Know Your Enemy: New York Yankees.
by Allen Chace on Apr 24, 2009 4:23 AM EDT
in News
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Yes, friends, it's time to head into our first 'tilt' with the New York Yankees.
What's changed, in a year? What can really change beyond a lot of players getting older and a lot of other players making a lot of f'in money?
The biggest addition, so far, has been Nick Swisher. We know, of course, about his ability to work the count and hit for power. He's also been pretty versatile for the Yanks, being an option in LF, RF, 1B, and at P. A.J. Burnett has also been a good signee so far, 17 Ks in 19 IP over 3 starts.
Another big change the Yankees made was in CF. While Melky Cabrera saw most of the time out there last year, the Yankees decided to make a change and go with Brett Gardner as the starter. How has it worked? Gangbusters! Gardner's been tearing up the AL to the tune of a 1.211 OPS, while Melky has struggled to a .583 OPS. ...wait. Strike that, reverse it. The long-term for both of these guys is probably as 4th outfielders, but Melky has earned the bulk of the PT thusfar.
Somewhat quietly, a number of Yankee regulars are putting up their usual numbers. Jeter, Damon, Posada, and Matsui have all been as good as could have been expected or better. Swisher and Cano have probably been a bit above their heads, but they've also shown that their respective struggles last season may be behind them.
STRENGTHS
The offense. 4th in the AL in scoring runs while getting nothing from 3B and CF most of the time, with Alex Rodriguez coming back at some point and Mark Teixeira still having a cold April.
WEAKNESSES
In a small-sample way, this season, the bullpen. Beyond Rivera and Brian Bruney? A huge crap sandwich. It's not even a joke to say that Swisher has been among their best RPs this season.
YANKEES' KEYS TO SUCCESS IN 2009
Perhaps a swap out of some bullpen arms? The arrival of Mark Melancon? The offense will be fine, but the pitching isn't shaping up as intended. Pettitte and Burnett have been steady but Joba, Sabathia, and Wang have not been good. I keep waiting for Sabathia to get back on track, and young and inconsistent should actually have been an acceptable outcome for Joba this season. It's still early for both. It's probably pretty obvious to everyone right now that there's something wrong with the Yankees' Wang.
HOW THE SOX CAN BEAT THEM
Knock the starters out early. The Yankees probably have their 3 best (thusfar) going this weekend in Boston. Non-Bruney or Rivera RPs should be a welcome sight on the mound. In general, the pitching gives out a lot of walks, though CC's 14 in 24+ innings might be skewing that data a little bit. The pitchers should keep the ball down; the Yankees are slugging quite well thusfar.
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Cant really complain over the Bosox’ starting pitchers for the series: Lester, Beckett, Masterson. Lester should look pretty good against the lefties in the lineup, plus he gets to turn around a lot of their switch hitters.
And if Joba does anything funny, Beckett ppitches Saturday, lol.
by Hardscores on Apr 24, 2009 9:01 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Big Papi publically warned Joba the Hutt not to throw at Youk's giant melon.
"You know you're having a bad day when the fifth inning rolls around and they drag the warning track." - Mike Flanagan, Baltimore Orioles pitcher, 1992.
by SoxDevil on Apr 24, 2009 9:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs
If Joba throws at Youk again, he should get a 20-game suspension
Because of his history of throw at Youk. Beckett got 6 games, even though he and Abreu have no history.
I gotta go 'cause I'm probably definitely gonna nod out again.
by Drugs Delaney on Apr 24, 2009 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
yeah and beckett threw after time out was called, and the umps didnt see a reason to throw him out of the game. I fully expect joba to be suspended if he throws anywhere above the shoulders on youk.
by spinz on Apr 24, 2009 1:22 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs
3 intense matchups, but tonight is probably the most interesting of the pitching matchups.
by spinz on Apr 24, 2009 1:25 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
Here’s what I hope to see: first pitch to Youk … BOMB! And then Youk flips him off and walks around the bases.
That would be sweet.
by Randy Booth on Apr 24, 2009 2:34 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
"Beyond Rivera and Brian Bruney?"
BRIAN FREAKIN’ BRUNEY? Really, AC?
"Hey we got a lot in common here... I'm gonna rape you"
by MerryGoByeBye on Apr 24, 2009 4:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
The Yankees need a bridge to Mariano..
I always thought the Yankees problem is a combination of neglect and disdain in nurturing younger players. When they do have a semi decent prospect, they overhyped him as the second coming of the messiah. Two pitchers that the Yankees should had gone all out for in the off season were Saito and Ramirez, but instead they way overpaid for Sabathia and got Burnett, who to me is a better pitcher than Sabathia. They should had re-vamp their bullpen, and done more to lessen the burden on Rivera, and prepare a new closer as Rivera was once the set up man for Wetteland. Marte is okay, but everyone else is mediocre at best.
I just don’t see the Yankees getting to the World Series, unless they get decent middle relief. They are a good team, but other good teams know how to feast on bad pitching and can turn a 6-1 deficit to a 6-6 tie to a 7-6 lead in a late inning.
by superferret on Apr 25, 2009 12:21 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs
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