Roster Mistakes Abound Last Night for the Yankees

by Brandon C. on May 12, 2011 8:30 AM EDT in New York Yankees Analysis

The Yankees lost last night due to terrible managing by Joe Girardi. Fans have complained about his love of bunting, love of his binder, and love of Boone Logan. Last night, Girardi's odd managerial decisions cost the Yankees, as did a decision that went unnoticed by many.

Prior to last night's game the Yankees demoted Lance Pendleton to AAA, and activated Luis Ayala off the 15 day DL.

At the time it seemed like the correct move, as Pendleton was only recalled to take over for Ayala in the first place, and the bullpen would remain in the same structure as prior to the switch.

What the fans didn't know is that both Joba Chamberlain and Rafael Soriano were unavailable for the game, leaving only Buddy Carlyle, Luis Ayala, David Robertson, Boone Logan, and Mariano Rivera as the pitchers in the pen for the game.

Realistically the majority of games do not require the usage of five bullpen pitchers, but after starter A.J. Burnett left after seven innings, the Yankees flew through relievers.

David Robertson pitched two thirds, blowing the Yankees lead in the process. Boone Logan finished Robertson's inning, and Mariano Rivera pitched the next full inning. The game went into extras, and the Yankees were left with two available relievers, Buddy Carlyle and Luis Ayala.

Buddy Carlyle attempted to go two innings, but had to be replaced by Ayala in his second. Ayala gave up Carlyle's run, which would be the winning run.

The Yankees let themselves be left with their two worst relievers in a tie game in extra innings, one of which should not have been on the roster.

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First of all, the Yankees should have sent down Ramiro Pena when Ayala was activated. The Yankees knew the bullpen restrictions, and still allowed the team to play with only five available relievers, one of which had just come off the DL, and another that is extremely untrustworthy.

This would have left the Yankees with six relievers, therefore delaying the usage of Buddy Carlyle until at least the 12th inning, if there even was a 12th inning.

Pena is not needed on the roster right now, considering that Eduardo Nunez serves the same purpose as Pena, and if anything terrible happened, Russell Martin could play multiple positions.

For as long as the restrictions are in place, which should be for only last night, Lance Pendleton should be on the roster.

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Next of all, why is Buddy Carlyle even on the Yankees roster? Carlyle has been a below league average pitcher his whole career, and cannot even be a long man out of the pen.

Carlyle brings nothing of use to the table, and is taking up a spot that could go to Hector Noesi, or any long reliever the Yankees deem ready for the big leagues.

****

If the Yankees went into more extras, they were doomed. If Burnett struggled and had to be taken out in the 3rd or 4th, they were doomed.

The Yankees went into the game requiring an outstanding performance out of Burnett, and quality reliever from their top three relievers. Burnett delivered, and one of the three relievers, David Robertson, did not.

Regardless of who the Yankees have in AAA that could replace Carlyle, or what role they feel Pena fit in for that one specific game, the Yankees made the wrong decision demoting Pendleton and not Pena.

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Comments

Is Carlyle our longman? I had no idea.

He definitely doesn’t look like he can serve that purpose. Is there really no one else we could use? Noesi would be a welcome addition. I’d even take Prior, just to fun.

Pena needs to be demoted and we need to promote Jorge Vazquez. He is killing the ball and definitely deserves a spot over Pena, who hasn’t played yet.

it’s amazing how big of a drop off of talent there is between starters and middle relievers. Apparently ours can’t get through an inning without giving up a run. You’re out there for 1 inning, you must be pretty bad if a team can pick up on your stuff within 10-20 pitches.

Robertson needs to stop walking the first batter he sees. He’s a fantastic reliever but it’s always the leadoff walks that kill him. It’s like he’s not paying attention until someone’s on.

by jetanumba2 on May 12, 2011 8:44 AM EDT reply actions

It’s like he’s not paying attention until someone’s on.

Maybe he’s not.

Some people only get motivated when they’re on the edge. It’s possible the things that make one a good late innings reliever might be the same thing that makes him a little too laid back when there’s no perceived pressure.

by pinstriper on May 12, 2011 9:16 AM EDT up reply actions

bad loss!

Should not have even had to come down to relying on our relievers in extras. We left a ton of men on base, having numerous opportunities to blow the game wide open. While the whole team is basically to blame for that, Martin, Jeter, and Swish were the most guilty.
Hopefully they come back tonight and take last night’s frustrations out on the next Royals pitcher they see (O’Sullivan).

by tmccamis09 on May 12, 2011 8:58 AM EDT reply actions

I agree that it shouldn’t have come down to a reliever not being afforded giving up just one run. We had a lot of men on base & failed to score them. And it wasn’t like we couldn’t get hits & all our base runners were walked. We got hits, but then couldn’t get them home. When AJ left the game he should have easily had a 3 run lead, enough to finish the game with a win in 9 innings. This is the main reason they lost. AJ pitched a gem and got nothing to show for it.

As for Jorge Vasquez, I totally agree with the above poster that he should take Pena’s spot. We need offense and the dude is raking. A young excited guy given a chance, who can hit, brings energy to a team. Though even if Cashmoney made that move there’s no guarantee that Vasquez still will get playing time. Girardi’s sentimentality with Posada might lend to Vasquez warming the bench.

However, with us not able to use 2 pitchers last night & now Mo/So tonight I agree that the roster spot of Pena should be temporarily given to a pitcher. Buddy has been very good for us prior to this game, but my understanding is that he is not the longman. Lance Pendleton was our longman (and even Noesi), in place of Colon, who is now our starter until Hughes is back. I believe Ayala is more like a 2inning guy.

D-Rob is awesome, but he seems to thrive on pressure. It’s kind of hard to blame a guy who comes into games when hell breaks lose & gets it done.

by Bronx Chica on May 12, 2011 9:42 AM EDT up reply actions

And, to boot, if you’re going to keep Pena on the roster…why not pinch run for your DH in the 6th, with men on 1st and 2nd with no outs.

Yes, it means you lose Posada’s bat…but your pitcher isn’t going more than 7, anyway. And giving Gardner the ability to bunt up the 3rd base line would, I think, have gotten them 2nd and 3rd with one out.

Either pad the bullpen or use what’s in your clubhouse to try to counteract your short pen. They did neither.

One thing, though: While I agree that Girardi (and the organizational decisions made prior to the game) cost them any real chance at the win…..the Yanks offense can’t get a pass, here. They were ATROCIOUS with RISP last night. They had chance after chance to blow the game open and couldn’t get it done.

by CalinCT on May 12, 2011 9:40 AM EDT reply actions

Didn't get to see the game...

…but why did AJ get the hook after 7? Because the Binder said so, or was his pitch count through the roof (somewhere Goose Gossage is shaking his head in dismay), or was AJ becoming ineffective? If AJ was cruising (one hit, one run when he left, I believe), why not bring him out for the 8th?

And I totally agree that the offense needed to step it up from what I read…

Just once I'd like someone to call me "Sir," without adding, "You're making a scene."

by YankeeCarp on May 12, 2011 9:47 AM EDT reply actions

I think he hit his max of the year at 115 (I think). But his 7th inning was sharp. 1-2-3. I *think*it was 2 K & a grounder. He gave up only 1 hit, which was a homer.

So it was probably pitch count OR because it was only a 1 run lead & maybe girardi wanted him to leave the game with only the chance to win. I really don’t know.

But we had a lot of hits and couldn’t score. It was a brutal RISP fail night. I think they said it was the most RISP Fails of the season.

by Bronx Chica on May 12, 2011 9:53 AM EDT up reply actions

I looked it up...

…you are correct: AJ was at 115 pitches. Again, the pitch count rules all…sadly.

At the same time – and in my opinion – even greater is the RISP. Ridiculous!

Sure hate to see the Bombers lose against an inferior team…sigh

Just once I'd like someone to call me "Sir," without adding, "You're making a scene."

by YankeeCarp on May 12, 2011 10:23 AM EDT up reply actions

Yes, AJ was quick in the 7th

He was equally quick in the 4th, when he gave up the HR and 3 loooong fly ball outs. He was “effectively wild” last night, and I had no problem with pulling him after 7. If that doesn’t happen, we’re spending this morning yelling at Girardi for leaving AJ in too long. That, at least, was one call that Joe got right.

by waw on May 12, 2011 11:29 AM EDT up reply actions

Honestly, I didn't have a huge problem with D-Rob in the 8th, it just didn't work out

The bunting is what killed me, both times were absolutely turrible

So I cut his wrist...vertically!! He was on the floor dyin'...makin a sceene!!

by Briceratops on May 12, 2011 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

Agreed

Sure, DRob had a bad night. If he was perfect, he would not be a middle reliever.

If he was in there after AJ had gone say 6 IP with 1 ER and 85 pitches thrown, then I’d blame Girardi for the failure.
Hmmm, where have we seen that situation before?

by waw on May 12, 2011 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Why did they release Aceves???

A great mystery to me is why the Yanks released A.Aceves just when he had recuperated BEFORE spring training. The guy was great with the Yanks (13-0!!) and can be flexible going short relief to spot starting. How did we let this guy go to Boston where he has an ERA near 2.00 and is making a big $900K for the year. Way to go front-office!

by Kenmandu on May 12, 2011 10:11 AM EDT reply actions

He would have made more than that from the Yankees through arbitration. They tried to resign him as a free agent, but he had a bad back and they had a lot of question mark pitchers.
Phil Hughes should be in the rotation, and the last guy out of the pen should be Bartolo Colon- there’s no room for Aceves in that scenario. Things don’t go according to plan.

"Have faith in the Yankees, my son. Think of the great DiMaggio."
@jscape2000

by jscape2000 on May 12, 2011 11:39 AM EDT up reply actions

Things don’t go according to plan.

Understatement of the season so far

by waw on May 12, 2011 11:47 AM EDT up reply actions

I wanted to re-sign him too

But his win-loss record isn’t a good way of analyzing his performance with the club

So I cut his wrist...vertically!! He was on the floor dyin'...makin a sceene!!

by Briceratops on May 12, 2011 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions

So if Randy Winn hits a HR in one game, will you bitch about the front office on that one too?

Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows

by Rorschach44 on May 12, 2011 3:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Sigh

Once again, Joe Girardi wasn’t the one who was not executing with runners in scoring position and leaving 15 runners on base. Swisher is 0-17 w/RISP and 2 outs this season. Jeter was 0-6, etc.. It was a massive offensive fail, something that has been plaguing this team as a whole for more than a couple of weeks now.

I bet it's good to be playing again, huh?

by david d on May 12, 2011 11:09 AM EDT reply actions

This is true

But still, Joe made mistakes and he’s getting called on them. Yes, if our offense had done better, then those mistakes would have either been overcome, or he would not have been in a position to make them.

But of the two (RISP fail vs. Binder fail), one is completely controllable, and one is not. For myself, I place blame on Joe for the mistakes that were completely controllable:
- bunting in bad situations
- Overusing DRob while underusing Joba

The other failures of the players, while deserving of some scorn, are also just part of the game
- it’s not like Swish, et al., are not trying to get hits with RISP
- bunt failures (pop-out by Jeter) are frustrating, but if this stuff were easy we’d all be on a MLB roster
- Buddy + Ayala + DRob were not out there trying to give up runs. But, it happens.

Joe has much more control over his decisions than the players have over their failures. And yes, the player failures can affect the outcome of Joe’s decisions, I know. But, fair or not, that is the lot of the professional manager – he gets the glory when his call works out, and the blame when it does not. And before I feel to bad for Joe G., I realize he has several million dollars worth of glory in his bank account, so what I write about him is not going to ruin his day…

by waw on May 12, 2011 11:37 AM EDT up reply actions

"Swisher is 0-17 w/RISP and 2 outs this season. Jeter was 0-6, etc."

You mean you want us to criticize Jeter? Who are you and what did you do with David?

So I cut his wrist...vertically!! He was on the floor dyin'...makin a sceene!!

by Briceratops on May 12, 2011 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Dude, 0-6…is…just…ugh.

I bet it's good to be playing again, huh?

by david d on May 12, 2011 12:31 PM EDT up reply actions

Second-worst loss of the year

#1: Soriano’s meltdown vs. MIN (who aren’t even a good team!)
#2: Tonight vs. KCR (who aren’t even a good team!)

This bunting shit has to stop. If you have a man on 1st and no out, you 1) let them STEAL; 2) THEN you BUNT. 2B with one out doesn’t score you on a Sac Fly! And the out we gave up last night in the 10th probably cost us the game.

I don’t even care about how awful our 7 BB bullpen was…Joe Girardi managed himself right out of the game.

Also: Gardner has been caught in 50% off his attempts this season…what the hell? He’s obviously doing something wrong, because the speed is still there.

by PortlandYankee on May 12, 2011 12:05 PM EDT reply actions

Nonsense. We still had Mitre and Gaudin available if the game went more than 11 innings.

With Martin on base and Gardner at bat with no one out, I thought the situation cried for a hit-and- run, a play conspicuous by its absence from Yankee strategy. If Gardner put the ball in play on the ground with the infield in, there would have been no defender in position anywhere. If he were to swing and miss, you would have Martin, a decent base stealer going to second. If Martin were forced, then Gardner could have tried the steal. Also, with a 3-1 count, bunting made even less sense than ever. Gardner was looking at a damage pitch, not a bunting opportunity.

by designatedquitter on May 12, 2011 12:24 PM EDT reply actions

Aside from the offensive fail, my biggest issue was Joe pulling Mo after 12 freaking pitches.

He should really be more clear, and just call Mo the “9th inning guy,” rather than the closer. Basically, he’ll pitch the 9th inning, and the 9th inning only, even if they go 10 innings. I get not wanting to wear him out, but he threw 12 pitches. Are you telling me Mo would just implode if he had to throw an additional 12-20 pitches? Because that’s how good he was last night, no way would they have scored in the 10th with Mo on the mound, after an inning like the 9th, nor do I believe his body would break, leaving him unavailable for days.

by luckiBelle on May 12, 2011 12:31 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I really don't like the idea of Mo throwing 32 pitches, or anywhere near that.

I can see using him for 4 outs or something, but not 2 whole innings right now.

It's like being a huge fan of winning, which we do, relentlessly.

by WhatwouldJeterdo on May 12, 2011 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions

Here's my problem with that - he pitched for nothing last night.

We wasted him. If Joe is going to use him in a tie game to hold it, and the offense doesn’t produce in the bottom of the inning, why use him at all if he’s not allowed to finish the game? Joe wasted him entirely, bringing him in to hold the game, then pulling him for another reliever(s) who blew the tie. Those 12 pitches? 12 more than he should have thrown if he wasn’t going in to actually close the game. In my opinion, of course.

by luckiBelle on May 12, 2011 12:57 PM EDT via mobile reply actions

I just… don’t understand the bunting.

"Nature never intended for you to survive here. But this fall, nature isn't the only thing to fear." September 10, 2011. Alabama vs. Penn State. White House.

by Chris McKeown on May 12, 2011 2:01 PM EDT reply actions

Manufacturing runs....

Something we’ve been unable to do consistently for what seems like 3 weeks now. Aside from Granderson/Cano (who was taken out last night after being hit in the head), we’ve been rather anemic. On occassion someone may knock one in, but the bulk of the offense mostly relies on these 2 guys.

This has driven Girardi to reach for that “Binder”. Early on when we were hitting there wasn’t a lot of bunting. Though we had steals & hit/run plays. But now… ugh. The bunts reeks of desperation.

Let’s go back to the rangers game. The slowest guy, Posada, is on 2nd and Gardner bunts. I’m sure everyone in the stands could see the out at 3rd coming. The SS moved off base ready to easily beat Posada to 3rd & yet Girardi kept the bunt on. Well I guess since it didn’t work, Girardi threw that page away since we haven’t tried is since.

Putting aside the fact that they should have won in regulation if they hadn’t RISP failed so miserably, the Gardner on 1st, with Jeter needing to bunt him over was a disaster. Even if the bunt was affective, we shouldn’t have to bunt (give an out) to move Gardner to 2B.

This team really needs to figure out how to score. Hit & run plays could help. But all in all, they need to get that hit. This slump has gone on for a while.

And how about the walking Swisher to get to Posada. Yikes!

by Bronx Chica on May 12, 2011 2:21 PM EDT reply actions