-Nice article in today’s NYT about Yogi Berra. Truly a Yankee treasure.
-The stuff about the Rays being ticked off at Swisher for rolling the ball into the dugout after striking out Gabe Kapler appears to be just another figment of Michael Kay’s imagination. LoHud reports that Rays manager Joe Maddon sent Swisher his lineup card from that evening, for Nick to have as a keepsake. Apparently, Garza threw at him just because he’s swinging the bat so damn well.
-Paul Olden will continue filling in for Bob Sheppard as the Yankee PA announcer, although a lil’ birdie told me there will be a recording from Bob played to open up the new ballpark. I really miss Bob, he treated every word he spoke with the care and respect a museum director would have for a fine work of art. There’s just no replacing him.
-The stuff about CC not being a big game pitcher is so bogus. He pitched his last 3 outings of 2008 on short rest, and didn’t really show any ill effects until the very last game. He carried the Brewers to the playoffs last year in a tight pennant race, and the Indians the year before, each time leading all of baseball in innings pitched. Not having it after all those innings doesn’t tell me anything about his character, it tells me the Yanks need to make sure he has something left in the tank come October. Girardi has already said he plans to do just that.
-Very happy with Brett Gardner so far. I don’t care about his batting average, SLG or anything like that. He’s scored 7 runs in 9 games and caught everything in CF. If he keeps that up, I’ll be thrilled.
-I can’t stress enough what a different feel there is to this team. Recent Yankee teams would rise and fall with their ability to score runs, so their success was often a function of who the opposing pitcher was the next day. This team revolves around the pitching staff. They’re also proving to be more resourceful. Scratching out a run here and there when Gardner gets on base, more patient up and down the lineup, no one hitter you expect to do it all for you. Coming back late against other teams weaker middle relief, grabbing a lead and then running out the clock like you would in the NFL. Very reminiscient of the late 90′s teams that Girardi played on.
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0 Responses to Random Thoughts and Reactions-Game 10
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TIQ IQ
Can’t agree with what you wrote in the last two paragraphs more. I really love the feel of this team. First time in a long time I feel we came into the season totally put together to win.
Defense and pitching are really going to be the glaring difference. Teixeira throwing across to third yesterday was a great example of how different this team can be. A capable first baseman is something we have not had with Giambi. Like you said, Gardner is valuable even if he does not hit .300 for what he can do in the field and on the bases. No non-fielding Abreau. We are going to save ourselves a lot of work this year. Once Wang gets going, watch out.
I slightly disagree with what you said re: CC being a big game pitcher, Steve. I think it has yet to be established with any certainty yet. There is definitely some evidence to warrant concern, though, just as there is with Wanger. The sample sizes are too small to jump to conclusions, but I don’t think you can categorically ignore a 2-3 playoff record with a 7.92 ERA and 2.20 WHIP – that just plain sucks for a guy with his stuff. Wang, by the way, is 1-3, 7.58 ERA & 1.73 WHIP. I think they are both still huge post-season question marks until they show they can get it done.
Huge win yesterday 2/3 in Tampa Bay and against that lineup in comeback fashion. I think most underrated will be Bruney striking out Upton-Crawford.
Tom…does Sabathia pitching on 3 days rest in all most win games for Milwaukee last September not count as big games? Because imo all of those games were far bigger then the one playoff game he pitched last year.
Sure to us Yankee fans the playoffs reign supreme, but for the Brewers franchise to just make the playoffs after 20+ years was probably made their 2008.
Of course they count, Standing O’, but so do all the playoff games he blew chunks on. I always put more weight on the playoffs, b/c you’re going against top teams who are playing their top guys. I’m just saying that it’s a mixed bag with him. You can’t just not count the playoff games either. It wasn’t just one game last year.
I agree with Tom. Those games were big but so were some of the games he did not pitch so well in. The jury is still out in my mind.
My sense of him is that he seems mentally sound and him asking for the ball down the stretch was a big deal and counts towards the belief that he can be a big game pitcher. But until he drives us through some playoff games I would not automatically give him that title or that respect.