Eiland: "We led the league in hit batters, which is something I’m actually kind of proud of"

OK, to be fair this is the entire quote from the headline: "We led the league in hit batters, which is something I’m actually kind of proud of. Because that means we are pitching inside."

Pitching inside is something Dave Eiland stresses and as we found out today from Pete Caldera, he's pretty happy the Yankees have listened.

"Obviously we’re not trying to hit guys. But we’re trying to pitch in, and make hitters uncomfortable, and get outs in there as well."

Given those constant reminders last season, Eiland’s staff reversed a three-year trend. For the first time since 2005, Yankees pitchers hit more batters (71) than opposing pitchers plunked Yankee hitters (54).

...

Pettitte termed the emphasis on pitching inside as "almost a survival mode" for any starter.

"This is no joke, you know what I mean? We’re trying to do our jobs," Pettitte said.

"And to do our jobs, we have to look at that plate as, ‘This is our plate.’

"When you throw a good pitch on the outside corner, and guys are getting to it when they have no business getting to it, you’ve got to make him aware of inside."

...

In the new Yankee Stadium, "The way the ball carries to right field, it’s even more of a precedence," Pettitte said of establishing inside.

"If you don’t, these guys are so big and strong — you have to come in there to give yourself a chance to get them out with stuff away."

...

"It’s part of making the hitters somewhat uncomfortable," Girardi said.

"To me, you don’t want hitters comfortable in the box, leaning out looking for the ball.

"You have to give hitters something to think about."

This was a complaint for many fans during the Torre era, and was also my biggest beef with Torre. The Yankees seemed to think they could do things differently than everyone else and didn't need to intimidate opposing batters. I guess the idea was "we're the Yankees, people are already afraid of us." But when the Yankees stopped winning rings that fear subsided. That led to Yankees batters becoming target practice for the rest of the league while their pitchers sat back and did nothing.

We are already seeing results. In 2007 and 2008 Yankees batters were hits 78 and 80 times respectively. Last year that number dropped to 54. It was their lowest total of hit batsmen since 1997, and the first time that number had been in the 50's since the end of the last dynasty.

In this league, with the power these hitters have, pitching inside has become a necessity, and I couldn't be happier that the Yankees staff has embraced the idea. It's something we've all be waiting to see for a long time.