Monday, July 28, 2008

YANKEES Part 1 of 2


I know that most writers of this blog may avoid reading this post as much as they avoid watching "highlights" of Carlos Beltran in the 2006 NLCS, but I don't give a shit because I am the only writer who is a Yankees fan and must inform ignorant readers of their ensuing genius. Faulk the Metods ONE TIME and read an honest post about the Yankees season. Part I features a brief recap of the season, a pitching report and Girardi man love.
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Everyone knows that this has been an up and down season for the Yankees. They came into the year with pretty much the same roster as seasons past, except this time with a few young studs in the rotation and a new coaching staff. Before the All-Star break I was just as worried as the next fan about the Yankees playoff chances. They were basically a .500 team and playing well below their potential. Because the Yankees play in NY and are expected to reach the world series every year, this .500 mark was considered to be awful by every writer and analyst. However, this is just not the case. The roster has been decimated by injury with their 2nd best pitching prospect Phil Hughes, #1 starter Chen-Minkya Wang, Jorge Posada and Godzilla Matsui all missing significant time. If you remove two 100 RBI hitters, an ace and another great arm from any team I would expect to see sub-.500 record. BUT THEN when you consider that this team is playing in one of the two toughest divisions in baseball, with the first new manager in 11 seasons and a Steinbrenneurotic psycho owner, a 50-45 record at the break is VERY good. Let me also say that this Yankees team features a lineup full of veterans and hall-of-famers, even despite key injuries. These guys know what is expected of them and know their talent, which is why they tend to lose focus in the first half of the season. They know that they can put it into high gear and more importantly WILL go on a huge second-half run just like last year. Now let's get to the nitty gritty.

The Yankees rotation has been incredible this year. Mike Mussina shares the league lead in wins and has posted a 3.26 ERA thus far. I cannot give enough credit to Girardi and his coaching staff for completely overhauling Mussina's game to the point where he is this good. Although every fan knows that in no way, shape or form he is our #1 starter, the numbers tell a different story. Andy Pettitte has a 3.76 and 12 wins which is what we expected out of him coming into this year. He is another crafty veteran that is doing a great job and has the kind of breaking stuff to hold any major league lineup scoreless. Joba Chamberlian WOW. He has a 2.30 ERA and 93 Ks in 78.1 IP and some of the best stuff in the American League. He has gotten a lot of heat in New York for is fiery attitude and ultra-competitive nature but I absolutely love it. That is the type of spirit the Yankees will need in any tough, emotional playoff series. Sidney Ponson and Darrel Rasner are absolute jokes but somehow manage to keep the Yankees in the game everytime they take the hill. Ponson had won all 4 of his previous starts before the Red Saulks beat the living shit out of him. The Yankees will for sure acquire another pitcher to replace Ponson/Rasner and I am hoping that Girardi will put Dan Giese back into the rotation because he is far better than either one of those mockeries.

The Yankees bullpen has been untouchable as of late. Mariano Rivera is having arguably his best season ever with 26 saves in 26 chances, a 1.17 ERA, .67 WHIP and 56 Ks in 46.1 IP. He is the backbone of the entire pitching staff because of his undeniable ability to shut the door on opposing teams. The ONLY reason I would say that this is "arguably" his best season is because, like the other superstars on this team, he loses focus when the game is not on the line. In 6 games where the score has been tied and Mo makes an appearance, he has given up the go- ahead run in 4 of them. This should be of little concern though. Moving on, Kyle Farnsworth has fit in nicely as the setup man and, again, credit must be given to Joe Girardi for believing in his ability to pitch back-to-back days and be consistent, which is something that the Torre contingency refused to try. Although Farnsworth has been good, I can't say that I trust him in a playoff game against a Red Sox team that loves to hit fastballs. Jose Veras has also been solid with a 2.97 ERA and is Girardi's 7th inning guy. Edwar Ramirez has finally shown Yankees fans that he can be a consistent lights-out reliever. He posts a 2.39 ERA with a .96 WHIP and HASN'T GIVEN UP A HIT IN THE MONTH OF JULY. The only other man that I can rave about more than Edwar is The Admiral, David Robertson. This guy has been the second most impressive pitcher on the Yankees team outside of Joba. He has given up one hit in his last 10.1 IP and has pinpoint control. I think this guy should be the Yankees setup man and deserves a shot to pitch in big game situations. Although I just named 5 great relievers in the bullpen, I have failed to mention Damaso Marte, who the Yankees recently acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Yankees have been trying to get this guy for years because he is one of the premier left-handed relievers in the game. The Yankees have done a great job this year without one lefty in the bullpen, but desperately needed one come playoff time. Marte has NASTY stuff and will fit in great with what is right now maybe the best pen in baseball.

Before the season started I predicted another wild card spot for the Yankees in the ultra-competitive American League. My reasoning behind this was solely based on the fact that Joe Girardi would be our manager this year. Managing and regulating the bullpen was a HUGE problem in the Torre era and in my estimation has played a big part in past Yankee postseason disasters. Yes, some of these young Yankee relievers are one year older and wiser, but Girardi has done a great job keeping these guys fresh and is truly getting the most out of each and every guy. Even Mariano. He put this Yankee team in a much better position for a second half run than Torre did last year and already has the team poised to take over the lead in the wild card race by the end of August. Girardi finally took advantage of the Yankees flexible lineup and never seems to post the same lineup in consecutive days. This is also a big reason for the Yankees struggles earlier this season. In 11 years with Torre at the helm, there would be an extremely consistent everyday lineup and hitters knew where they would be placed. At first Girardi was very erratic with lineup, which the players weren't used to, but now there is more of a controlled chaos. As of late, it seems as though the 1-4 spots have been solidified and Cano has fit nicely in the 6 hole. More discussion on the lineup will come in part 2, but I needed to highlight how well Girardi has done maneuvering the lineup and really taking advantage of our deep bench. OK, I think this is enough for now. Stay tuned for a report on the team's hitters, a theory about why high priced teams seem to always disappoint and more Girardi love.

1 comment:

Alon said...

as a fan of joshua myself, you love to see gir speaking from the heart after a long hiatus. welcome back big guy. eoh.