July 6th vs. The Blue Jays
Oh, sooooooo close…but, no.
Tracking this one electronically, it appears as if this contest, from the Yankees perspective, was a hodgepodge of costly two-out pitches, stupid base-running, somewhat questionable fielding, terrible relief pitching, and a heart of the order no-show (until the 9th inning) – with some bad umpiring sprinkled on top.
As much as a 5-2 homestand is always nice, it’s a shame to have a get-away game like this – one that looks like an orangutan’s butt after he just guzzled a gallon of caster oil.
New York hits the road now for three in Minny and three in L.A. before the All-Star break. On the season, to date, the Yankees have been so-so on the road.
Do they allow this game to set the tone and then mail in the next six games before the All-Star break? Or, will the Yankees shake this one off and take four (or more) of the next six and show us something really impressive – finishing out the first half, away from home, with a strong kick? Time will tell.
one that looks like an orangutan’s butt after he just guzzled a gallon of caster oil
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Yuck!
I didn’t watch the game so I have no idea how it all unfolded but just judging from the boxscore, Andy Pettitte sucked it up yet again. Sentimentality has its place but results matter and I’m pretty tired of his consistently poor performances.
This is Andy Pettitte. It’s why Yanks didn’t give him the huge contract he wanted. But he will also come up big at times. A solid middle-of-the-rotation guy.
I would be very happy with a 4 of 6 road trip but might have to settle for 3/3. Red Sox are home against Oakland and KC so we will likely give back a game or two.
What bugs me about the 9th inning is the 3-1 pitch to Hinske. It was low for ball four but he swung and missed. With one strike he should have taken it. The swinging strike 3 may have been high and away but too close to take in that situation.
ken wrote:
you realize he’s on pace to make more then the “huge contract he wanted” right?
i watched the gameday of this so i won’t comment on the game till tomorrow cause i’ll watch this one before i go to sleep.
i will say this, however, i gotta give the general credit cause i dunno if i would have pinch hit for the melk man
Corey wrote:
Last year he made $16M and this year a base of $5.5M with possibility of 12M. It all depends upon what are the incentives.
My larger point is that he is and always was a flawed pitcher but who does have moments of greatness that can rise above even pitchers with more talent. No better example than his flopping in game 1 of ’96 Series but then rising to near-perfection in game 5.
Today’s performance is part of the whole package.
FWIW, General Joe in the post-game said that Pettitte threw a good game and just made two mistake pitches to Rios and McD. Further, on his ESPN Radio show, Kay said that the boxscore doesn’t tell the Pettitte story – that he was pretty good today – and that the Rios pitch was not a mistake – that Andy hit the target and it’s just that Rios hit it out.
That’s what I heard – again, I didn’t see the game.
@ Steve Lombardi:
Sterling and Waldman said the same thing on the radio (I listened to most of the game). I don’t know…you can’t go completely by his line, I guess, but 10 baserunners over 6 innings is too many, regardless of how people “think” he pitched.
I saw most of the game but not the Rios homer. But there were two men on base preceding the ‘one bad pitch’. Andy wasn’t his best. And he most certainly was pitching on fumes at end of 6th inning. Should never have started the 7th.
Funny game overall: bad ump calls and infield singles did hurt. But Pettitte and Bruney didn’t perform when needed.
And never listen to Sterling analyze a Yankee pitcher’s losing performance. It’s always ‘one bad pitch’. As I said, ‘one bad pitch’ only costs one run if the bases are empty.
ken wrote:
Oh I agree, but it’s all I had to go on, not being able to watch the game. I wouldn’t have believed it normally, but it seemed to mirror what was being said elsewhere.
“On the season, to date, the Yankees have been so-so on the road.”
The Yankees have the best road record, best road ops, and the most runs scored per game on the road. The also have the 2nd best road era.
Yanks are 22-18 on the road this year, to date. And, before their last three games on the road – gimmies against the empty Mets at Shea – they were 19-18. If that ain’t so-so, what is?
Umps absolutely butchered this one.
Well, fortunately, games against the Mets count as wins.
Even if they were “really” losses.
Steve Lombardi wrote:
I heard the same things too. But how can it be such a good game when Pettitte walked 5 batters? This is one of those times when Pettitte’s “championship equity” are blinding the excuse-makers. I didn’t watch the game but I can’t imagine that Pettitte was just unlucky yesterday. Serving up a 3-run homer on a good pitcher’s pitch can happen but 5 walks and 10 total baserunners aren’t the product of bad luck…
Steve Lombardi wrote:
isn’t that what makes division winning teams though? You mash at home and stay at or around .500 away?