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Pitchers and Catchers Report: American League
Posted by: | CommentsI hear there was some snow over there in the rest of the country these past few weeks. Hard to know, given where I live.
Sorry, had to get that brag in there.
With most of the country dealing with massive snowstorms this winter, the sight of pitchers and catchers reporting today is a welcome harbinger of warmer days to come, and the daily routine of games that many baseball fans live for. For those of you still thawing out and stacking layers of clothes on before leaving the house, here’s a rundown of some of the most interesting stories on the horizon for the American League in 2010 to warm you up.
The Yankees as the Big Bad Juggernaut
Around this time last year, expectations were certainly high for the Yankees (as is always the case). They had just committed $423,500,000 to three players (Sabathia, Teixeira and Burnett), but we had seen this song and dance from the Yanks many times before in the decade. Spending lots of money on veteran players was nothing new for them, and similar past investments (Giambi, Pavano, Johnson, Brown, etc.) didn’t get them a World Series championship. So while expectations were higher given the quality of talent they obtained in their latest shopping spree, fans weren’t about to make assumptions.
This year, make no mistake about it: the Yankees are the best team in baseball by a wide margin.
When I look at how the team is constructed, I simply don’t see any weaknesses. Every hitter in the lineup is a major threat, with the exception of Brett Gardner. Their rotation is stacked #1-4, to the point that Joba and Hughes may both end up in the bullpen to form a longer, solid bridge to Mariano. Even defense, which was often an overlooked part of the team’s construction, is much improved from the years of Giambi stumbling around the bag, or Bernie Williams on his last legs in center field.
Oh, and they’re improved from last year too. Johnny Damon has been replaced by Curtis Granderson, who provides better defensive value and makes the team younger. Javier Vazquez joins the team as a #4 starter, after having a quiet Cy Young quality season in Atlanta.
The team’s one Achilles heel is the age of their core guys: Jeter, Posada, Pettitte and Mariano. But with the market for players shrinking drastically the last two years, and the huge amount of resources available to the Yankees, I’m sure they’ll be able to replace anyone who goes down as the season progresses. They would be fine without one or two of their stars, but if the injury bug hits multiple players, then things won’t go quite as smoothly this year.
In years past, spring training brought with it an emotion of “Anyone can win the World Series this year”. And while that’s still true to some extent, this current incarnation of the Yankees has buried much of the parity we saw in the sport during the past decade. What does this mean for the other 29 teams? The bar has been set, and it’s going to take that much more effort from players and management to meet the challenge.
The Red Sox Counter with Pitching and Defense
The biggest arms race in baseball continued this winter, as the Red Sox had to make some changes to keep up with the Yankees. I’m sure Theo Epstein would have loved to trade for Adrian Gonzalez and slot him in at first base, but the Padres aren’t looking to trade their superstar just yet. So, rather than trying to outslug the Bronx Bombers, the Sox made some subtle, but substantial moves to improve in the run prevention department. If you’re a more traditional kind of baseball fan, you look at Jacoby Ellsbury and see your prototypical center fielder: lots of speed in the field and on the base paths. To the naked eye he looks and plays solid defense, but statistical analysis shows he was actually the worst defensive center fielder in the league last year.
Fans may disagree with this, but management doesn’t. They made a smart move by bringing in veteran CF Mike Cameron, who is still a top rated fielder despite getting up there in age. Ellsbury clearly has the talent and ability to play good defense, but lacks the experience and instincts. A season or two in left field should help him get adjusted, and Cameron is just the kind of player who can help Ellsbury improve (the guy has only had two full seasons in the big leagues, after all).
As a side note, the Cameron move is actually very reminiscent of when the Brewers acquired him in 2008: it allowed the team to reconfigure what had been a very poor defensive alignment. It created a domino effect that allowed the Bill Hall experiment in center field to end, shifting him back to a more comfortable third base position. This in turn allowed the team to move Ryan Braun, who had been an absolute butcher at third base, and hide his glove better in left field. The Red Sox may have been taking notes, as the 2010 Cameron acquisition improves their defense drastically in two positions.
The Sox have been blessed with a great homegrown defensive right side of the infield featuring Pedroia and Youkilis, and they now have a left side to match by signing Scutaro and Beltre. The Lackey acquisition came as a bit of a surprise, but once again gives the Red Sox the potential to have the best rotation in the league, assuming Beckett and Matsuzaka stay healthy while Buchholz continues to improve.
Make no mistake about it: in 2010, the Red Sox are in the run prevention business. Fans aren’t giving their lineup quite enough credit though, as it really has solid players 1-9. They may not have quite the pop fans would like to see, but I absolutely expect them to make a trade for a bat or two come the trade deadline. Too much is being made of the weight of Papi’s performance and what it means for the team’s success. Yes, it would be great for him to return to even 30 home run form, but in this current market, it won’t be too hard to obtain a power DH bat. Guys who fit the bill like Jermaine Dye and Carlos Delgado don’t even have a job at the moment.
Zduriencik Reigns in Seattle With Defense
After too many years of mismanagement in the Pacific Northwest, General Manage Jack Zduriencik has turned around the Mariners, and provided them with an identity. He’s proven to be ahead of the curve with analysis, collecting defensively strong players who were undervalued by the market. Franklin Gutierrez is probably the best example of this philosophy: Zduriencik picked him up in a three way trade when he was a center fielder without much of a bat, but solid defensive value. After two years in Seattle, we now know how important those defensive skills are: click here to check out his stats on FanGraphs. His bat only provided 6.3 runs over an average player through the course of the 2009 season, but his fielding saved a staggering 29 runs over an average player (this is more than ten runs better than the second best defender in the whole league, Evan Longoria). The end result? A player worth nearly six wins more than an average outfielder, a value that would be worth $26,400,000 on the open market.
Not bad for a guy who cost Seattle a little less than $500,000.
Take the Gutierrez strategy, expand it over the diamond, and you have the modern Seattle Mariners brand of baseball. Chone Figgins and Jack Wilson combine to create a vacuum for ground balls on the left side of the infield. The aforementioned Gutierrez combines with Ichiro to do much of the same for balls in the air. Even new first baseman Casey Kotchman is a glove first kind of player, rather than your prototypical slugger.
Oh, and of course they picked up Cliff Lee this winter, who combines with King Felix Hernandez, fresh off a new extension that will keep him in Seattle through 2014. Assuming both produce to form, Seattle should have the best 1-2 punch in the majors this year.
As someone who always purchases the Extra Innings package, I’ll be watching plenty of Mariners games this season for entertainment alone. This 2010 team may very well go down as the best defensive club in the history of the game, they have two bona fide aces, and two speedy on-base machines in Ichiro and Figgins at the top of their order. It’ll be a thrill to watch. The only thing missing is some power in the lineup, but if Milton Bradley can bring back the form that made him a deadly hitter in 2008, it’ll go a long way towards a playoff berth for Seattle.
The New Look Angels, For Better or Worse
On subject, the Angels have really seemed to own the AL West in recent memory, but I expect to see a significant race this time around. Despite losing Lackey, the pitching depth is still very strong between Kazmir, Weaver, Saunders, Santana and new acquisition Joel Pinero. There are no true aces in this bunch, but all are very capable pitchers who will give the team a chance to win. The Angels offense has really shifted in tone from its famous aggressive-on-the-bases style that defined the franchise in the past decade. Now, the heart of the order features guys with power and on-base ability in Matsui, Hunter, Morales and Rivera. The bullpen is also not what it used to be, as Brian Fuentes wasn’t the most reliable closer in his first American League season, and new acquisition Fernando Rodney’s WHIP is just as poor.
For the reasons mentioned above, Seattle really has a chance to take the division this year. Texas and Oakland also have strong farm systems stocked with pitching; while it’s unlikely that either team will contend for a playoff spot this year (unless the Rangers’ young guys develop faster than expected), they won’t be easy opponents for the Angels and Mariners.
The White Sox Gamble, the Twins Remain Steady
General Managers are often compared to poker players these days: they remain patient, wait for the right opportunities, maximize value whenever possible, and take into account all available statistics when making a move.
By the same analogy, White Sox GM Kenny Williams is far less of a poker player, and more of a high stakes gambler at the craps table: placing big bets and throwing the dice in hopes of a big payoff.
He traded top prospects and invested $52 million into three years of Jake Peavy’s services. The former Cy Young winner missed most of 2009 with an injury, but looked quite good in his 20 innings wearing a White Sox uniform. Still, he’s never proven himself in the American League, and he’ll need to be the Peavy of old to give the Sox a chance to contend.
An even bigger gamble was acquiring Alex Rios from the Blue Jays for, well . . . nothing. Rios’ contract was an albatross for the rebuilding Jays, and the best they could do was literally give him away to be free of the burden. Rios is a tremendous athlete and still relatively young, but he’s yet to fully realize his potential. The Sox are now stuck with his hefty contract through 2014, and fans are hoping he doesn’t become their albatross moving forward.
Some of Williams’ other gambles are a bit more calculated, such as getting J.J. Putz for $3m, and Andruw Jones for $500,000. Among other gambles, the Sox are really hoping Carlos Quentin can return to his 2008 form, when he made a strong case for AL MVP before injuring himself by slamming a bat in frustration after hitting a foul ball. The rotation and lineup are actually filled with a combination of steady veterans and young talent, so if Peavy, Rios and Quentin can play up to expectations, the division should go to the Sox.
The Twins’ philosophy is polar opposite of everything I just wrote about the White Sox. They are steady, build from within, and practically never take major risks bringing in external players. This time around, with a shrinking market for free agents, they made two incredibly smart signings by bringing in Orlando Hudson and Jim Thome on affordable one year contracts. Hudson should round out the infeld nicely with new shortstop J.J. Hardy, and Thome gives the team that one extra power bat they’ve always seemed to need. They’re opening a new stadium this year and feature reigning homegrown AL MVP Joe Mauer, who has become one of the biggest stars of this era. With their improvements, they have to be considered the favorite in the Central.
The Tigers have a solid core built around frontline starters Justin Verlander, Rick Porcello and Max Scherzer. They look like a team that can contend, but realistically, I don’t think this is their year. The team is still bogged down by expensive contracts currently held by guys who are likely past their prime in Magglio Ordonez, Dontrelle Willis, Carlos Guillen and Nate Robertson. They are actually in a great position to contend in 2011 once those contracts start to come off the books and they can bring in premium talent to support the core in a strong free agent class. This is not to say they can’t contend this season if things fall into place, but this looks to be a team in transition, and I applaud them for getting one step ahead to make their team stronger for the future.
Next up: the National League.
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Yankees in Six – Again?
Posted by: | CommentsWell I, for one, certainly hope not. But we’ll just have to wait and see how the 2010 MLB season pans out. So many players, so many deals, so little time to put all the pieces together. But somehow, those 30-something-year-old big league GMs find a way. They always do; just ask Theo Epstein or Josh Byrnes. Or that seasoned 42-year-old brainiac by the name of Brian Cashman.
When I conjure up images from last year’s postseason, I can’t help but see Alex Rodriguez actually finding his groove and helping the Yankees claim their 40th AL Pennant and 27th World Series title, albeit the team’s first with A-Rod on board (six years in the making). I’m not a big A-Rod fan, never have been, but I had to actually give the guy his due based on his impressive postseason last year. I don’t like him for several reasons, but basically it boils down to these two: 1.) I’m a lifelong Red Sox fan; and 2.) he’s a pampered superstar who doesn’t like getting his hands dirty, literally. He is the anti-Mike Lowell in that respect, and any guy making $25 million a season to play baseball should be willing to get his uniform dirty once in a while.
Getting back to A-Rod’s resurrection from postseason failure, he earned a smidgen of my respect with last season’s turnaround. I mean, here was a guy who couldn’t find his bat, much less his swing, every time the postseason rolled around. He earned the nickname “The Cooler” since he always seemed to go cold at the most inopportune times for his team. But, lo and behold, he managed to put all the pieces together last fall by batting .378 in the playoffs and launching six bombs. Maybe it was gal-pal Kate Hudson’s influence? Perhaps she was the one guiding him on follow-through and consistency. Or perhaps it was Captain Derek Jeter’s stellar season (.334 with 18 dingers) coupled with Mark Texeira’s moon shots (39 of ‘em) and 38-year-old southpaw Andy Pettitte staying intact for the entire haul and notching 14 wins. And then again, maybe it was just Joe Girardi’s destiny, seeing as how he was already sporting No. 27 on his back. Whatever the reason, the Yankees won it all last year and are back on top of the baseball world.
But will they be there in 2010? In June, Pettitte turns 39, while Jeter turns 36. A month later, A-Rod turns 35. And a month after that, Jorge Posada celebrates his 39th birthday. These guys aren’t getting any younger. And the fact that World Series MVP Hideki Matsui signed in the offseason with the dreaded Halos of Anaheim could spell a different ending to this season’s merry-go-round. But then again, with the likes of CC Sabathia on the hill, Texeira at first, Robinson Cano covering second and the newly arrived Curtis Granderson patrolling center, chances are the Yankees will at least be in contention. And after all, isn’t that all anybody can ask for? Unless, of course, your last name is Steinbrenner.
Who might bump them off in the AL, you ask? Who else, but my beloved Sox, of course. By picking up John Lackey to shore up the starting rotation, as well as signing veteran center fielder Mike Cameron and Gold Glove third baseman Adrian Beltre, the Sox are stocking up for a season-long battle with the Bronx Bombers. The acquisition of Cameron moves the speedy Jacoby Ellsbury from center to left, which actually improves Boston’s defense with any ricochets off the Green Monster after Jason Bay’s disappointing bolt to that other New York team. And backstop Victor Martinez will continue to get more comfortable with Fenway’s faithful so 2010 definitely looks like it’s shaping up to be another barnburner in the AL East.
Oh yeah, I almost forgot; those pesky Rays aren’t going away quietly. Yep, should be a doozy this year. Can’t wait.
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A Yankees Championship Dream Fulfilled
Posted by: | CommentsI had waited thirteen years to see a World Series game, not to mention a championship clinching win. Just so you can understand where I’m coming from, I’ll explain a bit of personal history; despite my intense fandom, I never had the opportunity to see the Fall Classic in person until this year.
In 1996, somehow my father came up with two tickets to Game 6 of the World Series. At the time I was 15, my brother was 10, and we all but did a jig in the living room to be able to go to the game. There was just one problem: there were only two tickets and we didn’t drive, which meant only one of us could go.
Only one of us could go? Now we were enemies. We paced the room sweating feverishly, wondering who was going to get to go and who would sit at home. As it turns out my father came up with an idea- he would drop both of us off at Yankee Stadium so we could both be there, and he would pick us up after. Sounds like it would be a splendid idea right? Apparently not if you are my mother. She saw it as a terrible idea for two kids to be left alone in the Bronx and needless to say we weren’t allowed to go: not even one of us.
For my mother it has been the longest thirteen years of me constantly reminding her what a terrible choice she made and how we had been scarred for life from the trauma of sitting home alone (we were apparently old enough to be alone in the house, just not in the Bronx) watching Charlie Hayes catch that last out in foul territory, screaming with joy jumping up and down. For thirteen years we had wondered what it must have been like to see your team win the World Series in person.
Fast forward to present day, and the wait was well worth it for me. I got to see every postseason home game, including a walk-off ALDS win where Teixeira hit a bullet of a home run to win the game in extra innings. The season ended Wednesday with a Game 6 win for the Yankees (clinching the World Series), and possible forgiveness for mom because my brother and I were there. Finally. As a season ticket holder I was given the option to buy my seats for all postseason home games, and you know I was not going to miss out on the opportunity.
This was a great season for the Yankees on so many levels, starting with the signing of Sabathia, Burnett, and Teixeira in the offseason. Then we got to see Mariano get his 500th save (even if it was on the road), and Jeter passed Gehrig for all-time hits leader as a Yankee (not to mention all the walk off wins this team put together). I definitely picked a great year to have season tickets, and see so much history happen. Much of it happened in the rain by the way, whether it was World Series wins or the delay before Jeter’s record breaking hit.
The postseason was my first as a season ticket holder where the Yankees made it to the World Series, making it both the most fun for me and also confirming that I am not a jinx. Most of the games were played in pretty intense cold with rain, while others were just frigid.
What does one wear to a baseball game in 40 degree rain you might wonder? The answer is simple: everything. I am oddly superstitious and I will tell you I have been washing and wearing the same clothes the entire postseason. My typical ensemble to the games has consisted of the following: Under Armor cold gear turtleneck and pants, heavy socks, a long sleeve t-shirt, Jeter or Rizzuto t-shirt (only those two), on-field fleece, 2009 postseason sweatshirt, Yankees coat, Under Amour head sock, and finally a Yankees hat. Phew. Oh, and hand and toe warmers, can’t forget those, they were clutch.
Despite the cold weather, the feeling of being there for all of these games (especially the World Series clincher) is completely indescribable and amazing. As a fan, watching from home or a bar is great but being there was on a level I had never even imagined. For most of the last three innings of Game 6 I was jumping up and down and shaking my brother, telling him we finally got to be here for this moment . . . of course, he kept telling me to shut up until it actually happened.
I was excited the entire day leading up to the game and the whole night after it. The group of people I sit with, a.k.a. the Bleacher Creatures, are the greatest group to sit with and watch a game. We all know each other, and we have all been there through the season, cheering and anxiously waiting for the postseason to finally arrive. It really is something to be there to begin with, but to sit with the same group of people, the friends that you have made over the seasons, is just awesome.
When Cano threw the ground out from Shane Victorino to Mark Teixeira to end the game, clinch the Championship and end the season, my brother and I jumped up and hugged each other. Everyone around us was doing the same, like we all had won the game, too. It was everything I thought it would be when I was 15, but even better.
Now that the celebration is over, is anyone wondering how all those bundled clothes worked out for me? Not too well considering I am sick and have been for a while now. Am I upset about it? Absolutely not! I am lying in bed telling you my story while wearing my World Championship t-shirt and Yankees Championship parade hoodie.
My friend Suzy and I got up and going very early to be at the parade down the Canyon of Heroes in New York City: that was the final event to cap off the season and my dealing with cold weather. I had never experienced the ticker tape parade before so I had to get there and enjoy it even if it meant getting up at the ungodly hour of 6am.
Despite the fact that most of us have not seen much of our beds, or families in the last week it was all worth it. The offseason is here and it may be as much of a welcoming feeling for the fans as it is for the players (or I could just be okay with it now since the Yankees won the World Series). In either case, pitchers and catchers report in roughly 90 days and I will be rested and ready to cheer for my team on Opening Day.
Marie co-writes the blog A Cardboard Problem in addition to being a season ticket holder for the Yankees and an all around baseball fan. Marie is an avid card collector and welcomes comments, questions, and e-mails.
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The 2009 World Series: Good vs. Evil?
Posted by: | CommentsAfter a six year hiatus that felt far too long for fans of the Bronx Bombers, the Yankees are headed back to the World Series, and have an opportunity to win their first World Series since 2000 (again, nine years is far too long of a wait).
Love them or hate them, it’s hard to be indifferent towards the New York Yankees. Either you live in New York and/or appreciate their history enough to be a dedicated fan, or your opinions are outside that sphere and you hate them for their high payroll and the success that comes from it. So either way, you’re probably going to watch the World Series intently and have an emotional interest in rooting for one side.
There is another aspect of this series that is objectively true, and any baseball fan has to admit (even a diehard Mets fan such as myself): the Philadelphia Phillies are a model organization, and absolutely built their team in a smart and admirable way.
Yes, you’ve seen plenty of write-ups in the media about how they’re tough, gritty, and “play hard for 27 outs”. While that is important, I’m even more impressed with how this team has been put together. Ryan Howard, Jimmy Rollins and Chase Utley make up the infield nucleus, and all were drafted and developed by the Phillies (the only team any of these guys have played for). Same goes for Cole Hamels, Ryan Madson and J.A. Happ. Jason Werth and Shane Victorino were “buy low” cases, where the Phillies saw the talent in the player and jumped at the opportunity to obtain him for a very low cost. Even Brad Lidge came over from Houston following some horrible outings, only to be perfect in the 2008 championship season.
Not to say the Yankees don’t have some of these elements too. The beloved Bronx four of Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte came up through the Yankees organization, and have provided a deep sense of continuity with fans over the last decade plus. And the Yankees have done their fair share of development with Robinson Cano, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, not to mention “buying low” with Nick Swisher.
But you look at this powerhouse team compared to its 2008 counterpart, and what’s the major difference? C.C. Sabathia as the workhorse ace, Mark Teixeira as the switch-hitter with power who also plays fantastic defense, and A.J. Burnett as the #2 starter equipped with strikeout capability. Like it or not Yankees supporters, all sports fans look at these three players as the reason for your success this year, and look next at the $423.5 million price tag that came with them. They probably also look left to Alex Rodriguez at third base and his $275 million contract that could get up to $305 million when all is said and done.
While sports fans will pout and kick dirt about how the Yankees have “bought” themselves into the World Series, you can’t fault the organization for doing what makes sense. New York is the media and financial capital of the world, and the Yankees wisely use their vast resources to invest heavily in their talent, and put a premium product on the field every year as a result. Contrast this with say, David Glass, a Wal-Mart executive for well over 30 years and former CEO for the mega retailer who also owns the Kansas City Royals. I don’t see him placing strong investments in his team as the Yankees do, and I bet fans from Miami and Minnesota have similar feelings towards their respective ownership groups.
On an intellectual level though, it’s hard to look at how the Phillies were put together and not admire what was done there. Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard came up through the organization and have MVP trophies on their mantle, and it’s only a matter of time until Chase Utley gets one of his own as the best second baseman in the league. They built around that core by obtaining Victorino in a Rule 5 draft, and getting Jason Werth for $850,000 in 2006. Even new staff ace Cliff Lee came over at the deadline only because they had a strong farm system with talent to spare (one that produced last year’s ace, Cole Hamels).
In terms of “bought” players, only Raul Ibanez and Pedro Martinez come to mind, two veterans who compete hard, and can still produce. Combine their salaries for this year together, and it’s a third of what Alex Rodriguez will be paid. That’s not an insult towards the Yankee payroll, but rather an appreciation for the Phillies’ ability to get the most out of the 25 spots on their roster with what they have.
If you are a dedicated baseball fan, this is how you want your team to be run. Unless of course if you’re the Yankees, and have the luxury of spending more cash than anyone to get the best players available. For fans of the other 28 teams though, (many of whom will be watching on Wednesday wishing it was their team playing on the biggest stage), take a good look at the Phillies and note how you build a winner: draft good players, develop them into great players within your system, use your payroll to retain their services and surround them with productive, established players who are significantly undervalued by the rest of the league.
Either that or, you know, spend $423.5 million.
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Yankees Win 40th Pennant!
Posted by: | CommentsIt’s been six long years since the New York Yankees competed in the coveted Fall Classic. Not since Aaron Boone’s moon shot off Boston’s Tim Wakefield leading off the bottom of the 11th inning in Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS catapulted them into history have the Bronx Bombers played for all the marbles. But stemming from last night’s 5-2 ALCS-clinching win over the visiting Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, the Yankees are back in the World Series and in search of their 27th championship title. The fast-approaching WS action against the NL Champion Phillies starts Wednesday night at home.
Last night’s pennant-clincher in the Bronx started off in partly cloudy, 58-degree weather, mild temps for the Empire State this time of year. Starting pitchers Andy Pettitte (Yanks) and Joe Saunders (Halos) locked into a great pitcher’s duel through three innings. But the wheels started to come off for Saunders in the fourth, as the Yankees – trailing 1-0 at that point – proceeded to load the bases and tallied three runs before the bleeding stopped. Johnny Damon’s two-run single and a bases-loaded walk to A-Rod proved to be the exit plan for Saunders, who had thrown 83 pitches to that point.
The game was a great battle throughout as both teams gathered nine hits, but it was the timely hitting by the Yankees, coupled with botched fielding and running by the Angels, that spelled the outcome. Uncharacteristic fielding errors by Anaheim at the most crucial junctures helped the Angels find their golf bags two weeks early. Boneheaded base running by veteran batsman Vladimir Guerrero in the second inning started Anaheim’s demise. After singling off Pettitte to start the inning – the Angels’ first hit – Guerrero watched as Yankee right-fielder Nick Swisher sprinted in to snag Kendry Morales’ sinking liner. The problem was Guerrero was watching this from about 20 feet off first base. He was drifting too far off first and was quickly doubled-up by Swisher’s rocket throw back to first baseman Mark Texeira. This can start to deflate a team, you know?
But it was two unbelievable errors in the bottom half of the eighth that did in the Halos. After scoring a run in the top half of the inning off Yankees closer Mariano Rivera to bring them within a run, the Halos – along with the 50,000 fans at Yankee Stadium – could sense a slight momentum shift. The Angels would face Rivera in the top of the ninth with Howie Kendrick, Juan Rivera and pinch-hitter Gary Matthews. But there was something they needed to do first; keep the score close by getting the Yankees out in the bottom half of the eighth.
After just-arrived setup man Ervin Santana promptly walked Robinson Cano on four straight pitches to start the eighth, Anaheim manager Mike Scioscia yanked him and went to starter Scott Kazmir to keep the score close. Knowing that the Yankees would try to sacrifice Cano over to second, everybody was playing in, looking for the bunt. Swisher promptly obliged and Angels’ first baseman Kendry Morales fielded the bunt cleanly before firing the ball back up the first base line to second baseman Kendrick, who was covering first. Kendrick must have taken his eye off the ball as it gleaned off his glove, leaving both Cano and Swisher safe at second and first. Two men out, still no outs. Surely the Yanks would try the same ploy to advance the runners. And sure enough, they did.
With everybody in the stadium waiting for the bunt up the first base line, Melky Cabrera promptly delivered. Kazmir fielded the ball cleanly but immediately shot-putted an air ball to Kendrick, who was once again covering first on the play. The ball sailed over Kendrick’s outstretched arm, while Cano hustled home with the Yankees’ fourth run. After Derek Jeter grounded back to the pitcher for out No. 1, Damon came up and earned a walk to load the bases. Texeira then delivered a long fly ball to right-center which scored Brett Gardner (pinch-running for Swisher) with another important insurance run. Jered Weaver came in to relieve Kazmir and, after walking A-Rod, got Jorge Posada swinging to end the inning.
But the damage was done. Those two errors cost the Angels in a big way. They came back out in the top of the ninth, only this time the score was 5-2, not 3-2. One swing of the bat would not send this game into extras. The damage was done. The Angels knew it and went down in order in the ninth. Matthews ended the game appropriately enough by flailing at a high fastball.
The Angels’ mission of destiny – riding on the momentum of their season-long tribute to fallen teammate Nick Adenhart – was over. As for the Yankees, things are just starting to heat up. Let’s see if A-Rod can keep his postseason average above .300 against the Phillies.
This scribe has the Yanks winning their 27th title in six games against Philadelphia. In 1950, the last time these two clubs faced one another in the Fall Classic, the Yanks swept the Phillies. It won’t be that lopsided this time around, but the Yanks will prevail. Just wait and see.
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