PATIENCE, PATIENCE, PATIENCE?
Before the series, I said the Yankees could conceivably lose the first 2 and come back to win it. Of course, I didn't count on their offense looking quite this anemic. Was my patience misplaced?
Probably. But the anomaly remains that the Tribe is going with their 2 weak pitchers, and Byrd has been particularly bad, in games 3 and 4 at the stadium. The notion that the Yankees could do the one thing they do well, hit mediocre pitching, and win these 2 games, is not that far-fetched. Returning to Cleveland against Sabathia is of course very tough, but they would have Pettite on full rest and he did show what a warrior he is last night.
If our patience is to be rewarded, the Yankees are going to have to start showing some patience at the plate. Carmona entered the ninth having only thrown 89 pitches. The Yankees, particularly Damon, Jeter, AROD and MAtsui were not grinding at all, they were waving. And to my mind that means they were pressing or, if you like, gagging. They have to get back to making the pitchers throw strikes. Carmona got K after K on pitches oout of the zone.
You know who always shows good plate patience, Jason Giambi, and it is probably no coincedence that he is hitting over 500 against Cleveland this year, including doing well against Carmona and getting a hit in his only appearance this series. It makes perfect sense that he could hit Carmona--he's a low ball hitter. Then why, you m ight ask didn't Torre DH him instead of the hapless Matsui, particularly after the first game when it became clear that for whatever reason, Hideki doesn't have a clue at the plate right now. Well, that brings me to my last riff on patience. I showed too much with slow Joe last night when I indicated he didn't contribute to the loss. I didn't think you could quibble too much with his in-game moves, bur he clearly did hurt them by not playing Giambi, who would have set a different tone at the plate. He now says he'll "think about it" for game 3, but as we all know, thinking isn't slow Joe's strong suit, closing the barn door after a loss is. Carmona was really the guy you wanted Giambi to face, the guy for which the rest of the team really needed the help.
Note: Although this series recall's last year's debacle, these Indians are not last year's Tigers. I thought Pettite exposed them last night as a free-swinging team that doesn't hit situationally. If you pitch then reasonably tough, you can beat them regularly. That the Yankees lost, and lost by giving up the tying run without a single hit, only exposes themselves. I think last year's team would have won that game. Which is to say we should be running out of patience not just with this team but with a franchise unable to right itself.
Probably. But the anomaly remains that the Tribe is going with their 2 weak pitchers, and Byrd has been particularly bad, in games 3 and 4 at the stadium. The notion that the Yankees could do the one thing they do well, hit mediocre pitching, and win these 2 games, is not that far-fetched. Returning to Cleveland against Sabathia is of course very tough, but they would have Pettite on full rest and he did show what a warrior he is last night.
If our patience is to be rewarded, the Yankees are going to have to start showing some patience at the plate. Carmona entered the ninth having only thrown 89 pitches. The Yankees, particularly Damon, Jeter, AROD and MAtsui were not grinding at all, they were waving. And to my mind that means they were pressing or, if you like, gagging. They have to get back to making the pitchers throw strikes. Carmona got K after K on pitches oout of the zone.
You know who always shows good plate patience, Jason Giambi, and it is probably no coincedence that he is hitting over 500 against Cleveland this year, including doing well against Carmona and getting a hit in his only appearance this series. It makes perfect sense that he could hit Carmona--he's a low ball hitter. Then why, you m ight ask didn't Torre DH him instead of the hapless Matsui, particularly after the first game when it became clear that for whatever reason, Hideki doesn't have a clue at the plate right now. Well, that brings me to my last riff on patience. I showed too much with slow Joe last night when I indicated he didn't contribute to the loss. I didn't think you could quibble too much with his in-game moves, bur he clearly did hurt them by not playing Giambi, who would have set a different tone at the plate. He now says he'll "think about it" for game 3, but as we all know, thinking isn't slow Joe's strong suit, closing the barn door after a loss is. Carmona was really the guy you wanted Giambi to face, the guy for which the rest of the team really needed the help.
Note: Although this series recall's last year's debacle, these Indians are not last year's Tigers. I thought Pettite exposed them last night as a free-swinging team that doesn't hit situationally. If you pitch then reasonably tough, you can beat them regularly. That the Yankees lost, and lost by giving up the tying run without a single hit, only exposes themselves. I think last year's team would have won that game. Which is to say we should be running out of patience not just with this team but with a franchise unable to right itself.
posted by joe valente | 10:37 AM
4 Comments:
Completely agree!
Last night's win, while cause for mild celebration, re-inforces what we all know, and what you mention in your post: this Yankee ballclub was designed to pulverize mediocre pitching, but cannot to save their lives scratch out a run in a close game.
I agree the use of Matsui has been mind boggling, considering that he looks, frankly, ill--he seems considerably slimmer than ever before and doesn't seem comfortable at all. BUT: you gotta give him a lot of credit for busting out that infield hit last night, even when it looked like he was blowing his legs out doing it.
The fact remains that the Yankees can beat Westbrook a they want, and maybe they'll handle Byrd as well (and certainly a sane argument can made that if they can't beat Byrd they don't deserve to advance)--but it's all meaningless given that they can't beat a 1 or 2 starter ON THE ROAD.
There was a lot of chatter in post game analysis last night about how of course you have to use Joba again tonight. I don't agree. Maybe 1 or 2 batters, but I'd try my luck with Veras or Viz again first. Joba looked like he's started to hit a bit of a wall, not in terms of his stuff, necessarily, or his poise, but just his pitching smarts. I don't think he's adjusting to how batters are adjusting to him, and he's going into too many deep counts.
I totally get the argument that Joe V put forward a few posts back that you don't want to see Wang at the Jake again, and that if you can force a game 5, andy is the guy you want out there. But, and I cant believe I'm about to write this, I almost wonder whether you start Mussina tonight--not to be a broken record, but I just don't think Wang is himself.
ah well. it's good not to get swept.
It is surprising to see you take the name Mussina in something other than vain, I must say. Here is what Torre is thinking, and I do understand his point. If Mussina doesn't have it, and that's a pretty likely scenario, he gets rocked out of the box, Byrd acquires confidence and the game might be over early. at least at the stadium, wang would seem more likely to get through the early frames okay, if not unscathed. That gives the bats time to get to Byrd, who the yankees have lit up almost every time. At the first sign of Wang tiring, say after 4, you put in Mussina, hopefully with a respectable lead and with the knowledge that he only needs to go 3 innings, so he doesn't have to pace himself. then I'm guessing it's Vizcaino and Rivera (who only threw 10 pitches last night). It might work, but I think it all depends on the Yankee's hitting byrd and hitting him hard and cashing their opportunities. this is not a game they can winn 3-2. that's what the task will be on wednesday if they get that far.
Sadly, it did not happen the way you thought about it. I have to say that this (Monday's) has been the most awfully painful game in nearly 28 years of following the Yankees. And, by the way, the problem was not today (Monday) or Sunday, it was from the very get go because the unwillingness to bunt, to play "small-ball"
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