Yanks fall to Mariners 6-2 in Andy Pettitte’s return
It was a joyous day in Yankee Stadium on an early Sunday afternoon as Andy Pettitte made his way to the mound. He knew that he was ready to take on the Seattle Mariners lineup and start his 2012 season on the right foot. Although he didn’t walk away with the win, Andy did walk away (somewhat) on the right foot. Pettitte had given up 4 runs in 6+ innings pitched but received the loss because the Yankees offense couldn’t get the clutch hit.
The Yankees had plenty of opportunities to score, especially in the 5th & the 8th inning. They started both those innings with the bases loaded and no one out, but all the Yanks could do was get 2 runs; both on walks. Derek Jeter grounded into a double play in the 5th and Mark Teixeira grounded into a double play in the 8th thus ending the Yankees rally.
Nick Swisher raised some eyebrows in the 9th inning when he tried to stretch a double into a triple and was gunned down at third. Swisher ended the rally in the 9th as Raul Ibanez and Eric Chavez both flew out to end the game.
WHAT’S NEXT: The Yankees head to Camden Yards for 2 games in which I like to call “their home away from home”. Ivan Nova will pitch tomorrow and CC Sabathia will pitch on Tuesday before the Yanks pack it up and head to Toronto.
Posted on May 14, 2012, in Game Reviews and tagged Andy Pettitte, Derek Jeter, Eric Chavez, Mark Teixeira, New York Yankees, Raul Ibanez. Bookmark the permalink. 43 Comments.
Brian D.
fishjam25
jimmytoucan
Matthew B
Delia E.
Dan H.
Matthew S.
Michael P.
Mike D.
Good day to all…
Delia did a very good job again, thank you!
Did anyone see this;
“I’m just about apoplectic with Joe G saying after the game that no way would he move Tex down in the order. He’s ruining us in the 5 hole.”
If one really payed attention to the game, they would see Tex is getting closer to where he should be.
In all truth, the whole team should be moved down…to AAA.
Tex alone is not the reason we lost the game yesterday but, he must be moved down, right?
If you think that way, how about the guy that had bases loaded and 1 out (Twice) hitting into an inning ending DP, both times. No he will never be moved down in the order but yet, Tex must be?
I hear ya Ken. Also Delia does a great job with these I agree.
I do see your point with Jeter not getting the clutch hit.
Good am Matt…
I didn’t want to use Jeters name but, truth is truth! The thing that bothers me is how some fans will see, for example; A-Rod hit into a DP and say things like, no way they should have pulled that off! I say BS, that is what they get paid for and A-Rod didn’t run all out, ergo, DP. Jeter hits into two DP when we only needed a fly ball to right field to have scored a run each time.
Believe me, there is more than enough to go around for everyone, getting thrown out at 3rd…big no, no!
To-day is the start of another two games.
OK guys, you have had your bad games, “now is the time for all good Yankees to come to the aid of their team”!
Don’t just win…destroy!
What? To harsh? Nah!
Ken check out the article I linked from this morning about changing the Yankee batting order around.
Matt…That guy is one idiot, Captain Clutch, What?
He is so dumb he doesn’t even know what he doesn’t know! Has he not seen the radical change in Jeter over the last year, Jeter will not Sac bunt or sac fly any more, if he does it is an accident (he has 1 each). He is better suited for our #6 hitter while his bat is hot. #3 and #6 are singles spots. No use him getting on if no one knocks him in…let him knock some in himself!
I think the Yankees are struggling now more than ever because they are missing Brett Gardner. I consider Gardner to be the “walking run” meaning that when he gets on base he almost always scores since he knows how to move himself around on the base paths.
Yankees also need to learn how to win games without relying on the long ball all the time. They win a lot of games by hitting HR’s but they aren’t going to hit HR’s everyday. Also I hate to say it but Teixeira and A-Rod’s bats are killing Yankee rallies. Something needs to change soon, or else the Yankees might not find themselves in the play-offs this year.
I’d agree with. His bat at the bottom of the order is huge. Plus his speed is very missed on this team.
Delia, very nice but, I think I would not put the blaim on two or three guys. The whole team is bad. Yesterday, bases loaded 2x with one out…DP innings over. Leading off an inning and gets thrown out at 3rd…capital sin! Another guy did n’t bust it going to 1st…DP.
These things are unacceptable on a winning team.
Brett is missed more than some fans even know, with both he and Nunez gone…where are those extra bases going to come from?
What say you, would you like to see more .300 hitters or more 30HR hitters on this team?
old yankee, you know girls love the long ball! What do you think about shifting on batters, I am seeing more and more of it? Teams seem to be shifting on hitters that pull the ball alot even more than last year.
Doug…
Good day, yup girls do like the HRs!
Me, I will take 2-3 mashers and have the others all around the .300 mark. I have not looked it up but, I think, most of the winning Yankee Teams were set-up a lot like that.
As for shifts, good for them! Use them until the guys learn how to beat it…maybe the hitters should try learning how to hit!
This, from a guy that never ever hit a ball over the fence but, never ever hit under .320…sound a bit jealous? Nope, not at all…maybe a bit envious…if I had ever hit one out, it would have taken 20 min. for me to travers to bases. LOL
By learning how to hit, I mean; see the ball, hit the ball! Don’t try and pull every pitch, don’t dive into the pitch…hit it where it is pitched.
Maybe someone can better explain what I am trying to get across, I hope!
Morning Ken…..
The Yankee teams of the 90′s were filled with professional hitters that hit for high average and had line-drive power. They played in the height of the steroid era when hitting 30-60 HRs was common, yet they didn’t have big HR hitters. Good pitching, great bullpen and a circular lineup filled with guys who could hit for average…….that was the formula.
But American League BA is 20+ points lower today then it was back when the 90′s Yankees were winning.
Very true, but doesn’t change the fact that the Yankees had several guys considered as high Average hitters in the 90′s. This year’s team has only Cano & Jeter that would be considered as high BA hitters. ARod could be considered as a decent average hitter but the rest of the team doesn’t hit well for average.
As an example, the 96′ team had 7 starters hit .292 or higher. Even if you lower that by 20 points to adjust to 2011 standards, Yanks only had 3 starters hit better than .272 last yr (Arod .276, Jeter .297 & Cano .302). The lineups of the 90′s were circular and any guy could beat you with that big hit.
In the 90′s the yanks routinely were 1st or 2nd in BA in MLB. Since 2008, they haven’t finished higher than 7th in MLB except for 2009 when they won it all and were 2nd in BA in MLB. Coincidence? Possibly, but I think a more diverse offense is far better suited to win.
Don’t even have to go back to the 90′s….look at the 2009 team. 8 starters hit at least .274 and the team was 2nd in MLB with a .283 BA. That team had a circular lineup and anyone would step forward. The 15 walk-off wins plus 2 in the playoffs
Fish 09 was a big home run year for baseball. So while batting average certainly helped the home run still won the games that season.
I agree with you about batting average and brought in up here once before. It’s why I prefer Jeter batting third instead of first against lefties. Hits have more value so his batting average would better benefit the team batting lower.
Yup george,…you are correct.
I don’t mean to sound like I’m belittling Home Runs. That would be insane. A Home Run is the best possible outcome for any At Bat. I just think that hitting a lot of HRs with a low batting average isn’t ideal. HRs are often hit when a pitcher makes a mistake. When runners are on base or in big situations and in big games, pitchers tend to bear down a lot harder and HRs are more difficult to hit. I also prefer a circular lineup with many guys who can beat you and multiple ways of scoring runs.
Put Jeter at #6, that is where his singles would have the most effect. Give everyone one inning to see what the pitcher has then in come the #4-5-6 hiters…the same as #1-2-3.
fishjam, I agree that Texas has it all, but they do have power. The Yanks starters are the same as 09 other than Posada, Matsui, and Damon. You could argue that Gardner replaces Damon and Jones and other DHs replace Matsui, so really the only difference offensively is Posada.
4 of the 9 starters are different, gone are Matsui, Damon, Melky & Jorge. Everyone hit for solid average that yr except for Swisher. Last yr, we had 6 starters in the .235-.262 range….ouch!
2 biggest issues now are Tex dropping from a .292 hitter to a sub .250 guy and it’s time to think about going another direction at Catcher next yr if Martin doesn’t show some offense.
Martin’s batting average the last 6 years:
2007 – .293
2008 – .280
2009 – .250
2010 – .248
2011 – .237
2012 – .178
What are Damon, Matsui, Posada, and Melky hitting this year? My point was the main core is still the same, you just don’t go out and get .300 hitters.
fishjam, yet we remember the HRs by Brosius,Leyritz, A-Rod in 2009, Jackson and others. The last few years it was Renteria and Freeze. To me their were many random HRs by players that normally don’t hit HRs in the series, like Maseroski and Thompson that we remember. I do agree with good pitching being the contant on good teams more than hitting for average. There are many teams that hit for average that never go anywhere, but you can say that about any one aspect of the game. Look at the Phillies the last 3 years, they had the best pitching. I still think winning there is no formula and carbon copy of how to win in baseball, their are too many variables. It is more random. Even the Mets look good in a small sampling.
fishjam, don’t forget no amphetamines, this the reason for the decline in hitting in my book. I pitched in the 60′s and 70′s and everyone was poping the greenies, too think that they had no effect on the game is just niave.
Amen to that Fishjam..This is why I like having only 2-3-, 4 at most, mashers. Heck, even back in the 40-50s’ WS teams most of the team were avg., type hitters with 2-3 mashers thrown in.
Your line;
“Good pitching, great bullpen and a circular lineup filled with guys who could hit for average…….that was the formula.”
Right now and for a few years, we have gone to 5 mashers and one .300 hitter. Watch the way Buck Show brings along the “O”s.
old yankee, it was a different world then, heck a middle infielder could hit 260 and he was a star. In those days your outfielders and firstbasemen were the power hitters, today your infielders are the power hitters. The bull pens back in those days were for washed up pitchers for the most part. In those days there weren’t as many power hitters as today. Take Texas, the best team by many this year, they’re loaded with power. As good as Buck is, his team is just a flash in the pan. It was the same last year.
Yanks actually have more HRs than Texas, 55-54. But Texas is 1st in Runs, outscoring us 204-178 because they lead MLB with a .293 team Batting Average.
Fish the Rangers are also managed a lot better as well.
Dylan Bundy will solve all the O’s and Buck’s problems, this kid is a stud.
Since 2000 there is really no correlation between batting average and world series champions. There were teams like the 2002 Angels first to the 2008 Phillies 23rd. There were only 4 years where the world series winner was in the top 5 in batting.
Doug…you may be right, I don’t think I made myself clear…I ment balance between mashers and higher avg., not only avg..
Since 1927 to 1961 (Yankees only) about 4 teams have had more than 4 mashers on the team; ’38-5 over10 HRs, ’39-4 over15, ’41-4 over 8HRs then we jump to 1961, we had 6 guys over 20 HRs.
I am not sure but having lived (not seen) through those years (1938, my coming out), I would suggest the teams were very well-balanced…other than 1961!
2009 Yanks had 7 starters with 20 or more HRs and Jeter had 18.
ole yankee, your right tracking a baseball in 4tenths of a second is a glorious feet, many great atheletes can’t do it. Recently in the world series it seems most of the games were won by the long ball, and even in most of the Yankee wins in the series the hits we remember are usually the long ball, sorry. I have this innate ability to call many things that happen while the game is going on, ESP, or something. I have called the Cano and Swisher HRs lately while sitting watching the game with my wife. I think it comes from making my whole life sports and baseball. Many times I will say something to my wife about a situation in the game and Kenny Singleton will say the same thing right after I do. I quess old ex players think alike. Now that Cano and Tex look too be out of their funk, I would look for the Yanks to go on a run here, unless Nova and the rest of the pitching falls apart.
Doug…
Through out the years I have had many batting championships but, I had a secret…until now!
I couldn’t hit the high hard one (around the letters) but, I always swung at it. Thank the gods no one caught on. I had my sister underhand me pitches, and still couldn’t do anything with them.
Now that is what I call a “BRAIN LOCK”!
I was drafted by the Angels out of high school and when I went to the staduim they showed me spray chart on hitters to impress me. I was very impressed. Today with the sabermetrics the research is much better and has caught up to the players. It’s a little scary that even baseball is being taken over by the brainiacks. This year I am seeing more and more this effect with shifts being put on more players, it’s is taking hitters out of their happy zone. They don’t know how to deal with it. The pitchers have to buy in to this also, sometimes pitching to a hitters strengh. Today’s sabermetrics compared to the 60′s spray charts are like the dial phone compared to the cell phone. Teams that win this game will come out on top in the end.
Doug, I got you one better…I was in ROTC then the Army.I learned how to run backwards faster than most run forward, to leap anything in my way and run on water, all the while peeing my pants…I think that’s how it was, anyhow…….I was “outta’ thar!”
Also, played Baseball (when I could) for many, many, many long years.
I was in college back in the 50′s..”Anaimal House” had nothing on us, we were the house (I thought when I first saw it).
We have a few hackers around here
I charted pitches and filled in spray charts for many a game. But even when I played (in the 90s), it was primitive compared to how they do it now. Every pitch is computer analyzed for movement, location, speed, arm slot, etc by Pitch F/X. Every batted ball is broken down and entered in to a computer with where it was hit & how. The field broken down into different quadrants with the trajectory and how “hard” the ball is hit entered.
That is how team’s come up with these shifts and how a team like Tampa Bay can gain an edge by doing a great job of scouting and having the conviction TO THINK OUTSIDE OF THE BOX. They didn’t invent the shift but they are shifting on more and more hitters and are getting even more creative with it.
I am thinking the Yanks should try a six man rotation like David Cone suggested, keeping CC on regular rotation.
I think it would be good to keep CC and Phil on 5 days, both are pitching well…”DO NOT Disturb!”
The way things are going we will be lucky to have 5 starters.
I just read that Roberston is going to the DL with an abdominal strain, and Nova is also hurt. This means the Yanks are going to have to out slug teams for a while. I quess Soriano is the closer with Wade, Logan, Phelps, and Mitchell in the pen. Starters are CC, Kuroda, Hughes, Pettite, and Freddy. It’s shows how quickly things change from week to week. The injury list is maxed out at this time, I don’t think the team can survive too many more injuries.
Yeah, Doug, tough time for the Yanks. Losing mariano and Robertson is a killer for any bullpen. Going to def mean larger roles for everyone and question becomes what to do with Phelps, Williams & Garcia.
It mostly depends on the diagnosis for Nova. if he is only going to miss 1 start, I’d keep Phelps in the pen with DJ Mitchell or Garcia getting the spot start.
Soriano is closer, Wade & Logan are your 7th/8th inning guys depending on matchups. Phelps is your next best guy and fill in the rest with some combo of Eppley, Rapada, DJ & Garcia.
We will see if the sabermetrics guys are right when they downgrade all the relief pitching.
Ugh why Freddy? leave him in the pen. Let Phelps start.
Matt, I just think with the Yanks losing their 2 top relievers they need Phelps in the pen more than starting.
Fish my point about 09 has everything to do with that year being different compared to the 2 years before an after with respect to home runs. In the AL 09 sticks out when it comes to home runs.
The interesting thing for me is that while BA has dropped the ratio between BA and OBP has stayed basically the same.