Why we won and why it's risky

by chambliss76 on Oct 27, 2009 1:23 PM EDT

This is more of a comment than a post. We pitched great and fielded well against LA. We hit for power which often makes up for not so great hitting with RISP. But LA played about as bad as I've seen them play. Their fielding and base-running were awful. I can guarantee you that their OBP was so low that the amount of runs they scored was absolutely appropriate. As it is they scored 19 runs while we scored 34. But if you consider our OBP and the runners we left on base we should have scored more. It's something we've been able to make up for all year with the long ball or the key hit when we absolutely have to have it (see A-Rod in the 9th against Joe Nathan and Brian Fuentes). Since we've gotten this far with what I feel has been average clutch hitting (.271 during the season, which was like 8th in the majors) if we win the WS in spite of this all my rants and comments about how it's going to inevitably bite us in the ass won't mean anything. And I don't want to be a killjoy, but these situation where you have 1st and 2nd and no outs, or 2nd and 3rd and one out and don't score can be the difference in a game. Had we swung the basts a bit better with RISP the other night Rivera would not have had to come in to protect a two-run lead and get six outs. As it is their fielding helped us tack on a few more but if we had not scored those 2 extra runs, as infalliable as Rivera is most of the time, if he'd managed to give up the run to tie it in the 9th it would've been as much a commentary on the fact that we did not put it away earlier. Thanks to Kendrick and Kazmir the Angels had no hope going into the 9th. I will say that Posada flied out early with RISP and hit the ball hard and Tex's Sac Fly was a rocket, so things at times are not as bad as they seem when you consider that for the most part hitters cannot direct the ball out of the range of fielders. I feel we really need tp pick it up agaisnt Philly because if we play to our ability we can't be beat. That aside let's enjoy Pennnat number 40 and also take solace in the fact that we are a better team than LA. The best team did win regardless of how much help we got to win. LET'S GO YANKS!!!

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I totally get where you’re coming from. I want the team to score every time a runner gets to second base, too.

That said, so long as we’re the best at getting the runner to second base, I’ll take even odds from there. Put men on base every inning, then when the home run or the bloop single come, it’s really worth something.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."

by jscape2000 on Oct 27, 2009 2:03 PM EDT reply actions

In fact

one of the main reasons we scored so much this year and even in the playoffs is that our OBP of .362 was .12’% higgher than the second best team in that category , the Angels. The sheer volume of baserunners we have is condusive to getting the pitcher’s pitch count up, and scoring runs (even a lot of them) is almost inevitable. That and home runs of course. When it comes to the team I root for I’ve noticed that I’m extremely particular and always looking at things that could have been done better even when the outcomes are positive. There’s plenty of people out there who think hitting with RISP is pure luck. I would agree with that until I watch Nick Swisher swing. His ABs with no one on base or in instances where a hit may not necessarily mean a run are so more disciplined than the big spots I have no words to describe it. Even Cano’s improved in this category. 4 of the 8 teams that hit better than us with RISP missed the playoffs and each of those 4 team’s home run totals were at least 80 fewer than ours. So yes, the fact we hit homers is very helpful as these playoffs have shown over and over and good pitching makes up for so-so hitting. It’s a team game. When one area falters the other picks it up. I just happen to be of the opinion that when we are at the top of our game we’re unbeatable. So I’d hate for us to lose a WS because we did not play up to snuff. The Phillies hit more homers than LA and should present a stiffer challenge. However let’s recall that we hit Brad LIdge around real good in those 3 games in May. He blew two saves and gave up a tying two-run shot to A-Rod in the game we won. If he’s getting his slider over we’re in trouble. If he’s got to resort to fastballs and is missing with the slider or hanging it we’re in good shape.

by chambliss76 on Oct 27, 2009 4:09 PM EDT up reply actions

Agree

No more slouching offense. You just can’t afford it against the Phillies.

------It's October,winning is what the Yankees do........let's just do it already

by ReggieARodJeter on Oct 27, 2009 2:14 PM EDT reply actions

Another way to look at it

As a whole the Yankees have not hit well in the playoffs. Despite this, the Yankees have managed to win 7 of 9 games, thanks mostly to great starting pitching. The bottom line, and the reason why we’ve won so far is that if our starters keep us in games, we will eventually find a way to win.

With very few exceptions, you don’t win in the postseason by bludgeoning teams. You win with great pitching and getting a timely hit or two. The Yankees have the added advantage of Mariano so that if we’re ahead in the 8th or 9th, we are very likely to keep that lead. When we think about the late 90’s we remember all the great hits and great rallies, but the fact that all those things occurred means that we were losing or tied a lot which means a lot of times we didn’t get the big hits early in games. The Yankees aren’t getting lucky, they’re doing exactly what they should be doing.

by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Oct 27, 2009 3:51 PM EDT reply actions