N.Y. Yankees: Jordan Montgomery to the Rescue

From the desk of: THE SULTANS OF SO WHAT

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

Series Tied; 2-2

I - NYY 9; TBR 3

II - TBR 7; NYY 5

III - TBR 8; NYY 4

IV - NYY 5; TBR 1

Yankees Hurlers Toss Three Hitter; Force Game Five

Many people should be thanking their lucky stars for Jordan Montgomery.  A Bronx sized blunder in Game Two is less of an issue now, but only if the Yankees win the series.  In the meantime, they've successfully forged a decisive Game Five against the Rays.  Gerrit Cole remains on course to fulfill his mission.

Making his first ever post-season start, southpaw Jordan Montgomery faces 17 batters, allowing one run on a fielder's choice in the third, three hits and three walks with five strikeouts through the game's first four innings.  In the second and third innings Tampa leaves five runners on base as Montgomery pitches through their threats.  Relievers Chad Green, Zach Britton and Aroldis Chapman then slam the door shut on Tampa.  In a dominant display the trio allows no runs, no hits and just one walk with seven strikeouts over the final five innings.  The Rays are limited to one extra base hit and go hitless in four at-bats with runners in scoring position.

No Rays pitcher goes unscathed.  The Bombers score twice against Ryan Thompson in the second on Luke Voit's first home run of the playoffs and a sac-fly by D.J. LeMahieu.  Glayber Torres connects on a two run home run off Ryan Yarbrough in the sixth and Kyle Higashioka drives in the Yankees fifth run against Aaron Slegers in the eighth.

Aaron Judge goes 0 for 4, and is now 3 for 27 (.111) for the series with two home runs and four runs batted in.  

Still no sight of Gary Sanchez.  He surely will not be catching Gerrit Cole and the Yankees aren't going to insert him at DH over Giancarlo Stanton.  Higashioka is now 5 for 15 (.333) in four starts with a home run and two runs batted in and only one strikeout.  Sanchez has four strikeouts in eight at-bats.  His only hit of the post-season is a home run against Cleveland.

SHOWDOWN

In four starts this season against the Rays, Gerrit Cole has yielded twelve runs (4.88 ERA) on 18 hits and eight walks with 35 strikeouts through 22.1 innings pitched.  His Game Five opponent will be Tyler Glasnow who likewise has made four starts this season against the Yankees allowing ten runs (4.71 ERA) on twelve hits and ten walks with 32 strikeouts over 19.1 innings pitched.  Cole was the winner in Game One; Glasnow the winner in Game Two.  This will be their third head-to-head confrontation of the season.  On August 19, the Rays defeated the Yankees four against two.  Glasnow allowed two earned runs in 5.2 innings pitched.  Cole also allowed two runs over 6.2 innings pitched.  On August 31, Tampa defeats the Yankees by a 5-3 final.  Glasnow allows no runs over six innings pitched.  Cole is roughed up for four runs in five innings pitched.  Gerrit Cole has surrendered seven home runs through four starts against Tampa.  Glasnow has yielded just four home runs to the Yankees in four starts but two came in Game Two.

N.Y. Yankees: Bronx Bombers Quietly Advance Into Off-Season

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

MINUTE MAID PARK

SEPTEMBER 2019

AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Astros defeat Yankees; 4-2

I - NYY 7; HOU 0

II - HOU 3; NYY 2

III - HOU 4; NYY 1

IV - HOU 8; NYY 3

V - NYY 4; HOU 1

GAME SIX

Yankees   4

Astros      6

FINAL

Like a Bottle Rocket in the Night the Bombers Season Goes Pop

ALL AROLDIS CHAPMAN COULD DO WAS GRIN, AND BEAR IT.  I believe it was more a curt expression than anything else.  Dismay manifests itself in many forms.  But the look on Chapman's face no doubt punctuates another confounding New York Yankee exit from post-season play.

• 2019 ALCS - BR

What a brilliant at-bat in the top of the ninth inning by D.J. LeMahieu.  He demonstrates great discipline in laying off a slider low and away for ball two.  With a 2-2 count he fouls off four straight pitches (five in all), which I felt was attributable to poor sequencing.  But when Roberto Osuna finally elevates an enticing eye level fastball, LeMahieu smartly takes it for ball three.  That forces Osuna into throwing a hitter's pitch.  His tenth offering of the sequence is just that.  LeMahieu deposits the ball over the right field wall just beyond the outstretched arm of a leaping George Springer tying the game at four.

With two outs in the last half of the ninth Aroldis Chapman walks George Springer.  That brings to the plate Jose Altuve who promptly ends the Yankees season by crushing Chapman's fourth offering, a slider, high and deep over the left field wall for a walk-off victory.

If you're wondering why Chad Green is starting game six of the ALCS, look no further than Brian Cashman.  Otherwise the decision to bullpen an elimination game is Aaron Boone's only recourse.  Although no stranger to starting games, Green nevertheless yields a double, a walk, and a three run home run by Yuri Gurriel for an 0-3 first inning deficit.

Gary Sanchez drives in a run in the second, and Gio Urshela's home run in the fourth closes the gap to one.  But Houston picks up an insurance run when Altuve scores on Alex Bregman's fielder's choice in the sixth.

And into the ninth inning they go ...


NUMBERS OF THE BEAST

Both sides utilize seven pitchers in GAME SIX:

• NYY: six earned runs on six hits and six walks with six strikeouts through 8.2 innings pitched.  They throw 170 pitches with only 101 (59%) going for strikes.
• HOU: four earned runs on ten hits and four walks with eleven strikeouts through nine innings pitched.  They throw 154 pitches with 101 (65%) going for strikes.

SWING AND A MISS

• Jose Altuve: .348/.444/.652; two home runs; three runs batted in; four walks; one strikeout!
• Carlos Correa; George Springer; Yuli Gurriel: five home runs; 13 runs batted in.

• Aaron Judge: .240/.321/.360; home run; two runs batted in; three walks; ten strikeouts!
• Gary Sanchez: .130/167/.261; home run; three runs batted in; one walk; twelve strikeouts!
• Edwin Encarnacion: .056/.227/.111; four walks; eleven strikeouts!
• Brett Gardner: .136/.208/.136; one run batted in; two walks; ten strikeouts!
• Giancarlo Stanton: 2 for 7, home run; three strikeouts.
• Thank goodness for Aaron Hicks?

• HOU: slash .179/.281/.318; eight home runs; 27 walks; 54 strikeouts; 24 runs scored.
• NYY: slash .214/.289/.383; ten home runs; 22 walks; 64 strikeouts; 21 runs scored.

THE REAL BRONX BOMBERS

• DJ LeMahieu: .346/.414/.615; two home runs; three runs batted in; three walks; two strikeouts.
• Gleyber Torres: .280/.333/.600; two home runs; six runs batted in; two walks; four strikeouts.
• Gio Urshela: two home runs; two runs batted in; two walks; .828 OPS; two strikeouts.

THE REAL BRONX BUMMER

• HOU Three Starters: ten earned runs in 31 innings for 2.90 ERA; 24 H; 10 W; 34 K.
• NYY Three Starters: seven earned runs in 23.2 innings for 2.71 ERA; 18 H; 12 W; 23 K.

• HOU Bullpen: ten earned runs; 21.1 innings; 4.26 ERA.
• NYY Bullpen: seven earned runs; 26.1 innings; 2.41 ERA.

• HOU hit eight home runs, only four are solo shots.  They leave 45 runners on base and bat (5/46) .108 w/ RiSP.  Team slash .179/.281/.318.
• NYY hit ten home runs, but seven are solo shots.  They leave 42 runners on base and bat (6/35) .171 w/ RiSP.  Team slash .214/.289/.383.

SO, WHAT THE F&@% JUST HAPPENED.!?

Game Two Loss:

• Starter James Paxton lasts just 2.1 innings; reliever J.A. Happ surrenders game winning home run in 11th inning.

Game Three Loss:

• Luis Severino is far from mid-season form.  He misses the entire season until returning to action in September.  He makes three appearances and pitches just twelve innings prior to the ALDS versus Minnesota.  Opposed by Houston's Gerrit Cole, Severino yields two earned runs on five hits and three walks with six strikeouts through 4.1 innings pitched.  Cole throws seven scoreless innings allowing just four hits and five walks with seven strikeouts.

Game Four Loss:

• Zack Greinke and Ryan Presley outperform Masahiro Tanaka and Chad Green.  Tanaka surrenders four runs (three earned) on four hits (George Springer home run) and two walks with just one strikeout through five innings pitched.  Chad Green yields a two-run home run in the sixth to Carlos Correa.  Greinke and Presley surrender just one run on three hits and five walks with seven strikeouts through five innings.

Game Six Loss:

• Chad Green serves as game opener.  He promptly surrenders a first inning three-run home run to Yuli Gurriel.  LeMahieu hits a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth.  Aroldis Chapman loses control of his fastball, Altuve crushes a slider in the bottom of the ninth, series over.

Brian Cashman's failure to land a viable starting pitcher at the trade deadline comes to pass.  The plan to bullpen game six backfires horribly.  No one could have predicted Domingo German's season ending in suspension.  Although with 30 home runs allowed and a 4.03 ERA through 143 innings pitched, I'm not quite sure German would have made a series altering difference.  However, waiting on Luis Severino proves a mistake.  C.C. Sabathia's physical condition and overall effectiveness was also a known factor.  Moreover, last season's money acquisition of J.A. Happ fails to pay dividends.  His ineffectiveness was likewise a known factor heading into the deadline.  Happ posted a regular season 4.91 ERA through 161.1 innings pitched.  Relegated to the bullpen for the playoffs, he makes just two appearances against the Astros, yielding a hit, a walk, and a run, through 2.2 innings pitched.  Otherwise game six "opener" Chad Green posts a 9.64 ERA through four appearances and 4.2 innings pitched.  Adam Ottavino is worse, allowing four runs on six hits through five appearances and 2.1 innings pitched for an 11.57 ERA.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention Houston's outstanding defense; Houston's game saving defense, that is.  Meanwhile four Yankees errors in game four contribute to three unearned runs in an 8-3 loss.  Gary Sanchez once again proves a liability behind the plate.

Failure to improve rotation depth; a bullish bullpen; too many strikeouts; and lack of clutch or even situational hitting; make of it what you will.  At the end of the day, Houston's top star rises to the occasion and the Yankees top stars do not.


TRENDING

Once is an event; twice is a coincidence; three times is a trend.  The Yankees are eliminated from post-season play for a third consecutive year, twice at the hands of the Houston Astros.

2017 ALCS: Astros Defeat Yankees; 4-3

• HOU: slash .187/.271/.294; 20 runs; 40 hits; four home runs; 24 walks; 45 strikeouts.
• NYY: slash .205/.274/.347; 22 runs; 45 hits; six home runs; 19 walks; 70 strikeouts.

• HOU Four Starters: 13 runs on 32 hits through 46.1 innings for 2.54 ERA (6.2 innings per start).
• NYY Four Starters: 9 runs on 21 hits through 36 innings for 2.25 ERA (5.1 innings per start).

• HOU Bullpen: 9 runs on 13 hits through 12.2 innings for 6.64 ERA.
• NYY Bullpen: 11 runs on 19 hits through 23.1 innings for 4.28 ERA.

2018 ALDS: Red Sox Defeat Yankees; 3-1

• BOS: 27 runs; 39 hits; .279/.358/.429; 18 walks; 29 strikeouts.
• NYY: 14 runs; 28 hits; .214/.295/.321; 15 walks; 31 strikeouts.

• BOS Four Starters:  7 runs on 18 hits through 20.2 innings pitched for 3.12 ERA.
• NYY Four Starters: 15 runs on 19 hits through 13.0 innings pitched for 10.38 ERA.

Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much ~ Stick It With Your Analytics ~ Acquire Starting Pitching ~ Stop Striking Out So Damn Much.  Stick It ...

N.Y. Yankees: Astros Pitching Short Circuiting Bomber Bats

From the desk of: BLAME CARLOS MAY

AMERICAN LEAGUE 

CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

ASTROS LEAD YANKEES; 2-1

I - NYY 7; HOU 0

II - HOU 3; NYY 2

III - HOU 4; NYY 1

GAME FOUR

Houston Astros

vs.

New York Yankees

FROM

BRONX COUNTY

Having now faced Houston's big three, the Yankees trail the ALCS (1-2) with two games left to play at Yankee Stadium.  Baring a pinstriped implosion this series is heading back to Houston where the Yankees in game one score seven runs on 13 hits against Zack Greinke.  However, New York's momentum at the plate only carries them as far as the next game's opposing pitcher.  In game two Justin Verlander and five Astros relievers join in limiting the Yankees to six hits and a pair of runs.  On Tuesday Gerrit Cole and a trio of relievers yield just one run on five hits.  That's three runs on eleven hits for the Yankees over their last two games.  Not very Bomber like, save for Gleyber Torres.

• Gary Sanchez: 1 for 13 (.077); six strikeouts; and presently a defensive liability.

Game four strikes me as a coin flip.  Each manager has limited pitching options and none seem terribly promising.  The tentative plan is to bring Tanaka back on short rest.  Plan B would be to bullpen the game.  There's always C.C. Sabathia.  Or just pray for rain.

For what it's worth, Paxton would be on his bullpen day three days after being yanked from game two after allowing an earned run on four hits and two walks with three strikeouts in just 2.1 innings pitched.

Meanwhile the Astros appear only slightly more well off handing the ball to Wade Miley.  This all remains to be determined.  But it sure looks like game four is building up to be a hitter's game.

Famous last words ...

Which ever team wins game four I believe seizes the advantage.  Houston, obviously, because they'll have three opportunities to win one game.  But if the Yankees should take game four, Masahiro Tanaka is in line for game five.  Tanaka pitches brilliantly against the Twins, and more so in game one at Houston in which he allows the Astros just one hit and one walk, with four strikeouts through six scoreless innings pitched.

Rewind back to the final weeks and days of June.  Brian Cashman turns his back on what he believes to be a rigged trade market, electing instead to hold his ground.  Luis Severino perhaps plays a part in Cashman's decision.  But we just witnessed the consequences of his decisions in game three and now leading into game four.  It's clear Severino is nowhere near mid-season form, much less ALCS ready.  But in lieu of pitching upgrades, this is precisely why Brian Cashman acquires Edwin Encarnacion ...

... to win game four.

N.Y. Yankees: Onward to Cleveland

From the desk of:  BLAME CARLOS MAY

YANKEES AT THE GATES!

Wild Card Final

TWINS        4

YANKEES   8

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

GAME ONE

New York Yankees

vs.

Cleveland Indians

FROM

Progressive Field

OHIO

New York Yankees: October is Tax Season.

Tuesday's Wild Card game against Minnesota took a heavy toll on the Yankees bullpen that could have a potential negative affect on their readiness level entering tonight's ALDS series opener against the Indians in Cleveland, despite yesterday's day off.

Against the Twins, reliever Chad Green pitched two innings, David Robertson 3.1 innings, Tommy Kahnle tossed 2.1 innings, and Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth inning.

Let's just say with Sonny Gray starting Game One for the Yankees, there's every chance Joe Girardi will require length from his bullpen yet again.

Upon his acquisition from Oakland, Gray started 11 games down the stretch in which he posted a 4-7 record with a 3.72 ERA and 1.255 WHiP.  He issued 27 walks, fanned 59 batters, and allowed 55 hits (11 home runs) in 65.1 innings with the Yankees.

Sonny last pitched a week ago, Sept, 28, in a losing effort against Tampa, in which he allowed six earned runs on six hits (two home runs), six walks, and fanned two, in just 4.2 innings of work.  After which, Jonathan Holder, Chasen Shreve, Ben Heller, and Giovanny Gallegos, all appeared in relief of Gray.

On Sept. 29 against Toronto, David Robertson pitched one inning in relief of Masahiro Tanaka, Dellan Betances threw just eight pitches, and Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth.

On Sept. 30, the same foursome that appeared in Tuesday's Wild Card game against Minnesota, closed the door on a 2-1 victory over Toronto.  Chad Green threw 1.1 innings, Tommy Kahnle threw eight pitches, David Robertson threw an inning, and Aroldis Chapman made a second straight appearance.

On Oct. 1, the Yankees played their final game of the regular season, in which Adam Warren, Domingo German, and Ben Heller, pitched in relief of starter Jordan Montgomery.

The Yankees were off on Monday, then played the Twins on Tuesday.  The bullpen at least got a day's rest yesterday, and then here we are - Game One of the American League ALDS.

Point being, the Yankees bullpen may not be as taxed, at the moment, as some of the panic suggests.

However, what Joe Girardi and the Yankees can not afford, is a start mimicking, or even remotely resembling Luis Severino's against Minnesota.

Cleveland is sending Trevor Bauer to the bump in Game One.  He's no surety either.  His 17-9 regular season record simply means the Indians overcame his 4.19 ERA and 1.367 WHiP.  Bauer allowed more hits than innings pitched this season: 181 hits (25 home runs) in 176.1 innings of work.

So, there's that for the Yankees bats to look forward to.

Otherwise, conventional wisdom says all the pressure is on Cleveland to win; because of their 102 regular season victories they are burdened with expectations, particularly on the heels of last year's World Series loss to the Chicago Cubs.

About that ...

Terry Francona dissipates pressure perhaps better than any other manager in the game today.  The Tribe has unfinished business, and that's the way they'll be approaching this.

Meanwhile, the Wild Card Yankees are back in the post-season picture way ahead of schedule; the last remaining vestiges of their 2009 world series championship are CC Sabathia and Brett Gardner; and therefore are weighed down by little to no expectations.

I guess there's something to be said for youth, exuberance, and inexperience.  It just might work in their favor.  But, Joe Girardi is the pit bull terrier of baseball managers.  I'm sure the team understands the magnitude of the moment.  With one look at Girardi's face, how could they not?

Aaron Judge vs. Trevor Bauer 

coming to a bleacher section near you.

WILD:

Great job by veteran Brett Gardner.  The only Yankees position player with a ring went 2 for 4, with a huge second inning home run against the Twins.  Moreover, I feel he displayed exemplary leadership in Tuesday's game.

Didi Greorious continues to be such a phenomenal acquisition.


Play ball!