Pick any cliché you like to describe the dire circumstances facing the New York Yankees as they head into this one, it’s pretty certain to apply. Down two game to none, on the road, and facing the best pitcher in baseball, the team from the Bronx sure does have its clichés firmly up against the wall.
Oh, and Phil Hughes on the mound, Cano and Granderson struggling mightily, Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher benched, and, again, Verlander.
Funnily, though, Jim Luttrell of the New York Times points out that back “on June 3, Hughes pitched a four-hit complete game, and Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez hit home runs against Verlander in a 5-1 Yankees victory. Go figure.”
A-Rod’s dinger in that game was one of three total, among eight hits, that Rodriguez has hit off Verlander in his career.
The flip side of that issue is, of course, as Luttrell explains, that “he is also 0 for 18 with 12 strikeouts against right-handed pitching this postseason.” And, as you may have heard, Raul Ibanez has been rather fantastic so far, almost exclusively against right-handers. Hence A-Rod’s place on the pine– not whatever funny business he was up to last night.
Swisher– a switch hitter– gets a spot on the bench in place of Brett Gardner, who will be much better suited to patrolling Comerica’s spacious environs. What he’s going to be capable of producing with the bat is a giant question mark, considering he’s had so few at-bats this season, but it’s not like replacing Swisher and the four hits he’s managed through 30 playoff plate appearances is some kind of monumental rolling of the dice.
Still, though, you’ve got to hand it to Girardi and his two giant, brass binders.
Read the rest of this entry »
On September 18th, the Detroit Tigers lagged three games behind the White Sox with 15 games remaining. The stage was practically set for finishing a decisive sweep of the New York Yankees for the American League pennant in the ALCS 30 days later. Right?
