What I Liked:
1) Robinson Cano’s new swing. He walked twice and drove the ball back up the middle, both things that are going to be vital to him having a good season. The new stance has him remaining square to the plate for a longer time, which should increase patience and help with his tendency to try and pull everything.
2) The old guys looking strong. Hideki Matsui and Jorge Posada both homered, while Derek Jeter and Johnny Damon both reached base 3 times. The power from those first two guys is especially noteworthy, as it will be needed desperately until A-Rod returns.
3) Nick Swisher had what looked like a big hit at the time, a pinch hit double in a one run game. The Yankees stranded him, but he showed Joe Girardi that he can be counted on off the bench. Xavier Nady did have a RBI double and a walk, but also got caught in a bad rundown between third and home and hit into a big DP in the 7th inning.
What I Didn’t Like
1) The new guys. CC Sabathia was awful, allowing 8 hits, 5 walks, and 6 runs without getting out of the fifth inning. While CC is typically a slow starter, I am sure that we are going to have to hear about him faltering under pressure for 5 days now. Just note, Cliff Lee, Brandon Webb, and Aaron Cook were among those who got smacked around today. Another notoriously slow starter, Mark Teixeira, was booed all afternoon and did not meet the challenge from the Baltimore faithful. He was 0-4 with a walk, and left runners at the corners to end the 8th inning in a 6-5 game. It was an inauspicious start for the Yankees’ big free agent acquisitions.
2) Cody Ransom. Cody had a rough day, misplaying 2 balls in the field and failing to move a runner over at the plate. He looked a bit overwhelmed, and hopefully he can settle down going forward.
3) The bullpen. Cue the B-Jobbers, as the poor bullpen showing is bound to spawn a number of articles about Joba Chamberlain needing to be in the pen. Never mind the fact that poor starting pitching put the Yankees in that spot, showing how important the starter is to the outcome. Jon Albaladejo was solid, but it was downhill from there. Phil Coke was rolling along until he tired and allowed a double and a HR to the 8 and 9 hitters, respectively. He was followed by an atrocious Brian Bruney who walked two batters and allowed a hit, and Damaso Marte, who allowed 2 of 3 inherited runners to score. If the Yankees cannot count on those two guys, the bullpen suddenly looks quite inexperienced and a bit thin.
4) Joe Girardi and Brian Cashman. I think this start from CC illustrates why you need a long man. Even a dominant staff will throw in a clunker here and there. The Yankees have an off day tomorrow, but that will not always be the case. The fact that you needed multiple innings from Albie and Coke in the first game, and Coke noticeably tired down by the end of his outing, suggests that the team may have been bettered served by carrying Brett Tomko. Also, I disagreed with Girardi’s decision to bunt with a runner in scoring position and nobody out in the 8th inning. I do not care who is up, giving away outs is not a way to win. Brett Gardner should be competent enough to hit the ball to the right side, and letting him swing actually gives you a chance of scoring without conceding an out.
What did you think about the game?
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12 Responses to Recap: CC And Tex Falter As Yanks Fall 10-5 In Opener
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TIQ IQ
Always hit-away in that situation…unless they are playing back. Brett has to have the Mgr., show some confidence in him…he’ll never succeed unless they give him the chance to succeed/fail. Everyone needs to face the fire sometime.
Good thing tomarrow is an off day…agree!
Coke should never go more then 1-1/3 innings. Last year they did the same thing to him and his next outing wasn’t as good.
Your sources tell you that Cashman called Girardi and ordered him to bunt Gardner in that situation?
Lol. It was a misprint, we know. . . .
Thanks for the correction.
1) “Also, I disagreed with Cashman’s decision to bunt with a runner in scoring position and nobody out in the 8th inning.”
Dude, I seriously hope Cash ain’t ordering Joe G to do stuff in middle of the game live from his luxury suite…
2) Right on about not having a long man. I think that’s the only negative decision the Yanks have made all spring (aside from “converting” Joba into a starter, of course…) although I don’t like going with Nady over Swisher either, but not as much as the decision not to go with a long-man.
3) The pen really sucked a$$ today, I mean, seriously sucked. Bruney looks noting like the guy who supposedly “finally figured it out” last season, and I think Damaso Marte will under-perform big-time. And i’ve been saying that (to myself, of course…)ever since he was overused by Joe G last year, and coming back from the WBC with an injury certainly didn’t help quell my fears.
You’re right on Moshe. Every time the pen won’t be perfect, the B-Jobbers willbe out in full-force. Hopefully he pitches well as a starter and shuts them up. Even if he isn’t so great as a starter this year, hopefully the Yanks don’t cave to the pressure and leave him in the rotation. Because I have a sneaky feeling the pen will suck big-time this year.
4) I mean, seriously, how can anybody be shocked that CC got roughed up in his Yankee debut?! The knock on him has always been that he puts too much pressure on himself in big spots, and today’s game is a typical example of that.
1 thing though: I was watching the game with my friend, and CC’s fastball was hovering around 89-92 mph. My buddy says he usually throws 95-96, and was wondering if anything was wrong with him. I didn’t read much into it – it looked like he just didn’t have a feel for his fastball today, plain and simple – but I was wondering, what speed does he usually throw?
In any case, I can’t wait for George A. Mothafrickin’ King III’s article tomorrow proclaiming that the Yanks should move CC to the pen because of his supposed “diminished velocity…” I wouldn’t be shocked.
In other news,the Mets won their opener behind a strong start by Johan, and a shut-down job out of Putz and K-Rod. (the Mets’ and Yankees’ games today, respectively, proves the fallacy of the “Joba HAS to be in the pen” argument perfectly: get a strong performance out of your starter, and you win 99% of those games. Your starter gets whupped, and it’s all downhill from there, like the Yanks’ pen today.)
Somewhere, Mike Lupica is salivating.
I had lacrosse practice and forgot to record the game, what was going on with Sabathia? Why was he struggling so badly?
No fastball command at all. He was missing really badly, they just waited for him to come in the zone and when he did, it was always a hitters count and they crushed him.
No meaningful patterns can be projected after one game.
Does that mean we should not make any observations? Cano looked better at the plate, just from an approach POV. I did not like the bunt. I am not trying to discern a pattern here. Every game counts, even if you cant establish trends due to it being the first game.
Just wanted to add that Halladay went 7 innings but allowed 5 runs and K’d only 2, while Verlander allowed 8 runs.
I agree about Cano, about the bunt, and I agree about Marte.
Heck no.Observations are fine.I’m just saying projecting the long term prospects for the Bullpen is a bit premature.
I have little confidence in Marte but Bruney has shown a propensity to have short periods where he’s very hittable but even longer periods where he’s lights out.
We don’t even know about Mariano really.He got them out in the Spring but the old velocity wasn’t really there, barely touching 90-91.He could be Mariano, sawing off bats or he could be a guy who’s shoulder is healthy but a little dead for parts of this season.
I think this point needs to be made:
Cody Ransom has a fairly awful UZR/150 at EVERY infield position over the 167 games he’s played in major league baseball. The idea that he was going to be a good defensive third basemen was foolish. We just has to hope for average defense and a little bit of power.