Phil Hughes did well for his first start. His command wasn't quite there, so he left some pitches in spots where good hitters will get them, but the break on his pitches was good, and I was fairly impressed with him for his first major league outing. I still think they need to stick with Plan A, irregardless of how the Yankees fair in the standings, and keep him down in AAA to refine him and get him 100% ready to go when his time comes.
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The Blue Jays shut out the Yankee lineup.
Granted, AJ Burnett pitched with some filthy stuff last night, the first time I've been *impressed* with a start of his lately, but they couldn't put a run on the board.
Where is the fire in our team? I realize Jeter was on the bench, but come on. This lineup is arguably the greatest Yankee lineup in years if the players play to their ability. We have 8 players in the lineup at any given point who can go yard. We have multiple batting title challengers. What the fuck.
Pitching wasn't the problem last night. The Yankees put no pressure on the Jays, who took liberties on offense as the Yankees cried no joy.
Oh, and by the way - you know your in trouble when Doug Mienkeiwicz is your #2 hitter in the lineup...
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Just as a warning to those who weren't watching when the Yankees stunk in the early 90's...there is a distinct possibility that this weekend series with the Red Sox could be another sweep.
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Is it too early to push the panic button? I don't think so. Perhaps if the Yankees had bounced back after the Red Sox series, there would be a bit of sunshine to go with all this rain. However, even with Wang, the Yankees offense now is the problem. They can't put runs on the board.
And I know George isn't as patient as I am...I'm sure he's about to rip off whatever hair he has left.
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Is Joe Girardi the answer? I'd say yes. What our team is lacking is fire, is will (and of course, healthy starting pitching). Girardi brings the Torre patience and class but he also brings a bit of a temper too, which is exactly what we need. I don't know if Mattingly can do that, at this point.
As the days go by, and if the Yankees don't get out of last place by mid May, I would seriously expect heads to roll. Cashman saved Torre's job last year after the Detroit debacle. I don't think George is going to be patient again.
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What does this say for Cashman, if something were to happen? On one hand, he has done a great job in bringing star players from other clubs, and also nurturing great talent from the farm system. The biggest problem is that Cashman took a gamble on our starting pitching this year. I'm grading the pitching to this point.
No one expected Wang to go down, so he gets a pass. Grade: N/A
But Mussina is an old 38, and hasn't impressed me much over the last two years. His crotchety old man "I can't pitch unless my schedule is just so" nitpicky attitude used to give him some personality, but now the Stanford economics graduate just pisses me off. Keeping Moose for another two years, when he already showed signs of decline over the past two, was tough. Cashman couldn't overpay for pitching (Gil Meche at $55 million) but he also should realize that Mussina is now a 4th or 5th starter at his age. Grade: C-
Pettitte has been a rock. He's done everything the Yankees have asked, he's transitioned well in his return to the American League. Hell, he's even come in for relief when the Yankees needed him. I'd take a whole rotation of Andy Pettitte's to war against the AL East if I could. Alas, God only made one Pettitte. Grade: A
Thinking Carl Pavano's injury "bug" (whether it really is twisted coincidence or Carl getting a hangnail and realizing he can just sit on his ass and collect millions of dollars) wouldn't rear its ugly head was stupid. Knowing guys like Jon Lieber were available, and that there were at least two teams (the Cardinals and the Mariners) in hot pursuit of Pavano during the offseason, Pavano should have been shuffled. At this point, I think they need to trade for Lieber, but he just won a game for the Phillies, so I doubt they'd be open to compromise. Grade: F
Kei Igawa was an unknown. He looked to be a pitcher with great control, and decent stuff. However, he has had serious trouble translating that to the American League. He desperately needs some time in the minor leagues, which the Yankees can't afford to do right now, so he is having his baptism by fire. Injuries had at one point relegated him to the Yankees #2 starter this season, but I suspect that by the end of the year, he will probably be in relief, unless he turns his control around. The most damning statistic? If you look at the value of his contract, with the bid to the Japanese league included, his contract is equal to that of Ted Lilly's. Who right now wouldn't rather have Ted Lilly (a known Red Sox killer) over Iggy? Grade: D
Jeff Karstens has been forced into importance by injuries the last two years in a row. We really don't know how he pitches in a "regular" scenario because he's always pulling emergency duty. If he could get some sort of normalcy as the 5th starter in this rotation, and a little more experience, I suspect that he would probably make a solid back-end of the rotation pitcher. Grade: C
Chase Wright was called up in desperation. He pitched well his first game, and he got bombed by the Sox (a decision I blame Torre for 100%...he let that kid get shell shocked and didn't do a damn thing to stop it). This is how you ruin prospects, folks. I realize the Yankees ran out of options, but in retrospect, how naive were we to really support a decision to bring up a AA pitcher when we have Hughes, Clippard, and Ohlendorf in AAA? Wouldn't it make more sense to bring up someone with experience? Grade: D+
Philip Hughes, for all the hype, proved that he can't walk on water. He also proved that saving this team at this moment is something even Roger Clemens probably couldn't have done if he started last night. Send him back to the minors, get him more experience, and by next year, he'll be the Yankees #2 starter. Grade: B+
Luis Vizcaino has looked great in some spots, poor in others. The innings eater is already on pace to throw a record number of innings. Ugh. Until he develops some consistency, and gets some rest, I suspect that his erratic exhibitions will continue. Grade: B-
Scott Proctor is well on his way to becoming the next Ron Villone or Paul Quantrill. Joe Torre ruined both those pitchers by riding them more than Seattle Slew. Well, Proctor was overused last year, and this year is no different. This kid may be shot by next year. Grade: C+
Sean Henn, for all the negativity he received as a prospect a couple of years ago as a crappy starter, has been erased by some stellar relief pitching. He could be a solid mid rotation or setup guy down the line. Grade: A-
Mike Myers is not a LOOGY. Period. The Red Sox dumped him for a reason two years ago, and its because he can't get out better-than-average lefties in clutch situations. Ortiz, Crawford, and the rest of the big lefties eat him up. He didn't pitch badly outside the box - that is, when he wasn't called in as a setup man and faced right handed pitching, he did fairly well. But Myers is not the answer. A LOOGY by definition is a club luxury, something a team has once they already have a secure bullpen. Right now, I'd rather have another solid reliever. Grade: D+
Brian Bruney? If he didn't have such crappy control, he could probably be a decent set-up man. Less gay iron cross/eagle tattoos, more fastball control, thanks. Grade: D+
Mariano Rivera. The eternal spring from which the Yankees draw every year. It's hard to grade Mo this year because he has had little playing time, and its wreaking havoc with his control. "Average" for Mo is like killer stuff for other players too, so his score may be skewed. Sure, perhaps Mo is showing age, but there is still no other pitcher in this Yankee lineup who I would depend upon more. Grade: C+
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Jeff Karstens will throw the rock on Saturday against Boston. Probably a good decision, as I highlighted the control issues Igawa has. Let's hope the Yankees offense gets on the same bus.
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Wang is back. Matsui is back. Now let's pray.
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Here are some "positives" for the Red Sox series - we're facing the back end of their rotation. Matsuzaka was proven to be mortal by the Yankee lineup last week, Wakefield has (undeservedly) earned a reputation as a Yankee killer (it seems to me someone goes yard on him on a somewhat regular basis...), and Tavarez is a jobber.
Let's hope we can at least pull out a win or two from this series. But don't expect much - we're likely facing the hottest lineup with decent pitching in baseball right now.
