Around the Yankee Universe: More Mitre on the menu

by Ed Valentine on Aug 11, 2009 9:04 AM EDT in New York Yankees News

Maybe Sergio Mitre knows some deep, dark Joe Girardi family secrets. Maybe he's got compromising photos of the Yankee manager stashed away. I don't know. Whatever the reason, Girardi is sticking with Mitre as the Yankees' fifth starter despite four straight mediocre to awful outings and an ERA of 7.04.

"He threw the ball well," Girardi said. "His miscue cost him a really good outing, in a sense. You're looking at just a couple of solo home runs and that's basically it."

So, despite Travis' wish -- and the reality that Mitre just doesn't seem to be very good -- we are going to keep seeing him for a while. If that upsets you, enjoy the games when the other guys pitch and find something else to do when it's Mitre's turn. It's not easy to watch.

Now, let's take a quick look at some other stories making news in the Yankee Universe today.

Mark Teixeira is beginning to pick up support for MVP. If he ends up winning it, I can't argue with that.

"He's had an unbelievable year for us," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "And New York is not always a situation that's easy to come into your first year and have a really, really good year. It takes some players a little bit longer to adjust than others. Some players never adjust. But if you look at all the things that he's done -- whether it's been his defense that's saved us games, whether it's been him breaking up a double play to win a game for us -- he has done it all and has been the complete package.

"His personality fits very well here," Girardi said. "To me, he's real blue-collar about the way he goes about his business. He's very unassuming. You would never have any idea that he's a superstar. He just comes in and does his work."

The Yankees will stick to their plan for Joba Chamberlain, whatever it is.

"The easiest way to manage it is the way we're doing it. We have a plan set out," Girardi said when asked Monday about Chamberlain's expected workload for the remainder of the regular season beginning with Tuesday's start against the Blue Jays.

"That's how you manage it, so you don't get caught in saying, 'Oh, we really need him now.' You stick to your plan and you say you're going to stick to your plan.

Hairston, Epitome of Role Player, Tries to Keep Game Simple
Here is a funny story from Tyler Kepner epitomizing the state of the Red Sox
Merlyn Mantle, widow of Yankee icon Mickey Mantle, dies
Hideki Irabu returns to Japan
Apologizing for doubting A.J. Burnett

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Speaking of Mitre on the menu....

Topping Mitre’s meager performance is like putting A-1 sauce on Alpo. My guess is that Joe thought we would just outscore the Jays. This is a kid who has potential, but should be a Sept call up. With a 5,5 game lead, and under 50 to go, we need to be fine tuning for the stretch/playoffs.

This game did not tell us anything we did not already see SEVERAL times.

Most of you agree the soft spot is middle relief bullpen…so shouldn’t we be seeing Gaudin and what is Bruney’s role?

We did better 'cause we got better...Yogi

by mickey07 on Aug 11, 2009 9:20 AM EDT reply actions

Gaudin and Bruney

I’m interested to see what we have in Gaudin, however I also think that there’s a time and a place for that. My perfect moment to see Gaudin would be to end a series where we have won the first 2 or 3 games. Barring that, I honestly think that if they skip Mitre’s next start and put Gaudin in there, or go to a 6 man (I can’t believe I’m saying that) rotation for the last two months and see what the staff looks like. But it will never happen, Girardi likes Mitre way too much, and I think that comes from the fact that Mitre was a Florida Marlins pitcher when Girardi was there.

As for Bruney’s role, I don’t know what it is at this point. With Hughes, Coke and Aceves pretty much the bridge to Mo it leaves Bruney out in the cold on this one. I think Bruney needs more work anyway to get into the mix as part of the bridge. He’s coming off a couple of injuries rapid fire this season and while the velocity is there the command seems to be lacking for the most part.

by IDCWhoYouLike on Aug 11, 2009 9:33 AM EDT up reply actions

Mitre

I agree it is hard to watch when Mitre pitches and for Girardi to say he is pitching well is just dumb. Hopefully the experiment will end soon—even with this 5.5 game lead we can’t afford to keeping giving games away! Girardi almost blew Sunday’s game by leaving Coke in too long. The offense will not always be able to come back.

by PA Yankee on Aug 11, 2009 9:33 AM EDT reply actions

WOW!

People must not be actually watching the games to talk all this shit about Mitre!!!!

Should he just so happen to make that throw on line to Cano, the guy was on fire yesterday!

6 K’s, he had about 60 pitches at that point, so it would have been reasonable the way he was going to expect him to go deeper in the 6th+.

2 Solo HR were really all he should have given up, it was some bad luck.

All I know is if we aren’t going to be starting Aceves (which is good, Acey out of the pen in the playoffs is a good thing….Ramiro Mendoza people), I don’t want to see Chad Gaudin unless its a blowout one way or the other.

by FreeBradshaw on Aug 11, 2009 10:26 AM EDT reply actions

Hey everybody, it's the excuse patrol!!!

MItre has a 7 ERA, and it’s not an accident.

And yeah, if he had made the throw to 2nd base things could have turned out better, but he also started that inning with a walk and a single, so he made his own mess.

After the error he gave up a sac fly and a triple, so it’s not as if that error was the end of the damage.

And the next inning, after his team got him off the hook by tying the game, he gave up a monster homerun to Overbay when he was behind in the count for the millionth time.

But I guess I didn’t watch the game, right?

by New York Sports Jerk on Aug 11, 2009 11:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed, Jerk

Mitre has been consistently mediocre. I don’t see what the problem is with giving someone else a shot.

by NumberSeven on Aug 11, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

he made his own mess

and that was 2 outs that he missed. Any pitcher that needs 5 outs in an inning is not gonna let up 0 runs.

The sac fly is a fly out, then we’re looking at an Andy Pettite type outing cuz he gets out of a jam.

He’s mediocre, yes, I ain’t saying he’s Cy Young.

The Yanks have plenty of relievers, like Aceves, like Gaudin now, and Hughes too (I think?) that can give more than a couple of innings.

I know its a big if, but IF the guy makes that simple throw, he’s gonna go pretty deep in that game.

Is he in trouble a lot? Yea. Most all the Yankee starters like to get themselves in trouble and make a habit of getting out of it.

He leaves a few pitches up and they get hammerd. But to me he’s like CM Wang right before he landed on the DL the last time, mediocre. Unlike Wang, he seems to be getting better with his command.

He ain’t gonna pitch in the playoffs unless its a long reliever, he’s not our 1-4 SP. But he’s also not the Cody Ransom of the rotation, he’s not bad.

He’s ahead of TJ surgery schedule and given that he’s throwing his normal 91-93 and the slider and change are coming back, I want to see Mitre keep coming back out there.

The numbers are misleading with him.

by FreeBradshaw on Aug 11, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions

A 1.91 WHIP is not misleading.

It’s an incredibly accurate measure of his skill as a pitcher. It’s amazing his ERA is as low as it is given that number.

Comparing the amount of trouble he’s in to the rest of the staff is such a ludicrous reach I can’t even address it without wanting to laugh directly in your face.

Joba has the highest WHIP (other than Mitre) on the staff, and it’s under 1.50.

by New York Sports Jerk on Aug 11, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

yes, he did K 6

but his WHIP is 1.91. he’s allowed 38 hits in 23 ip. that’s insane.

by Travis G on Aug 11, 2009 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions

Exactly.

It’s unreasonable to expect that he’ll be able to pitch out of trouble consistently when he’s always in it.

Last night he did a good job minimizing the damage early with strikeouts, but eventually that’s going to come back and bite you in the ass. When there are always runners on, your ass ends up looking like hamburger meat.

by New York Sports Jerk on Aug 11, 2009 12:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Yes it is

those numbers suck.

They don’t tell you how ‘good’ he’s been.

If that was stretched out over 10 starts, then yea, goodbye.

But I see his command coming back more and more with each start. Unlike Smoltz, he isn’t imploding either when he gets in trouble. ALL pitchers need to pitch out of trouble.

I know he ain’t in AJ"s class, but AJ constantly has runners on. A sinker baller is always one pitch away from a DP too.

by FreeBradshaw on Aug 11, 2009 3:57 PM EDT up reply actions

Do you know what WHIP is?

You can’t just say, “so and so constantly has runners on” as a comparison without actually looking at that.

Burnett’s WHIP is 1.368. His K/9 is 7.9.

Mitre’s WHIP is 1.91. His K/9 is 5.9.

Why the hell are you so hell bent on defending MItre? He’s been horrible.

by New York Sports Jerk on Aug 11, 2009 4:07 PM EDT up reply actions

cuz he hasn't been horrible

and yesterday he’s improved.

The other option won’t do better either; Gaudin had his numbers playing 1/2 his games in Petco, which might as well be the Pacific Ocean compared to Yankee Stadium.

Igawa blows already, Aceves is fine where he’s at, Hughes ditto. There’s no one else.

Mitre’s “entrenched” in the 5th spot right now.

I was ready for him to walk the plank the last time out. This time, no. He showed signs of being a decent starter. He earned another start or two as well.

I know his numbers, I know what WHIP is (its not the stuff they use on the walk offs either).

I see a pitcher with potential to be an above average to solid 5th starter as he regains command after TJ surgery.

His numbers suck, he stuff says they will come down.

by FreeBradshaw on Aug 11, 2009 5:27 PM EDT up reply actions

If you say so.

Personally, I see a guy who can’t control whatever “stuff” he has, throws flat breaking pitches that get destroyed, and pitches behind in the count constantly.

It’s not Mitre’s fault he sucks, of course, but it’s someone’s fault for failing to address the starting rotation at the deadline, considering the fact that Joba will have to be skipped at least a few times during the next six weeks.

And just stop comparing Mitre at this point to much more successful Yankees starters. It sounds ridiculous when you say “Burnett is always pitching with runners on” when the stats show that Mitre allows substantially more runners than anybody else on the staff.

by New York Sports Jerk on Aug 11, 2009 6:11 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with you. Mitre has shown flashes of dominant stuff. I’m not a TJ rehab expert, but since he had surgery mid July ’08, that he was on the mound exactly 12 months later speaks volumes about his desire and his work ethic.

He’s not yet the pitcher he’s going to be, and since the options are Aceves (who I’d rather have available on a daily basis) or Chad Gaudin, I’m fine with giving Mitre another start.

I’m not clear on Gaudin’s role yet, but I’m sure he’ll get his chance. Maybe tonight, certainly during this stretch of 16 games in a row.

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

by jscape2000 on Aug 11, 2009 12:38 PM EDT up reply actions

I agree with everything you said except about Gaudin. It would have been nice to see him after Mitre.

by Jtmc on Aug 11, 2009 3:36 PM EDT up reply actions

true

I wanna see Gaudin too.

But I think the reasoning was that he threw a few side sessions over the weekend and really wasn’t ready considering he’s been a starter all season on Monday.

If Joba is like he was on Thursday, we could see him today (I doubt it, I think Joba bounces back like AJ today)

by FreeBradshaw on Aug 11, 2009 3:49 PM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

This is the FIFTH starter. He’s not supposed to come out there and throw zeros up inning after inning. You know what you’re getting and the offense has to come to the rescue sometimes.

Mitre was throwing very well last night. I was actually impressed to be honest. It was just unfortunate how things unfolded.

I also agree about Gaudin. I’m not sure what the rush to see him is. I’d rather be patient and see him when we’re up or down 10-1.

by msford88 on Aug 11, 2009 10:55 AM EDT reply actions

Correct...

5th starters are not awesome pitchers…or they would be a 1, 2, or 3 starter. I was at the game last night…didn’t seem to me that he was getting crushed. If he ever learns how to throw to 2nd properly, then that’ll help out a ton!!!

I’m sure he’ll get skipped in the rotation the next chance they get….

by Ragnar808 on Aug 11, 2009 1:12 PM EDT up reply actions

doubt it

if anyone will get skipped the rest of the season, it will be Joba (who hopefully regains his post ASG, pre Pissant game form.

by FreeBradshaw on Aug 11, 2009 1:21 PM EDT up reply actions

True

Joba’s probably gonna need to be skipped at least a couple times if we want to have him for the playoffs due to his innings limit.

As for Mitre, I’m for giving him one more chance. The 7 ERA and 1.91 WHIP would turn you off from him initially, but it doesn’t tell how he’s pitching right now. I think he’s improving and last night was his best start yet. I know you can’t take out the bad throw, but if he makes a good one there I think it turns into a solid start. And keep in mind he’s only a 5th starter.

by Rumplestiltskin02 on Aug 11, 2009 3:52 PM EDT up reply actions

True

but a fifth starter should have an ERA better than 7.04! Mitre is not the answer. We have a good comfortable AL East lead right now, so we can afford to let him go out and pitch to see if he turns it around. But if this is a close race or it ever once again becomes a close race, then we need a new fifth starter. Mitre isn’t the answer.

by nyyrocks29 on Aug 11, 2009 4:00 PM EDT up reply actions

Mark Teixeira

Remember in the offseason when everyone was saying that the Red Sox were the “front runners” for Mark Teixeira? There were people who were saying that the Yankees would be in good shape this year without him and wouldn’t be in the race. Well, now, watching this team, getting Mark Teixeira may have been the most important thing we did this offseason. His defense at first base and the offense he puts up, I could see us out of the race if we didn’t have him right now, especially if he went to Boston. He has been so important to this team, and deserves serious MVP consideration.

by nyyrocks29 on Aug 11, 2009 4:03 PM EDT reply actions

I agree

Having Tex locked up at 1st for 8 years is probably the best move they’ve made in years. I’m guessing Tex has saved a good 20-30 runs that Giambi would have cost at 1st.

by Jaybat on Aug 11, 2009 4:24 PM EDT up reply actions

while Tex

has truly been a blessing this year, i’ll withhold from saying he’ll be worth every penny for the next 7.5 years.

for the next ~3 years (his prime), he’ll be fantastic, but i’m worried about years 5-8 (when he’ll be 33-36.

by Travis G on Aug 11, 2009 6:13 PM EDT up reply actions

First base is a position

Where careers can be long. He should be a plus player all eight years with a strong probability. Besides, eight is what it took to get him.
Where would we be with Swish at first and Tex a Red Sock

If I's known I was going to live so long, I'd have taken better care of myself. Casey

by Cbeck3 on Aug 12, 2009 8:00 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions

That story about the Red Sox not having enough "A"s to put on their uniforms sort of summarizes their season, doesn't it?

Third Quarter Collapse: An Orlando Magic blog at SB Nation | Brandon Bass: "I just play hard."

by Evan Dunlap on Aug 11, 2009 4:42 PM EDT reply actions

PeteAbe just posted this tidbit:

UPDATE, 5:03 p.m.: Mitre to stay in the rotation and pitch on Saturday. Looks like they will insert Chad Gaudin into the rotation on Sunday to give everybody an extra day off, or at least Joba extra time. …

This would be interesting … tho I think the smart money would to be stretch out Aceves, and make Gaudin the long man outta the bullpen.

by .ryan on Aug 11, 2009 6:16 PM EDT reply actions