November 5, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
Andy Pettitte captured his 18th post-season win last night as the Yankees finally nabbed their 27th World title. He is the all-time winningest pitcher in post-season history, sporting a 3.90 ERA in 249 innings.
In his 15-year career, he has 229 wins and a 3.91 ERA. He has just 25 complete games to his name, and a career WHIP of 1.36.
He doesn’t have the greatest numbers in the world, but is Andy Pettitte a Hall of Famer?
A two-time 20 game winner, Pettitte has spent 12 of his 15 years pitching in the toughest division in baseball: the American League East. He has won five World Series championships, playing major roles in each. Since 1996 he has failed to reach 190 innings just twice, once solely due to injuries. He has always been known as a big game pitcher throughout his career. The writers love him because he always answers the questions and he is considered one of the nicest guys in the game.
So is Andy Pettitte a Hall of Famer?
Statistically, probably not. But the Hall of Fame is not just reserved for the guys with the best numbers; it is for the guys who dominated throughout their tenure.
Does Pettitte fit that mold?
Tags: Andy Pettitte, New York Yankees
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November 2, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
When I watched Johnny Damon blindly run from second to third base in the top of the ninth inning, I immediately thought, ‘Damon, you idiot. The ball didn’t get away!’ Little did I realize in that split second that the Phillies were playing a huge shift on Mark Teixeira, leaving nobody at third base. Damon quickly realized the throw had pulled third baseman Pedro Feliz toward the right side of the infield. He knew he could get to third easily.
He said after the game that by getting to third it would hopefully eliminate a “tough slider in the dirt”. Teixeira was then hit. And up came Alex Rodriguez.
A-Rod took a slider for a strike before stroking a 1-0 fastball down the line for a run scoring double. Jorge Posada went on to bring in two more runs before Mariano Rivera nailed it down 1-2-3 in the bottom half of the inning.
Everyone can talk about A-Rod’s clutch double—and he’s certainly worthy of all that praise; it was easily the biggest hit of his career. But Damon’s stealing of third base was a brilliant move. Granted, there were two outs, so a fly ball could not have scored him. But Brad Lidge was on the mound: a guy who does not have a dominant fastball anymore and must rely on hard breaking pitches. Damon was certainly in Lidge’s head.
It was a hell of a move on Damon’s part and it may have single handedly swung the momentum in favor of the Yankees. Up 3-1 with two potential games in the Bronx, New York is in great position.
Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Brad Lidge, Johnny Damon, Jorge Posada, Mariano Rivera, Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees, Pedro Feliz, Philadelphia Phillies
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November 1, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
Following yesterday’s 8-5 Yankees victory, Alex Rodriguez discussed his home run in the post-game press conference. He said how it was a big hit for the team and got them going. He then went on to discuss his approach at the plate, saying that simply “keeping things simple” has revolutionized his mindset.
We’ve heard it all year; how A-Rod would always try to get the big hit. He would put the weight of the world on his shoulders. Instead of passing the buck to the next guy and accepting a walk, he would swing at pitches out of the zone or pop up on pitches he would normally drive up the middle or out of the park.
But all that has changed. Evidenced by his success this post-season, this is a new Alex Rodriguez. Both on the field and off.
This is the old A-Rod.
He no longer gives Derek Jeter-type answers to questions: ‘We’re just taking this one game at a time and hopefully we’ll come out on the winning side.’ No. Now he answers questions honestly and actually gives information. He discusses his mindset, his emotions, his happiness. He is sincere. And by being sincere and forthright with the media, he has humanized himself.
We want him to succeed. We want him to be happy. We understand that he is a flawed person just like everyone else. He has made tons and tons of mistakes (opting out of his contract during the World Series, performance-enhancing drugs, etc.), but he has tried to make amends. By changing how he handles his life off the field (as he says, getting rid of people in his inner circle who constantly talked in his ear) and straightening out his priorities, he has become a more complete player on the field. He is a shining example of how one’s personal life can affect his professional life. He is a new man.
He is no longer a $250 million-plus contract that can’t stay out of the tabloids. He is now the best player in baseball, once again.
Tags: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
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October 31, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman was photographed arm-in-arm with women adorning lingerie during his recent visit to Boston. While too much should not be made of this (we should really confine our evaluation to the baseball field), this incident does speak to his character. Is this a guy you want to bring in to your club?
More on the player. According to Keith Law at ESPN:
“Chapman has a huge fastball and has been clocked as high as 100 mph in international competition. But he will sit more consistently in the mid-90s in his best starts and in the low 90s in some of his lesser outings. The quality of his secondary stuff is a bigger question; he has thrown a slider that’s sharp and approaches 90 mph, but pitches primarily off his fastball. He has the arm speed required to throw a plus slider, and has also shown a curve, a cutter and a changeup in past outings. There has been some question over whether his fastball-heavy approach is by choice or whether Cuban baseball officials were trying to limit his appeal to MLB clubs by preventing him from showing off his full repertoire; it is, of course, impossible to confirm that theory. Either way, the fastball/slider combination alone marks him as a potential front-line reliever. With his size and ability to hold his velocity deep into games, he offers the ceiling of a No. 1 starter.”
It certainly sounds as if Chapman has the potential to be successful in the major leagues. But how realistic is this? Remember Jose Contreras?
Everyone talks about how Chapman throws 100 MPH, but not about how he is consistently slower. No one talks about the fact that he hasn’t regularly faced major league hitters; no hitters are as good as those in the MLB.
It would be a risky move for any team to throw $40-50 million at a guy who has never thrown a pitch in the majors.
Tags: Aroldis Chapman, Jose Contreras
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October 29, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
After watching Cliff Lee dismantle their lineup, the Yankees will send AJ Burnett to the mound in game two tonight against Pedro Martinez. Down 1-0 in the Series, tonight’s matchup is indeed a must-win game.
If Burnett cracks under the pressure and the Yanks drop the second game the Series will be all but over. They will have to head back to Philadelphia where they will face Cole Hamels in game three and possibly Lee again in game four. If Lee does not go game four, he will certainly go game five.
Being down 2-0 in Philly against the defending champs will be rather daunting. I realize it’s been just one game so far but, suffice it to say, if the Yankees are to have any realistic chance of defeating the champs, they will need a great performance tonight from Burnett.
Tags: AJ Burnett, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, New York Yankees, Pedro Martinez, Philadelphia Phillies
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October 28, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
Mark McGwire will be the hitting coach for the St. Louis Cardinals next season. Many are complaining about the move because of McGwire’s sordid past. But I take issue with the move for a different reason: McGwire was a homerun, strikeout hitter. How can he help every hitter on a major league roster?
Big Mac is a career .263 hitter that averaged a strikeout every 3.88 at bats. In a 16 year career, he only played 150 games in a season seven times. For a guy who averaged about 50 home runs for every 162 games he played, McGwire averaged under a stolen base per year (just 12 in his career).
He’s not really the all-around hitter you want teaching your major leaguers.
But, I may be missing one thing Mac can bring to the table: intangibles. He was constantly in the spotlight, expected to hit a home run every time he was at the plate. He can impart to the Cardinals hitters how to deal with the mental aspect of hitting. If you’re good enough to get to the major leagues, you can obviously hit. But that’s not to say your head’s screwed on properly. McGwire can help with that.
Tags: Mark McGwire, St. Louis Cardinals
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October 26, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
In last night’s American League-clinching game against the Angels, manager Joe Girardi summoned closer Mariano Rivera for the final six outs. In the eighth, he allowed Chone Figgins to get on base and then a run-scoring single to Vladimir Guerrero. But Rivera threw a 1-2-3 top of the ninth to save the game and win the pennant.
In hindsight it is hard to second-guess Girardi’s decision to bypass setup man Phil Hughes and give his role to Rivera. Hughes has been struggling, and Rivera is considered a godsend. As well, if the Yankees were in fact to win, Rivera would not have to pitch again until Wednesday at the earliest. Moreover, this is the playoffs, a pennant-clinching game at that; Rivera can get six outs.
But Girardi will have to maintain his roles more tightly in the World Series. I understand that this game was unique for obvious reasons, but Girardi has been criticized (and rightfully so) for misusing his players, especially his bullpen. Hughes is the setup man; he throws the eighth inning. Rivera is the closer; he throws the ninth. You mix and match to get to them. You don’t bring Hughes in in the seventh to clean up Joba Chamberlain’s mess (unless it is a dire emergency). You give your bullpen specialized roles and you let them embrace them and subsequently flourish.
I’m not saying Girardi did anything wrong last night—he didn’t. He will simply have to be on guard a little more against the Phillies.
Tags: Chone Figgins, Joba Chamberlain, Joe Girardi, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Mariano Rivera, New York Yankees, Phil Hughes, Philadelphia Phillies, Vladimir Guerrero
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October 25, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
MVN was too much of a hassle. I am now back on WordPress and the domain is finally working again–http://mlbbabble.com. Some of the formatting on previous posts is screwed up but I don’t care at this point. The important thing is that the blog is fully functional for the first time in two months. It was a terrible mistake moving to MVN. I was cautioned against it by some fellow bloggers but I did not heed their advice. Thus, I paid the penalty. I’ll start writing tomorrow. Thanks for reading.
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October 14, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
Manager Joe Girardi said that, most likely, the Yankees will
use a three-man rotation for the American League Championship Series: CC
Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte. Joba Chamberlain will remain in the
bullpen and, if Girardi changes his mind, Chad Gaudin will be the likely fourth
starter.
This move makes sense. The way the series is structured will
allow Burnett and Pettitte to pitch two games on full rest. Sabathia, however,
were he to pitch three games in a seven-game set, would be on short rest. This
is nothing new for him, though.
If you had to hand the ball to one pitcher on short rest, it
would be Sabathia. Last season with the Brewers is proof of that. Down the
stretch in September, he pitched three consecutive games on three-days rest.
As well, the decision to potentially start Gaudin over
Chamberlain is smart. Chamberlain has proven that he cannot get it done as a
starter; regardless of the reason, it just isn’t working. But Gaudin was solid
in September as a starter (especially as a fourth/fifth starter). His final
start of the year saw him toss 6.2 innings of two-run ball, surrendering just
four hits. If the Yankees were to indeed need a fourth starter, Gaudin is the
right choice.
But I doubt the Yankees will actually need Gaudin’s services
out of the rotation. With a healthy bullpen, Girardi will micro-manage and
monitor Sabathia’s pitch count, keeping him fresh in case he is needed for
three starts in the series.
Either way, with the Angels likely to go with Scott Kazmir
or Joe Saunders in Game Two (according to ESPN Insider), the Yankees will have
the advantage in starting pitching. John Lackey and Jered Weaver were great in
the ALDS, yes. But I’ll take the Yankee’s big three over the Angels’ solid four
at this point.
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October 12, 2009 by Daniel Berkowitz
Does anyone remember the 2008 All-Star Game at Yankee
Stadium? Does anyone remember when Boston Red Sox closer Jonathan Papelbon was
fuming that he was not named the closer by Boston Red Sox manager Terry
Francona for the All-Star Game at Yankee Stadium? Does anyone remember when
Boston Red Sox manager Terry Francona tabbed New York Yankees closer Mariano
Rivera for the role? I remember these things, and I hope Jonathan Papelbon does
as well.
Papelbon blew not just a save opportunity, but the entire
season as well, in an elimination game against the Angels. I won’t give the
highlights; you can get them here.
Instead, I’d prefer to focus on Papelbon’s demise–yes,
demise–as an elite closer, and his future role. As well, I’ll talk about Mariano
Rivera.
A lot has been made about how this could be Papelbon’s last
season in Boston. The trade for Billy Wagner, the emergence of Daniel Bard:
these could certainly contribute to an off-season deal involving Papelbon for
another bat in the lineup.
The Boston psychopath had a decent season, earning his
fourth All-Star appearance. He posted 36 saves with a 1.85 ERA. That being
said, he had a stingy 3.17 SO/BB and a poor (for a dominant closer) WHIP of 1.15.
Rivera, by comparison, had 44 saves with a 1.76 ERA, 6.00
SO/BB and .91 WHIP. Papelbon is almost 29 years old; Rivera is almost 40.
So, does Papelbon still think he is the best closer in the
game? The season was on the line and he crumbled. I don’t care about saves with
two-run leads in June. I care about October. That’s where Rivera thrives. And,
as of now, it’s apparently where Papelbon self-destructs. Let it be known:
Papelbon did not just blow the save; he imploded. I have never seen him pitch
as poorly as he did yesterday.
You cannot blame an entire season’s outcome on one man (even
if I want to). The Red Sox team put
themselves in an 0-2 hole. The Red Sox team snuck in with the Wild Card and not a Division title. But Papelbon is easy to blame in this situation. He is the
scapegoat. And he may be pitching for a new team next season.
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