Ivan Nova, a useful tool, perhaps
by Cbeck3 on Aug 26, 2010 7:54 PM EDT
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I watched Ivan Nova's start. It was not enough to fill me with hope for him in the future. I do feel strongly that he did not establish himself as someone who can be a successful starter.
What did I see? He has a nice arm, but not a great one by current big league standards. I did not see command. He missed his spot frequently. He hung curveballs that didn't get creamed. If the pitching we saw is his game, we are in for some long afternoons.
Why are the Yanks using him? They need him.
The real goal to make the playoffs and be in a position to make a run at the Worls Series Championship. To do this they need to get their pitching in order. Here is where they stand.
CC check.
AJ? Who knows?
Andy P? I really hope, but who knows? We cannot afford to rush him. Get him back in time to get sharp for the playoffs.
Phil, needs to get through the innings limit. Then he needs to come up big.
Javy V? Seems to be arm weary. He also has seemed passive and lost. More on this below.
Moseley? He can be a place holder for Andy's games, but we cannot really hope for more than that.
So, what do we need? We need to have someone eat up some of the starts and innings which Phil would have pitched if he didn't need an innings limit. And we really need to get Javy pitching like the guy we traded for.
Enter Ivan Nova. We can sacrifice a few games by throwing him in there. By doing this we try to do two things. First is Javy. Get him a little rest and a lot of motivation. Having listened to his passive reaction to diappointing outings, I hope an angry Javy will be better than a tense and determined one has been. This guy can pitch, Look at his record. I hope being angry at being skipped for Nova helps him get his head out of the way.
Then we'll use Nova, Javy, Moseley and hopefully Pettitte to start games the games meant for 2 starters, plus the games vacated by the end of Hughes's innings. They can win some games and get themselves right for the playoffs.
The Rays are a very good team. I'd like to beat them in the regular season. I really want to beat the Red Sox in the regular season and send them home with no playoffs. Then set ourselves up to get by the Rays in the playoffs. They Rays should make the playoffs. The contest with them that really matters is the ALCS.
Ivan Nova is a useful tool, to get our real pitchers the rest they need. Ivan Nova does not need to win games, just eat innings. Any game he starts which we can win is just an extra, a bonus.
Let's go, defend the crown!
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Can you really deduce that from his lone ML debut start?
First inning jitters aside, Nova retired the last 9 out of 10 batters faced. He’s at a career-high 153 IP thus far this season, so I don’t expect to see him get many more innings. I’d like to see him spot start a few more times against some of the weaker teams in the upcoming schedule.
He got away with a lot of really bad pitches
We can’t expect that luck to hold.
"You don't realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth." Mickey
by Cbeck3 on Aug 26, 2010 9:04 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Got to get to clinch the playoff spot first.
I agree that limiting Hughes’ innings is the key complication for the Yankees down the stretch. I think if Javy can pitch to his potential he can be the Yanks’ #2 in the playoffs. I’d love to see the Yanks hit the playoffs with 4 pitchers pitching well so the short DS/ long DS is a non-issue.
They got rid of the extra off day between ALCS games 4 &5 right?
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
News reports say the schedule has been condensed
I was not able to find an actual schedule, although I really didn’t work it very hard. It is my belief we need 4 playoff starters this year.
Hoping for CC, Phil, Andy. AJ or Javy for the 4th according to who goes in pitching well with the other in the pen.
"You don't realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth." Mickey
Luckily Hughes
Is not a power pitcher so his innings limit is not as etched in stone as someone like Joba.
by HappyLuckyGoldenDragonNumber1! on Aug 27, 2010 2:07 PM EDT up reply actions
More important is Hughes's competitve make up.
I hope that messing with his routine will not damage his effectiveness as much. I do not see a good reason that his innings limit should be less rigid than Joba’s.
"You don't realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth." Mickey
Hughes is as much a power pitcher as anyone on the Yankees staff.
His innings limit is not etched “in stone” cuz he actually has had a year where he logged over 150IP while Joba has not.
by FreeBradshaw on Aug 27, 2010 6:03 PM EDT up reply actions
Yankees pitching in October
Unless he has a spectacular September, I have a hard time believing that Nova will find his way onto the playoff roster. However I do agree that the Yankees October rotation as it stands right now is cause for concern.
C.C. – Great. No problem there. Still if the rest of the rotation doesn’t sort itself out Girardi is going to have to consider using C.C. on 3 days rest again – a lot, this time without the extra TV off days. Is it too much to ask for 37 brilliant postseason innings again?
Pettitte – Will he be healthy and assuming he is, will he be the same pitcher he was in the first half?
A.J. – We know the story with him. Amazing or awful, and not much in between. He’s the same guy he’s been his entire career and we shouldn’t expect anything else. While he has the potential to toss a gem in a big spot, him being on the hill in a pivotal game is scary.
Hughes – Innings limit, innings limit, innings limit. If the Yankees use him as their game 4 starter,we’d only be looking at an extra 3 starts and 20 or so innings tops. But right now, without Pettitte, he’s really our #2. Would 5 or even 6 starts be allowed under the Verducci rules? Will Hughes even be effective by the time October rolls around after a September full of extra days rest and shortened pitch counts?
Vazquez – I think it’s time we stop pretending that he’s anything but an average pitcher in the AL. He’s had 152 AL starts now and he has an ERA of 4.58 and an ERA+ of 99. Whatever his peripherals and his stuff say he should be, he isn’t. He simply gives up too many runs to be considered more than a last resort 4th starter in October.
So with all that in mind, the Yankees are probably going to need a fully recovered Pettitte and at least a few glimpses of good A.J. to go deep into the playoffs this year. It’s not like that’s too much to expect, and I’m sure there will be games that our offense and our suddenly deep bullpen will win for us. Still, starting pitching wise there are an unnearving number of question marks right now.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Aug 27, 2010 2:40 AM EDT reply actions
There are no rules for the postseason.
"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
They'll probably split up the lefties
So that would put CC in Game One and Andy in Game three. A.J. will probably pitch Game 2 unless he completely falls apart (which I don’t expect, he’ll turn it around), which leaves Phil or Javy for Game 4. Like jscape said, there are no rules in the postseason. Hughes is the better option. Javy seems like his arm is dead. He hasn’t had a quality start in over a month. And he’s never had success in the postseason. Phil should be the guy on the hill in the postseason, not Javy.
I hate all Boston sports teams
+1
You always split the lefties… even if they’re basically the 1-2 punch.
"Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next." -George Michael Steinbrenner III
by Chris McKeown on Aug 29, 2010 11:19 AM EDT up reply actions
It depends on if we're the division winner or the wildcard also...
A.J. pitches better at home, Hughes pitches better on the road. If we have home field advantage A.J. starting game 2 makes sense. If we don;t, you probably want to push him back so he can start at home.
by Let's Talk About Tex Baby on Aug 29, 2010 9:52 PM EDT up reply actions
true
last postseason was the perfect example. He was brilliant at home, but when they put him on the road for two games, he got lit up both times.
Hughes, on the other hand, dominates on the road and gives up at least 1 HR every time he pitches at Yankee Stadium, so it would make sense to pitch him on the road.
I hate all Boston sports teams
Don't call him a tool, he seems like an alright guy.
And besides, that’s just not nice.
by PinstripedHippie on Aug 27, 2010 12:32 PM EDT reply actions
Let's not get ahead of ourselves here
In Roger Clemens’ first ever start, he went 5.2 and let up 5 runs on 11 hits while walking 3 and striking out only 4. He turned out to be an OK pitcher.
Am I saying that Nova will be Roger Clemens or anywhere near that type of pitcher? No. I’m saying to simply not jump the gun on him due to one start.
Besides.. Nova did a FINE job filling in. 5.1 IP of 2 runs on 6 hits and 1 walk. I’ll take that effort every time out of the kid.
"Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next." -George Michael Steinbrenner III
LOL
"Winning is the most important thing in my life, after breathing. Breathing first, winning next." -George Michael Steinbrenner III
by Chris McKeown on Aug 27, 2010 4:53 PM EDT up reply actions
Some times hitters get hits on good pitches
Some times hitters miss bad pitches or make outs on them. InNova’s start they made outs and missed bad pitches.
"You don't realize how easy this game is until you get up in that broadcasting booth." Mickey
Would love for him to become solid and reliable
no Andy no AJ no Javy….not good a young guy stepping up would be awesome
"Sorry bro, he Jason Bourned me"- Drama
Guess he got lucky and won a game, huh?
Hello everyone, my name is Curtis Granderson, and I'm a bus-o-holic
A supporter of the MFY.
Nope, he's our Champagne IvanNova
One day you will find him striking out the Sox side in a Champagne IvanNova in the sky
I am Curtis Granderson, and so should you
http://twitter.com/MattF15
It is wonderful the way your "don't want to annoint him for the HOF" caution has continued right into he is a POS disgust.
People used to get excited about young pitchers who could control 4 pitches, throw hard, get themselves out of jams, and not walk people. This post is just as vacant as the other one positing that Nova is not in the Yankees long term plans.
I suppose if the Yankees long term plans are overpaying for past- their-prime starters getting by on reputation and memories, then maybe you’re right.
by designatedquitter on Aug 30, 2010 10:13 AM EDT reply actions
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