S.T. Game 18. Control issues doom Yanks in 9th, lose 4-1.

In a game that only featured four hits, two by each team, control issues doomed the Yanks (12-5-1 in spring training) as they gave up four runs in the ninth to lose 4-1.

There were fifteen walks in the game, and Yankees’ pitchers gave up nine of those. They also had 2 WP, and a HBP—all in the ninth inning, as well as a missed catch error on a ball thrown back to the pitcher by the catcher that let a run score. Embarrassing.

Aaron Hicks doubled for the Yanks, leading to a SF by Luke Voit for their only run.

Starter Deivi Garcia walked four in his three innings of work, including three in the first to load the bases, but didn’t give up any runs.

Not so with Kyle Barraclough in the ninth.

Ex-Yankee Ivan Nova started for the Phils, giving up 1 run in three innings. The Phils didn’t get a hit until ex-Yankee Ronald Torreyes singled leading off the eighth.

D. Garcia 3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 4 W, 2 K.
Chapman 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
O’Day (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 0 K.
Wilson (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Green (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 W, 2 K.
L. Garcia (H) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 W, 1 K.
Barraclough (L; BS) 2/3 IP, 3 R, 0 H, 3 W, 2 K. 1 WP.
McClain 1/3 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 0 W, 0 K. 1 WP, 1 HBP.

The Yanks sent four down to the minors yesterday. Mike Ford (which could mean Jay Bruce makes the team?), Thairo Estrada (meaning Tyler Wade makes the team?) , Albert Abreu and Brooks Kriske.

Game 18. Nova gets revenge, Montgomery shows grit in Yanks’ 2-1 loss.

I have a lot to say about this game, which the Yankees lost 2-1 to drop them to 11-7.

First off, in only 3 major league starts, I am impressed with Jordan Montgomery, who has a 3.78 ERA after 3 starts. That is good for the rookie. Keep it up. I see a lot of Andy Pettitte-like qualities in him.

In the first inning, he had the bases loaded and no one out and minimized the damage. Just one run.

He went 6 IP, 2 R without his best stuff. Impressive.

But the Yanks only run came on a HR by Jacoby Ellsbury (2) in the seventh as ex-Yankee Ivan Nova got the win and a bit of revenge.

My biggest gripe comes with poor baseball by the Yankees in the ninth inning.

With one out, Judge singled and Holliday walked. Torreyes hit what should have been a game-ending DP ball but the Pirates made an error that loaded the bases with one out.

Down 2-1. One out. A walk ties the game. Take a strike.

Instead, Aaron Hicks didn’t even take a strike or make the pitcher throw strikes. He swung at all three pitches and struck out.

Pete Kozma was forced to bat b/c the Yanks used up all their bench players. Kozma, who most likely will be released in a week when Didi Gregorius comes off the DL, is a good field, no hit player. He swung on a 2-0 pitch and grounded out to end the game. What is Kozma doing swinging at 2-0 instead of taking a strike and hoping for two more balls to force in the winning run?

I place some blame on Girardi. He should have given Kozma a take sign on 2-0. No way do you swing. Take a strike, maybe he will walk in the tying run.

Sometimes games are simply lost, and sometimes you lose because you aren’t playing heads-up baseball. Today, I feel the Yanks lost because they were not playing heads up baseball.

Would the pitcher have walked in a run? We’ll never know. But the Yanks didn’t give themselves a chance to find out.

As mentioned, I am impressed with Montgomery despite the loss.

But the Yanks need Bird to start hitting. He is at .104.

Also, Brett Gardner has to get it going. He is at .182. I know he was shopped around in the offseason, and I still feel he is trade bait if Frazier/Fowler or another OF gets it going in the minors.

But not only is Gardner at .182, but after 18 games, he has ZERO RBI. I know he is the leadoff hitter, but still, ZERO RBI.

Lastly, Kyle Higashioka needs to get his first MLB hit soon. He’s called good ballgames but hopefully he does not start pressing trying to get that first hit.

Hopefully he and Bird pick it up. This week in Boston would be a nice time to do so.

Montgomery (L, 1-1, 3.78) 6 IP, 2 R,  7 H, 2 walks, 5 K.
Mitchell 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 2 walks, 2 K. 1.04.

Game 131. Yanks escape with 5-4 win in 10, finalize Nova deal.

The Yanks escaped a tricky situation in the bottom of the 10th and beat the Royals 5-4 on Tuesday night.

The win puts the Yanks at 68-63. They are in fourth, 6 1/2 back. They are 3 1/2 out of the final playoff spot, but need to jump four teams.

Aaron Judge got the scoring started in the second inning with his 3rd HR, a 2-run shot. Later that inning, Brett Gardner walked and scored on a double by Jacoby Ellsbury.

Ellsbury had four hits in the game, including the game-winner.

In the third, the Yanks went up 4-0 on singles by Gregorius, Castro and McCann and a SF by Headley.

Tanaka gave up a run in the third, and another in the fourth. A rain delay forced him out of the game after five innings.

KC pecked away, scoring a run in the sixth and another in the eighth.

Meanwhile, the Yanks were blowing scoring chances. They were 2 for 16 w/RISP on the night, and left 13 on.

But in the tenth, they pushed a run across. McCann and Headley singled, and after Judge and Austin each struck out, Gardner walked. An infield single by Ellsbury made it 5-4 Yanks.

Then they escaped. Ben Heller started the 10th by hitting a batter. A SB and single put runners on the corners with no out. A Stolen bases made it 2nd and 3rd, no out.  Heller got a strikeout, then intentionally walked the next batter to load the bases and set up a DP. In came Chasen Shreve, who got a strikeout and flyout to end the game.

Tanaka 5 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 0 walks, 4 K. 3.12
Warren 0 IP, 1 R, 2 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 5.29. (Cubs/NYY) Faced two batters, gave up 2 hits.
Layne (H, 6) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.41 (Bos/NYY)
Clippard (H, 18) 1 2/3 IP, 1 R, UNEARNED, 0 H, 2 walks, 1 K. 3.42 (AZ/NYY)
Betances (BS, 4; W, 3-4, 2.15) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 2 K.
Heller (H, 1) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 1 K, 1 HBP. 9.00
Shreve (S, 1) 2/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 5.20

The Yanks finalized the deal for Ivan Nova. From the Pirates, they get:

OF Tito Polo and LHP Stephen Tarpley.

Polo: 22, righty hitting OF, just 5’9″. This year Low and High A combined, .289-16-65, 37 SB. Nice speed, and some pop for a little guy. In 2015, in low A, he only hit .236 with 3 HR but stole 46 bases.

Tarpley: 23, LHP. This year at High A: 6-4, 4.32 in 20 starts. He was 11-4, 2.48 at Low A in 2015.

To show you how weak the free agent class will be this offseason, I read where the best pitcher on the market may very well be: Ivan Nova.

 

 

Game 105. Yanks nip Mets in extras after trading Beltran, Nova.

Before the trade deadline, the Yanks dealt Ivan Nova to the Pirates for two players to be named later.

As a Yankee, Nova (2010-2016) was 53-39, 4.41, ERA+ 95. His 162 g. average was 14-11, 4.41. His inconsistency was baffling. He put up a 16-4, 3.70 season, and also a 9-6, 3.10 but also had seasons of 12-8, 5.02 and 6-11, 5.07.

Earlier in the day, Carlos Beltran and his 414 career HR were traded to Texas. Beltran was the Yanks’ best hitter this season. He, like Nova, is a free agent at the end of the season, and the Yanks wanted to get something back for him, rather than risk losing him for nothing like they did recently with Robbie Cano and David Robertson.

They got back Dillon Tate, RHP. 22. Was Texas’ #1 pick in 2015 draft, #4 pick overall in the entire draft. Tate is struggling this year, and the Yanks hope they can straighten him out. 3-3, 5.12 this year. Low cost, hope high reward. Get him back to where he was before he was drafted. Obviously high potential based on how high he was picked in the draft.
Erik Swanson, 22, RHP, A ball, 6-4, 3.43.
Nick Green, I could not find info on him. RHP.

As for the game, the Yanks nipped the Mets 6-5 in 10 innings to improve to 53-52 on the season.

Gardner hit the second pitch of the game for a triple but was thrown out trying for the inside-the-park HR. CC gave up a HR in the second to Wilmer Flores to put the Mets up 1-0.

The Yanks tied it in the fourth when Ellsbury scored on a WP. In the fifth, the Yanks went up 3-1 when with one out, Refsnyder walked and was bunted over by CC. Gardner doubled in a run and then Ellsbury singled in Gardner.

CC struggled though, giving up an RBI double in the fifth to cut the lead to 3-2, then in the sixth he coughed up a 3-run HR and the Mets had the lead 5-3.

The Yanks tied it in the eighth on a 2-run single by Didi Gregorius.

In the tenth, Ellsbury walked, Teixeira singled and everyone was safe on a sac bunt by Ben Gamel, just called up from SWB. Starlin Castro hit a SF for the game-winning run.

Dellin Betances, now the closer, worked through a shaky tenth for the save. 6-5 Yanks.

Sabathia 5 2/3 IP, 5 R, 8 H, 3 walks, 5 K. 4.15. Gave up 2 HR.
Bleier 0 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 0 K. 3.75. Facerd two batters, gave up a hit and a walk.
Goody 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 4.26. Just recalled.
Clippard 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 K. Combined ERA (AZ/NYY) 4.19
Warren (w, 4-2, 5.31 combined Cubs/NYY) 2 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 2 K. 5.31
Betances (S, 1) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 2.45.

Some recent basdeball passings: Doug Griffin, 2B for the Red Sox in the early 1970s, and Turk Lown, closer for the 1959 AL Pennant winning White Sox.

Game 102. Nova fails as trade rumors swirl.

In the past few years, the Yankees lost Robbie Cano and David Robertson to free agency, and got nothing in return for their losses. It’s one reason they traded free-agent-to-be Aroldis Chapman this past week.

Ivan Nova hits the free agent market this off-season, and with the qualifying offer expected to be about $16.7 MM, and Nova not worth that, you can expect him to hit the market. Thus, Nova’s name has been mentioned in trade rumors, and it’s rumored that the Yanks are actively shopping him.

Nova didn’t help his trade value Friday night, though, as the Yanks lost to the last-place Rays, 5-1. The loss drops the Yanks to 52-50.

Whether the rumors affected Nova, who knows.

Nova gave up a homer to the first batter in the first inning, and another to the cleanup hitter. Four batters in, two homers, down 2-0. He was knocked out in the fifth after giving up a run in the third, two more in the fifth.

Chad Green kept it there but the Yanks’ offense was silent.

The Yanks’ only run came on an RBI single by Mark Teixeira.

Nova (L, 7-6, 4.90) 4 1/3 IP, 5 R, 6 H, 3 walks, 3 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Green 3 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 3 walks, 5 K. 4.56.

Game 100. Yanks beat Houston, 6-3.

The Yanks got to four games over .500 with a 6-3 win over Houston Tuesday night. After 100 games, they are 52-48.

The Yanks’ pitchers gave up three HRs, but thank goodness, they were all solo ones.

Houston got on the board first, in the first inning, on a HR by Marwin Gonzalez to go up 1-0.

The Yanks got two in the second when Brian McCann singled, and was doubled to third by Mark Teixeira. Didi Gregorius hit a SF for one run, and Chase Headley singled in the other.

In the third, the Yanks made it 3-1. Carlos Beltran singled, Mark Teixeira walked, and Starlin Castro singled in a run.

The Yanks broke it open in the fifth. McCann was HBP, and Teixeira singled. After a groundout moved the runners up, Castro was intentionally walked to load the bases for a hopeful DP. Instead, Headley got a SF to make it 4-1, and Aaron Hicks came through with a 2-run triple to make it 6-1.

Evan Gattis hit a HR off of CC in the seventh to cut it to 6-2, and Gonzalez hit his second HR of the game, this one off of Anthony Swarzak, to make it the final score of 6-3.

To make room for Adam Warren, the Yanks sent down Chasen Shreve. When Severino came up, he replaced Chapman, and Green replaced Goody. So a lot of bullpen moves lately.

Sabathia (w, 6-8, 3.95) 6 2/3 IP, 2 R, 4 H, 2 walks, 5 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Swarzak 1 IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 3 K. 4.58  Gave up 1 HR
Betances (H, 27) 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 2 walks, 2.50
Miller (S, 9) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 1.39.

There are rumors of another deal, this one possibly involving Ivan Nova.

Game 97. Yanks lose in 12, Chapman deal “close.”

I was up on a bus trip to the game yesterday, and in watching the game in the sweltering heat, saw the Yanks lose to the Giants in twelve innings, 2-1.

It was the Giants’ first win after the All-Star break, snapping a six-game skid.

The Yanks were 0 for 10 w/RISP and wasted a good pitching effort by Ivan Nova and the Holy Trinity of Smoke.

That threesome appears to be over for now. Rumors are that the Yanks are close to trading Aroldis Chapman to get something back for him. Chapman is a free agent at the end of the year and has liked his time in NY. By trading him, the Yanks can get some key prospects, and also NOT lose a draft pick if they are able to re-sign him in the offseason.

In the fourth inning, Didi Gregorius singled and went to third on a single by Mark Teixeira. When the RF, Mac Williamson, bobbled the ball, Didi kept running and scored what turned out to be the only run of the game.

As the game went on, it became apparent to me that—–how can I put this nicely but make a tongue-in-cheek point —-the Yanks couldn’t score if they were the only rooster in a henhouse.

Seeing Aaron Hicks name in the lineup just makes me groan. Just saying.

And A-Rod is useless if he isn’t starting. Who is he going to pinch-hit for? He isn’t going to pinch-hit for Hicks, because then DH Beltran would have to take the field, and you lose the DH. Here is where roster inflexibility hurts the Yankees. A-Rod isn’t going to pinch-run for anyone. He isn’t going to pinch-hit for Headley or Teix and all of a sudden take the field. The Yanks have their hands tied.

That inflexibility limits Girardi’s ability to make moves, and helps cause losses like yesterday’s.

Williamson got redemption for his error, tying the game with a HR in the fifth, and getting the GW single in the 12th.

Great defensive plays by Brett Gardner and Didi saved Nova a couple of runs early.

One play of the game made me a little mad. In the bottom of the 10th, the Yanks loaded the bases with one out. They could have won the game there. There are many different ways, not just with a hit. Brian McCann swung at the first pitch and flied softly to left—not deep enough to score the run. Starlin Castro then fouled out to right. A walk wins the game there. Why swing at the first pitch, McCann? Why not take at least one strike? Sigh.

The Yanks fall to 49-48.

Nova 7 IP, 1 R, 6 Hits, 2 walks, 7 K. Gave up 1 HR. 4.65.
Miller 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 1.45
Chapman 2 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 3 K. 2.01
Betances 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 1 K. 2.57
Swarzak (L, 1-1, 4.34) 2 H, 0 walks, 0 K.
Bleier 1/3 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 3.75

As one friend stated yesterday, and no disrespect meant to Swarzak, seeing Swarzak was probably a relief to the Giants after they burned through the Holy Trinity of Smoke.

Game 92. Yanks edge O’s 2-1. #696 for Alex.

Alex Rodriguez hit his first HR in a month, and the Yanks made it back to .500 with a 2-1 win over Baltimore Monday night.

It seems like the Yanks are like one of those sinker lines on a fishing pole. They bob up to .500, sink down, then bob up again.

A-Rod got his 9th HR of the year (696* career) in the second inning to put the Yanks up 1-0. Jonathan Schoop tied it up in the third with a HR for Baltimore.

The Yanks got the tiebreaking and winning run in the bottom of the third. Gardner singled, went to third on a single by Beltran and scored on a SF by McCann.

Nova went six, then it was no-Runs DMC time.

Nova (w, 7-5, 4.92) 6 IP, 1 R, 4 hits, 3 walks, 4 K. Gave up 1 HR.
Betances (H, 23) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walks, 2 K. 2.54
Miller (H, 16) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 0 K. 1.31
Chapman (S, 19) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 1 walk, 0 K., 2.22

 

 

Game 85. Yanks escape with 5-4 win.

If you go by the numbers (and you’ll see them below), Andrew Miller should be closing for the Yanks, and not Aroldis Chapman. By acting “politically correct”, the Yanks almost blew a game last night. A review that was overturned turned out to be the last out of the game, and may have saved the game in a 5-4 Yankees win at Cleveland.

The win puts the Yanks at 42-43.

Ivan Nova gave up two homers in the third, and the Yanks were down 2-0. They tied the game in the fifth on a HR by the hot Didi Gregorius (10) and on an RBI single by Brett Gardner.

With the help of another review, the Yanks scored three runs in the sixth. Chase Headley singled in a run. Starlin Castro was originally called out at the plate, but the review gave the Yanks the run.

Rob Refsnyder got a SF to put the Yanks up 4-2. Speaking of not being “politically correct”, when will the Yanks start to play Refsnyder over Hicks? Yes, Hicks can play CF which Refsnyder can’t, but if Ellsbury needs a day, you can slide Gardner over to CF. Refsnyder can fill the corners. Refsnyder 74 AB, .297-0-10, OPS+ 106. Hicks 180 at bats, over twice as many. .200-3-17, OPS+ 52. The Yanks need Refsnyder’s bat in the lineup. You can put Hicks in for defense in the late innings if necessary. Even Sterling and Waldman are starting to mention on the radio that Refsnyder should be playing more often over Hicks.

Jacoby Ellsbury’s RBI single after Refsnyder’s SF made it 5-2.

Cleveland got two runs in the bottom of the sixth, and Girardi went politically correct and went “formula.” Betances, Miller, then Chapman.

But Chapman gave us all a scare in that bottom of the ninth. He walked the lead off hitter, never a good omen. After a strikeout, he gave up a single. Then came a line out for out #2. The next hitter hit a grounder that ricocheted off Teixeira to Castro, who threw to Chapman, and the original call was safe, which would have loaded the bases. The Yanks challenged the call, won the challenge and got the out, which ended the game. Whew.

Nova (w, 6-5, 5.18) 5 1/3 IP, 4 R, 5 H, 0 walks, 6 K. Gave up 2 HR.
Betances (H, 21) 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 0 walks, 2 K. 2.53
Miller (H, 14) 1 IP, 0 R, 0 H, 0 walks, 1 K. 1.43
Chapman (S, 17) 1 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 1 K. 2.74.

As you can see, Chapman has the highest ERA of the Holy Trinity of Smoke.

Between deciding who closes among the three, and also Hicks vs. Refsnyder, maybe Girardi should consider throwing away his book, looking at the numbers, and making some changes.

Just my opinion.

But then, if the Yanks are sellers, and trade Chapman for prospects, maybe the relief thing will work itself out on its own.

Game 80. Miller gives up walkoff HR, Yanks lose 2-1.

Ivan Nova, who had been struggling, pitched well, but the Yankees’ offense came up empty and Andrew Miller gave up a walkoff HR in the bottom of the ninth as the Yanks lost 2-1 in San Diego Saturday night.

The game was scoreless until the sixth, when Jacoby Ellsbury doubled, Brett Gardner beat out a bunt moving Ellsbury to third, and Ellsbury scored on an RBI groundout by Starlin Castro.

Nova gave up a run in the bottom of the sixth when Dellin Betances allowed one inherited runner to score and almost allowed another to score. Rob Refsnyder threw out a runner at the plate—-one of three reviewed calls that went the Yankees’ way during the game.

The Yanks blew a chance to go ahead in the eighth due to the lack of getting a bunt down. Pinch-hitter Ronald Torreyes walked, but Ellsbury couldn’t get the bunt down to move him over and instead grounded into a DP. The next batter, Gardner, doubled. Had Ellsbury gotten the bunt down and moved Torreyes up, the Yanks have a lead.

Miller’s first pitch in the bottom of the ninth was hit for a HR by Melvin Upton. Game over.

Today is game 81. After today the season will be 1/2 over. The Yanks are 39-41.

Nova 5 1/3 IP, 1 R, 4 H, 1 walk, 7 K. 5.06
Betances 1 2/3 IP, 0 R, 2 H, 1 walk, 3 K. 2.70
Miller (L, 5-1, 1.51) 1 + IP, 1 R, 1 H, 1 walk, 1 K. Gave up GW walkoff HR.

Yankees pitchers stuck out 11.