Coming into this game, the Yankees were averaging 5.5 runs on 8.3 hits and 4 walks per game. Tuesday night the Yankees collected eight hits and three walks — more than enough offense to put some runs on the board — but managed only two runs, well below the efficiency they’ve shown this season.
That’s because they played a terrible game. Robinson Cano and Jorge Posada were both picked off between first and second in the same inning. Andruw Jones was gunned down at the plate on a shallow sac-fly. The team hit into one double play, and left six men on base. The Bombers managed only one hit with a runner in scoring position, and an impressive solo homer from Mark Teixeira.
Adding to the frustration, the Yankees managed to lose yet another CC Sabathia start. If victories in Freddy Garcia and Bartolo Colon starts are gifts to be accumulated so early in the season, then any start from CC is pretty much a must win right now because everyone believes Colon and Garcia will break down at some point, probably sooner rather than later.
For his part, CC put up his weakest start in some time. He managed seven innings, but allowed four runs on ten hits, three walks and 119 pitches. It was far from a vintage performance, but it was precisely for that reason the Yankees needed to pick up their ace. Instead, the Yankees played one of their sloppiest games of the young season.
The best thing for anyone invested in this team, emotionally or otherwise, is to move on after such a careless performance and take solace in the fact that on any other night the Yankees don’t make mistakes between the bases and do get some big hits. Plus, the team is still in first place.
Wednesday night’s game, unfortunately, favors Detroit. The Yankees just don’t seem comfortable playing in spacious Comerica and the Tigers have the better pitcher on the mound. Freddy Garcia looks to continue his improbable start to the season for the Yankees, while the Tigers put strikeout artist Max Scherzer on the rubber. Game time is seven.
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7 Responses to Yankees put eleven men on base but lose another CC start
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TIQ IQ
Well said, Mike. I struggled to contain my disappointment that the Yankees incredibly couldn’t do more against Penny — especially in the one game of this four-game set that had “gimme” written all over it — but rather than get upset I decided to immediately forget this one. Sometimes teams have bad days, and hopefully the Yankees don’t have too many more ugly ones like this in their future.
I hope you’re right. I also hope Joe Girardi realizes that just because Toronto and Tampa run aggressively doesn’t mean the Yankees should. He knows Jorge and Robbie are slow, right? He has seen them run, right?
It does seem as though a lot of Joe’s beloved small-ball tactics have been backfiring. I continue to be a Joe Girardi supporter, but his obsession with the bunt is beginning to get pretty grating.
Additionally, I’m not saying no one should ever steal, but they’ve been getting thrown out left and right. I’m not sure how you fix this — the answer probably isn’t “attempt less steals,” because you still need to keep your opponents honest — but it does seem like the Yankees have cost themselves in an unusually high number of runs due to caught stealings and just generally bad baserunning. Sounds like there’s a post idea somewhere in there.
Attempt less steals if you’re Jorge Posada?
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To date, the Yankees have been caught stealing 10 times in 24 attempts. Opponents have been caught just 5 times in 21. Main culprits thus far have been Gardner who’s been caught as many times as he’s been successful – 4 SB, 4 CS — and Derek, who is 0 for 2 attempts. Alex is 0 for 1. Only Cano, Granderson and Martin – all 2-0 — and Swisher and Nunez — 1-0 and 3-1 respectively — have been successful.
This is a real problem and one I can only hope spurs mandatory pre-game video study of opposing pitchers in the clubhouse by our starting lineups. I’m assuming they’re already studying pitchers’ tendencies from a batting perspective, but this needs to be addressed. Living by the long ball only succeeds when runners can stay alive on base long enough to be knocked in. Our guys looked like ducks in a carnival shooting gallery the way they were getting nailed yesterday.
Correction: Granderson stat should be 2-1. Forgot to add his slide past 2nd base in the series opener …grrrrr!