Yanks October “O”: 5 By 4 Small Wood?
Posted by Steve L. on October 20th, 2009 · Comments (5)
Game Inn Runs G2LDS 11 4 G3LDS 9 4 G1LCS 8 4 G2LCS 13 4 G3LCS 11 4
The Yankees have scored just 4 runs in each of their last 5 post-season games this October. But, some of those games were extra-inning contests. (See chart above.)
When you boil it down to runs scored per 9 innings of play, over their last five games of this post-season, the Yankees are averaging 3.46 runs/9 Inn played. And, some of those runs were gifts from the Angels bad defense in Game 1 and 2 of the ALCS.
So, what’s happened to the big, bad, bats of the Yankees regular season offense? Are they all on vacation or something? Or, is it a whole different ballgame when you’re facing post-season teams and their pitching compared to when you’re facing teams like Mets, Orioles, Blue Jays and A’s in the regular season?
Considering Blackburn (103 ERA+), Pavano (86) and Saunders (99) were league average pitchers in 2009, this has nothing to do with the pitching we faced. This is a Yankee lineup issue and not a quality playoff pitching issue. It means the Yanks should be doing much, much better than they’ve done.
Now is not the time to become the Dead Bats Society. Bats come ALIVE!
Yeah, they need to wake up. Aside from Arod and a couple of other guys, it has been quiet this post season. Time to wake up or go home.
Ah, yes. Offensive woes in the post season. Haven’t we seen this before? Supposedly great offensive teams getting shut out by the Tigers in 2006. Silent bats in 2001 (Schilling and Johnson, so it’s understandable). Lineups of mashers unable to overcome shaky starting pitching. I disagreed with all those bloggers and posters who were salivating at the thought of facing Duensing. Pavano, Blackburn, Saunders. The pressure is high, the results are meager.
Now….the Yanks have experienced a few funks this year when they can’t buy a hit w/ RISP. But those funks end, eventually. The odds should even out. Right?
And I never welcome the thought of facing a lefty; I know the stats are better this year, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Kazmir throws a gem. At least they’re not facing Cliff Lee or CC.
Offense often declines in the post-season. One reason is that teams scout their prospective post-season opponents very carefully for weeks before the play-off series, identifying the weaknesses of hitters. They then work those weaknesses. Add to this that the short series magnifies the importanceof each at-bat and game. If a player goes 2 for 12 over three games during July, it means nothing; in the post-season, it becomes a slump.