It does seem like for every big Pettitte performance there is an equally bad meltdown. Well, they won a big game 6 with Denny Neagle of all people starting in 2000 in the ALCS, so hopefully they can get it done tomorrow- weather permitting.

@ Corey:

That almost as silly as Phillips having an affair with that Bruno Sammartino look-alike.

Anyone seen this? :

http://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/index.php/the-wright-cruz-rumor/

He’s a really dumb man, huh?

MJ wrote:

I have zero confidence in Andy Pettitte tomorrow night. He’s got this reputation as a big game pitcher but he’s flopped in some big games also. He’s not exactly Jack Morris, Josh Beckett or Curt Schilling out there…

Good, everytime you’ve doubted him this season he’s proved you wrong. Pettite is the exact guy I want in this situation.

ken wrote:

No, but he can be for one game and has done it in big pressure games.

But he’s also flopped just as many times in big pressure games.

Call me a pessimist, call me fatalistic, call me whatever but I have a feeling that Andy is going to lay a real egg out there tomorrow.

MJ wrote:

He’s not exactly Jack Morris, Josh Beckett or Curt Schilling out there…

No, but he can be for one game and has done it in big pressure games.

nwyank wrote:

Let’s win it at home and give Andy the all time post season win record.

I have zero confidence in Andy Pettitte tomorrow night. He’s got this reputation as a big game pitcher but he’s flopped in some big games also. He’s not exactly Jack Morris, Josh Beckett or Curt Schilling out there…

Hello all. Gotta vent after last night. Bad night of sleep.
We had the game, and series, in our grasps. It slipped away and there’s no telling what lies ahead. I refrain from managing the team in hindsight, or blaming Swisher for not getting a hit w/ 2 outs. Only 2 things bothered me: the hit and walk to the 8/9 hitters in the bottom of 7th, and Hughes’ performance. Our strong bullpen has really faltered lately.
Looking forward, game 6 pits 2 pitchers who are similar at this point in their careers. Pettitte has the edge in experience but Saunders has been great since coming off the DL. If it goes to a game 7, there will be a lot of worried Yankees fans. Steve is right: how long can CC stump their lineup? Sustained excellence is a hard thing to do.
Let’s win it at home and give Andy the all time post season win record.

YankCrank wrote:

The one I disagree with is that the pitch to Tex was too close to take.

Yes. As I get older and see more baseball, I see that in an important at bat with 2 strikes, you can’t let the umpire decide the outcome. A good batter will foul those off and wait for a good pitch to hit.

Best example: Beltran in last out against the Cards in 2006.

ken wrote:

I have heard that Belicek says that football games are decided on a few key plays. I think that last night’s game came down to two pitches:

1- Called strike 3 in 1st inning against Tex. A bad call, BTW. It swung momentum back to Lackey after he allowed 1st two batters on base. A base hit, a walk, or a properly called ball, changes the whole game right there. Maybe we get a run or two and then who knows how the rest turns out.

2- Hughes’ mis-placed fastball to Vlad that ties the game. He had Vald at 1-2 and was trying to throw above the strike zone. If needed, next pitch would have been a breaking ball which is the only pitch he had going good.

Couldn’t agree with you more ken. I thought the exact same thing after the game, and unfortunately both turning points went against the Yanks.

The one I disagree with is that the pitch to Tex was too close to take. At that point, it seems everybody in the park and everybody watching, other than Tex, knew a 3-2 curveball was coming. Although the pitch wasn’t on the black, it was close enough. We all saw it coming, and I wasn’t surprised with the outcome.