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Sunday, June 13, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Grandy's Week Of Smacking Southpaws
Back in December, when the Yanks executed a three-way trade to bring Curtis Granderson to The Bronx, concerned centered on the All-Star center fielder's woeful batting average against left-handed pitching.
Granderson's career average against southpaws was a near-Mendoza-line .210, and he was coming off a season well below that sunken standard. In 2009, Grandy hit just .183 and a measly two roundtrippers in 199 plate appearances versus lefties.
Yet Granderson paid immediate dividends in pinstripes.
In the opening series against the Red Sox, Curtis hit a home run is his first Yankee at-bat -- off Josh Becket no less. Then, in the rubber-match of the series, took Jonathan Papelbon deep for the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth inning.
One series, two homers off two of Boston's top hurlers -- albeit both righties.
In his first 11 games of the season, the affable Granderson collected six multi-hit games and a batting average of .326.
Granderson slumped through the rest of April eventually winding up on the DL in early May and missing the next 24 games. His average down to .225 and still just those two homers.
But since his return on May 28 against the Indians, Granderson has been swinging a clutch bat, even against his personal nemesis: The lefty. Granderson is 5 for 16 since coming back, including four hits against southpaws.
In his first game back, Granderson doubled off lefthander Tony Sipp in the eight inning. Two batters later, after Mark Teixeira walked, Robinson Cano's grand slam extended the Yanks' lead to 8-2 -- the eventual final score.
Two days later, with the Yanks down to the Tribe, 3-2, Grandy once again doubled of Sipp. Tex followed that with a three-run go-ahead homer to cap a five-run seventh.
Having seen enough of Sipp, the next day Indians skipper Manny Acta brought on another lefty, this time it was Rafael Perez, to face Granderson. With the game still in doubt, the Yanks were up 2-1, Curtis singled to move Ramiro Pena (pinch-running for Derek Jeter) to second.
After a wild-pitch moved both runners into scoring position and an intentional walk to Teixiera, A-Rod ended all suspense with grand-slam to deep center. The Yanks went on to blowout the Indians, 11-2.
Having dispensed of everyone the Indians could throw at him, Granderson continued his assault on lefties last night against the Orioles.
Lefty Brian Matusz started for Baltimore and had one of the finest performances of his young career going 6.2 innings and giving up just one earned run -- a tie-breaking homer by Granderson. The Yankees eventually won the game after Miguel Tejada allowed two unearned runs to score on a throwing error providing the margin in a 3-1 victory.
The pieces given up for Granderson have performed well this season. Phil Coke has been solid and Austin Jackson leads all rookies in batting average (minimum 50 ABs) for the Tigers and Ian Kennedy leads all Diamondback starters in ERA.
If the past week is an indication of how Granderson will perform in The Bronx, the Yanks absolutely made the right move.
Granderson's career average against southpaws was a near-Mendoza-line .210, and he was coming off a season well below that sunken standard. In 2009, Grandy hit just .183 and a measly two roundtrippers in 199 plate appearances versus lefties.
Yet Granderson paid immediate dividends in pinstripes.
In the opening series against the Red Sox, Curtis hit a home run is his first Yankee at-bat -- off Josh Becket no less. Then, in the rubber-match of the series, took Jonathan Papelbon deep for the go-ahead run in the top of the tenth inning.
One series, two homers off two of Boston's top hurlers -- albeit both righties.
In his first 11 games of the season, the affable Granderson collected six multi-hit games and a batting average of .326.
Granderson slumped through the rest of April eventually winding up on the DL in early May and missing the next 24 games. His average down to .225 and still just those two homers.
But since his return on May 28 against the Indians, Granderson has been swinging a clutch bat, even against his personal nemesis: The lefty. Granderson is 5 for 16 since coming back, including four hits against southpaws.
In his first game back, Granderson doubled off lefthander Tony Sipp in the eight inning. Two batters later, after Mark Teixeira walked, Robinson Cano's grand slam extended the Yanks' lead to 8-2 -- the eventual final score.
Two days later, with the Yanks down to the Tribe, 3-2, Grandy once again doubled of Sipp. Tex followed that with a three-run go-ahead homer to cap a five-run seventh.
Having seen enough of Sipp, the next day Indians skipper Manny Acta brought on another lefty, this time it was Rafael Perez, to face Granderson. With the game still in doubt, the Yanks were up 2-1, Curtis singled to move Ramiro Pena (pinch-running for Derek Jeter) to second.
After a wild-pitch moved both runners into scoring position and an intentional walk to Teixiera, A-Rod ended all suspense with grand-slam to deep center. The Yanks went on to blowout the Indians, 11-2.
Having dispensed of everyone the Indians could throw at him, Granderson continued his assault on lefties last night against the Orioles.
Lefty Brian Matusz started for Baltimore and had one of the finest performances of his young career going 6.2 innings and giving up just one earned run -- a tie-breaking homer by Granderson. The Yankees eventually won the game after Miguel Tejada allowed two unearned runs to score on a throwing error providing the margin in a 3-1 victory.
The pieces given up for Granderson have performed well this season. Phil Coke has been solid and Austin Jackson leads all rookies in batting average (minimum 50 ABs) for the Tigers and Ian Kennedy leads all Diamondback starters in ERA.
If the past week is an indication of how Granderson will perform in The Bronx, the Yanks absolutely made the right move.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Memorial Day: Taking Stock -- Yanks
Memorial Day is the first opportunity to take stock of the baseball scene.
The regular season is slightly less than a third of the way to the finish line. Sizzling starts have cooled and chilly commencements have warmed.
Let's start with a Yanks update through their first 51 games as defending champs for the fist time since the 2001 campaign.
The Bombers are 11 games above .500 at 31-20, 2.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East and leading the Wild Card race heading into the first turn.
The starting rotation of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Javier Vazquez have a combined record of 26-12. Excluding Vazquez, the staff was off to an 11-2 start as the shower's of April cleared.
Sabathia struggled in May winning just one decision while dropping two. Burnett's worst performance came against the Red Sox at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, but the nasty righty has straightened out by winning his last two starts.
The veteran Pettitte and youngster Hughes have been fantastic. The 38-year-old lefty is 7-1 with a 2.48 ERA. Not far behind is Hughes at 6-1, 2.70.
Vazquez did not get his return to The Bronx off to a good start. On May 1, Javy owned a 1-3 record with an ERA near ten and was skipped in his next turn in the rotation.
After missing a start, Javy's performance mysteriously improved -- his last start against the Twins not withstanding.
The Yanks lead the majors in runs scored per game by half-a-run over AL East foes Toronto and Boston. The data is all the more impressive when the sluggish starts of the three and four hitters in the lineup -- Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, respectively -- are taken into account.
Although Tex is a notorious for getting off to slow starts, this season has been slower and the "start" has now extended to May.
A-Rod had an atypical April belting just two homers. Excluding 1999 and 2009 when Alex missed considerable time due to injury, that's the lowest total of his career for that month.
However, the story of the lineup is Robinson Cano. Off to a blistering start, Robbie carried the Yanks early on batting .400 in the opening month. And, to go with the hot bat, Cano is playing a stellar second base.
Derek Jeter bounced back from a minor May slump to finish the month batting .302.
The outfield has been a carousel exasperated by an injury to newbie Curtis Granderson. Nick Swisher continued to contribute in right and Brett Gardner has been better than expected with the bat while playing left and center.
Jorge Posada is spending time on the DL but Francisco Cervelli has been a more than competent backup.
Nick Johnson's trip to the DL is as surprising as birds migrating south for winter. The fill-ins, Juan Miranda, Kevin Russo and Greg Golson, have been unspectacular.
Mariano Rivera has been splendid out of the bullpen blowing just one save in 11 opportunities. Mo didn't give up a run until his 13th appearance of the season.
After Mo, the pen has been shaky. Joba Chamberlain has been downright bad in the second half of May. The Yanks need Joba to return to early season form when he showed flashes of dominance.
Damaso Marte has been solid but David Robertson hasn't given Joe Girardi a reason bring him in to a game other than mop-up duty. Alfredo Aceves may be done for the season and Chan Ho Park doesn't belong in a game unless there's at least a seven-run lead either way.
Although the arms are solid, the relief work overall has not been up to par. If the current group doesn't back on track, Brian Cashman has acquire someone else for Girardi to use in a key spot.
The Yanks need CC to return to ace form and can expect that to happen based on his career post-All-Star break numbers. The middle of the lineup must start carrying its own weight, and if the last two games are any indication, Tex and A-Rod are on their way.
The bullpen is the biggest concern because, after Mo, there isn't enough history among the relievers to have any expectations as to how they will respond to adversity.
There isn't much Girardi can do with the lineup, especially after Posada returns.
Joe will meddle most with the relief corps, which is a concern because Girardi already makes too many pitching changes. If he doesn't trust the guys on the hill, trips to the mound will increase -- if that's imaginable.
The regular season is slightly less than a third of the way to the finish line. Sizzling starts have cooled and chilly commencements have warmed.
Let's start with a Yanks update through their first 51 games as defending champs for the fist time since the 2001 campaign.
The Bombers are 11 games above .500 at 31-20, 2.5 games behind the Rays in the AL East and leading the Wild Card race heading into the first turn.
The starting rotation of CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, Andy Pettitte, Phil Hughes and Javier Vazquez have a combined record of 26-12. Excluding Vazquez, the staff was off to an 11-2 start as the shower's of April cleared.
Sabathia struggled in May winning just one decision while dropping two. Burnett's worst performance came against the Red Sox at Fenway Park against the Red Sox, but the nasty righty has straightened out by winning his last two starts.
The veteran Pettitte and youngster Hughes have been fantastic. The 38-year-old lefty is 7-1 with a 2.48 ERA. Not far behind is Hughes at 6-1, 2.70.
Vazquez did not get his return to The Bronx off to a good start. On May 1, Javy owned a 1-3 record with an ERA near ten and was skipped in his next turn in the rotation.
After missing a start, Javy's performance mysteriously improved -- his last start against the Twins not withstanding.
The Yanks lead the majors in runs scored per game by half-a-run over AL East foes Toronto and Boston. The data is all the more impressive when the sluggish starts of the three and four hitters in the lineup -- Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, respectively -- are taken into account.
Although Tex is a notorious for getting off to slow starts, this season has been slower and the "start" has now extended to May.
A-Rod had an atypical April belting just two homers. Excluding 1999 and 2009 when Alex missed considerable time due to injury, that's the lowest total of his career for that month.
However, the story of the lineup is Robinson Cano. Off to a blistering start, Robbie carried the Yanks early on batting .400 in the opening month. And, to go with the hot bat, Cano is playing a stellar second base.
Derek Jeter bounced back from a minor May slump to finish the month batting .302.
The outfield has been a carousel exasperated by an injury to newbie Curtis Granderson. Nick Swisher continued to contribute in right and Brett Gardner has been better than expected with the bat while playing left and center.
Jorge Posada is spending time on the DL but Francisco Cervelli has been a more than competent backup.
Nick Johnson's trip to the DL is as surprising as birds migrating south for winter. The fill-ins, Juan Miranda, Kevin Russo and Greg Golson, have been unspectacular.
Mariano Rivera has been splendid out of the bullpen blowing just one save in 11 opportunities. Mo didn't give up a run until his 13th appearance of the season.
After Mo, the pen has been shaky. Joba Chamberlain has been downright bad in the second half of May. The Yanks need Joba to return to early season form when he showed flashes of dominance.
Damaso Marte has been solid but David Robertson hasn't given Joe Girardi a reason bring him in to a game other than mop-up duty. Alfredo Aceves may be done for the season and Chan Ho Park doesn't belong in a game unless there's at least a seven-run lead either way.
Although the arms are solid, the relief work overall has not been up to par. If the current group doesn't back on track, Brian Cashman has acquire someone else for Girardi to use in a key spot.
The Yanks need CC to return to ace form and can expect that to happen based on his career post-All-Star break numbers. The middle of the lineup must start carrying its own weight, and if the last two games are any indication, Tex and A-Rod are on their way.
The bullpen is the biggest concern because, after Mo, there isn't enough history among the relievers to have any expectations as to how they will respond to adversity.
There isn't much Girardi can do with the lineup, especially after Posada returns.
Joe will meddle most with the relief corps, which is a concern because Girardi already makes too many pitching changes. If he doesn't trust the guys on the hill, trips to the mound will increase -- if that's imaginable.
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