New York Yankees News and Notes - 9/16/2011
by 3460kuri on Sep 16, 2011 6:00 AM EDT
in New York Yankees News
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This is one of the most uneventful Septembers around the majors that I can remember. There aren't any real pennant races left, the Cy Young/MVP candidates are pretty clearly identified, and we don't even have the "who will be the Wild Card" drama coming out of the AL East. So, in the absence of real news, we have fake news, like who the Yankees #2 starter will be once the postseason starts. Fangraphs does a pretty good job of making the case here and I can't say I really disagree with much of it.
It's really nice to have a bunch of studs in your rotation, but I think the Yankees are in significantly better shape heading into this year's postseason compared to last year, where it Sabathia and Hughes followed by questions about Andy Pettitte's health and A.J. Burnett's ability to avoid football score blowouts. Say what you will about Bartolo Colon's durability, Freddy Garcia's smoke and mirrors act, or Ivan Nova's ups and downs, but any of them are likely to give the Yankees about six innings while limiting the damage on offense, which is as much as any of the other AL teams can say about their no. 2-4 playoff starters.
RAB gives their take on the not-so-suprising news about Pedro Feliciano with the perfect analysis: repeating mistakes. When will teams learn that signing free agent relievers is kind of like putting your mortgage payment down on scratch-off tickets? Sure, you'll win some of your money back but you're virtually guaranteed a pretty sizable disappointment. I guess Brian Cashman forgot this, this, this, and this.
Then again, it could be even worse.....
This stuff scares me, especially as the postseason nears:
As the Yankees figure out what to do with their pitching staff in the postseason, it’s easy to consider (A.J.) Burnett to be the most obvious odd man out (one solid start in Boston and three terrific innings in Seattle don’t carry a ton of weight). But if he does this twice more in the next two weeks — against significantly better lineups — would that be enough to convince Girardi and the Yankees that Burnett’s become the hot hand, one they should ride into October?
It's pretty clear to me that A.J. Burnett has permanently morphed into Jeff Weaver II, and that should tell you where he belongs in October (hint, it's not here).
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Whaddaya mean we have no “‘who will be the Wild Card’ coming out of the AL East”? I’m absolutely on tenterhooks about this Rays vs. Red Sox business! ;)
Farewell and thanks to #46.
The Angels and Texas aren't out of the WC runnings either.
If the Red Sox keep sucking…who knows? Could be the ultimate choke that will force Boston fans to stop bringing up 2004.
by jimitre on Sep 16, 2011 9:19 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Agreed. The DRays handing the RedStockings their heads 4 in a row is entirely possible.
Even 3 of 4 would leave them only 2 back with 10 to go. That looks like a pennant race to me. If you actually watched the game yesterday, you would have noticed that Youkilis, Drew, and half the pitching staff is out of commission. Boston has Beckett, Lester, and 3 choices worse than AJ Burnett in their rotation at the moment. John Lackey is no better than AJ, he may be worse. It took Wakefield 8 tries and 18 runs of support to get his 200th win. The other guys are Andrew Miller and somebody Weiland.
I expect to see Sabathia, Nova, Burnett, and either Hughes or Colon in the 4th spot. I would rather see Burnett in the 4th spot, but I think Girardi likes him more than I do. I also would expect to see Colon pitch on long rest from here on out to keep him relatively fresh.
The free agent lesson to me seems to be that cheap ones are a better investment than expensive ones. That way you can DFA them without regret if they don’t work out.
by designatedquitter on Sep 16, 2011 10:24 AM EDT reply actions
No drama in AL East???
Article said, “we don’t even have the wild card drama in the AL East”. Have you checked the standings lately??? After all is said and done, it is quite possible that the Rays could win the AL East, with either the Yankees or Sox out of the wild card chase. Look at the number of times the Yankees have to play the Rays and Red Sox……….then tell me the AL East is “without drama”. A little early to try to figure out the pitching rotation for the post-season……….Better worry about the rotation for winning a post-season spot, first!!!
Rays win the AL east?
do the math. they are 8 losses back of us with 14 games to go…if the yanks go 7-7 the rays can not catch up. if we go 6-8, the rays would have to go 14-0 and so on….
Yeah
The Yankees are a virtual lock for the postseason, and the Rays and Red Sox boil down to a numbers game at this point.
Assume Boston and Tampa are evenly matched. That gives Tampa about a 1 in 8 chance of sweeping the rest of the series (.50 X .50 X .50) and pulling even with Boston. From there, they have around a 50/50 chance of finishing the season with a better record.
But this is the absolute best case scenario, they have a 12% chance of sweeping to get to 50% chance of making the postseason. That equates to something like 17:1 odds. And that’s the absolute best case. I’m going to wait until Sunday’s game is over before I consider anything “dramatic”.
Agreed, the Rays are still behind the 8 ball
I think tonight’s game is incredibly important. Beckett is going for the Sox, and if he wins then they can take a deep breath and play it out. If the Red Sox lose the game that Beckett starts, though, their collars are going to get awfully tight.
Tonight's game does look like the Red Sox best chance for a win, but if it;'s the only one they get they're still in trouble.
If you’ve seen them play recently, they have been awful in every aspect, not just starting pitching. The bullpen can’t get the ball to Papelbon because they have either wild pitched it into the screen or allowed it to be hit 10 rows into the bleachers. Their defense has fallen apart, flying bat shards notwithstanding, and Ortiz, Youkilis, and Gonzalez would all be on the DL if they wren’t needed so badly.
by designatedquitter on Sep 16, 2011 2:27 PM EDT up reply actions
So are you conceding again?
Rec Generating Database
Jedi Master A-Rod is a poster on Pinstripe Alley. He can be reached by clicking the "Reply" button below his comments.
by Jedi Master A-Rod on Sep 16, 2011 10:59 AM EDT up reply actions
Too funny. I wish I were around for that.
"Everything looks nicer when you win. The girls are prettier, the cigars taste better. The trees are greener."—Billy Martin
by Chris McKeown on Sep 16, 2011 1:29 PM EDT up reply actions
you're out of your gourd
Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows
by Rorschach44 on Sep 16, 2011 11:00 AM EDT up reply actions
and Notre Dame sucks
Last night, a comedian died in New York. Somebody knows why. Somebody knows
by Rorschach44 on Sep 16, 2011 11:14 AM EDT up reply actions
Reliever burnout
seams to happen a lot. Feliciano…Bard…. can the Yanks’ Robertson be far behind? I’m not gonna waste any time coming up with a magic formula to determine when it happens (IP + pitches, plus number of fastballs*curves/sliders+ration of warmup pitches on the mound vs. bullpen). Everyone’s different. Price, Verlander, Sabathia, Lee can throw all day. So far, Hughes has shown he cannot. Many relievers get overused and suck the next season (which gets them some much needed rest), Mo Rivera never sux. You just cannot know until the dude pitches into his 30’s without problems. Best thing for the Yanks to do is overpay guys for shorter contracts and when arm trouble happens we’re not stuck crying about years of dead wood…Pavano, Marte, Feliciono…
by steelerwheeler on Sep 16, 2011 11:30 AM EDT reply actions
No Yankee reliever is in the top 50 of innings pitched. This is one thing Girardi has done well.
Every time you kick your dog because a ‘mop’ is pitching instead of David Robertson, now you’re seeing the reason why. The team is in first place, and nobody’s arm is hanging by a tendon.
I heartily agree that buying other teams’ burnouts is hardly a strategy for success. I also would agree that any player acquired from the Mets should be decontaminated before he is allowed to cross from Queens into the Bronx.
by designatedquitter on Sep 16, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions
I disagree
Usually the Mets formula is that players do better once they get off that team.
"WHO WOULD LEAD?! THE CLOWN?!"
by I'mGivingYouARaise on Sep 16, 2011 2:37 PM EDT up reply actions
If Garcia or Colon’s game goes to hell over the next two weeks, I could be tempted to giving AJ a playoff start if he’s pitching well. Those two are just too fragile physically to mess with.
That being said, my playoff rotation would be this provided the status quo is maintained:
1- CC
2- Nova
3- Colon
4- Garcia
"Don't you think it's strange that you'll make more money than President Hoover this year?"
"Why not? I had a better year than he did." - G.H. Ruth
Whats so bad about what Girardi said?
If he pitches well against two playoff caliber teams, he would have had a very nice September and if that is the case I wouldn’t hesitate to consider him. Especially if Garcia or Colon gets hurt or falls apart.
Season numbers mean shit. You go with the starters that are pitching well, and if AJ Burnett is pitching well and Freddy Garcia or Bartolo Colon isn’t, then AJ belongs in the playoff rotation. I don’t care what their season numbers look like. As of right now he doesn’t, but Garcia’s been pounded his last couple outings and AJ’s pitched well, so things could change depending on how the season ends.
Welcome to the Majors, Jesus!
Now PLAY HIM MOAR!!
well not what Girardi said
what the article said. But still, I see nothing wrong with thinking that AJ deserves consideration if he finishes the season hot.
Welcome to the Majors, Jesus!
Now PLAY HIM MOAR!!
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