S.T. Game 10. Warren, Ramirez solid in Yanks’ 5-2 win

The Yanks took advantage of two errors by Boston 3B Drew Sutton in the same inning and prospects Adam Warren and Jose Ramirez pitched three solid innings each in a 5-2 spring training win over Boston today.

The win ups the Yanks S.T. record to 3-7.

Warren gave up just one run (a Mike Napoli HR) in three innings of work, while Ramirez tossed three shutout innings.

Brett Gardner continued his hot spring with another hit.

With one out in the sixth, Corban Joseph singled, and Bobby Wilson  (who was PR for) reached on the first of Sutton’s errors. After a WP, Gardner walked, and he was PR for. Eduardo Nunez singled in a run and another scored when Jayson Nix bounced into a force out. Sutton made his second error of the inning on a ball hit my Juan Rivera to put the Yanks up 3-1.

Doubles by Jose Pirela and J.R. Murphy in the 8th made it 4-1, and OF Thomas Neal, trying to make the team as a righty-hitting OF, hit a HR in the 9th to make it 5-1.

The Yanks prospects got a bit sloppy again late in the game as Rob Segedin and Addison Maruszak made errors. For Maruszak, that’s 3 errors this spring.

Chase Whitley pitched a scoreless inning, Preston Claiborne (1/3) and Josh Spence (2/3) combined for a scoreless inning, and Kelvin Perez gave up a run in his inning of work. Perez hurt himself by throwing two wild pitches. As I wrote earlier in the week, some youngsters need to relax and tighten up their play a bit.

But a very good day for Warren and Ramirez, Gardner is at .563 for the spring, Jose Pirela at .556, J.R. Murphy at .500 and Tyler Austin at .571.

Ichiro Suzuki escaped injury when he was involved in a car accident on Saturday. His car was totalled.

Yanks split squad, but lose both games

The Yanks split the squad today, but lost both games, dropping their spring record to 1-6. It’s worth noting that we haven’t seen CC, Kuroda, Hughes, Nova, Pettitte, Jeter or Rivera yet.

In the road game, the Yanks lost to Houston 7-6. Some good points about the game came from a couple of minor leaguers eager to win the Granderson job while he is out. Zoilo Almonte went 2 for 3 with an RBI. Melky Mesa was 2 for 3 with a 3-run HR. Top prospect Tyler Austin had a triple and scored a run. Matt Diaz went 1 for 3 and drove in a run. In this, and the other game, every candidate for that LF job that Granderson vacated with his injury did well. Even Adonis Garcia had a hit and an RBI in this game.

Brett Marshall started this game. He is probably AAA bound but did a good job, impressing if he needs to be a mid-season call-up. The 22 year old righty was 13-7, 3.52 in AA last year. He pitched 3 scoreless innings, giving up 1 hit and striking out 3. Dellin Betances, the former top prospect who slipped badly last year, had a scoreless inning and K’d 2, but also showed the wildness that has set him back, walking two. Mikey O’Brien gave up 3 R in 1 1/3 and Shane Greene gave up 4 in only 1/3 IP which led to the loss. Shaeffer Hall and Kelvin Perez each pitched a scoreless inning.

In the home part of the split squad, the Yanks lost 1-0 to Toronto. Dave Phelps, bidding for a starter’s job (esp. since Hughes may not be ready come Opening Day), pitched 3 scoreless innings. David Aardsma pitched a scoreless inning. The Yanks are counting on him, as well as Joba, to fill the 6/7 inning role. Branden Pinder pitched a scoreless inning as did Clay Rapada. Chase Whitley gave up the game’s only run in his inning and a third. Juan Cedeno 2/3 scoreless. Jim Miller a scoreless inning.

The Yanks didn’t score in this game, but Brett Gardner and Ichiro Suzuki continued their hot springs so far by each going 1 for 3. Ronnier Mustelier, in the battle for Granderson’s position, went 1 for 1. Juan Rivera, also fighting for an OF spot, was 2 for 2.

Overall, today was a better day than yesterday, which featured sloppy play. There was some impressive pitching, and the OF candidates all did well.

Now (1-6) to start winning some of these games.

S.T. Game 4. Ichiro 3 for 3 but Yanks lose 4-3.

The Yanks lost to the Phils 4-3, as Zach Nuding gave up three runs on two HR in the seventh. It drops the Yanks S.T. record to 1-3.

Ichiro Suzuki went 3 for 3. In the first, he singled, stole second and scored on a double by Mark Teixeira.

Starter Jose Ramirez (7-6, 3.19 at High A last year, righty, 23 years old) pitched two scoreless innings. David Robertson pitched a scoreless inning, giving up a walk. Joba then came in, a scoreless inning, one hit, 2 K. Juan Cedeno a scoreless inning.

The Phils tied the game with a run off Jim Miller in the sixth.

The Yanks went up 3-1 in the seventh when J.R. Murphy, who was 2 for 2 for the day, hit a 2-run HR. Murphy, 21, is a catcher who between High A/AA last year hit .248-9-44. He’ll probably begin this year at AA.

Nuding, a 22 y.o. righty, was 9-3, 3.51 between the Gulf Coast Rookie League and High A Tampa last year. He got a groundout, then Domonic Brown hit a HR off him. After another groundout, Cody Asche doubled and Tommy Joseph homered for the final margin. 3 R in his one inning of work.

Branden Pinder pitched a scoreless inning, striking out two.

The Yanks had a chance to tie it in the ninth. With two out, Murphy doubled and moved to third on a single by Walt Ibarra. Cito Culver flied out to end the game.

Yanks re-sign Ichiro, working on Ibanez

The Yankees brought back Ichiro on a two-year deal. Details to come.

Meanwhile, they are talking to Raul Ibanez about coming back to DH.

Nice, but there are a couple of problems here. Both are lefty bats, for one. They still need to get a righty-hitting bat to play the OF and/or DH vs. lefty pitching.

The other problem is the age. Ichiro is 39. Ibanez turns 41 next June.

Closing in on Ichiro, waiting on Youk.

The Yanks are supposedly close to bringing back Ichiro on a 1-yr. deal. Ichiro hit .322 for the Yanks, with 5 HR, 27 RBI and a team-leading 14 SB (in only 67 games) after the Yanks got him from Seattle.

For the season, Suzuki hit .283-9-55 with 29 SB, OPS+ 95.

I don’t mind the move, as I’ve always loved Ichiro. But the move does worry me. As of now, the Yanks OF would be Gardner, Granderson and Ichiro. All lefty bats. A righty bat is needed. Another worry about Ichiro is his age—39. We already have a lot of old players (Mo, Kuroda, Jeter, A-rod, Pettitte…)

Don’t look to Andruw Jones. He signed a deal (thankfully) with a Japanese team this week. Besides, he only hit .197 last year.

Scott Hairston would be a nice possibility to platoon with Ichiro and provide righty-bat OF depth. Hairston, 33 next May, hit .263-20-57 for the Mets last year, OPS+ 117. His 162 g. ave. is .247-20-58, OPS+ 100. Average player, mostly LF, but who has played CF, RF and even 2B.

Meanwhile the Yanks wait on Kevin Youkilis. I know, rooting for Youk is like… ugh. But the Yanks do need a 3B with A-Rod out for half the season. Youk could also fill in for Teix at 1B. He’ll be 34 and hasn’t played 145 games in a season since 2008. He’s had injury issues. He hit just .235-19-60, OPS+ 99 last year. But if he could give .246-18-70 (his average over the last two years, OPS+ 111), … He is not young himself… 34 in March. But Alex being out and Chavez’ departure lead to desperate measures. Even signing Joba’s mortal enemy.

No word yet on Ibanez back as DH, but that (41 in June) is another age problem.

ALCS Gm 1: Yanks blow early chances, lose in 12. Lose Jeter until 2013.

The Yankees blew early chances, had a miracle comeback (Ibanez again!) to force extra innings, but then lost Game 1 of the ALCS 6-4 to Detroit.

Even more devastating was the loss of Derek Jeter until next season with a fractured ankle.

The Yanks can only blame themselves for the loss. The left the bases loaded in the first when A-Rod’s grounder was fielded on a good play by SS Peralta, who forced Ibanez at second. They left them loaded again the next inning, when Cano’s smash up the middle (Cano is 0 for his last 21 in the postseason) hit Fister on his wrist and deflected to Peralta, who nipped Cano at first. A-Rod hit into a DP in the fifth. In the sixth, after the Tigers scored two off Pettitte in the top of the inning, Teixeira reached on an error. Ibanez doubled. 2nd and 3rd, no one out, and the Yankees once again got NOTHING. A-Rod struck out (and was PH for… again…. later in the game. Sheesh. 5 more years and $114 million left on the contract of a 37-year old who looks done). Swisher walked. Granderson and Martin each struck out. Three times they left the bases loaded in the first six innings. THREE TIMES.

Pettitte, who lost game 2 of the ALDS 3-2, pitched another good game and once again got no support. 6 2/3 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 5 K. He left trailing 2-0.

Derek Lowe went 2/3, 2 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 1 K. The Tigers got two in the 8th. Delmon Young getting the first one with a HR (he killed the Yankees last year and did it again last night, 3 for 6 with 3 RBI).

So they went into the bottom of the ninth down 4-0. Ichiro hit a 2-run HR to cut it to 4-2. Then, with two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Teixiera, down 0-2 in the count, worked out a walk, bringing up Ibanez, who stunningly, amazingly, did it again. A 2-run HR to tie the game.

On the game went.

Logan 2/3, 0 r, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K.

Eppley 2/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K.

Rapada 1/3, 0 R, 0 H 0 walks, 1 K.

Soriano 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K.

Robertson 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K.

But then Phelps, who lost Game 4 of the ALDS in the 13th, lost this one in the 12th. 1 IP,  2 R, 3 H, 1 walk and 1 K. 6-4 Tigers.

In the middle of that top of the 12th, Jeter fell while fielding a ground ball. He was carried off the field and is done for the postseason with a fractured ankle. Nix will SS from here on out. Nunez is back on the roster.

You hope Nix can provide a spark. Hardly anyone else is.

The Yanks have their backs against the wall. They aren’t hitting (3 for 13 RISP, 13 LOB). They lost their captain. Kuroda on 3 days rest tonight. Down 0-1 in the series. They have to win tonight to avoid going down 0-2 heading to Motown.

Cano was 0 for 6 last night and is 0 for his last 21 or so in the postseason. We know how bad A-Rod (0 for 3, left 6 on) and Granderson 0 for 4 have been. I was one calling for Chavez, and he went 0 for 3 and is hitless in the postseason himself (although, to be fair, Jackson made a great catch to rob Chavez of a double last night). Swisher is 1 for his last 35 or so with RISP in the postseason.

The Yankees wasted another good pitching outing by Pettitte, who is still waiting for postseason win #20.

They have soldiered on this season without Rivera. They lost Pettitte for two months with a fractured ankle.

Now they have to do it without Jeter.

It would help if someone besides Ibanez and Ichiro (who besides driving in all 4 last night, had 2 of the 3 RBI in the do-or-die Game 5 of the ALDS vs. Baltimore) turned up clutch.

Yanks advance to the ALCS. No rest, Game 1 tonight.

The Yankees defeated Baltimore 3-1 last night in Game Five of the ALDS, and get no rest after that do-or-die game because Game One of the ALCS begins tonight. Andy Pettitte will start for the Yankees at home against the Tigers, who knocked the Yanks out of the playoffs last year.

As for last night, CC went all the way, taking a one-hit shutout into the eighth. He gave up a run in the 8th but got out of a bases loaded, one out jam. He wound up with a line of 1 run and 4 hits in his 9 innings. The first run of the game scored in the fifth when Teixeira singled, shocked the world by stealing second, and scored on a single by the Yankees’ ALDS savior, Ibanez. Ichiro doubled in Jeter in the sixth, and Granderson, who came into the game with an ALDS line of 1 for 16, hit a solo HR in the seventh.

A-Rod was benched for this game. Chavez started at third.

The Yanks have made a roster move for the ALCS. Eppley comes on, Nunez is off.

For Joe Girardi, it has been a rough week, for he lost his father a week ago.

Take it to the Limit

Yes, the Eagles have to be happy. Not the Philadelphia Eagles, but the old rock band. For every division series is or has gone the limit. The theme song of the ALDS and NLDS could be Take It to the Limit.

Two series have been decided. The road team won every game as SF defeated Cincinnati, coming from down 0-2 to do so. Game 5 of the NLDS between defending champion St. Louis and Washington will be tonight.

The Tigers shut out Oakland 6-0 in Game 5 to advance to the ALDS. Baltimore and the Yankees play Game 5 starting this afternoon.

As for the Yankees, the pitching has been great, the hitting atrocious. The pitchers have a 1.88 ERA after four games. The Yanks have given up just 9 runs in 43 innings. But the series is tied. I was able to recap Game 1, then had problems in which I couldn’t do a recap until now.

Quickly… Game 2. Pettitte pitched great, he gave up just 3 runs in 7 ip but the Yanks and he lost 3-2 despite some great acrobatic moves by Ichiro to score one of their runs.

Game 3. It looked like the Yanks would lose. Kuroda gave up just two solo HR in 8 1/3, but the Yanks went into the bottom of the 9th down 2-1. I wanted Girardi to PH for A-Rod, who is stinking up the postseason once again (along with others). He showed guts and did what I wanted, sending up Ibanez, who tied up the game with a HR. Ibanez then did it again in the 12th, and the Yanks had a 3-2 win, Robertson getting the victory.

Last night, in Game 4, the Yanks again got great pitching. Hughes went 6 2/3 and gave up just 1 run on 4 hits. The Yanks lost in 13, 2-1, when doubles by Machado and Hardy gave the Orioles a run, Phelps taking the loss.

So in this series, Game 1 went into the 9th 2-2 before the Yanks erupted for five, and the next three games were all decided by one run, with one game going 12 and the next 13 innings.

The Yanks reverted to their evil ways (cue Santana) in game 4, going 0 for 9 with RISP.

What’s worse is that most of the lineup is taking the (big) apple.

Ichiro is hitting .200.
Cano is hitting .111.
A-Rod is at .125 (he was .133 in 2005, .071 in 2006, .190 in 2010, .111 last year… and the boos get louder). Overall in postseason play he’s in the .260′s, with 13 HR (72 games) but…
Swisher is at .133. He’s something like 1 for his last 34 in the playoffs with RISP. For his career, he is a .165 postseason hitter. .. .and he’s something like 1 for 19 vs. Matusz.
Granderson is 1 for 16 in this postseason. .063.

I don’t know what Girardi can do. Should the Yanks lose tonight, there may be calls for him to be fired. That won’t happen, but I’m not too thrilled with hitting coach Kevin Long.

As for Girardi… sympathies. His dad just passed away.

As for the hitters, how about going the other way? Be hitters, not sluggers. Seeing Granderson strike out while trying to pull everything is frustrating.

But what is Girardi to do? Bench half the team? As for me, I’d like to see Chavez and Ibanez in the lineup tonight, even if it means benching A-Rod and Swisher. But Cano needs to wake up. Granderson as well.

Jeter has had a great series despite playing hurt. Teix is playing hurt too, and his inability to run may have cost the Yanks Game 2. That calf he hurt makes him a station-to-station baserunner.

The way the Yanks are hitting, CC may need to pitch a shutout.

Even if they win tonight, I wonder about the Tigers and Verlander. For this Yankees team is not hitting at all.

They better start soon, or the season will be over.

As for Cashman, in the offseason, get some hitters, not sluggers. Guys who can hit the ball to all fields, and play littleball. Especially when littleball is needed this time of year.

5 in 9th + CC = Game 1 Yanks ALDS win

The Yankees broke open a close game by scoring 5 in the 9th as CC Sabathia went 8 2/3 as the Yanks won Game 1 of their ALDS 7-2.

The game was delayed 2 1/2 hours by rain.

The Yanks jumped off right away to a 1-0 lead. Jeter led off the game with a single, and Ichiro doubled him in.

Two singles, a sac and a single gave the Orioles a 2-1 lead in the third.

The Yanks got it right back in the fourth. A-Rod walked, and after Cano grounded out, Swish walked. Teix just missed a 3-run HR on a drive that hit the scoreboard. A-Rod scored and Swish went to third on a long single by Teix, who was thrown out trying for a double.

CC got out of a 1st & 3rd, one out jam in the fifth.

The Yanks put two on in the 6th, but nada. The O’s put two on as Jeter made an error, but CC got out of it.

Frustration in the 7th. Walks to Martin and Ibanez and a sac by Jeter. 2nd and 3rd, one out. Ichiro hit into a force at home. A-Rod struck out.

Alex was 0 for 4 tonight, 3 K. I really hoped (but knew it wouldn’t happen) that A-Rod would be benched tonight for Chavez.

CC gave up a leadoff double in the 8th but left him there.

The Yanks then erupted for 5 in the 9th for the win. Russell Martin led off the inning with a HR. 3-2.

Ibanez singled. Jeter singled him to third and Nunez PR. Nunez scored on a swinging bunt single by Ichiro (4-2). After (cough, cough) A-Rod struck out, Cano doubled in two (6-2) and went to third on an error. Swisher’s SF made it 7-2.

CC went 8 2/3, 2 R, 8 H, 1 walk and 7 K.

Robertson faced 1 batter. K. Ballgame.

Game 1 ALDS Yankees lineup… weather permitting

Here is tonight’s lineup for Game 1 of the ALDS, weather permitting. Stats are the regular season stats. BA/HR/RBI  SB/total att.   OPS+ (100 is average)

Jeter SS .316-15-58  9/13  114
Suzuki LF .283-9-55  29/36  95
Rodriguez 3B .272-18-57  13/14  112
Cano 2B .313-33-94  3/5  149
Swisher RF .272-24-93  2/5  126
Teixeira 1B .251-24-84  2/3  116
Granderson CF .232-43-106  10/13  116
Martin C .211-21-53  6/7  92
Ibanez DH .240-19-62  3/3  104

Sabathia LHP  15-6  3.38   ERA+ 124

Ichiro’s stats are combined. With the Yankees he went .322-5-27, 14/19, OPS+ 114 in 67 games. He led the Yanks in SB despite only 67 games with the team.

As for Chavez? .281-16-37, 0/0 and OPS+ 126 in 113 games, 313 AB (A-Rod 122 games, 463 ab).

I must admit, there is a part of me that wishes that Chavez was at 3B tonight and not A-Rod.