To borrow a phrase from Larry, the thinkable happened. The Yankees lost back-to-back games against Cliff Lee and Felix Hernandez. The only thing that may have been unthinkable heading into this series was just how badly the Yankees would lose. I would have penciled Lee and King Felix in for 7.2 innings a piece. Those overachievers managed back-to-back complete games against the best team in baseball, something that hasn’t happened since 2000, according to YES.
This one was ugly, so I’ll keep it brief. Hernandez was as good as advertised. He went the distance, striking out 11 and walking only 2. Michael Kay beat this point into the ground, but he came close to one-hitting the Yankees. Fortunately, Chone Figgins is bad at baseball and lost a routine pop up off Colin Curtis‘ bat in the lights. After eking out 4 runs against Lee yesterday the Bombers were shutout this time.
For the Yankees, Javier Vazquez was ok. He pitched 6 innings of 3 run ball, which wasn’t great but was enough to keep the Yankees in the game (sort of, if anyone else was pitching). Fortunately for us the Yankees have Damaso Marte and Chad Gaudin, who did their parts to make the game completely un-winnable, giving up 2 run homers a piece.
With any luck, CC Sabathia can make short work of the M’s tomorrow, and right the Yankee ship. The Mariners will turn back into the Mariners in the day game, sending the abysmal Ryan Rowland-Smith to the mound. Let’s hope that happens and the offense uses the extra time to look at video of the past 2 games because the team will draw Lee and Hernandez again next week in Seattle.
The only good news to come out of tonight is that the Rays beat the Red Sox, keeping the Yankees one game up in the division.
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5 Responses to Felix Hernandez pitches complete game, makes Yankee bats look like little leaguers
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TIQ IQ
Just an FYI 6 innings and 3 runs is a quality start so it is better than just ok. The Yanks offense has been terrible for over a month now and it came to head in this series as this lineup can't beat great pitchers at all.
He also struck out 8 batters which is 3 less than the King and he did it in 3 less innings. Vazquez pitched a darn good game but the bats need to come through against better pitching.
I feel that the definition of a quality start is generous. I think it needs to be more flexible. If it had an innings minimum of 6 and an ERA max of 4.00 then I would embrace the definition more.
Javy's night translated to an ERA of 4.5, which is an ERA+ of about 90 this year, or worse than average. He did strike out a lot of batters, but he gave the Yankees somewhere between replacement level (ERA+ 80) and average level (ERA+ 100) performance, which is why I'd say he was just ok.
That said, he did keep the Yankees in the game. The Bomber bats just never showed up to play.
Mike,
Al Lieter loves you! Kidding aside, I agree with you about the term, "quality start." However, if the least effective starter on team goes 6IP, 3R every time, I can live with that.
Anonymous strikes again! I love it! In any case, if you can't score any runs, it doesn't really matter how the pitching performs, and vice versa; when you get lit up, you can't expect the offense to get your back and put up a 10 spot. it's just not realistic, even for the Yankees.
some of my boys were saying that they wanted Ichiro on the Yankees… I don't feel the same way, for a number of reasons. First, he's in his mid 30s, right? I think the last thing the Yankees need right now is another player in their mid 30s. Secondly, and most importantly, I feel like he's not a team player. I have this impression that he only cares about getting his hits; he never sacrifices and wouldn't swing for the fences if his team was down by 1 in the 9th with two outs and nobody on… is my impression of Ichiro fair? also, I felt like the guys just wanted to replace Matsui and picked Ichiro do to racial type casting – oh, and he's damn good, too – no question there.
~jamie
@~jamie "wouldn't swing for the fences if his team was down by 1 in the 9th with two outs and nobody on…"
You're right ichiro only swings for the fences when there's one on in the 9th down by 1 and facing Mariano Rivera….
http://www.nj.com/yankees/index.ssf/2009/09/ichiro_stuns_rivera_as_yankees.html