- It was a strange game for Phil Hughes, as he was throwing plenty of strikes and gave up just a few hard hit balls, yet only lasted 5 innings while allowing 4 runs. The results were not great, but the process was fine, and on most days, Phil probably goes 6 and allows just 3 runs with the stuff he had today.
- The Yankees were awful for most of this game against Carl Pavano, which drove me and every other Yankee fan nuts. Only Mark Teixeira was able to prevent this game from being a total disaster, driving in 4 runs after the 5th and helping the Yankees tie the game entering the 9th. The club stranded him at second after his game tying double in the 8th, and then Posada hit into a DP with runners on the corners in the 9th. Brett Gardner was on first at the time and the steal sign was on, but he just failed to go. Girardi did not sound too pleased about it.
- Speaking of Gardner, he misplayed an out into a double that turned into a run charged to Hughes. The Yankees tied the all-time errorless streak at 17 games, displaying how meaningless the error is as a stat. Gardner’s play and a poor decision on a throw by Swisher were two defensive miscues today that do not show up on the score sheet.
- The best news to come out of this game was the performance of Chien Ming Wang, who went 3 innings without allowing a run. His sinker looked excellent, and it seems that he may be approaching the point where the Yankees need to consider him in the rotation. He was pulled because he would be the emergency starter should Andy Pettitte be unavailable on Wednesday.
- Taking out Wang made sense, but the Yankees should have gone to Mariano, especially with the heart of the Yankee order coming up in the 10th against Cleveland’s awful relief corps. Instead, Phil Coke came in and promptly walked the 9 hitter. After a bunt, Robertson was the choice out of the pen and he too walked the first batter he faced. He then went to 3-1 on Peralta and threw him a decent offering on the inner half that Peralta pulled down the third base line to knock in the winning run. I like both pitchers, but they need to learn to throw strikes, especially to hitters that are at best average.
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13 Responses to Recap: Yankees Fall To Indians In 9th
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TIQ IQ
Posada called 5 inside fastballs to Peralta. Molina did the same thing to Ortiz earlier in the year. Scouting is nice, but you can’t call the same pitch location every time to major league hitters.
Phil Coke is ass. He needs to go. every time he is called he seems poised to give up a home run or walk people. There must be somebody better to go in our pen. He isnt getting his job done.
/end rant
Whoa. you are never going to develop a bullpen like that. Yes, he allows too many homers, and has been shy of the plate recently, but his WHIP is 1.21 and he has shown pretty solid stuff. That’s not the kind of guy that “needs to go.” That’s the kind of guy who needs to learn, at this level. There isnt anyone better, and there are other relievers on this club that need to go before him.
His overuse is his biggest problem. I think Girardi needs to just pull back on his use a little and he’ll be fine.
COke was unhittable last season, throws 92-93 and has a good left handed breaking pitch.I think it’s a bit early to get rid of him when lefty relievers are so difficult to acquire.
Bruney is what is missing.
Marte too and he hasn’t even pitched as well Coke since we acquired him.
I agree about keeping Coke. He has the stuff to be a solid set-up guy.
Sometimes the breaks don’t go your way. I thought Hughes looked great, but had a couple of bad breaks. What’s a very good sign is that he just kept on truckin even after things didn’t go his way.
I think I’d start Wang in Pettitte’s spot-letting Andy get a bit of a break now could pay off in August.
For what it’s worth, which might be nothing, but just heard Peter Gammons say on baseball tonight that the Yankees are the best team in baseball right now. Can’t say it bothered me to hear that. That being said, the way baseball analysts flip flop on that issue can make your head spin.
Wow. That’s actually pretty surprising to hear.
you cant bring rivera in in may on the road in a tie game ……the yanks need another lights out guy in the bullpen if they want to win close games against good teams ………phil choke and robertson should not be consistantly counted on in the games most important innings
Does any one else think that Gardner should have stolen second in the top of the ninth. At worst wood then walks Posada to face a very hot Jeter. The result a DP
He was given the steal sign, and he didn’t go. Brett admitted he screwed up on the postgame.
Even so, its a close call- Posada grounds into a DP with a runner on first 7% of the time, Gardner is caught 12% of the time. This is very rough use of numbers, but it shows that a steal there is not a slam dunk.
Taking out Wang did not make sense. He was pitching extremely well. Wednesday will take care of Wednesday. The golden rule is to focus on winning the game you are in. Yesterday Giradi blew it. Girardi knew that Coke and especially Robertson were tired. Hell, Robertson had pitched the night before. This was bad managing, plain and simple.