Pinstripe Alley - ALDS Game 3: Yankees vs. Orioles in New YorkBig boi dinger enthusiastshttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/51961/pinstripe_alley_minimal.png2012-10-11T00:09:48-04:00http://www.pinstripealley.com/rss/stream/32496092012-10-11T00:09:48-04:002012-10-11T00:09:48-04:00Yankees 3, Orioles 2: Some magic of our own
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<p>The Yankees were trailing going to the bottom half of the ninth, but a recent hero was ready to rise to the occasion two more times.</p> <p>Nearly everyone has been hard on <span>Raul Ibanez</span> this season, and you could certainly make a case for the fact that it was justified at times. As of late, though, he's come up as big as anyone at the plate when the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Yankees</a> need a big hit the most. There was his game-tying home run to complete a four-run comeback in extra innings against the <a href="https://www.athleticsnation.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Oakland Athletics</a>. The ninth inning comeback in the last series of the season against the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Sox</a> also featured an Ibanez home run to take the game to extras.</p>
<p>Tonight, down 2-1 with two outs separating the Yankees from a loss that would put them in an elimination game tomorrow, Joe Girardi put all his chips on the table and pinch hit Ibanez for <span>Alex Rodriguez</span>. The gutsiest of moves paid off, Ibanez sent a solo shot into right field off of one of the most successful closers of 2012 in <span>Jim Johnson</span>, and the Yankees were given an extended chance at snatching away an important victory.</p>
<p>Once wasn't enough, though. The extra innings went by pretty quietly except for some scary moments on defense by <span>Mark Teixeira</span> and <span>David Robertson</span> in the top of the twelfth. Ibanez had seen enough, clearly, because he led off the bottom of the inning with his second home run of the night. I wasn't sure that he could do it twice in one game, but I should really know better than to doubt him at this point.</p>
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<p>Ibanez will be the hero, and Alex Rodriguez will probably unfairly be the goat (even though nearly the whole lineup is to blame), but the performance that <span>Hiroki Kuroda</span> turned in was a masterpiece of its own. His 8.1 innings were only tarnished by solo shots to <span>Ryan Flaherty</span> and <span>Manny Machado</span>. Kuroda allowed only five hits, and really managed to shut down the opposing offense after the Machado home run put the <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> on top. <span>Boone Logan</span>, <span>Rafael Soriano</span>, and David Robertson all did their jobs to get the offense back to the plate quickly until Ibanez was able to come through once again.</p>
<p>The offense looked awful aside from <span>Derek Jeter</span> and <span>Russell Martin</span>, who combined to account for the lone run that didn't come off the bat of Ibanez. Unfortunately, Jeter was clearly hobbling around after his RBI triple tied the game and he was eventually pulled for <span>Jayson Nix</span>. Knowing Derek Jeter as we do, he will be in the game tomorrow unless they decide to amputate his leg tonight, but it's concerning that when so few of the batters are hitting well, one of them is unable to move around.</p>
<p>For all the clamoring to move A-Rod down in the lineup, there's really no good alternative for who deserves to be moved up at this point. The lot of them just look off their game right now, exemplified by the fact that not one of them was able to work a walk in the game. Without their patience, they look swing-happy and they need to get back to what makes them so dangerous if they are going to make it deeper into the playoffs.</p>
<p>Tomorrow, <span>Phil Hughes</span> will oppose <span>Joe Saunders</span> in a win-or-go-home game for the Orioles. If you needed a reason for why tonight's win was such an important one, there it is. I'm sure that almost everyone's blood pressure will be a little better off now that they won't have to endure a Hughes start with the season on the line.</p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/11/3486076/yankees-3-orioles-2-some-magic-of-our-ownTanyaAnderson2012-10-10T23:17:57-04:002012-10-10T23:17:57-04:00Ibanez the Invincible/Bottom 12
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<p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: normal;"> </span><b style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: normal;">Tanya: </b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt; line-height: normal;"> Love that defense from Tex.</span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Steve: </b> He's doing a great job on one leg.<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Tanya: </b> All the more impressive.<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Steve: </b> Sort of the opposite of the famous Billy Martin play there. More like a famous <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.mccoveychronicles.com/">Giants</a> one, where Christy Mathewson didn't call the ball and both Chief Myers and Fred Merkle let it drop...<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Tanya: </b> I guess that's on D-Rob. He needs to get out of the way in that case.<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Tanya: </b> Did he really? He did.<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Steve: </b> I called that one, Tanya!<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Tanya: </b> You did!<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Steve: </b> They'll put his plaque in Monument Park tonight.<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Tanya: </b> I'll fund it.<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Steve: </b> And on that generous note, we conclude until Game 4.<p></p></span></p>
<p style="margin-bottom: 2.4pt; line-height: normal; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;" class="MsoNormal"><span style='font-size: 9.5pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; color: #222222;'> <b>Tanya: </b> Wow.<p></p></span></p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/10/3486966/ibanez-the-invincible-bottom-12Steven Goldman2012-10-10T23:03:20-04:002012-10-10T23:03:20-04:00The Yanks-O's stalemate continues.;
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<p><b>Tanya: </b> TBS wants Tex to bunt here. That's a real suggestion right now.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> They must think someone will fall down.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> An outfielder could jog in and still get him at first, I think.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> Granderson wanted to win the game on that swing.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> So did Martin.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> On to the 11th.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> Gut says can't let the O's score first. I don't know if they can come back again.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> Depends on if Ibanez is going to hit again.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> He couldn't possibly do it again...could he?</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> The way he's got right field lined up...</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> I should know better than to doubt him at this point.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> Another ability that might not carry over to next year. But then, he only has a one-year deal.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> Does the guy who got the ball away from Swisher get pummeled?</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> I hope so.</p>
<p>Holding it up like he's some kind of champ. Get out of here.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> In fairness, he was a row further in than Swisher could reach.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> I just can't stand people who don't immediately run out of the way when the home team is in the field on foul balls like that.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> That's the D-Rob that could be the future closer.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> He's not as good as he seemed to be last year (he had some extra luck going for him), but he's a very good pitcher.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> When he's got the curve working, he's so good.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> And it's mostly working. He just has location problems sometimes.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> He abandoned it for a stretch earlier in the season. Never figured out why.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> "Seemed like a good idea at the time."</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> It's possible the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.blessyouboys.com/">Tigers</a>-A;s game will end before this one.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> Nothing would surprise me.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> I had a feeling about Nix's at-bat there, but he didn't quite fulfill my prophecy.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> It was a lot closer than I thought it would be.</p>
<p> <b>Steve: </b> And we go on to the 12th.</p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/10/3486904/to-the-twelfth-inning-stationSteven Goldman2012-10-10T23:01:10-04:002012-10-10T23:01:10-04:00ALDS Game Three Overflow II
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<figcaption>Elsa - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Raul Ibanez is beautiful and I love him.</p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/10/3486894/yankees-vs-orioles-alds-game-three-overflow-iiTanyaAnderson2012-10-10T22:37:10-04:002012-10-10T22:37:10-04:00Ibanez and A-Rod/Bottom of the Ninth
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<p><b>Tanya: </b> Think Soriano opts out when the season is over?</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> He might... He could go find a closer's job where he won't have to worry about Mariano coming back.</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> The market is pretty thin for closers. He could get a good deal from someone that he might not get if he goes back to the eighth inning next season.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Pinch-hitting for A-Rod. With Ibanez. How the mighty have fallen.</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> Oh my goodness.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Joe Girardi: Manager of the Decade. That's all I have to say. <span>Raul Ibanez</span> loves that porch!</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> Has anyone come up bigger on offense lately? Anyone?</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> No. Not at home. A sinker that doesn't sink from Johnson and Ibanez's bat finds that jury box in right.</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> On the verge of losing to the A's: Ibanez. On the verge of losing to the <a href="https://www.overthemonster.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Red Sox</a>: Ibanez. On the verge of losing to the <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a>: Ibanez. Not bad for one of the guys who has taken a good chunk of the hate all season. From myself, included.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Steve too. Counting that shot, that's 15 of 20 home runs for Ibanez at home this year.</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> That's amazing.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> A friend asks, "So why do you DH A-Rod, then PH for him in the ninth with Ibanez?"</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> I'm not sure there is even any logical explanation you could give. Girardi pushes that button at such random time...and it's worked.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> They have A-Rod for 40 more years...</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> I have to think his broken hand is still bothering him. I want to think that, at least.</p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/10/3486808/ibanez-and-a-rod-bottom-of-the-ninthSteven Goldman2012-10-10T22:24:12-04:002012-10-10T22:24:12-04:00Holding the Line in the Ninth
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<p><b>Tanya: </b> I've accepted the fact that they are going to need a home run to win this game.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> They can't get a walk tonight, so building a run will be problematic.</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> Maybe we can lend the <a href="https://www.camdenchat.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Orioles</a> Nova for an inning to pitch in this game.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> The old "Embedded Yankee" idea, ay?</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> I was thinking more like "automatic extra bases".</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Can I first-guess pushing Kuroda into the ninth?</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> Not sure who else I want in there, honestly.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Robertson? Soriano?</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> Both kind of scare me.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Kuroda did have three complete games this year, so this is not unknown territory, but... I was about to say "I told you so," but <span>Mark Teixeira</span> made a great save there</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> Jeter being out of the game may be good for defense, but that's half of the offense. He'll play tomorrow even if he's hurting, but if it's at shortstop his already bad range will probably be worse.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Agreed. Another example of Girardi not letting the reliever start off the inning. If you were going to pull Kuroda if anything at all happened, why not just start fresh?</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> I am more ok with this than leaving in the starter until they give up a base hit, but it's still kind of silly.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Well, we'll see if it's still a 2-1 game going to the bottom of the ninth.</p>
<p><b>Steve: </b> Thome has looked kind of... done in this series.</p>
<p><b>Tanya: </b> He'd fit right in on the <a href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Yankees</a>, I guess.</p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/10/3486730/holding-the-line-in-the-ninthSteven Goldman2012-10-10T22:01:58-04:002012-10-10T22:01:58-04:00After Nick Swisher, Who? And Other Updates/8th
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<p><b>Steve: </b> I feel sorry for Kuroda more than anyone else if the <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.pinstripealley.com/">Yankees</a> lose this one. He takes this stuff so seriously -- which he should, I guess.</p>
<p> <b>Tanya: </b> The offense has been allergic to helping him out seemingly all season.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> I really worry about this offense for next season, not just with Kuroda, but in general.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> It seems even more troubling that they might have to downgrade right field offense significantly.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> Swisher is vastly underrated, but even so, all he has to do is age out of ten points of batting average and he starts to get shaky. That said, they're going to have to replace that offense if he goes.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> I don't see any way they give him six years and 15-20 million per. But the options out there aren't great alternatives.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> Exactly. In an ideal world, I don't give him that either, but I'm not sure there are better options.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> Half of our offense is clearly hurt right now. Always a good sign.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> I think to some degree that's a function of the team's age.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> I was speaking of Jeter, specifically. He and Martin are the only ones hitting.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> Jeter's ability to bounce balls through the infield is not something I'm certain transfers to 2013.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> Great, we've devolved into discussing A-Rod vs. Joe Torre.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> This game is too tight to be talking about ancient history.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> Seriously. I don't need to be frustrated about Joe Torre on top of the offense in this game.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> That was one of Torre's most ill-considered moments.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> I feel like it was more about Joe Torre than it ever was about A-Rod.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> I felt as if he was actively undermining A-Rod there. But we said we shouldn't be discussing that.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> This game is flying. I guess that's what happens when the offense is flailing.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> There was a time when every Yankees-<a class="sbn-auto-link" href="https://www.camdenchat.com/">Orioles</a> game went 4.5 hours. I love baseball, but I don't need that much of it in one serving.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> 4.5 hours is a lot of baseball. I'd take it if it resulted in a win, though.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> And they're back to Joe Torre.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> It's unbelievable. This entire crew has gotten on my nerves this series.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> They are having serious problems with focus.<br> <b>Tanya: </b> Better than Chip Caray, but not by much. Red alert: they got <span>Nate McLouth</span> out.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> They still have to hit something.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> Baby steps.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> I really enjoy how expressive Swisher is at the plate.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> I think that's what makes everyone else hate him.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> Does it make you hate him?<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> Not at all.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> I find his lack of stoicism refreshing.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> I think he's one of those players you love if he plays on your team, and hate if he doesn't.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> I don't have that feeling about many players, especially the way they move around. They're all just guys earning a living to me. Wearing a different color pants doesn't make them a good guy or a bad guy.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> I agree, but Swisher seems to really rub opposing fans the wrong way.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> I really don't see why. He's a little spirited, that's all. The only ones that rub me the wrong way are the wife-beaters and ex-rapists, etc.<br> <br> <b>Tanya: </b> Oh, Granderson. You're hurting me.<br> <br> <b>Steve: </b> Over 40 homers or not, he's regressed. ...T Yankees go quietly in the bottom of the seventh, the Orioles do the same in the eighth. Great start by Kuroda under any other circumstances.</p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/10/3486664/after-nick-swisher-who-plus-why-is-joe-torre-being-discussed-bottom-8Steven Goldman2012-10-10T21:43:25-04:002012-10-10T21:43:25-04:00ALDS Game Three Overflow
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<figcaption>Elsa - Getty Images</figcaption>
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<p>Offense? Anyone?</p>
https://www.pinstripealley.com/2012/10/10/3486598/yankees-vs-orioles-alds-game-three-overflowTanyaAnderson