Sunday, October 28, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Wednesday, October 24, 2012
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Friday, October 12, 2012
It Comes Down to This
For the first time in baseball history the Division Series will see all four series' go to a decisive fifth game.
The San Francisco Giants completed an improbable comeback yesterday in Cincinnati, taking three straight on the road and enabling them to reach their second National League Championship Series in three years. In the Oakland, the Detroit Tigers ended the A's Cinderella season by riding the arm of Justin Verlander all the in the American League Championship Series.
With that there is four teams left fighting for the final two spots in baseball's version of the Final Four.
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees
Tonight in the Bronx will be the 23rd time this season these two teams play one another with the first 22 being even as can be, 11 wins each. It's only fitting that two teams that battled all year for a division crown will have one game between them to decide the fate of their season, not to mention the fact they will win the season series.
The biggest news heading into Game 5 is the decision of New York manager Joe Girardi to sit a struggling Alex Rodriguez in the most the team's most important game all season.
Rodriguez's postseason struggles, not only this season, but throughout his career, have been well documented. Many believed he exercised those demons when he hit .365 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in the 2009 postseason en route to his first World Series title and New York's 27th in franchise history.
However, he has made the last out in each of the last two Yankee seasons and hasn't hit a postseason home run in 79 at-bats. His last coming in the 2009 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The decision shouldn't come as much of a surprise after Girardi decided to pinch-hit for the 14-time All-Star in each of the last two games with the game on the line. Rodriguez has two hits in 16 at-bats this postseason with nine strikeouts. He does not have a hit against a right-handed pitcher and is the main reason why Girardi elected to sit him against Baltimore's Jason Hammel.
But in a way it's a double-edged sword for the simple fact Rodriguez has hammered Hammel throughout his career. In 22 career at-bats against the 6-foot-6 righty from Greenville, Rodriguez has eight hits, four in which have left the yard. That is a .364 average.
Veteran Eric Chavez, who started 50 games at third base this season when Rodriguez went down with a broken hand, will start in his place and bat ninth.
Chavez has only faced Hammel six times in his career with one hit, but that one hit just happened to be a home run.
Rodriguez isn't the only Yankee struggling to find his stride, in fact some players have been worse. Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher are a combined 3-for-31 with 12 strikeouts and only one run drive in. But with Andruw Jones left on the playoff roster and Brett Gardner has all of three at-bats since April 17, Girardi doesn't have another viable option in the outfield like he does with Chavez at third.
Cano is hitting just .111, but has driven in four of the 11 Yankee runs this series.
All that being said, as the old cliche goes, momentum is only as good as your next day's starting pitcher and New York wouldn't have any one else on the mound tonight in the Bronx. Girardi gives the ball to CC Sabathia after a stellar, 120-pitch performance in Game 1 of this series. Sabathia is 5-0 in six career ALDS starts and 8-3 in the postseason since joining the Yankees prior to the '09 season.
For the Orioles, their offense has struggled just as much.
Adam Jones, who many believe is a dark horse in the AL Most Valuable Player discussion, and Matt Wieters are both batting just over 100 and have to drive in a run. Jones just .105 (2-for-19) and Wieters at .118 (2-for-17). Mark Reynolds and rookie Manny Machado are among the two Baltimore regulars that are batting under .200.
Nate McLouth has really carried the Orioles offense in this series with 11 total bases and a team-leading five RBIs. McLouth is also the only member of Baltimore starting eight that has a batting average over .300 (.318).
But the Baltimore pitching staff has kept the Yankee bats at bay which continues to be the best way to counter a struggling offense. The Orioles starters have posted a 1.85 earned run average through the first four games of the series, but really it has been the work of Buck Showalter and his bullpen that tell the story.
Aside of their All-Star closer Jim Johnson struggling in two of his four outing against New York and allowing six runs (five earned), the bullpen has been nails. Showalter has used six other arms out of the 'pen outside of Johnson and they have tossed 13 brilliant innings. In those innings they have allowed just one earned run and that of course being Raul Ibanez's walk-off home run in the 12th inning of Game 3. Their ERA is a video game-like 0.69 with 13 strikeouts and only have allowed 12 base runners (seven hits, five walks).
Ten different times the Orioles caught the Yankees in the standings during the regular season, but never let them pass them. Even this postseason, every time the Yankees have won a game, the Orioles have come back with a victory. Is today the day they finally pass them?
I guess we'll find out.
BAL X-Factor: Adam Jones
NYY X-Factor: Curtis Granderson
NYY wins, 4-2
The San Francisco Giants completed an improbable comeback yesterday in Cincinnati, taking three straight on the road and enabling them to reach their second National League Championship Series in three years. In the Oakland, the Detroit Tigers ended the A's Cinderella season by riding the arm of Justin Verlander all the in the American League Championship Series.
With that there is four teams left fighting for the final two spots in baseball's version of the Final Four.
Baltimore Orioles at New York Yankees
Tonight in the Bronx will be the 23rd time this season these two teams play one another with the first 22 being even as can be, 11 wins each. It's only fitting that two teams that battled all year for a division crown will have one game between them to decide the fate of their season, not to mention the fact they will win the season series.
 |
| Alex Rodriguez's struggles have forced him to the bench in Game 5. |
Rodriguez's postseason struggles, not only this season, but throughout his career, have been well documented. Many believed he exercised those demons when he hit .365 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in the 2009 postseason en route to his first World Series title and New York's 27th in franchise history.
However, he has made the last out in each of the last two Yankee seasons and hasn't hit a postseason home run in 79 at-bats. His last coming in the 2009 World Series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
The decision shouldn't come as much of a surprise after Girardi decided to pinch-hit for the 14-time All-Star in each of the last two games with the game on the line. Rodriguez has two hits in 16 at-bats this postseason with nine strikeouts. He does not have a hit against a right-handed pitcher and is the main reason why Girardi elected to sit him against Baltimore's Jason Hammel.
But in a way it's a double-edged sword for the simple fact Rodriguez has hammered Hammel throughout his career. In 22 career at-bats against the 6-foot-6 righty from Greenville, Rodriguez has eight hits, four in which have left the yard. That is a .364 average.
Veteran Eric Chavez, who started 50 games at third base this season when Rodriguez went down with a broken hand, will start in his place and bat ninth.
Chavez has only faced Hammel six times in his career with one hit, but that one hit just happened to be a home run.
Rodriguez isn't the only Yankee struggling to find his stride, in fact some players have been worse. Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher are a combined 3-for-31 with 12 strikeouts and only one run drive in. But with Andruw Jones left on the playoff roster and Brett Gardner has all of three at-bats since April 17, Girardi doesn't have another viable option in the outfield like he does with Chavez at third.
Cano is hitting just .111, but has driven in four of the 11 Yankee runs this series.
All that being said, as the old cliche goes, momentum is only as good as your next day's starting pitcher and New York wouldn't have any one else on the mound tonight in the Bronx. Girardi gives the ball to CC Sabathia after a stellar, 120-pitch performance in Game 1 of this series. Sabathia is 5-0 in six career ALDS starts and 8-3 in the postseason since joining the Yankees prior to the '09 season.
For the Orioles, their offense has struggled just as much.
 |
| Jason Hammel was the Orioles best pitcher much of the first half and they need him to be that in Game 5. |
Nate McLouth has really carried the Orioles offense in this series with 11 total bases and a team-leading five RBIs. McLouth is also the only member of Baltimore starting eight that has a batting average over .300 (.318).
But the Baltimore pitching staff has kept the Yankee bats at bay which continues to be the best way to counter a struggling offense. The Orioles starters have posted a 1.85 earned run average through the first four games of the series, but really it has been the work of Buck Showalter and his bullpen that tell the story.
Aside of their All-Star closer Jim Johnson struggling in two of his four outing against New York and allowing six runs (five earned), the bullpen has been nails. Showalter has used six other arms out of the 'pen outside of Johnson and they have tossed 13 brilliant innings. In those innings they have allowed just one earned run and that of course being Raul Ibanez's walk-off home run in the 12th inning of Game 3. Their ERA is a video game-like 0.69 with 13 strikeouts and only have allowed 12 base runners (seven hits, five walks).
Ten different times the Orioles caught the Yankees in the standings during the regular season, but never let them pass them. Even this postseason, every time the Yankees have won a game, the Orioles have come back with a victory. Is today the day they finally pass them?
I guess we'll find out.
BAL X-Factor: Adam Jones
NYY X-Factor: Curtis Granderson
NYY wins, 4-2
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Saturday, October 6, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Win or Go Home: NL Wild Card Preview
It's that time again. The calendar has turned to October, summer has become fall and baseball is ready to start it's push towards another climatic finish. This time, it's one game, a Game 7 if you will, that will determine the fate of four different teams. Let the games begin.
St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves:
This time last year the St. Louis Cardinals had already embarked on one of the most improbable journeys in postseason history and capping it by winning their 11th World Series title. That is the most in National League and second in baseball history only the the Yankees' 27.
Now, they find themselves defending their crown in a one-game, winner-take-all, wild-card playoff game against the Atlanta Braves, but this is a much different team that won the World Series a year ago.
Tony La Russa retired and first-year manager Mike Matheny was brought in to replace him. Albert Pujols bolted for the West Coast, Carlos Beltran has found rejuvenation in the Gateway City and Lance Berkman is out for season.
Many wondered how this Cardinal offense could replace the bat of Pujols, but they found a way to do so. In fact, the 2012 St. Louis offense was just as productive as the 2011 team. Last season the Cards batted .273 as a team, scoring 762 runs and hitting 162 home runs. Compare that to this year's offense with a .271 average, 765 runs and 159 home runs.
This time around they just needed other guys to step up.
Five of the eight regulars drove in 75 or more runs this season, where as last year St. Louis only had three players do that. They didn't even have someone reach the century mark. Not to mention the fact the Red Birds had those same five guys hit 20-plus home runs. Pujols lead the team in home runs (37) and RBIs (99) a year ago, but this year Beltran lead with 32 home runs and Matt Holliday added the 102 RBIs.
All that being said, pitching is the key, it always is.
Matheny sends right-hander Kyle Lohse, who is enjoying the best season of his 12-year career, to the mound tonight in Atlanta, hoping that he can catch lighting in a bottle in his first postseason game as a manager. Lohse has been apart of a surprisingly good pitching staff this year that was missing ace Chris Carpenter until September 21.
At age 34, Lohse posted career-bests in starts (33), wins (16), losses (3), winning percentage (.842), earned run average (2.86), and innings (211).
The right-hander started one game against the Braves this season, that coming on May 30 at Turner Field. Lohse didn't fair that well, surrendering five runs on nine hits in just five innings of work. However, that start may have been the turning point in his season. After that rough night in Atlanta, Lohse reeled off ten straight starts in which he went at least six innings and only allowed as many as three runs in each. His ERA went from a respectable 3.36 to a brilliant 2.71.
La Russa sent Lohse to hill in the first game of last year's postseason and we all know how that story ended.
For the Braves, they could be watching future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones play his final game in an Atlanta uniform tonight, but will do all they can to prevent that from happening. In fact, this game could not just be about moving on to play the Washington Nationals in the NL Division Series, but revenge.
Remember it was the Braves historic collapse last season, where they blew an eight and a half game lead, that allowed the Cardinals to complete an unthinkable comeback and get into the postseason.
This relatively young Atlanta is a year older and wiser. It took a terrible year last season from Jayson Heyward that if he wanted to live up to expectations, hard work has to be in the cards. Heyward struggled mightily in '11, batting just .227 with 14 HRs and 42 RBIs.
What a difference a year makes.
Heyward was back to his old self this year, leading the team with 27 HRs and driving in a career-high 82 runs. Freddie Freeman came into his own, as well. The 23-year-old first baseman posted career-bests in runs (91), doubles (33), triples (2), home runs (23), RBIs (94), walks (64), slugging percentage (.456) and on-base plus slugging (.796).
However, not every offense player performed up to expectations this season, two in particular. All-Stars Brian McCann and Dan Uggla both struggled to find their stride this season and it had left manager Fredi Gonzalez with some tough decisions.
At one point during the year, Gonzalez elected to bench the power-hitting Uggla because of his lack of production. Uggla hit a team-high 36 HRs last season, but only batted .220 in '12 and hit just 19 out of the yard.
McCann had been a topic of conversation the last two days since Gonzalez announced he would start veteran David Ross in place of the 28-year-old backstop against St. Louis. McCann batted a career-low .230 this season and his struggles really continued in the second half with a .181 average in August, .214 in September and .219 overall.
But just like the Cardinals, the Braves' future this year rides on the right arm of their starting pitcher.
Kris Medlen will get the ball tonight with his team looking to win their 24th straight start with him on the mound. Atlanta has won a Major League record 23 straight starts when Medlen takes the ball, a record that was previously held by Hall of Famers Whitey Ford and Carl Hubbell, whose teams won 22 straight starts with them on the mound.
That's pretty good company to be in.
If all goes according to plan, Gonzalez will hand the ball to the NL reigning Rookie of the Year Craig Kimbrel in the ninth. Kimbrel is having arguably the greatest season in reliever history with a 1.01 ERA, 42 saves and 116 strikeouts in just 62.2 innings.
Play ball.
STL X-Factor: Allen Craig
ATL X-Factor: Brian McCann
Atlanta wins, 3-2
St. Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves:
This time last year the St. Louis Cardinals had already embarked on one of the most improbable journeys in postseason history and capping it by winning their 11th World Series title. That is the most in National League and second in baseball history only the the Yankees' 27.
 |
| Allen Craig came through in last year's postseason, maybe tonight he shines once more. |
Tony La Russa retired and first-year manager Mike Matheny was brought in to replace him. Albert Pujols bolted for the West Coast, Carlos Beltran has found rejuvenation in the Gateway City and Lance Berkman is out for season.
Many wondered how this Cardinal offense could replace the bat of Pujols, but they found a way to do so. In fact, the 2012 St. Louis offense was just as productive as the 2011 team. Last season the Cards batted .273 as a team, scoring 762 runs and hitting 162 home runs. Compare that to this year's offense with a .271 average, 765 runs and 159 home runs.
This time around they just needed other guys to step up.
Five of the eight regulars drove in 75 or more runs this season, where as last year St. Louis only had three players do that. They didn't even have someone reach the century mark. Not to mention the fact the Red Birds had those same five guys hit 20-plus home runs. Pujols lead the team in home runs (37) and RBIs (99) a year ago, but this year Beltran lead with 32 home runs and Matt Holliday added the 102 RBIs.
All that being said, pitching is the key, it always is.
Matheny sends right-hander Kyle Lohse, who is enjoying the best season of his 12-year career, to the mound tonight in Atlanta, hoping that he can catch lighting in a bottle in his first postseason game as a manager. Lohse has been apart of a surprisingly good pitching staff this year that was missing ace Chris Carpenter until September 21.
At age 34, Lohse posted career-bests in starts (33), wins (16), losses (3), winning percentage (.842), earned run average (2.86), and innings (211).
The right-hander started one game against the Braves this season, that coming on May 30 at Turner Field. Lohse didn't fair that well, surrendering five runs on nine hits in just five innings of work. However, that start may have been the turning point in his season. After that rough night in Atlanta, Lohse reeled off ten straight starts in which he went at least six innings and only allowed as many as three runs in each. His ERA went from a respectable 3.36 to a brilliant 2.71.
La Russa sent Lohse to hill in the first game of last year's postseason and we all know how that story ended.
For the Braves, they could be watching future Hall of Famer Chipper Jones play his final game in an Atlanta uniform tonight, but will do all they can to prevent that from happening. In fact, this game could not just be about moving on to play the Washington Nationals in the NL Division Series, but revenge.
Remember it was the Braves historic collapse last season, where they blew an eight and a half game lead, that allowed the Cardinals to complete an unthinkable comeback and get into the postseason.
This relatively young Atlanta is a year older and wiser. It took a terrible year last season from Jayson Heyward that if he wanted to live up to expectations, hard work has to be in the cards. Heyward struggled mightily in '11, batting just .227 with 14 HRs and 42 RBIs.
 |
| McCann won't start tonight in Atlanta, but his bat off the bench could be the difference. |
Heyward was back to his old self this year, leading the team with 27 HRs and driving in a career-high 82 runs. Freddie Freeman came into his own, as well. The 23-year-old first baseman posted career-bests in runs (91), doubles (33), triples (2), home runs (23), RBIs (94), walks (64), slugging percentage (.456) and on-base plus slugging (.796).
However, not every offense player performed up to expectations this season, two in particular. All-Stars Brian McCann and Dan Uggla both struggled to find their stride this season and it had left manager Fredi Gonzalez with some tough decisions.
At one point during the year, Gonzalez elected to bench the power-hitting Uggla because of his lack of production. Uggla hit a team-high 36 HRs last season, but only batted .220 in '12 and hit just 19 out of the yard.
McCann had been a topic of conversation the last two days since Gonzalez announced he would start veteran David Ross in place of the 28-year-old backstop against St. Louis. McCann batted a career-low .230 this season and his struggles really continued in the second half with a .181 average in August, .214 in September and .219 overall.
But just like the Cardinals, the Braves' future this year rides on the right arm of their starting pitcher.
Kris Medlen will get the ball tonight with his team looking to win their 24th straight start with him on the mound. Atlanta has won a Major League record 23 straight starts when Medlen takes the ball, a record that was previously held by Hall of Famers Whitey Ford and Carl Hubbell, whose teams won 22 straight starts with them on the mound.
That's pretty good company to be in.
If all goes according to plan, Gonzalez will hand the ball to the NL reigning Rookie of the Year Craig Kimbrel in the ninth. Kimbrel is having arguably the greatest season in reliever history with a 1.01 ERA, 42 saves and 116 strikeouts in just 62.2 innings.
Play ball.
STL X-Factor: Allen Craig
ATL X-Factor: Brian McCann
Atlanta wins, 3-2
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
The Right Move
He finally made the right move.
New York Yankee manager Joe Girardi has made questionable moves all season long, including last night when he batted the recently "healthy" Mark Teixeria in front of Robinson Cano. It was a move that nearly backfired on the Yankee skipper after Teixeira hit into two double plays, each with the runners at the corners and one out and espeically considering how hot Cano had been and continues to be.
Cano enterted the game hitting a ridiculous .620 (18-for-29) during his seven-game multi-hit streak and is the team leader in nearly every offensive catergory, including runs (102), doubles (48), total bases (335), on-base percentage (.374), slugging percentage (.538), on-base plus slugging (.912) and WAR (6.3).
Not to mention the fact the four-time All-Star is second in batting average (.308), hits (192) and home runs (31).
But enough about the move that almost cost New York their season. It's decision Girardi made in the ninth that we should be talking about.
After a lead off single by Curtis Granderson, the former Manger of the Year elected to pinch hit for Eduardo Nunez, who had two of the Yankee hits prior to that and the team's lone RBI, in favor of Raul Ibanez for his quick strike ability and put one into the seats.
Ibanez did just that, lacing a two-run, game-tying home run that just snuck over the short porch in right field.
It was the second time in 11 days that Girardi called upon Ibanez to pinch hit with his team down by two-runs in their final at-bat and watch him deliever.
New York Yankee manager Joe Girardi has made questionable moves all season long, including last night when he batted the recently "healthy" Mark Teixeria in front of Robinson Cano. It was a move that nearly backfired on the Yankee skipper after Teixeira hit into two double plays, each with the runners at the corners and one out and espeically considering how hot Cano had been and continues to be.
Cano enterted the game hitting a ridiculous .620 (18-for-29) during his seven-game multi-hit streak and is the team leader in nearly every offensive catergory, including runs (102), doubles (48), total bases (335), on-base percentage (.374), slugging percentage (.538), on-base plus slugging (.912) and WAR (6.3).
Not to mention the fact the four-time All-Star is second in batting average (.308), hits (192) and home runs (31).
But enough about the move that almost cost New York their season. It's decision Girardi made in the ninth that we should be talking about.
After a lead off single by Curtis Granderson, the former Manger of the Year elected to pinch hit for Eduardo Nunez, who had two of the Yankee hits prior to that and the team's lone RBI, in favor of Raul Ibanez for his quick strike ability and put one into the seats.
Ibanez did just that, lacing a two-run, game-tying home run that just snuck over the short porch in right field.
It was the second time in 11 days that Girardi called upon Ibanez to pinch hit with his team down by two-runs in their final at-bat and watch him deliever.
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