attempts/OPS+

Jeter SS .376-5-15  2/3  159
Granderson CF .264-11-20  1/3  143
Rodriguez 3B .287-5-14  3/3  122
Cano 2B .306-3-13  1/1  115   heating up 
Teixeira 1B .222-4-17  1/2  73   fighting a respiratory ailment the last
month  
Swisher RF .267-7-24  0/0  131
Ibanez LF  .282-7-21  2/2  142  on fire lately; what spring training
failures?  
Chavez DH .294-3-5  0/0  127
Martin C .184-3-8  1/1  70

Pettitte LHP   1st MLB start of 2012. 1st start since 2010 ALCS Game 3.  

Pettitte career mark: 240-138, 3.88. 203-112 as a Yankee, 3.98.

Notes: Good OPS+ numbers above for the most part.

Jeter comes into the game with 3141 hits, tied with Tony Gwynn on the all-time list and one behind Robin Yount. After Yount, his sights will be on Paul Waner’s 3152 and George Brett’s 3154.

A-Rod comes into the game with 2810 hits, 634 HR, 1907 RBI. His 22 grand slams are one behind Lou Gehrig’s record of 23.

Other HR totals: Jeter 245, Ibanez 259, Jones 424, Teixeira 318.

He can call it: Jeter’s next HR will tie YES broadcaster Kenny Singleton on the all-time list.

 

 

Game 29. Rain. Will it be played? Pettitte returns Sunday (Mother’s Day)

Tonight’s lineup.

Yanks 15-13, 4th in AL East. 3 1/2 out.
OPS+ 115, ERA+ 101

It has been raining all day in Eastern PA (about 100 miles from NYC). Tonight’s game could be ppd. There is also rain in tomorrow’s forecast, and possibly Thursday. The only surprise, if any, is that Nunez, a righty batter, is in LF instead of Wise, a lefty hitter against the righty Shields.

Jeter leads the AL in B.A., and the majors in hits.

Jeter SS .397-5-15  1sb/2att  OPS+ 175, 3136 hits, 5 behind Gwynn.
Granderson CF .284-9-18  0/2  157
Rodriguez 3B .269-5-14  2/2    118    634* HR; 2803 hits
Cano 2B  .261-2-8  1/1   84  hopefully Sunday’s slam woke him up. 
Teixeira 1B  .222-4-16  1/2  73   He and Cano need to pick it up. 
Swisher RF  .279-7-24  0/0  155
Ibanez DH  .254-3-13  2/2  98
Martin C  .192-3-7  1/1  82  see Cano and Teix.
Nunez LF .261-0-5  4/5   80

Nova P   3-1, 5.58    ERA+ 78    Some ugly OPS and ERA+ numbers here.

No word on Pettitte yet, or what those “complications” are regarding Mo’s knee.

UPDATE ON PETTITTE: He will be called up Sunday.

Gardner was supposed to start a couple of rehab games yesterday. Rainout last night, and there is supposed to be a DH today. It’s unknown whether he’d play in one game or both. Heck, with the rain, the whole DH could be washed out.

Gardner going for rehab

The Yanks will be getting more “whole” soon. Swish came back yesterday, and it appears as if Gardner will be back soon. As for Pineda and Mo, we know how that is. Done for 2012. Probably Joba, too.

But our friends at the Bronx Baseball Daily blog report that Gardner will be playing for AAA tonight. He’ll play for them for a few games and then return to the Yanks later this week.

As for Pettitte, no decision yet on bringing him up or giving him another minor league start.

The minors. Andy shaky. Ready? Otherwise, lots of extras.

AAA: I’d leave Andy Pettitte in the minors for another start. He says he’s ready, we’ll see what the Yanks do. Pettitte’s numbers weren’t impressive at AAA today, as he went 5, gave up 5 R, 3 ER, 8 hits, 2 walks and 5 K. His d (2 errors and a PB) didn’t help, but the line wasn’t impressive. SWB (Empire State) lost 7-5, Pettitte a ND. Mustelier 1 for 4, 2 RBI. Yadil Mujica 3 hits.

AA: 4-3 win in 11. Abe Almonte 3 hits, 2 RBI. Kevin Mahoney solo HR. Cory Arbiso 3 R in 5 2/3. 5 1/3 scoreless by the bullpen.

High A: 11 innings (AA) long enough for you? How about 18? Tampa lost 7-6 in 18 innings. Rob Segedin HR, 3 RBI, Kyle Roller solo HR. Tampa used 9 pitchers.

Low A: Charleston won 8-2. Mason Williams 3 for 4, HR, 3 RBI (.327). One friend, a security guard for the Yanks in Tampa for spring training, called Williams the nicest kid. Williams is also 11/13 in SB. Tyler Austin solo HR (.327-10-26). Bryan Mitchell 1 R in 5 IP.

Game 28. Today’s lineup. Many ramifications today.

Today has a lot of ramifications. For one thing, the 14-13, 4th place Yankees (4 1/2 out) trot out Phil Hughes to the mound. Hughes, 1-4, 7.48, is running out of chances. Yanks OPS+ 113, ERA+ 99. Their record is even with the Pythagorean record (Pythagorean is what your record should be related to runs scored vs. runs against).

It may just be because of his testimony at the Roger Clemens’ trial, but guess who pitches today for AAA Empire State (SWB)? None other than Andy Pettitte. Both games start at the same time. Should Andy be ready and Hughes lay another egg, it would be no problem for Andy to just take Hughes next start, dump Hughes to the bullpen, and someone like Eppley would be sent down (no offense to Eppley).

Swisher is back, and the Yanks could use him. They aren’t putting rallies together. Let’s backtrack. Beat the O’s 2-1. Only runs of that game? 2-run HR by Chavez. The next night just one run, Granderson’s HR, in a loss. The next night? Shutout. Friday a win, four of the six runs on a two-run HR by Jeter and a 2-run HR by Teixeira. Last night a loss. The only run via a Martin HR. No rallies. You can’t just rely on the HR. Because of the leg problem, Swish comes back slowly, DH-ing today. Nothing against Paulino, but he’s a guy the Yanks should pound. Instead, Jeter made out with the bases loaded. Opportunity lost. Then, the next inning, to show how bad things are going, Granderson gets a leadoff double, then is thrown out at third tagging up after Teixeira flyout to RF.

Girardi insists nothing is wrong with A-Rod, who has started at DH in 9 of the Yanks’ 28 games. Jeter & Ibanez have started at DH 5x each.

From Lohud:

Also, Girardi said, the number of DH days will begin to dwindle after Nick Swisher and Brett Gardner come off the disabled list. For now, Raul Ibanez has been playing the field against right-handed starters, which opens some chance for other players to DH. That won’t be the case much longer, and Girardi is trying to take advantage while he can.

Jeter SS .390-5-15  1 sb/2 att.  OPS+ 169  Hit count: 3134; see below
Granderson CF  .279-9-17  0/2  160  AL HR leader.
A-Rod 3B .260-4-11  2/2  108
Cano 2B  .255-1-4  1/1  77
Teixeira 1B .229-4-16  1/2  74  Middle of lineup woes. 
Swisher DH .284-6-23  0/0  156
Ibanez LF .239-3-12  2/2  88   Looking like 2011 Posada.
Martin C .206-3-7  1/1  94
Wise RF     1 for 4, a double.

100 is average. What you see above is a lot of below average, and three guys carrying the lineup.

Hughes RHP   1-4, 7.48, ERA+ 58. 
See above. Andy is looming. Once again, 100 is average. 58? Horrible.

Jeter still leads the majors in hits, the AL in BA & TB

Also from LoHud: Gardner may be begin a rehab assignment tomorrow and be back sometime this week. Chavez is feeling better and should be back when his 7-day concussion DL stint is over.

The game is on TBS.