Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Not The Way To Start A Series


1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
R H E
Boston 0 1 2 0 3 1 0 0 0
7 14 2
N.Y. Yankees 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0
3 10 1

What a terrible way to begin the biggest series of the season. A 7-3 loss to a short-handed Red Sox team is not the type of game I was hoping for tonight.

And, could A-Rod have had a worse night?

On a night when his team needed him most he has his worst game of the year. 0-for-5, with two strikeouts, two double plays, seven men left on base, and a throwing error. How bad was it? The Yankee Stadium crowd booed him after successfully fielding a grounder.

Here are some of his lowlights:

With the Yankees trailing 3-2 in the 3rd he came to bat with a man on first and one out he grounded into a double play. Two innings later, with the score now 6-3 Red Sox, he came to bat with men on first and second and one out, this time he flying out to shallow center. He had another chance to redeem himself in the 7th with the Yankees trailing 7-3. The bases were loaded with only one out, but once again A-Rod grounded into a double play to end the inning, his second of the night. Oh, and he struck out to end the game.

To be fair it wasn't all A-Rod's fault. Andy Pettitte deserves as much blame, may more. He needed to give the Yankees a good start tonight; instead he gave them his worst start this month. And he did it against a Boston lineup that was without Manny Ramirez, Mike Lowell, J.D. Drew, and Julio Lugo.

He couldn't even make it past the 5th. In 4.2 innings, he allowed six runs on ten hits, and three walks. Yes, he was squeezed by home plate umpire Jim Reynolds, but it's still no excuse for his performance tonight. These are the type of games the Yankees need Pettitte to win, and he let them down tonight.

Some guys did show up tonight; Johnny Damon went 2-for-4, with two solo homers. Derek Jeter and Bobby Abreu also had two hits each. And Jose Molina went 1-for-2 with an RBI. The bullpen also did a decent job tonight.

This loss drops the Yanks to six back in the Wild Card, and I think it makes these next two games must-wins. They really can't afford to lose this series. Six games out with 29 to go is a very steep mountain to climb.


ABRHRBIBBSOLOBAVG
Damon, CF4222112.313
Jeter, SS5020000.294
Abreu, RF4020101.298
Rodriguez, A, 3B5000027.308
Giambi, 1B4000002.247
Nady, LF3010100.328
Matsui, DH4110013.310
Cano, 2B4010013.269
Molina, C2011000.230
a-Rodriguez, I, PH-C2000012.283
Totals3731033620

a-Struck out for Molina in the 7th.

BATTING
HR: Damon 2 (11, 1st inning off Wakefield, 0 on, 0 out; 5th inning off Wakefield, 0 on, 1 out).
TB: Damon 8; Jeter 2; Abreu 2; Nady; Matsui; Cano; Molina.
RBI: Damon 2 (57), Molina (15).
2-out RBI: Molina.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Damon; Giambi; Rodriguez, I.
GIDP: Rodriguez, A 2.
Team LOB: 10.

RED SOX OFFENSE


IPHRERBBSOHRERA
Pettitte (L, 13-10)4.210663304.37
Bruney 1.10113002.38
Robertson 1.01000205.76
Ramirez 1.01001003.59
Britton 1.02000104.30

RED SOX PITCHING

PLAYER OF THE GAME
: Johnny Damon (2-for-4, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB)

HONORABLE MENTION
: Jason Bay (2-for-4, 2 RBI, R)

GOATS OF THE GAME: Andy Pettitte and Alex Rodriguez - way to show up for the big game.

Sidney Ponson takes the mound tomorrow, in what is a huge game for the Yankees. He will be facing the recently acquired Paul Byrd. Game Time: 7:05 p.m. - TV: YES - Radio: WCBS 880

12 Comments:

James Miller said...

I think the yankees should take a note from the red sox. By this I mean, get rid of the cancer-ous factors on this team despite the guady stats they might put up. Namely Arod. Arod and Manny are actually very similar in a lot of ways. I dont like to compare them since manny has come thru in the clutch and has also won a ring. But as far as bringing down the morale of a team, they a quite alike. A rod is a great talent, there is no denying that, but he will never win in NY.

Greg Cohen said...

I agree, the problem is that no team would ever take on 9 years at roughly 30 million per, so we're pretty much stuck with this guy for the next 9 years.

James Miller said...

what if we worked out something similar to the texas deal, where we still pay him...a portion

Greg Cohen said...

With the 9 years left of the deal I can't see it happening.

Anonymous said...

Hahahahha A-Rod blows!!!!

Check out this line from today's Ian O'Connor article:

"As always, Alex Rodriguez was the most conspicuous bum of the night because he is the biggest player with the biggest contract on the biggest team. A-Rod is the team-sport antithesis of the fan who limped out of Yankee Stadium in the eighth inning to a rousing cheer - a serial, surgically repaired winner named Tiger Woods.

Tiger shrinks the moment. Rodriguez? The moment shrinks him."

ahahahahah I'm so happy you guys got stuck with him and we just got stuck with two rings. ahahahahaha

Joe said...

You know I love A-Rod, but at this point it's becoming hard to defend him. Bookend strikeouts sandwiched by double plays.

This morning I heard on Colin Cowherd that Jeter's numbers this season were .290 AVG, .300 with runners on, .310 with RISP and .333 with bases loaded.
On the other side, A-Rod is .308 AVG, .270 with runners on, .340 with RISP and .111 with bases loaded. Unbelievable.

Now he may be having a bad "clutch" season, but I think wishing he was gone is an overreaction.

Greg Cohen said...

You're probably right Joe, but it's an understandable reaction. Especially with the frustration that he's caused.

Anonymous said...

How can anyone love Arod? What's there to love? He is terrible. He has never won anything for any team. He is an atrocious post season performer. He simple is NOT a gamer. I would never want him on my team period. And, the Yanks will pay for this terrible move for 9 years.

Joe said...

Anonymous,

Look at these names: Bonds, Banks, Carew, Cobb, Fisk, Gwynn, Killebrew and McCovey.

All of them have never won a World Series, and I am 100% sure that no one knows or remembers that. All these guys are Hall Of Famers and put up those numbers season after season. A-Rod is going to put up numbers just like them or better for the next 9 years, and he is probably going to break a lot of significant records.

In the end I think it's a lot more reassuring knowing you have a one of a kind hitter thats going to hit .300+ with 40 HR EVERY season, than trading him because he went 0-5 in a game against the Red Sox in a season where everyone else on the team has hit for crap also.

James Miller said...

just another horrible move the overrated Yankee front office has made in the last few years. They looked like idiots when they went back on their own empty threat when he opted out and they still bowed to him. Now as he continues to fail his teammates as well as alienate them they look even worse.

James Miller said...

We could have had Carlos Beltran and Johan Sanatana. Inseatd we have Kennedy Hughes and Johnny Damon. That's just a smigeon of the stupidity that has gone on with us. When will the yankees make a move that works best for the team?

James Miller said...

why is this the happiest A rod has looked as a yankee?

http://ballsiest.com/sportsblog/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/gay-rod-is-gay.jpg