Brian Cashman ‘Absolutely’ Wants Joe Girardi to Return as Yankees Manager
October 23, 2010
by Ed Price
Filed under: Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series, MLB Hot Stove, MLB Free Agency
ARLINGTON, Texas — This time, the Core Four may be broken up for good.
With the Yankees‘ season over, it is time for them to deal with four important expiring contracts, those of manager Joe Girardi, stalwart lefty Andy Pettitte, Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera and face-of-the-franchise shortstop Derek Jeter.
“Winter’s upon us,” general manager Brian Cashman said.
Jeter and Girardi are near-locks to return, with Cashman saying he “absolutely” wants the manager to return. And Rivera certainly seems capable of closing for another year.
“This is where they belong,” Cashman said.
Josh Hamilton Is ALCS MVP | Yanks ‘Absolutely’ Want Girardi Back
Game 6: Rangers 6, Yankees 1 | Box Score | Scouting Notes
But Pettitte sounds closer than ever to retiring, a decision he will grapple with for the fourth straight offseason.
“I wish I could tell you, I really do,” said Pettitte, 38. “I wish I knew. I’m just not sure.
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Yankees Flop in Every Facet of ALCS
October 23, 2010
by Ed Price
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
ARLINGTON, Texas — Other than getting out-pitched, out-hit and out-managed, the Yankees had a fine American League Championship Series.
After his team was eliminated Friday, general manager Brian Cashman was asked if he was surprised …
“… that they whacked us like that?” he said, finishing the question. “Yeah, it’s surprising.
“Do I think we’re better than what we showed in this series? Absolutely.”
The Yankees have to be better than they were against the Rangers. The Yankees got outscored 38-19 in the series, just the fifth time in franchise history they were out-scored by a 2-1 margin in a postseason series.
“They hit better than us,” Derek Jeter said. “They pitched better than us. Overall, they played better than us. I don’t know what the stats are, but they beat us. That’s the best way to put it.”
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Right or Wrong, Joe Girardi’s Moves Backfire in Yankees’ Crushing Loss
October 20, 2010
by Ed Price
Filed under: Giants, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — It was a bad day Tuesday for the Yankees, and a worse day for Joe Girardi‘s leverage.
It started with the Cubs hiring Mike Quade as manager, meaning Girardi — whose contract as Yankees manager expires after this season — can’t use the Cubs to get more from the Yankees.
It ended with a few questionable decisions that didn’t work out as the Rangers whipped the Yankees 10-3 for a 3-1 lead in the American League Championship Series.
“If things go right, they say, ‘Well, you did the right thing,’ ” Girardi said. “If things go wrong, they say, ‘Well, you made a mistake.’ “
Always true. There are smart moves that don’t work and shaky ones that do.
But in the postseason, for the Yankees, the magnification grows.
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Mark Teixeira Off Yankees’ ALCS Roster; Lance Berkman Starts Game 5
October 20, 2010
by Ed Price
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Injuries, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — With Mark Teixeira out of the lineup and off the roster Wednesday because of a strained right hamstring, the Yankees put Lance Berkman at first base for Game 5 of the AL Championship Series.
Against Rangers lefty C.J. Wilson, Robinson Cano (.407 in the postseason) moved up from the No. 5 hole to take over in Teixeira’s usual third spot. Marcus Thames was in as the designated hitter.
“The way Robby has been swinging,” manager Joe Girardi said, “we just talked about getting him more at-bats and moving him up. And somewhat leaving the rest of the lineup intact.”
Berkman, a switch-hitter, this year batted just .171 against left-handed pitching. But Girardi batted him sixth, ahead of catcher Jorge Posada, another switch-hitter who had an .833 OPS against lefties.
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Francisco Cervelli Gets Starting Nod Over Jorge Posada for Game 4
October 19, 2010
by Ed Price
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — On Tuesday, for just the seventh time since 2000, someone other than Jorge Posada was slated to start at catcher for the Yankees in a postseason game.
Francisco Cervelli, who has caught A.J. Burnett‘s final nine regular-season starts, was in the lineup for Game 4 of the American League Championship Series, batting ninth.
“I believe in continuity when it comes to pitchers and catchers,” said manager Joe Girardi, a former catcher, “so that’s why I chose to do it that way.”
In the regular season, Cervelli hit .271 with no homers and 38 RBI in 266 at-bats. Posada batted .248 with 18 homers and 57 RBI in 383 at-bats.
But Girardi said it is worth sacrificing offense for the comfort of Burnett — whose start in Game 4 has been widely discussed because of his poor second half of the season (3-8, 5.95 ERA).
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Untouchable Cliff Lee Ratchets Up Yankees’ Sense of Urgency in ALCS
October 19, 2010
by John Hickey
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — There are still four potential games left in the American League Championship Series, but in the wake of the Texas Rangers‘ 8-0 win over New York Monday, it’s looking suspiciously like the Yankees are facing a series of three must-win games.
The Rangers‘ Cliff Lee, who beat the Yankees twice in the World Series last year while with the Phillies, threw eight shutout innings Monday, allowing just two hits. And he would pitch Game 7, something the Yankees simply don’t want to see.
To avoid that eventuality, New York needs to win the next three games.
Lee is so deep into the Yankee psyche right now that you’d expect “Deep in the Heart of Texas” to be played at game’s end instead of “New York, New York.” Any deeper and the “NY” on the Yankee caps would have to be replaced by “CL.”
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As Others Cringe, A.J. Burnett Remains Confident Heading Into Game 4 Start
October 18, 2010
by John Hickey
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — Much of the talk at the American League Championship Series since the Texas Rangers won Game 2 was about the Yankees and whether or not New York should go back to ace CC Sabathia in Game 4.
A.J. Burnett, who is the man who actually will start Game 4 for the Yankees Tuesday, has heard it loud and clear but, “to be honest with you, I’m not really paying attention to it.”
He’s in the minority. New York doesn’t take failure well, and Burnett, who matched his six-year low with just 10 wins and had 15 losses and a 5.26 ERA on the downside of the ledger, has failed to be the starter the Yankees thought he would be this year.
The playoffs are a chance to atone, but only if he get the chance to pitch. And so if parts of Yankeedom are cringing with the thought that it will be Burnett and not Sabathia in Game 4, well, that’s just the way it goes. Burnett says he can live with it.
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Playoffs Give Elvis Andrus National Stage for Eye-Opening Defense
October 17, 2010
by John Hickey
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — It’s not that Elvis Andrus can’t hit. The Texas leadoff man has a .429 average in the first two games of the American League Championship Series against New York and has a .266 average his first two years in the big leagues.
It’s not that he can’t run, either. He had stolen 65 bases in the regular season and his theft of home as a part of delayed double steal with Josh Hamilton was perhaps the signature moment of Texas’ Game 2 win over the Yankees.
But to appreciate Andrus, you have to appreciate defense, particularly the kind of glove work an elite shortstop can bring to a club.
For Rangers second baseman Ian Kinsler, the play that stands out came against the Angels on May 17, when Andrus went four steps onto the grass in left field to get a Torii Hunter grounder, bounced up and got off a one-hop throw to first baseman Justin Smoak that left Hunter humbled. (Watch the video here.)
“That’s the best play that been made on me — ever,” Hunter said at the time. “That guy can really play. He was in left field and he made a heck of a throw. That was a sweet play.”
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Specter of Short Rest Enough for Yankees to Stick With A.J. Burnett
October 17, 2010
by Ed Price
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
NEW YORK — Game 3 of the American League Championship Series on Monday pits the best postseason starter of all time (Cliff Lee, who is 6-0 with a 1.44 ERA in seven playoff starts) against the winningest postseason pitcher of all time (Andy Pettitte, who is 19-9).
Yet the overarching storyline is who starts for the Yankees in Game 4.
With CC Sabathia having thrown only 93 pitches in Friday’s Game 1, and having pitched well twice last postseason on short rest (1-0, 2.45 ERA), some wonder — or suggest, or demand — the Yankees bring him back on three days’ rest again.
But this isn’t last year, for a number of reasons.
One similarity to 2009: The team with the $200 million payroll, after six-plus months, has little confidence in anyone to be its fourth starter in the postseason. Pretty amazing, that.
Last year, it meant shipping Joba Chamberlain to the bullpen and using a three-man rotation of Sabathia, Pettitte and A.J. Burnett. But the postseason schedule was different last year; the Yankees were able to choose the Division Series with the extra off day and the ALCS included an off day between Games 4 and 5.
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Rangers Prove Starting Pitching Strong Beyond Just Cliff Lee
October 17, 2010
by John Hickey
Filed under: Rangers, Yankees, MLB Playoffs, American League Championship Series
ARLINGTON, Texas — If casual fans know anything about the Texas Rangers, it’s that the Rangers can hit. They always have. Maybe they always will, because Rangers Ballpark is built for hitting.
So casual fans dropping in for the first two games of the American League Championship Series have to be surprised by what they’ve seen. Game 1 starter C.J. Wilson and Game 2 starter Colby Lewis have for the most part shut down the vaunted New York offense.
Lewis’ 5 2/3 innings Saturday, in which he allowed the Yankees just two runs and set the stage for a 7-2 Texas win, not only got the series even at one game apiece with the teams moving to Yankee Stadium starting Monday, but also gave the Rangers their first-ever win at home in the postseason.
“Everybody knows the Rangers hit,” center fielder Josh Hamilton, the AL batting champ this year, said. “But what they don’t know about us is that we can really pitch. It’s all come together pitching, especially since we got Cliff Lee.”