Pinstripe Alley: FanPosts

Performance Bonuses

2009-11-07T04:47:57Z

Anyone find out how much everybody got for their stats over the year, and the extra money from winning rounds in playoffs...

Don't speculate, if u don't know.. I know pettite was supposed to get 4 mil, but he had some bonuses

Also.. Sabathia's salary was 14 mil w/ 9 mil signing bonus this year, next year it will be 23 mil. I hope we repeat, and sign matsui, damon, and pettite

I Have No Regrets.......

2009-11-07T02:35:36Z

I don't know about you guys, but I have absolutely no regrets about this season. So much happened. Some was good, some was bad, and some was just plain boring. We have had walk-off wins, blowouts, and every kind of game in between. Melky came alive when it came to the ninth and became the walk-off king. A-Rod learned to relax and he wound up getting more clutch hits. Jeter showed everybody who deserved to be the MVP and moved into 1st place on the All-time Yankees Hits List. We acquired new pitchers. CC once again reigned supreme when it came to pitching a hell of a game and AJ showed off his arm. We also picked up Teixiera and boy were we lucky. Talk about good defense, offense, and just about everything else. Our DH (you know exactly who I'm talking about) really came alive and got hit after hit after hit.

We went through the ups and the downs of every team and got through it. We have gone through a lot and look where we ended up. We had a rocky start in April, but once A-Rod got back, we were our normal selves again. We got to christen the new stadium and share moments with this team we never thought would come. When you really think about the season you don't think of all the bad things that happened, you think of the good, because there was so much of it. If one guy wasn't hot (batting), another was. Winning is contagious. How many times do you see a guy make a great play and another has to make an even better one? Or someone hits an home run and two more guys decide they have to do the same. Players feed off of each others' energy, we all do. They have really done all a team can do, that's why I'm proud to be their fan. All of us here on PA share a passion. A passion for the game of baseball. I was more than happy to share these great moments with you all and can't wait for next season to share more. That's why I have no regrets about this season. No matter what happened, we kept trying and trying and trying and we came out on top. This team is amazing and none of us should be ashamed of rooting for them, because we have bragging rights.

-TheMelkman

What a rival AL Manager says:

2009-11-06T23:44:17Z

From: http://www.asapsports.com/show_interview.php?id=59511 An interview with Ron Gardenhire, manager of the Twins.
**********************************

Q. Joe Girardi described your club as scrappy. Particularly the walk-off wins. But also these recent games here now, do you think your players relish this role? They come and see this 1.5 billion palace, the $200 million Yankees. Is there a certain role they want to play here, David versus Goliath?

RON GARDENHIRE: I think once you get out on the field, no one plays with a bill fold in their pocket. It's all baseball players….

You know what, the Yankees are the most professional team you'll ever see. They do their work. They play the game the right way. They don't get enough credit for that. They get always talked about high payroll and everything. But that's professional baseball players over there. Those guys are really good. And they take pride in everything they do. So we know that we've got a big battle here. Because these guys are a great baseball team. They've proved it all year long.

________________________________________________________________________________

It might occur to most of us who don't blindly hate the Yanks or who claim that the Yanks buy Championships that if the opinion of a respected big-league manager is that the Yanks honor the city they play in and the game they play enough to put it enough hard work to get the most out of their abilities that the argument that the Yanks simply cut checks to the best free agents and let the mercenaries mercilessly destroy everyone is BS. Didn't the Yankees go like 17 games without an error in mid-May? They did. And that's not cause the players are the best paid. It's because they've worked hard at their trade and take pride in what they do. In laymens terms that's called hard work. If you work hard you get rewarded. If you look to improve on already prodigious talent that means you're hungry to succeed and revel in the glory of success. In professional sports one thing counts: winning. You play to have fun and to win. If you're a company who has inherent resources to consistently improve the product that you put out it means you care about your brand and don't want to shortchange the paying public. That's called a sense of obligation. I'd like to see how many of the teams in the AL got their best home attendances in the games where the Yanks visited their city. I already know the answer. All of them. More fans, more parking money, more money on concessions, merchandise. More business in the bars around the stadiums.

Everyone baseball fan that dislikes the Yanks for what they aspire to do WOULD WANT their team to do the same thing if their team had the resources. The argument about how immoral and what an outrage the Yanks are would be valid if those same detractors stopped rooting for their team if management had such resources and decided to put them to work to build a winner. But of course they would not. They'd be clamoring for their teams front office to spend and try to achieve glory. In the end it's envy. It 's those people who wish they could be like us. I wish I were successful professionally but I'm not. But I don't hate those who are. In fact I admire them and wish that in that respect I was more like them. That comparison is just as applicable to those fans who beat on the Yanks and New York. They want to be where we are. Their envy and hatred is the greatest flattery, admiration and respect they could pay to us.

A Yankees article from back in 2000

2009-11-06T22:39:42Z

Just like Joe D, Jeter leads Yankees

By RONALD BLUM
AP Sports Writer
October 26, 2000

NEW YORK (AP) -- Derek Jeter is just like Joe DiMaggio: He arrives, and the New York Yankees start winning the World Series, year after year.

``We've been fortunate the last few years,'' he said after leading the Yankees over the Mets 3-2 Wednesday night for a 3-1 World Series lead.

Asked to assume the leadoff spot, he homered on the first pitch of the game, then tripled and scored for a 3-0 lead in the third.

Yet, he preferred to look ahead, to finishing this Subway Series, not behind.

``This Mets team isn't going to give up,'' he said. ``In my opinion, they're the best team we've played in the five years I've been here in the postseason.''

He is always composed, always polite, always respectful. Just like Joe D was.

When the great DiMaggio came to the majors in 1936, the Yankees won four World Series in his first four seasons.

Jeter is on the verge of helping the Yankees win titles in four of his first five years.

Only three teams before have won three or more in a row: the Yankees from 1936-39, the Yankees from 1949-53 and the Oakland Athletics from 1972-74.

Babe Ruth never did it.

Neither did Reggie Jackson or Thurman Munson.

Jeter is about to join DiMaggio and Yogi Berra in the pinstriped pantheon of baseball.

``You have to play for a lot of years before you can be considered a Yankee great,'' he said back in July after winning the MVP award in the All-Star game. ``I've only played four years. This is my fifth. Hopefully, I can play for a few more years, then start that debate.''

Fuhgeddaboudit!

In the age of talk radio, the debate already has begun.

The Mets have Benny and the Jets?

The Yankees have Derek and the Dominoes.

He gets hits, and opponents fall like dominoes.

``He makes things happen,'' a rather drained Yankees manager Joe Torre said. ``He's a kid who's only been around five years, and he's got all the qualities of someone who takes charge and leads by example, as opposed to telling anybody he is the leader of this club.''

Torre calls him the kid.

Jeter still calls his manager Mr. Torre.

Jeter seems to have perfect timing, at the plate and in the dugout. He knows just the right time for a wisecrack to loosen the tension. When Mike Piazza stepped to the plate in the eighth, Jeter ran in to the mound to say a few words to Mariano Rivera. Piazza grounded out.

He is the Yankees' glamourpuss, the cover boy the girls swoon at, like they were at some Sinatra concert in the '40s.

On Wednesday, he stunned Shea Stadium into silence, sending Bobby J. Jones' first pitch soaring into the left-field bleachers, the first to homer of the opening pitch of a Series game since Pete Rose in 1972.

``You want to take the crowd out of the game,'' Jeter said. ``I've been known to swing at the first pitch. When you're playing these types of games, when runs can be kind of hard to come by, you want to score early.

``It was huge for us.''

Jones was shocked.

``I wasn't expecting him to swing,'' Jones said. ``There's some guys that swing first pitch. When I watched him on video, he was in the two-hole a lot.''

Jeter led off in the third inning and came through again, tripling to the base of the fence right-center and scoring on Luis Sojo's grounder for a 3-0 lead.

He doesn't have a fluid swing, not like a Ken Griffey Jr. When he slumps, he tends to lunge at balls.

But when he's on, he leads the Yankees, just like Bernie Williams and Paul O'Neill.

Jeter is just 26, with his best years ahead, but he's helped carry them this week, while Williams has gone 0-for-15. Jeter is batting .444 in the first four games of the Series, extending his Series hitting streak to 13 games and raising his career Series average to .347.

But these Yankees think relatively little about individual accomplishments. The only number that counts is the Series rings on their starry fingers.

If he wants to wear them all on one hand, he has one for the index finger, one for the middle finger, one for the ring finger.

His pinkie is waiting.

``We're one win away,'' he said, ``from where we want to be.''

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Good times, what? :) I found this on my PC today.

Letterman

2009-11-06T08:12:43Z

Did anyone else watch the boys on David Letterman tonight? I DVR'd it but I caught a small snippet of it because I was flipping back and forth and lo and behold, I flip the channel back to Letterman and Letterman whips out the shot of A-Rod having himself a handful of Jeter's ass.

In case you've forgotten. Or just need a good chuckle:

via cdn.faniq.com

Classic. I can't stop laughing and my sides are hurting.

The reactions by Andy, Jorge, and Derek was hilarious and it was too bad they cut to commercial immediately after that.

On another note, the boys sure looked spiffy tonight.

Last Tip of the Cap for Andy Pettitte?

2009-11-06T02:58:15Z

Andy Pettitte has been in pinstripes for many years. He's won 5 World Championships. He's pitched and won many big postseason games (including last night). He's pitched in both Yankee Stadiums. He's accomplished practically anything he could possibly want in his career.

So you have to wonder, is this it for Andy Pettitte?

Last season, this was a discussion, except it was about Mike Mussina. Moose was one of my favorite Yankees starters ever. It was great to watch him pitch last season. And it upset me when he retired. Andy is one of my favorite pitchers of all time as well, and it would hurt just as much, if not more, if he decided to hang it up after this year.

He said, "I have to talk to my family". He's been saying that every year, and always he comes back. This past offseason, the main lure for his return was the New Yankee Stadium, and one more World Championship. He just got both. So now, you have to wonder, and I have to wonder, were we watching Andy Pettitte tip his last cap when he jogged off the mound in Game 6 of the World Series?

Poll

Will Andy Pettitte Retire?

The "Yankees Buy Their Championships" Argument Laid To Rest

2009-11-06T00:36:20Z

I've read a lot in the past 8 hours about how the Yankees "bought another championship" from non-Yankee fans.

I'd like to address that and the entire financial aspect of baseball for a moment, if I may.

First and foremost, money obviously does not buy championships. If it did, every year the playoffs would consistently feature only the big-market, cash-rich teams -- which obviously is not the case. This year, the AL and NL Division Series featured teams with 2009 payroll rankings from 1 (NYY) to 23 (MIN). 3 of those teams were in the bottom half of that list, including the Rockies (18) and the Cards (17). Go back to 2008's World Series and you have to obviously talk about the $49 million dollar Rays, who were next to last. The Phillies spent $113 million -- where was the talk about the obvious disparity there?

Despite the rhetoric of the "baseball is a game" purists, the reality is that Major League Baseball is a business, plain and simple, and that business (like any other) is expected to make a profit. While I am sure that the majority of baseball's owners are indeed baseball fans, I seriously doubt that anyone would not consider their ownership to be an investment and attempt to manage it as one. What happens when a team is no longer making enough money? It gets sold or moved somewhere in an attempt to spark new life.

Any college business class will teach you that successful businesses invest in themselves, using a portion of their profits to grow. Likewise, successful baseball teams invest in themselves, knowing that a better team on the field will attract more revenue through attendance, merchandising, and media rights. George Steinbrenner bought the Yankees from CBS, who had mismanaged it into obscurity in the '60s for $10 million, and subsequently built it up by investing in it and making shrewd business deals such as selling the cable TV rights to Yankee games, inking deals with companies like Addidas, and creating the YES Network. In 2005, the Yankees were valued at $1 billion dollars. What most people do not know is that Steinbrenner initially tried to purchase the Indians, and when that deal fell through, he turned his sights on the Yanks. Imagine if he had been able to do for Cleveland even part of what he has done for New York and you are left to wonder how many people would be leveling their criticism in the direction of Ohio today.

The purists, with eyes agog at the spending of teams such as the Yankees and Red Sox cry unto heaven for a salary cap. There are two reasons why the owners refuse to implement one: First, it hampers the ability of owners to run their business as they see fit. Second, the small market teams (and those teams with bad management) are loathe to give up the revenue sharing money they get from the higher payroll teams. If you're the owner of the Marlins, say, why give up all that money? If you did, you might have to field a better team consistently to turn a profit. What did the Marlins do after they won the World Series? Pocketed all the cash and dismantled the team, selling off their higher-priced talent. In fact, when you look at the history of the Marlins and how badly they have been managed since then, you are rightfully surprised when they are in contention for the postseason; the amount of talent that they let get away since then due to cost is staggering. Meanwhile, the Yankees paid about 10% of their salary figure in a luxury tax in 2009; how much of that went into the pockets of the ownership of the Marlins?

So clearly, bad management, from the front office to the dugout, is a prime factor in bad results in the standings. But there's an intangible factor at play in championship-caliber teams - one that money cannot directly buy - and that's clubhouse chemistry. If you listen to what the majority of players, managers, and coaches say after a successful season, it's all about chemistry and working together as a true team, rather than a collection of individuals. Far too often in the past nine years, the Yankees spent gobs of cash signing players that never really meshed together; in those years, they ultimately did not produce what their payroll allegedly should have produced. Names like Brown, Johnson, and Sheffield instantly spring to mind when one considers the non-winning Yankee "teams". Looking back at the 2009 New York Yankees, you see that chemistry; you see it in the boy-like grin of Nick Swisher as he realizes that there's 4 balls to a walk and heads back to the plate. You see it in A.J. Burnett as he delivers another whipped-cream celebration to the face of a walk-off producer. You see it in Joe Girardi, who may have helped foster this camaraderie himself by canceling practice early in the season to go have a team bonding day at a pool hall. This also rings true for the 2004 Red Sox; and perhaps speaks to the intangible value of Johnny Damon.

One final word about George Steinbrenner. While he has shouldered the burden of building a $10 million dollar investment into a $1 billion dollar powerhouse, he has also been one of the more giving individuals baseball has likely ever seen. Try this: Google "george steinbrenner charity" and you'll get an idea of how many lives his generosity has touched over the years. Legends Field in Tampa wasn't renamed in his honor in an effort to keep the Yankees Spring Training home in that city or born of some other desperate effort to appease The Boss, rather it was in honor of the generosity he has shown to that community; quietly, largely behind the scenes, and largely unsung in discussions about baseball. Yet despite the mudslinging that is constantly hurled his way, not once has Steinbrenner ever publicly taken offense; not once has he addressed the media on how he should be recognized for his philanthropy - and clearly, he would be in the right to do so. Reportedly in declining health; when one day George Steinbrenner leaves us, Yankee fans will make up only part of those who mourn his loss.

Finally, here's the one question that none of those who decry the Yankees payroll can seem to answer: Since George Steinbrenner purchased the Yankees, they have won the World Series 7 times.

Who bought the other 20?

To End This Season...

2009-11-06T00:30:17Z

The Yankees deserved this one. This was a hard faught series but i think that our guys were the better team in the end. Our batting lineup compared to the Phils lineup wasn't much different on paper. But when it came to big time hits and clutch performances in the World Series, the Yanks clearly had the edge. Matsui steped up when needed, Jeter was consistently hitting the ball and getting on base, and MO... There isn't enough to say about him. This team to me was a great Yankee team but not the Great-est. But they sure an hell made this an exciting season to watch. The Yankees in my opinion are the greatest franchise in all three major American sports and will be infamously always champions. It was a good season guys.....No..... Great season

Bring Them Back - F/A

2009-11-05T22:40:51Z

Congratulations to all of out team and the organization, this was truely a remarkable year. Now that the season is over, in a few weeks, it comes time to address the free-agent situation. Personally, I would resign Damon and Matsui. Without them, we are not here. Some people mention Jorge's declining defense and the possibility of moving him to the DH spot. He is and will be a better hitter when he is catching. His defense is not Terrible - just average. Both of these guys had very good years. I really do not want to see this championship team broken up quite yet. Sign them to 1 and 2 year deals (Matsui, Damon, respectively). If you ask me, Petitte is a no brainer to resign. You will never have a better big game pitcher. He deserves a 2 year deal, incentive based.

On another note, Marte deserves not to be dealt. He had a huge World Series and became our go-to guy.

Please comment if you have any thoughts or if I missed anything.

Great Season guys, I'm already looking foward to Spring Training

Who was the better team?

2009-11-05T21:38:29Z

I just saw this quote from Jimmy Rollins on RAB:

“They were the better team this series,” Rollins said after the game. “Do I think we’re the better team? I really do. They just executed. I think we weren’t playing bad, but they were playing that much better. They got the hits, we didn’t. It’s that simple.”

Classy, right? Which brings up my next question:

Who was the better team: The Angels or the Phillies? I actually think the Phillies were the third best team in baseball this year.

Poll

Who was the better opponent?

Congratulations Yankees Fans

2009-11-05T21:06:06Z

Beat the Phillies fair and square, but they got a pretty good challenge. Phils made it past the "embarrassment threshold" of five games and proved that 2008 wasn't a fluke. That said, I want a rematch. Next week, if possible. That was a ton of fun; I'm actually just as sad that it's over as I am that the Phillies lost.

I think I'm happiest for CC Sabathia (always loved that guy) and Mariano Rivera, whose years as a dominant force are inevitably winding down.

Again, congrats, and we'll see you in the Bronx next June 15-17, and hopefully October...

Enjoy the parade.

Team of the Decade

2009-11-05T19:38:38Z

At times like this I like to reflect on recent history and how great the Yankees are. In my mind there is no doubt that the Yankees are the franchise of the decade. Two World Series as bookends and nine playoff appearances in ten years makes it a no-brainer. The Yankees take the title as franchise of the decade for the seventh time (1920s-1960s, 1990s, and 2000s).

More interesting is whether the 2009 Yankees are the best team this decade

I see three criteria for the best team of a decade.

1. Did they win the World Series? The 2001 Mariners and the 2002 A's were great but they couldn't get a world championship so they are out.

2. Their performance in the postseason. The 2001 Diamondbacks had a nice run but a few bounces and either the Cardinals or the Yankees would have knocked them out.

3. Their performance in the regular season. The 2000 Yankees, 2003 Marlins, 2005 White Sox, 2008 Phillies, and 2006 Cardinals were good teams that got hot at the right time (or "knew how to win)" They were far from great teams.

This leaves four contenders:

2009 Yankees 103-59 (Pythagorean record 95-67). 11-4 postseason.

2007 Red Sox 96-66 (101-61 Pythagorean) 11-3 postseason

2004 Red Sox (wild card) 98-64 (96-66 Pythagorean) 11-3 postseason.

2002 Angels (wild card) 99-63 (101-61 Pythagorean) 11-5 postseason.

I'm inclined to downgrade the two wild card teams leaving the '09 Yanks and '07 Sox as the top two. Your thoughts?

What will they say now...

2009-11-05T19:06:17Z

About two hours after the Yankees closed out their 27th world championship, I logged in to twitter and was amazed on the trends and comments of non-yankee fans. Of course, everyone has a right to chose a team and hate who they please, but their is a unique pleasure in hating the yanks. As a yankee fan, I found most of them amusing. You've probably heard some. They range from "money bought this championship" to " at least the phills made it back to back year." Now, of course money was a big reason we won. Yes, we have the highest pay-roll in baseball, and yes without money we probably aren't champs. But money does not make CC talented or Tex, Jeter, A-rod etc...the talents is there and they are rewarded immensely. If a salary cap was in place, would that mean A-rod will now hit 20 homers and CC win 10 games, in my opinion that point is senseless.On another note, Phillies fans really expected to walk over the yankees. The favorite prediction was yanks in 5. Are you kidding me? I think they got used to walking over NY's baseball team, but these aint the mets. Philadelphia is no where near a dynasty yet, if the mets were completely healthy this year, I doubt philly wins the east that easily. Their biggest stars, Cliff Lee, Ryan Howard, Brad Lidge and the manager charlie manuel, simply stated "we lost to a better team." So what will they say now.?" It will probably range from steroids to Ny voodoo casting a curse on the phills. ( Yes i've heard that one.) Bottom line is then, you lost to a better team. But the excuses and alibi's to cover up a disappointment will continue. Continue to hate, curse and whine, I bet we can buy you too.

via i33.photobucket.com

MO was pitching HURT! ESPN interview after the game.....

2009-11-05T13:54:40Z

That heat pad wasn't to keep loose - it was because he was hurt! Obviously - he didn't want anyone outside the Yanks to know...and he pitched hurt last night! Just watch the candid interview on ESPN with Berman, Singleton, Gammons, and Winfield shortly after the clincher. Mo - can't say enough about him. Can't say enough about this team..... F anyone who says our team has no heart. 27 TIME WORLD SERIES CHAMPION NEW YORK YANKEES!!!!!

Thanks To Everyone For A Great Season

2009-11-05T06:45:35Z

Wow. This is the best I have ever felt about sports in my whole life (possibly looking past '07 Giants). This was my first year of participating in Pinstripe Alley, and I became addicted immediately.

While we celebrate, I wanted to take a moment to thank all of the posters here, and especially Ed, Travis, Jscape, and CYC. Being here and being a part of this was the most fun I've ever had watching baseball and discussing (read: arguing) about the Yankees.

I hope to see all of you back next season, and hopefully keep it going as much as possible in the off-season.

Hey Ed, Travis, jscape, CYC

2009-11-05T06:16:00Z

You might want to fix this:

Welcome to Pinstripe Alley, an SB Nation blog about the 26-time World Champion New York Yankees.

I think a 27 will look quite lovely there...

That's really all I want to say, but since a FanPost must be at least 75 words long, I'll add this:

Thank all of you for making this a very entertaining site! I've only started reading it this season, don't know if it goes back further than that or not. But I've found it a great place to talk to good Yankees fans, and the game threads have added a lot of humor and enjoyment to the games for me. I look forward to next season, and I won't soon get tired of hearing "The Defending World Champion New York Yankees" :-D

BIG UPS to all our HATERS!!!!! Number 27!

2009-11-05T05:23:35Z

Eat it Fox......

Eat it Jimmy Rollins......eat a BIG FAT ONE......

Eat it Philly Inquirer.....

Eat it Howard Bryant....

Eat it John Kruk.....

Eat it Red Sox fans hoping Pedro would represent the Sox somehow.....

Eat it to everyone who said we can't close it out like in 2004.....

EAT IT HATERS..................EAT A HUGE ONE. NUMBER 27!!!!!

I've been waiting quite some time for this. Time to grab our championship gear.

CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 27 TIME WORLD CHAMPS

2009-11-05T05:16:36Z

Way to Go Yankees.. need to add 2009

via fotr.mlblogs.com

The ghosts may have been abandoned across the street, where the House that Ruth Built is awaiting the imminent arrival of the wrecker’s ball. But from old to new, the New York Yankees left no doubt in the House that George Built that their championship tradition runs as straight and true as a pinstripe.

The Yankees won their 27th World Series title and first in the new Yankee Stadium by beating the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 Wednesday night to take the 105th World Series in six games.

They christened their new $1.5 billion home in the same style as the original back in 1923, when the heroes were a left-handed slugger named Babe Ruth and a left-handed pitcher named Herb Pennock. Ruth hit three home runs, including one in the World Series clincher, and Pennock won twice, including the finale.

Game 6 update

2009-11-05T03:23:57Z

This World series equates itself to a roller coaster ride. Andy P just recieved a standing ovation from the crowd. This out was very impressive dispite all the criticsim associated with the three days rest between starts. Joba makes me nervous but it looks like he relaxed as he retires the side.Hideki Matsui is the man 6 RBI's so far and i think before the nights over A-rod will give him a hand. GO BX BOMBERS

Andy Pettitte vs. Pedro Martinez: WAR by Age

2009-11-05T00:48:28Z

(http://www.beyondtheboxscore.com/2009/11/4/1115293/andy-pettitte-vs-pedro-martinez#storyjump)

Andy Pettitte vs. Pedro Martinez: WAR by Age

by Tommy Bennett on Nov 4, 2009 4:35 PM PST in Player Profiles 2 comments

More photos »by Mike Carlson - AP

With just a few minutes before first pitch in Game 6, let's take a look at how the two starting pitchers (neither a stranger to the postseason) have performed by age.

By seasonal age, each is as old as the other. However, Pedro, born 10/25/71, is eight months older than Pettitte, born 6/15/72.

Note: all WAR data taken from Rally's database, except 2009, which is not yet available from Rally and so comes from FanGraphs.

Pedro's career has followed a much more predictable trajectory, while Pettitte's career has been more of a drunkard's walk. Last weekend, I called Pettitte slightly above average, but he has been much more consistent in recent years than his opponent this evening.

Their fastballs are similar: Pettitte's (89.0 mph average) clocked in just a tick above Pedro's (88.5) this season. Both liberally mix in cut fastballs with plenty of movement and neither is reluctant to throw an off-speed pitch for a strike. In many ways, they are mirror images of each other: Pettitte the lefty version of Pedro.

It ought to be a good matchup.