ALDS Game 2. Yanks in 0-2 hole after blowing 8-3 lead. Lose 9-8 in 13.

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Sorry for the late report. I slept in and am not feeling well. Bronchitis again? Same time, just about, every year. Sigh.

1997. Mariano gives up the first of only two postseason HRs he would ever give up. It ties Game 4 for Cleveland and instead of the Yanks winning the series 3 games to 1, the Indians come back to win Game 4 and then Game 5.

2007: The midges. Torre doesn’t pull the team off the field, regrets it later, and his Yankee tenure is over. Joba vs. the bugs.

2017: The Faux HBP that Girardi didn’t challenge. Now Girardi’s contract is up, and I don’t expect him to be fired, but he made a mistake that seems to be as big as Torre’s in 2007.

(ok as for the bad omens…. the Yanks did win it all in 1938, 1958, 1978 and 1998, so we should look forward to 2018, right?)

Anyway, the game started off great when the Yanks knocked around Cleveland ace Corey Kluber. Gary Sanchez hit a 2-run HR in the first inning.

An error by Todd Frazier led to the Indians scoring two unearned runs in the first to tie it up (came back to bite them), then the Indians scored one in the second to go up 3-2. At this point, you are wondering about the Yankees’ starting pitching this postseason. The Indians did lose Edwin Encarnacion due to an ankle injury.

The Yanks went up 6-3 with four in the third. Starlin Castro tied the game and Aaron Hicks hit a 3-run HR.

In the fifth, a two-run HR by Greg Bird made it 8-3. Then the Yanks blew it. For one thing, the game went 13 and they couldn’t score anymore.

CC was pulled in the sixth after 77 pitches. Ok, maybe he should or could have stayed in with an 8-3 lead. But this is how they’ve treated CC for a while now. One out, man on first and in comes Chad Green. Normally a good move and the right one.

But was Green still taxed from the two innings he pitched on Tuesday? Here is where the early knockout of Severino in Tuesday’s wild card game may have come back to bite the Yanks, for Green wasn’t his usual self. He got a flyout for out #2 but couldn’t put Yan Gomes away. After fouling off a few pitches, Gomes doubled.

Then PH Chisenhall was HBP. Or was he?

Chisenall had two strikes on him. Replays showed the ball hit the knob of the bat and ricocheted into Sanchez’ glove. Foul tip, strike three and out of the inning. Instead, the umpire ruled HBP. Bases loaded.

Sanchez pointed to the dugout to challenge. And Girardi did nothing. For the brilliance of Tuesday night, when Girardi pieced together 26 outs out of the bullpen, he bleeped up here.

He stated that the slo-mo replay didn’t come up in the 30 seconds he had to challenge. He also stated that he didn’t want to disturb his pitcher’s rhythm.

What BS. That sounds like the excuses your seven year old kid makes to mommy and daddy when the did gets into trouble.

First off, why aren’t you trusting your catcher when your catcher is urging you to challenge? He’s right there. He caught the ball. To quote Billy Joel, It’s a Matter of Trust. And that matter of trust came up later in the game as well. Players in the dugout were urging the same thing.

Secondly, what do you have to lose by challenging? You win, strike three, out of inning. No, Joe decided to leave it go.

Third, the batter never reacted as if he were hit! He had to be told to go the first.

And you don’t challenge?

As far as his pitcher’s rhythm? Green gave up a grand slam off the foul pole on his second pitch after the incident. 8–7.

We’ll never know what would have happened had he challenged as he should have, got the call and it remains 8-3. There is a huge difference between going home 1-1 in a best-of-five and in going home 0-2. Especially to a team that has won 35 of its last 39 games.

So in came David Robertson, and you had to wonder how much he had left in the tank after his 3 1/3 innings of Tuesday night. Four up, four down, three by strikeouts. Looks good.

But then Girardi tried to extend him. Why? A matter of trust. He trusted Robertson in the eighth over Betances. Betances did pitch in Game 1 (when the Yanks were down 4-0). He also pitched and lost this game. But Betances didn’t come in until other relievers had gone before him.

He tried to extend Robertson, who was already extended on Tuesday night. It didn’t work. Jay Bruce (thanks, Mets) did it again. HR to tie the game.

And so the game went into extras. Kahnle and Chapman came in, then Betances.

Meanwhile in the 11th, Ronald Torreyes pulled a rock. Pinch-running for Todd Frazier, who reached second on an error leading off the inning, Torreyes was picked off second when Brett Gardner had to take a pitch on a sac bunt attempt. Ouch.

Betances came in for the 11th. After Green, Robertson, Kahnle and Chapman. A matter of trust. In because he had to, not so much because Girardi trusted him. After all, if he was trusted, wouldn’t he have come in in the eighth, like usual? It appears that at this point, Girardi doesn’t trust Betances.

Betances had two good innings, but needed to be overextended himself. Working his third inning, he walked the leadoff guy, who stole second. It’s well known that Betances isn’t a good fielder and with his size and delivery, doesn’t hold runners on well. Cleveland took advantage with the SB. Gomes, who extended the AB in the sixth, and who picked off Torreyes in the 11th, got the GW hit.

This is one loss that (unless the Yanks pull off a miracle and win 3 in a row to stun the baseball world and make it to the ALCS) will hurt all winter long.

Sabathia 5 1/3 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 3 H, 3 W, 5 K.
Green 1/3 IP, 3 R, 2 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 HBP. Gave up grand slam.
Robertson 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 3 K. Gave up HR.
Kahnle 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Chapman 2 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 W, 2 K.
Betances (Loss) 2+ IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 W, 2 K.

Sanchez 2 hits, 2-run HR.
Castro 2 hits, RBI.
Bird 2 hits, 2-run HR.
Hicks 2 hits, 3-run HR.
Todd Frazier 3 hits, but 2 errors.
Torreyes bone-headed PR play.

In the other series, Houston dominated Boston again and the Astros go into Fenway up 2 games to nothing.

In the NL, the Cubs and Dodgers both took Game 1 over the Nationals and Diamondbacks, respectively.

 

Game 13. Yanks waste good CC effort, 2-1.

Since Game 4 of the 2012 ALCS, the Yanks’ last postseason game, CC Sabathia has gone 17-20 with an ERA of 5.00. Ugh. A below average 2013 followed by the same in 2014 before his knee surgery. Then 0-2 this year heading into tonight’s start. Numbers that suggested more a #5 starter than anything higher.

Tonight, for the first time in a LONG time, CC looked like CC again. Unfortunately, he got NO run support as the Yanks lost 2-1 to Detroit to drop the Yanks’ record to 6-7, and it was an ex-Yankee who played a bit part in that loss.

The only game in 2014 that matches tonight’s game for CC came on 4/17 when he pitched 7, 2 R, 1 ER, 7 H, 2 walks and 6 K against the Rays. Before that, you have to go back to 9-20-13 vs. SF, 7 IP, 1 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 4 K.

Tonight, 8 IP, 2 R, 7 H, 3 walks and 5 K. But CC falls to 0-3, 4.35.

But the only Yankees’ run came on a 2nd inning HR by Teix. #4 on the year, 367 of his career. The only switch-hitters with more HR? Mantle 536, Murray 504, Chipper 468, Beltran 373.

Teix’s HR came in the 2nd and held up until the 7th, when CC gave up 2 runs. I thought Didi should have come up with a couple of plays at SS that inning, but he didn’t and that was the game.

In the top of the 8th, the Yanks had 1st & 3rd, one out and Ellsbury up.  In came our old buddy Joba, and he induced Ellsbury into a GIDP.

 

Game 112. Yanks edged in 12, 4-3.

For the 16th game in a row, the margin of victory in a Yankees’ game was only one or two runs.

The Yanks lost to Detroit, 4-3, in 12 innings.

Today the Yanks face their third CYA winner in a row when they face Justin Verlander. Fox Sports states on Twitter that the Yanks did the same thing in June of 2001 when the Braves came to the Stadium and tossed Glavine, Smoltz and Maddux at the Yanks.

The Yanks got off to a 3-1 lead in this one, but couldn’t hold it. They couldn’t score after the fifth.

Detroit got a run in the first off Hiroki Kuroda but the Yanks tied it in the second on a Brian McCann HR (12) off of David Price.

The Yanks got a run in the third on doubles by Ryan and Ellsbury, and another in the fifth on a HR by Martin Prado, his first as a Yankee and seventh overall.

Kuroda gave up a HR in the sixth to make it 3-2, then a trio of Tiger singles in the seventh tied the game.

Kuroda 7 IP, 3 R, 6 H, 0 walks and 5 K. 3.97.
Betances 1 1/3, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 1.46. One HBP of Torii Hunter took Hunter out of the game.
Betances now has 100 K in 67 2/3.

Kelley 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.22
Huff 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. Overall ERA 3.89.
Rogers 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 K. Overall ERA 5.84.
Hill 1 batter, HBP. 0 IP, 0 R, 0 hits, 0 walks, 0 K. First MLB batter this year. ERA infinity.

Matt Daley (0-1, 5.02) 1 1/3, 1 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 5.02. He gave up a HR to Alex Avila in the top of the 12th that won the game for the Tigers.

Derek Jeter got one hit to put him at 3428, two behind Honus Wagner for sixth all-time.

Just wondering…. in the bottom of the 9th, Carlos Beltran led the inning off with a single. McCann came up. The shift was on. A bunt down the third base line was an easy hit. McCann McCan’t bunt. Didn’t try to. He did try to go the other way and flied to left. Two strikeouts followed. I’m just wondering if Cervelli should have gone up there at that time (after all, Price was still pitching, a lefty) and if Cervelli should have tried the bunt to move Beltran over. In the end, it didn’t matter because the next two hitters struck out anyway.

Did you see the beard on Joba now that he is a Tiger? Looks more like a lions’ mane.

Tanaka threw again yesterday. More pitches from flat ground. 50 at 60 feet. Said he felt fine. Hopefully the rehab continues to go well.

Earlier in the day, the Nationals claimed Matt Thornton off waivers from the Yanks. The Yanks called up Rich Hill. Daley was the callup when Phelps was DL’d for 15 days with elbow inflammation. The guys to really watch are Tyler Webb, who was just promoted recently to AAA and Jacob Lindgren, who was just promoted to AA.

Webb, 24, is 1-6, 3.45 in three levels (A+, AA and AAA) and who has 11 saves and 81 K in 57 1/3 IP.

Lindgren, 21, was the Yanks’ first pick (2nd round) in this year’s draft. He’s pitched in just 13 1/3 minor league innings since then but has already been fast-tracked to AA. Of his 40 outs, 30 are by strikeout. He’s given up 2 runs, just one earned, for an ERA of 0.68.

The loss puts the Yanks at 58-54, six behind Baltimore in the AL East. 3rd place. They remain one behind Toronto for the final wild card spot. Toronto has the final wild card spot, KC is 1/2 game back, the Yanks and Seattle each one back.

Joba to Tigers, Yanks on Infante

Joba goes to the Tigers, 1 Yr., $2.5MM. Funny because as part of his rookie hazing, he, Hughes, Shelley Duncan and Ian Kennedy had to dress up as characters from the Wizard of Oz. Joba was the Cowardly Lion. Now he is a Tiger.

Yanks offered Infante 3 years at $24MM. He wants $40MM, 4 years. KC is in. We’ll see.

Buster Olney has a possible Yankees lineup if Infante comes aboard.

Ellsbury 8, Gardner 7, Beltran 9, Soriano DH, McCann 2, Teix 3, Jeter (yes, Jeter, 40 in June, gets dropped to 7) 6, Johnson 5 (the thought is that A-Rod WILL be suspended for some, if not ALL of 2014) and Infante 4.

Now what if A-Rod is NOT suspended? I love Derek, but…

A-Rod hitting 7th, Jeter 8th then Infante? That may be the best way to go.

I hate to insult the Captain, but ….

Waiting for reality.

As always with the Winter Meetings, there are rumors and then there is reality. I love the hot stove league and the chess-like maneuverings. Who goes where, rumors of trades, etc.

But for the purpose of the blog, I don’t have the time to report on every rumor, and there are many of them out there. What I will do is try to focus on the reality and report and comment on what actually happened or went down. But here is a brief rundown, some of which are rumors and hasn’t happened yet (if it will at all).

That said, the Yanks did turn down a Gardner for Brandon Phillips swap. Yes, the Yanks need a 2B after Cano’s departure, and Phillips (.261-18-103 for the Reds in 2013) would have fit the bill. However Phillips is owed $50MM over 4 years, and has a no-trade clause. He also wanted to renegotiate his deal as part of a possible trade. Checking out various info on Twitter, Gardner (who obviously doesn’t have Phillips’ power) had a WAR (Wins Above Replacement) of 4.2 to Phillips’ 1.7. Also, Gardner had an OPS+ of 108, Phillips a 92.

With some recent acquisitions (Cano, Hart, Morrison), one-time Yankee prospect Jesus Montero is available. His stock has dropped (PED suspension, poor defense).

The Astros could be interested in Joba. So are the Tigers. Ex-Yank Raul Ibanez is talking with the Angels.

The Yanks could have interest in Joaquin Benoit. Also Johan Santana, but Santana would have to be on a minor-league, “Let’s see what you have left” deal.

Omar Infante wants 4 years at $8MM+. This could be a deal-breaker when it comes to the Yanks getting him. As with Beltran, KC could be the Yanks’ main competition here.

The Yanks picked up an A-ball pitcher from the Pirates in return for Chris Stewart.

Game 160. Yanks beat Astros 3-2.

No, Mo didn’t save it, or play CF, but the Yanks beat Houston last night, 3-2.

The Yanks got all three runs in the fourth on an RBI single by Mark Reynolds and a 2-run double by David Adams.

Adam Warren started and went 5. (W, 3-2, 3.39) 0 R, 2 H, 1 H and 4 K.

David Phelps 1 2/3, 2 R, 1 H, 2 walks and 1 K. 5.04.

Phelps wasn’t THAT bad. He left with two on and two out in the seventh and for some inexplicable reason, Girardi brought in Joba who immediately, on two pitches, gave up a double and single to let both inherited runners score. Then, after a SB and 2nd and 3rd, and a walk to load the bases, he got an out to get out of it. Terrible.

Joba 1/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 4.93. Truthfully, Joba should have the ERA over 5, not Phelps, but what can you do?

Claiborne 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 1 K. 4.17.

David Robertson got the save, and a lot of boos. The Houston crowd wanted to see Mo. No offense to them, but I hope Mo doesn’t pitch again. The way he went out Thursday night at the Stadium should be the way to go and should be the last pitch he ever throws. Now for CF, who knows?

Robertson (Save #3), 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 1 K. 2.07.

I’ll post Rivera’s and Pettitte’s career stats after the season is over, but tonight, Pettitte makes the last start of his career. Hopefully he wins. He is 10-11 and NEVER has had a losing season in his whole career. (He went 14-14 in 2008).

Only one man ever has pitched in 10 or more seasons and had a winning record in EACH one. Do you know it was Babe Ruth?

Game 153. Yanks lose, 6-2.

The offense didn’t show again, and Joba Chamberlain was awful in a 6-2 Yankees loss to Toronto. The loss drops the Yanks to 80-73, guarantees they can’t reach 90 wins and could be the death blow to their chances of making the playoffs this year.

Hiroki Kuroda started and went six. 3 R, 8 H, 4 walks and 7 K. Despite a 3.17 ERA, his record is now 11-12.

He gave up two in the third, and after Curtis Granderson cut the lead to 2-1 with a HR (7) in the top of the sixth, gave up a HR in the bottom of the sixth to put the Jays up 3-1.

Then came Joba to start the seventh and any hope the Yanks had to pull out a late innings rally like last night disappeared quickly. Joba gave up a walk, single and 3-run HR. 6-1. Game over.

Joba 0 IP, just those 3 batters. 3 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 4.97.

Cesar Cabral 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk and 2 K. 3.86.

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

David Phelps 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 0 K. 4.93.

Vernon Wells groundout in the 9th made for the final score of 6-2.

The Yanks got only five hits in the game.

Game 150. Boston sweeps Yanks 9-2.

The Yanks chances of making the playoffs took a big blow this weekend. They came into Boston 1 game out of the last wild card spot with 15 to go.

They are now 3 out with 12 to go after getting swept by Boston up in Fenway this weekend. Last night was a 9-2 loss.

The Yanks managed just five hits in the game. They scored in the first on an RBI groundout by A-Rod but didn’t score again until the 9th on a single by Ichiro.

Meanwhile, Ivan Nova struggled, dropping to 8-5, 3.36 on the season. He went 4, 5 R, 4 ER, 6 H, 4 walks and 2 K.

After that it was a bunch of relievers.

Warren 1 1/3, 2 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 2 K. 3.71.
Cabral 1 batter, base hit. 5.40. He’s only had a handful of MLB games.
Joba 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 4.32.
Mike Zagurski. The one-time Phillie made his Yankees debut. 1/3 IP, 2 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 1 HBP. 17.05.
Phelps 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 4.99.
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks and 2 K. 18.00. He, like Cabral, hasn’t pitched in many MLB games.

The Yanks are off today.

 

Game 149. Yanks get just 3 hits in 5-1 loss.

When you are two games out of a playoff spot with 14 to go, it probably doesn’t help that your starting SS was just acquired days ago (and is hitting under .200 at that) and your starting C is making his first major league start.

It also doesn’t help that a starting OF who has helped to lift you into a possible playoff position is scratched from the lineup at the last moment.

But such was the state of the Yankees yesterday as Alfonso Soriano was scratched at the last minute (bruised thumb), J.R. Murphy got his first major league start and Brendan Ryan started at SS.

Such is also the state that Vernon Wells still actually plays. Wells is now .211-1-24 in 83 games since May 15th. It is not reassuring knowing that he is signed for next year. It’s amazing he hasn’t been cut. It’s all about the $$$$ and how much he is owed. Anyone else would (should?) be gone by now.

The Yanks got just three hits (two by Granderson) in losing to Boston 5-1. With the loss, the Yanks fall 3 back of the Rays with 13 to go in trying to get that last wild card spot. In between are the Indians, who are 1 1/2 back of the Rays.

CC was his 2013 inconsistent, hittable, grossly overpaid CC. He went 6, giving up 5 runs, 9 h, 4 walks and 5 K. He falls to 13-13 (leads Yanks in W and L) and the ERA goes to 4.90. In only the first and sixth innings did he not give up a run. Think of this, CC isn’t showing a much better line than David Phelps’ 6-5, 5.01.

Joba went 1. 0 R, 0 H, 2 walks, 1 K. 4.43.

Matt Daley finished up. 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 0.00.

The Yanks’s only run came in the fourth when Granderson tripled and scored on an RBI groundout by Cano.

Time is running out, and an upcoming sweep of the Rays is imperative.

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.