Game 95. Yanks lose, 10-1.

Ex-Yank Phil Hughes and the Minnesota Twins snapped the Yanks’ four-game winning streak last night, 10-1. The loss drops the Yanks to 53-42, but they maintain a 5 1/2 game lead in the AL East.

Michael Pineda seems to be a guy that is either very hot or very cold, and he was cold last night, giving up 5 runs in 5 2/3 IP.

Mark Teixeira had three hits for the Yanks, and Didi Gregorius and Stephen Drew had two each.

There isn’t much else to write about with this one.

Pineda (L, 9-7, 3.97) 5 2/3 IP , 5 R, 8 H, 0 H, 4 K.

Pinder 1 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 H, 1 K. 2.92.

Capuano 1 IP, 4 R, 4 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 5.64.

Game 55. D-Rob fails in 9th, Yanks lose 7-2.

It looked like Chase Whitley would get his first MLB win. The Yanks had a 2-1 lead entering the ninth, but one day after throwing 27 pitches in getting a save, David Robertson had nothing and the Yanks lost to the Twins, 7-2. Two recent ex-Yanks, Phil Hughes and Eduardo Nunez, helped beat them, Hughes getting the win and Nunez picking up a big two-run double.

Whitley in four starts this year hasn’t given length, 14 IP in four starts, but his ERA is 2.37. He still has no decisions.

The Yanks got two runs on three hits in the fourth, as Gardner tripled, Jeter singled him home (3367), Ellsbury singled, McCann walked and Jeter later scored on an Ichiro SF.

But those three hits were the only hits the Yanks got all game. With no Beltran for a while (and a while longer), no Teixeira, Soriano slumping (and he was benched for Ichiro today), there isn’t any power in the lineup other than McCann.

Once again, can you say Kendrys Morales? The 5th can’t come soon enough. (If the Yanks sign Morales before the 5th, they lose a draft pick. After the 5th, he is fair game). In the NY Post today, Kevin Kernan wrote what I’ve been writing about. The Yanks need to sign Morales, especially with the uncertainty regarding Beltran and Teixeira.

Betances was awesome. 2 IP, six up, six down and 5 K. 1.38. 56K in 32 2/3 IP now.

Warren 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 1.71.

…and here is why I hate roles on a team. Robertson comes in… why? Because he is the “closer,” that is why. But Warren pitched a scoreless 8th, and Robertson threw 27 pitches yesterday. Granted Warren threw 20 pitches in the 8th, but why not leave Warren in and save Robertson, who threw a lot of pitches yesterday? Maybe Warren shortens the bridge by getting an out or two, or closes it completely with a two-inning save. I remember the days when Lyle and Gossage would get saves of over one inning.  They may have gone 2 2/3. You don’t see that anymore. Managers complicate matters for themselves by creating roles and making closers one-inning guys. Keep it simple. If the guy is hot, ride him. No need to bring in a closer just because he is the “closer.” I believe that if you start mixing and matching and bringing in too many pitchers, eventually you’ll find the guy who has nothing, just like in the saying “too many cooks spoil the soup.” D-Rob had nothing. First batter, a game-tying HR, and it got worse, because the Twins scored six in the top of the 9th to win it.

Robertson (L, 0-2) 2/3 IP, 5 R, 2 H, 3 walks, 2 K. ERA balloons to 4.50. (One friend of mine suggested making Betances the closer. Nice sentiment, and I could see it. But that won’t happen. Not yet, anyway.)

Daley one batter, and he gave up a hit. That batter later scored. 0 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 H. 3.86.

Thornton got the last out, but gave up a big hit first. 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 h, 0 walks, 0 K. 4.50.

Use the KISS method, Joe. Keep It Simple, Stupid. Guy’s hot? Leave him in.

That’s my theory, anyway.

The Yanks fall to 29-26, 3 1/2 back of Toronto now.

Start getting that contract for Morales ready, Hal and Cash….

Hughes goes to Twins

Phil Hughes is now a Twin. The ex-Yank, who had an awful 2013 season, signed a 3 yr. deal.  Click the link for more.

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article/mlb/twins-reportedly-agree-to-three-year-deal-with-phil-hughes?ymd=20131130&content_id=64305202&vkey=news_mlb

Game 158. Yanks eliminated. Lose 8-3.

Even before the Yanks lost 8-3, they were eliminated from the playoffs when Cleveland won.

With the 8-3 loss, the Yanks fall to 82-76. It’s a winning record, and the last I feel the Yanks will get for a while. There is some major rebuilding to be done and the foundation is gone.

It is just the second time since 1993 that the Yanks have been eliminated from the playoffs. A great run is over (they had the best record in the league in 1994 but because of the strike there were no playoffs. They missed the playoffs in 2008).

I’ll look at 2014, and who I hope is and won’t be back, in a post next week.

Phil Hughes (L, 4-14, 5.19) gave up back-to-back doubles and a run in the first. The Yanks got it back in the bottom half on doubles by Nunez and Cano.

Hughes gave up 2 in the third. A terrible outing by someone whose confidence is completely shot going into free agency.

2+, 3 R, 7 H, 1 walk and 2 K.

Huff came in. 3 2/3, 4 R, 5 H, 1 walks and 2 K. 6.06.

Nunez hit a HR in the bottom of the 3rd (3), but when Huff gave up back-to-back HRs, the first a 3-run jack in the sixth, well, forget about it. The Yanks got a run in the 8th on a bases-loaded walk.

Daley 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 0.00.

Cabral 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 2.45.

Robertson 1 Ip, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 2.10.

Claiborne 1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 4.25. He gave up a dinger in the 9th.

The way the Yanks are dying off right now, you do wonder if Mo will ever pitch again.

Game 152. Late rally wins for Yanks, 4-3.

Down 3-0, the Yankees rallied for four in the top of the 8th and held on to beat Toronto 4-3 to snap a four-game losing streak.

The win keeps the Yanks 2 1/2 out of a wild card slot with 10 games to play.

Phil Hughes went 3 1/3, 2 R (on a HR, natch), 4 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 5.07.

David Huff gave up a HR to make it 3-0. 3 2/3 (W, 3-1, 5.59), 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 3 K.

Brendan Ryan led off the 8th with a ground-rule double. Curtis Granderson singled him to third. After A-Rod struck out, Cano singled in a run. Soriano doubled in a run and then Vernon Wells doubled in two.

David Robertson 2/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 2.18.

Mo for the four-out save, getting out of trouble (2 on, no out) in the 9th. 1 1/3, 0 R, 2 H, 0 walks and a K. His 44th save of the year, #652 career. ERA 2.25.

Boxer Ken Norton, Sr. died yesterday at the age of 70. He held a share of the heavyweight title for a short time and is remembered for three fights against Muhammad Ali in the 1970s. Norton won the first one in 1973, breaking Ali’s jaw in the process. He lost in 1973 and also in 1976 (the last one at Yankee Stadium II). He was knocked out in a bout against George Foreman and lost his title in a classic battle against Larry Holmes in 1978.

Game 147. Yanks win on WP, 6-5.

For the second time in a week, the Yankees won on a 9th-inning wild pitch, this time beating Baltimore 6-5.

The game was delayed for about 90 minutes at the start because of rain.

Mark Reynolds hit a 2-run HR (19) in the second to give the Yanks a quick 2-0 lead.

The Yanks went up 4-0 in the third on a bases-loaded single by Vernon Wells.

Phil Hughes gave up a run in the bottom of the third, and when the first batter in the fourth reached on an error, manager Joe Girardi had a quick hook and brought in David Huff.

Hughes went 3+, 1 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 5.07.

Granderson hit HR #6 in the top of the seventh to put the Yanks up 5-1, but Huff gave it right back in the bottom of the inning when Nick Markakis homered to make it 5-2.

Huff 3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 6.04.  (Cle/NYY).

Adam Warren 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk and 0 K. 3.52.

Cesar Cabral 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 0.00. Who knew that Cabral would be used to get big outs right now when he just recently made his MLB debut? Go figure.

David Robertson blew the lead in the 8th. First off, he was saved by Alfonso Sorano when Soriano took a HR away from Manny Machado. But that relief didn’t last long as Robertson, after striking out Davis for the second out, later gave up two singles and a game-tying 3-run HR to  Danny Valencia. He then gave up a double to Hardy but struck out Wieters to end the inning.

1 IP, 3 R, 4 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 2.24.

In the top of the 9th, newly acquired SS Brendan Ryan (not eligible for the postseason if there is one for the Yankees) singled. Stewart bunted and pitcher Jim Johnson’s throw in trying for the force on Ryan was bad. All safe. Granderson bunted both runners over and a wild pitch scored Ryan with the eventual game-winning run.

Mo came in and had a 1-2-3 9th. 1 Ip, 0 R, 0 h, 0 walks and 0 K. 2.30.

The win came down to an official scorer’s decision. Because of Robertson’s ineffectiveness, the official scorer didn’t give the W to Robertson but rewarded it to Mo (6-2) instead.

The Yanks stay 1 game behind the Rays for the second wild-card slot.

Meanwhile, Brett Gardner had to leave the game after his at bat in the top of the first with an oblique strain. He could be done for the year now, too.

Ouch.

 

 

Game 141. Bullpen implodes in 12-8 loss.

Stick a fork in them, they’re done.

If you thought the loss Thursday night was bad, where Mo blew a save when he was one strike away, last night’s loss was worse.

Andy Pettitte handed an 8-3 lead to the bullpen in the 7th. Andy had gone 6, 3 R, 5 H, 3 walks and 8 K. ERA 4.03.

The Yanks got a 2-run HR from Soriano (30, combined Cubs/NYY), an RBI triple by Nunez, and a 2-run triple by Gardner (10) in staking their 8-3 lead.

So much for Phil Hughes giving you an inning or two out of the bullpen. 1/3 IP,  4 R, 3 H, 1 walk and 0 k. ERA to 5.11.

Logan came in and struck out Big Papi with the bases loaded. But then Girardi left him in to face Napoli, a righty hitter. WHY? He got his guy. Where was a righty to face Napoli? Napoli hit a 3-2 pitch (one strike away again) for a grand slam to tie the game.

Logan 1/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 3.26.

In came Claiborne, who was so bad the night before, when he gave up 3 runs without getting anyone out.

He was just as bad. 2/3 IP, 3 R, 3 H, 0 walks and 1 K. (L, 0-2, 3.86). The rookie had a good year, but in the last two games, in the heat of a pennant race, he gave up 6 R in 2/3 of an inning. In those two very important games, in the midst of a pennant race, Claiborne’s ERA went from 2.74 to 3.86.

And why a rookie in the heat of a pennant race? Because Hughes was bad and Joba can’t be trusted. Because Claiborne passed Joba on the depth chart. Because Joba came in after Claiborne and was bad again. 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 3 walks and 1 K. 4.54.

Matt Daley, who had spent all year in the minors (5-3, 2.02, mostly at AA & AAA) finished up. 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 2 K.

An ugly loss. Right after a heartbreaking loss.

Now David Huff starts against Boston today.

The Yanks are still just 2 1/2 back of that second wild-card slot, but now fell behind Baltimore and Cleveland by 1/2 a game in trying to get it.

But the way they’ve played the last two nights, …

Stick a fork in them.

Game 140. Great comeback ruined. Yanks lose 9-8 in 10.

Down 7-2 going into the bottom of the seventh, the Yanks scored six runs to take an 8-7 lead. They watched Mariano Rivera get the first two outs in the top of the 9th. They watched him get to one strike away from ending the game.

Then they watched the game get away. Mo blew the save and the next inning Joba blew the win (with help from Cowboy Joe West, umpiring at first) and the Yanks lost 9-8 in 10 innings.

Ivan Nova started and Boston worked him over. He gave up two in the third but the Yanks tied it in the bottom half on a Cano 2-run double.

But Nova gave up a HR to Middlebrooks in the fourth. 3-2 Boston.

Nova only lasted 4 innings,  3 R, 5 H, 2 walks and 3 K. But he threw 96 pitches. ERA to 3.02.

Here, and later, is where I question Girardi. Hughes was demoted to the bullpen, so why didn’t Joe use him for an inning or two? Instead, he brought in the rookie Claiborne, who has had a good year, but who hasn’t ever experienced this type of pennant-race pressure before. 0 Ip, 3 R, 4 H, 1 walk and 0 K. ERA to 3.33.

Joe said he “didn’t want to put Hughes in that situation” after he didn’t pitch out of the B/p all year. BS. You are 2 1/2 out of the last wild card spot. You have to go with your best, and… we’ll get to that in a bit. But here is one spot where he could have used Hughes for 2-3 innings and didn’t and the game got away.

He brought in Cesar Cabral. Boston/Yankees, pennant-race, September, and the kid’s 2nd major league game. Cabral did strike out the only batter he faced. 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 0.00.

Adam Warren for 2 2/3. 1 R, 3 H, 1 walk and 4 K. 3.65.

7-2 going into the bottom of the 7th. Ichiro walked, Wells PH for Stewart & singled. Gardner singled in a run and then Wells stole 3rd (getting a favorable call, replays suggested he may have been out). Why Gardner didn’t go as well, I don’t know. Jeter walked to load the bases. Cano grounded into a force. 7-4. Soriano singled in a run, 7-5. Granderson doubled to make it 7-6. After A-Rod struck out, Overbay singled in two to give the Yanks an 8-7 lead.

Robertson had a 1-2-3 8th, 2 K. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 1.85.

Mo the 9th. He got a lineout and groundout and had 2 strikes on Napoli. One strike away from save #650. Napoli singled, left for PR Berry, who stole second and went to third on Romine’s throwing error. Drew tied it with a single.

1 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 2.19.

In the bottom of the 9th, Soriano walked and was picked off first but the throw wasn’t good and he made it to second. SB. But then he was picked off second.

So for the 10th, in comes Joba, and you just KNEW the Yanks would then lose. Why not Hughes? (Kelley has a triceps issue and couldn’t pitch).

Joba 2/3 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks and 0 K. It appeared as if Shane Victorino went around for strike three but Cowboy Joe West, umping at first (bet he loved the nice long game) said Victorino held up. He singled in the game-winning run on the next pitch. Joba (L) 2-1, 4.38.

Logan finished. 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 3.05.

Joba said something to West upon being removed and was ejected.

A tough loss. Had they hung on, and they were one strike away, they’d be only 1 1/2 back of the Rays for the last wild card spot b/c the Rays lost last night. Instead it remains 2 1/2 with 22 to go, and they are only 1/2 game ahead of the Orioles and Indians.

Once again, Derek Jeter didn’t look good to me, but looked tentative on those legs.

The Yanks stole six bases, even one by Overbay on the back end of a double steal.

Huff replaces Hughes Saturday.

Not the way you want to head into free agency. Phil Hughes, in the midst of a playoff push, was pulled from the rotation and sent to the bullpen. David Huff will start vs. Boston on Saturday.

Hughes is 4-13, 4.86 this season. Not good numbers entering a walk year.

Huff is 2-0, 1.13 as a Yankee in 16 IP. 2-0, 3.32 overall (Cle/NYY) in 19 IP.

Now as for tonight’s starter, CC, …. (12-11, 4.91) ….

Game 137. “Huff” and Puff! Yanks blow away White Sox, 9-1.

Phil Hughes only lasted 1 1/3 innings, but it wasn’t because he was knocked out early again.

It was the weather that did it. A rain delay forced Hughes to leave.

David Huff came in and was great, going 5 2/3, giving up 1 R, 5 H, 0 walks and 3 K in going to 2-0, 3.32.

Hughes had gone 1 1/3, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 0 K, 4.86.

The Yanks got a run in the first on a double by Gardner and a single by Jeter (3312). Jeter’s single broke an 0 for 14 skid.

The Yanks broke it open in the fourth when they scored eight runs. A-Rod doubled. Wells got an infield single and Granderson walked to load the bases. Reynolds got an infield single to make it 2-0, and Romine singled in two. 4-0. Gardner got yet another double, 5-0. Jeter got an infield single, (hit 3313, two behind Eddie Collins, six behind Paul Molitor), 6-0. After Cano popped up, Soriano doubled one in to make it 7-0. A-Rod walked to load the bases, and an error by Adam Dunn enabled two runs to score. 9-0.

Chicago’s Paul Konerko hit a HR for the White Sox in the seventh to make it 9-1. It was Konerko’s 432nd HR, passing Cal Ripken, Jr. on the all-time list.

Cesar Cabral made his MLB debut, 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 0.00.

J.R. Murphy singled in his first MLB at bat.

Adam Warren finished up. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 h, 1 walk and 0 K. 3.66.