Nice going Randy

by John Amato on Aug 21, 2005 6:54 PM EDT in New York Yankees News

Well for seven innings Johnson looked pretty good, he struck out some guys, kept his pitch count low and the White Sox didn't score on him. If we only could have skipped the fourth inning.

The light hitting Sox connected for four home runs in one inning against the little Unit and handed the Yanks another bad loss. Three in a row topped off by journeymen Chris Widger's three run bomb to put a six on the board. Embarrassed much? It's bad because Johnson was supposed to be the #1 we haven't had since Clemens and Pettite left. We all worried that the only thing that would possibly keep Randy down was his health. If it's his health they have kept it pretty much under wraps and Randy looks more like Ed Whitson everyday.

Right now the rotation lines up like:

*Mussina-1
*Chacon-2
*Wright-3
*Small-4
*Johnson-5

Aaron Small was banished to the bullpen. I think he'll be back in and Lieter will be out, but who can tell anymore.

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Johnson

that was a bizarre fourth inning.... did Kevin Brown sneak out there in a Randy Johnson disguise for just that one inning? how do you explain 7 innings of 4-hit shutout ball with 8 K's, sandwiched around that one 6-run 4-homer inning? hopefully that was just a quick jaunt thru the twilight zone and it won't happen again.

of course, it really didn't matter much -- we weren't winning this one anyway, as Contreras obviously now owns us.

i was disappointed to see Torre reverting back to the old batting order for Cano and Williams. and they responded by leaving a combined 7 runners on base. sure wish he would go back to having Williams in the two slot -- i sure liked that look a lot better. at least give it a try for more than two games.

by lee on Aug 21, 2005 7:54 PM EDT reply actions

I hope we get the opportunity to find out, but...

it would be interesting to see where Joe would place RJ in the rotation if they do make the play offs. In 1999, Clemens started as the #3 after his piss poor season and dropped to #4 after his debacle in Boston. RJ has actually been worse. Would they do the same to him?

The other thing is that his need for Joe Flaherty catching is really starting to hurt. It's OK to have an automatic out if he is shutting teams down, but if he is going to get shelled anyway, they need all the offense that they can get. And honestly, Flaherty makes Posada look like the second coming of Johnny Bench.

by garp on Aug 22, 2005 12:57 AM EDT reply actions

Undo it!

The only real justification for Flaherty to be Johnson's personal catcher is, supposedly, the he's more comfortable with Flaherty, and, presumably, he pitches better when he's more comfortable. This theory has not be borne out by the results, so there's no particular reason to continue to indulge Mr. Johnson and allow him this perk -- put Posada back in full time, and let's see what happens. (Not that I'm very enamored of Posada these days either, but it's possible that the stress of catching that revolving door of starters *and* the diss of not catching the presumed team Ace may have unsettled Jorge and been partally responsible for his lack of offense and -- even worse -- for his propensity to swing at the first pitch and not work the count deep, as he used to do. Whatever, Torre's displayed his famous patience and allowed the experiment to go on too long -- typical -- so he should reverse it and see what happens. Johnson can take his resulting unhappiness to the fans and the media who will, I am sure, answer him with a shrug of the shoulders and query "What have you done for me lately, Mr. Unit?) And I agree, the Williams/Cano swap should be reinstated. Bernie looked tremendously more comfortable up there, and it didn't seem to hurt Cano. I just wish we had a pinch hitter to come off the bench.

unfutz

by Ed Fitzgerald on Aug 22, 2005 2:50 AM EDT up reply actions

Is it possible?

In addition to bumping Leiter out of the rotation, could a return by Wang in September (today's NY Times suggests it) possibly, hopefully, push Johnson into the bullpen?
Then you'd run Mussina, Chacon, Wang, and Small out for your playoff rotation. Wright is available for long relief, Stutze pitches the 6th when needed, Gordon 7, Johnson 8, and Mo to close. Maybe I'm crazy, but if it happened that way I'd be happy.

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

by jscape2000 on Aug 22, 2005 10:19 AM EDT reply actions

sounds good but...

Mr. Torre is BIG on experience when it comes to the post season. If we get there the only way Johnson won't be starting is if he can't stand up. But just for the record I agree with you.

by arodriguez on Aug 22, 2005 5:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Interesting..

I wonder if Wright could be effecting out of the bullpen? He seems like the type who needs an inning to settle down, like against Tor. Or who is prone to lapses for an inning here and there.

Also, it could be that Johnson does pitch better w/ Flaherty catching him. He could be a complete disaster w/ Posada catching him. Only one way to find out..

Has anyone thought about what happens next year when we have the following under contract: Johnson, Mussina, Wang, Chacon, Pavano, Wright, and, presumably, Small?

by jp340 on Aug 22, 2005 11:56 PM EDT reply actions

Listening to the radio

a few days ago, someone (maybe Mike and the Mad Dog?) was saying that "Small had earned himself a job with some club next year." That leads me to think that Small is free to go unless the Yanks resign him. I don't see him coming back as a starter, but I could see him and Prinz taking over for Gordon (who is in the last year of his contract) as top set up man.
When you've got 6 starters then it's just like 2002 when they let sent Weaver to the pen until someone got hurt.
That's assuming that Pavano is ready at the start of next season.

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

by jscape2000 on Aug 23, 2005 2:46 AM EDT up reply actions