YMM Fantasy Baseball Preview: Starting Pitchers

Now that 2010 is here, the fantasy baseball season is right around the corner.  Your Mother’s Mustache will be previewing each position in preparation for your draft day.  All rankings are based on a points system which values overall player productivity, including WHIP (walks + hits/innings pitched) and strikeout to walk ratio.  Because if you’re still playing in a roto league, you probably also have a “Members Only” jacket hanging in your closet.

1. Tim Lincecum (SF)-The Freak followed up his Cy Young Award winning 2008 season with even better numbers in ‘09, pitching to a 1.05 WHIP and striking out over 10 batters every 9 innings.  After winning his second straight Cy Young Award at the age of 25, it’s safe to say that Lincecum is a generational talent.  225 innings a year may be a large workload for his small frame, but it’s nothing a little sweet, sweet cheebah can’t cure.

2. Roy Halladay (PHI)-Remember the kind of numbers CC Sabathia put up when he moved from the American League to the National League for half a season in 2007?  Well Halladay’s move to a National League contender all but guarantees him 20 wins and 200 strikeouts this year.  He is the only pitcher in the NL who can end Lincecum’s streak of Cy Youngs.

3. Zack Greinke (KC)-It’s tough investing an early round pick in a head case, but Zack Greinke’s combination of control and stuff makes him a number 1 starter in fantasy this season.  Despite playing for a lowly Royals squad that provides very little run support, Greinke managed to put up 16 wins last year.  He is one of the safest bets for strikeouts and a low WHIP at his position, even if he does collect his own urine in pickle jars.

4. Felix Hernandex (SEA)- Baseball’s version of “The King” turns only 23 this year, making last season’s accomplishments even more impressive.  His 29 quality starts (6 innings pitched, 3 earned runs or fewer) was tops in the majors, and he posted the best WHIP and strikeout numbers of his career.  With an improved defense in Seattle this season, Hernandez will have a chance to reach the 20 win plateau and once again compete for the AL Cy Young Award.

5. Justin Verlander (DET)- Verlander bounced back from a down year in ‘08 by striking out 269 batters last season, the most in the majors.  Now the only thing left to do is change his last name to “Highlander”.  It’s only the best movie ever made.

6. Jon Lester (BOS)-Lester got off to a slow start last season, and had a 5.63 ERA through the first two months.  But he went on a tear in June and never looked back, posting a career high 225 strikeouts over 200 innings.  His miserable start makes his 3.41 ERA at the end of the season even more impressive.  This could be the year Lester supplants Josh Beckett as the ace of Boston’s staff.

7. Dan Haren (ARI)-If we were only counting the first half of the season, Haren may very well be the top pitcher on this list.  In whats become an alarming trend, Haren disappeared in July for the 4th straight year after posting a 2.01 ERA and 0.80 WHIP through the first 3 months.  If you take Haren in your upcoming draft, try to trade him before the All Star break.

8. CC Sabathia (NYY)-C.C. (Cheeseburger Cheeseburger) Sabathia’s numbers came back to Earth after his return to the AL last season, and he failed to eclipse the 200 strikeout mark for the first time in 3 years.  He’s still a workhorse, and playing for the World Series champs will give him a good chance to match his 19 wins in ‘09.

9. Josh Beckett (BOS)- Beckett may not be the 9th best pitcher in fantasy, but he’s playing for a contract this season, which always seems to generate career years from players.  After a slow start to the season, and a rough August, Beckett still managed to produce an ERA and WHIP in line with his career averages last year.  If you take anything from the YMM fantasy baseball previews, make sure you target players in contract years on draft day.

10. Johan Santana (NYM)-If only Santana could pitch 5 days in a row, the Mets might have a chance to break the .500 mark this season.  After offseason elbow surgery some may be afraid to select him in their draft, but Santana had the very same surgery 6 years ago, and followed it up with his first Cy Young Award.  He may not be able to strikeout 200 batters a year anymore, but pitching without pain in his elbow will only help his performance.

11. Adam Wainwright (STL)- Before everyone jumps on the Wainwright bandwagon, take a look at some of his peripheral numbers last season.  While he may have posted a 2.63 ERA and over 200 strikeouts, his 1.21 WHIP was nothing to write home about.  For a pitcher who gives up almost a hit an inning, if he runs into some bad luck (or bad defense behind him), these numbers could seriously regress in 2010.

12. Jake Peavy (CHW)-It was only 2 years ago that Peavy was considered among the best pitchers in the game.  Then his 2008 and 2009 seasons were derailed by injuries, ruining the seasons of fantasy owners who invested a high round pick in the White Sox pitcher.  His move to the AL may hurt his numbers a bit, but Peavy still has the talent to be one of the best at his position if he can stay on the field.

13. Tommy Hanson (ATL)- The Braves top prospect got off to a rough start in his first game as a pro last season, but I’m sure there are plenty of rookies out there who would gladly take an adjustment period of only one game.  Hanson steadily improved as the season went on, and he posted a 10.5 K/9 rate and 1.05 WHIP in the final 3 months of the season.  I normally don’t trust gingers, but this kid is for real.

14. Josh Johnson (FLA)-Johnson got off to a great start last year, and after pitching 200 innings for the first time in his career the young Marlins ace posted career bests in strikeouts, ERA and WHIP.  Some experts will see the increased workload as a red flag, but Florida gave Johnson a 4 year contract extension this offseason, showing their confidence in his surgically repaired elbow.  If the stingy Marlins are willing to pay for him, then you should be too on draft day.

15. Yovani Gallardo (MIL)-Gallardo made it through the entire season for the first time in his professional career in ‘09 and struck out over 200 batters.  The good news is that all of his injuries thus far have been flukes and unrelated to his arm or shoulder.  The bad news is that he continues to walk way too many batters, and he won’t reach elite status until he can improve his control.

16. Ubaldo Jimenez (COL)-Another pitcher who walks too many batters, Jimenez is similar to Gallardo, but doesn’t have quite the knee buckling stuff.  He pitched over 200 innings last year on his way to winning 15 games, and should continue to put up numbers in the victories column playing for a strong Colorado team.

17. Chris Carpenter (STL)- Carpenter was the steal of the draft last year, and after an early season oblique injury, he posted the same numbers we’re used to seeing from the Cardinal ace.  At the age of 35, it’s only going to get tougher for him to stay on the field, so you may be better off hedging your risk and taking a younger, more reliable starter.  Even with all of the questions about his health, there are few ptichers in the league who can match Carpenter’s production when he’s on the field.

18. Cliff Lee (SEA)- Cliff Lee’s huge second half last season was a product of his move to the National League.  Now that he’s back in the American League after his trade to the Mariners, his numbers should suffer a little, even in a pitcher’s park.  He’s never been a big strikeout guy, and his peripherals are a little shaky, but he is entering his contract year and will have plenty of motivation to match last season’s numbers.

19. Ricky Nolasco (FLA)- Ricky Nolasco might have had the unluckiest season in the history of baseball last year.  While his strikeout and walk rates remained fairly consistent with his breakout season in ‘08, his ERA ballooned to 5.06, mostly due to an inflated BABIP (batting average on balls in play).  His luck improved as the season progressed, and by the time September rolled around he was back to his 2008 form.  Expect a big rebound this year.

20. Clayton Kershaw (LAD)-Like many of the other young pitchers on this list, Kershaw struggles with a high walk rate, but when he’s not issuing free passes hes striking batters out.  At the age of 21, and entering his 3rd season in the league, he is primed for a huge breakout this year.  His strikeout potential makes him a sure fire top 20 option for the 2010 season.

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Dubbs, February 17th 2010 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Baseball, Random Stache'

Your Mother’s Hot Stove

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A marketing campaign built around Corey Hart's 80's hit "I Wear My Sunglasses At Night" would be very successful in the New York metropolitan area.

Today is the second day of MLB’s annual winter meetings in beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana.  Your Mother’s Mustache correspondent Willy Bang will be on the scene everyday to give us some of the highlights and drink all the free booze his press pass entitles him to.

-I got very excited when I heard that the Mets were working on a deal to trade John Maine for Corey Hart, until I found out that they were talking about the shitty Brewers outfielder and not the famous Canadian singer/songwriter. 

-In other Milwaukee news, the Brewers are preparing to offer Randy Wolf a 3 year, 28 million dollar contract.  Well done Doug Melvin.  That should make Brewers fans forget all about CC Sabathia.

-The Rays appear willing to swap one bum for another, which is always a good strategy..  According to reports, Tampa is interested in a deal that would send Pat Burrell to the Cubs for Milton Bradley, but only if Chicago includes cash to offset the difference in the contracts.  This has disaster written all over it.  Somehow I don’t see that fruitcake Joe Maddon being able to restrain Bradley the next time he tries to shank the first base ump over a blown call.

-Sources close to the proposed 3 team deal that would land Curtis Granderson in the Bronx believe that the sides are coming closer to an agreement.  If the proposed trade were to go through, the Yankees would receive Granderson, the Tigers would get Max Scherzer, Phil Coke and Austin Jackson, and the Diamondbacks would receive Edwin Jackson and Ian Kennedy.  I think this is a great deal for the Yanks, and I hope that it goes through so I don’t have to see Johnny Damon’s big dumb haircut on the back page of The Post ever again.

-The Angels are looking at Hideki Matsui as a backup plan in case they are unable to sign Jason Bay.  The last time I checked, Vlad Guerrero can’t play the field anymore, so I’m not sure what they’re going to do with another DH.  Then again, this is the franchise that gave Gary Matthews Jr. 60 million dollars.

-One last note on the Mets.  They’ve inquired about possible deals for Rangers pitcher Kevin Millwood and Cardinals super utility player Mark Derosa.  I’m not sure what this franchise’s fascination is with former Braves pitchers, but I think Derosa would be a great fit for this team.  He can play the corner outfield position and he is known for being a great clubhouse leader, which any Mets fan knows this team is seriously lacking.

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Dubbs, December 8th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Theeeeeeeeee Yankees Win!!!!!

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Well just as we thought, the Yanks wrapped it up last night and brought the World Series title back to the Bronx.  So many guys came up huge throughout the playoffs that I don’t even know where to begin.  I’m tired as shit and a little delirious still from last night, but I still wanted to give some props.

- Alex Rodriguez was sensational throughout the entire post season.   He came through in the clutch time after time, series after series, and  finally earned his Yankee pinstripes in the eyes of the fans.  I’m not sure the Yankees would’ve made it to the World Series without the offense he provided.  A-Rod was a new man this season, with a seemingly newfound love for the game, as well as a newfound approach in dealing with the media.  He finally got a taste of what’s it like to be a World Series champion and I couldn’t be happier for the guy. 

 - Andy Pettitte pitched the series clinching game in every round of the playoffs this year, all while becoming the all time wins leader in post season history.  Andy was simply awesome this postseason.  He came up big in every single spot we needed him to, and showed why he was arguably the most crucial part to our pitching staff.  I really hope Andy comes back and plays one more year.

 -Mariano Rivera was clutch.  Nothing new there.  Mo pitch 5 2/3 innings in the World Series, not surrendering a run and picking up two saves in the process.  Mo was also the only closer this postseason not to blow a save for his team.  You all heard Mo say last night he wants to pitch another 5 years, and as crazy as that sounds I really hope it’s true.

 -Hideki Matsui is the 2009 World Series MVP, and deservedly so.  Sadly, this was most likely Matsui’s last game as a member of the New York Yankees.  But Matsui went out as a Yankee just as he came in, and that’s coming through in a huge way.  Matsui really did deserve the MVP, hitting .615 this World Series with 3 HR’s and 8 RBI’s.  If this really was Matsui’s last game in the Bronx, he will be sorely missed.

 -The Captain is all you have to say.  As always, Derek Jeter was consistent throughout these playoffs and the World Series.  I just hope this World Series showed some of the haters out there that Derek Jeter really does deserve all of the praise and accolades that he has received throughout his career.  This guy is a leader and a champion in every sense of the word.  If anyone out there still hates, they can go fuck themselves.

 -Johnny Damon is yet another guy who may not be returning for the 2010 season, although at this point it looks like he’ll be back for one more year.  I really hope we do bring Johnny back, because after a season plagued with injuries in 2008, Johnny finally got healthy and proved he is still one of the better hitters in the game.  I don’t care how shitty an arm he has, I want him back in left next year.

 -Joba Chamberlain went from being one of the most feared relievers in baseball to being a very average and hittable starter.  This post season we saw Joba go back to the pen (where he belongs) and as a result he started to show signs of his old self.  Joba pitched great in relief last night, and even though he gave up a HR out of the pen in game 4, I still think that’s the best I’ve seen him throw all year.  I don’t know what would’ve happened if Joba didn’t step up since Phil Hughes suddenly became very hittable this post season.  Let’s hope the Yanks do the right thing and keep Joba in the bullpen next year.

 -Well it’s safe to say that the two biggest pitching acquisitions of the off-season in CC Sabathia and A.J. Burnett paid off in a huge way.  CC pitched great throughout the playoffs despite not getting a win in either of his 2 World Series starts.  If it was not for Sabathia and his freakish durability, things probably would not have gone so smoothly.  A.J. Burnett did have a terrible start on short rest in game 5, but we can easily let that slide after the gem he pitched in game 2 of the World Series. His performance prevented the Yankees from digging themselves into an insurmountable 0-2 hole.  And even at their worst, both of these guys are better than our options from the past few years.  They were worth every single penny.

 -Damaso Marte retired the last 11 batters he faced this postseason, and was a key lefty specialist out of the pen.  He has been a player often overlooked since we acquired him from the Pirates via trade last year, but an important player none the less.  Marte has always been a highly touted lefted handed reliever,  but was yet to live up to the hype until this post season.  We may not have been able to win this title without some of his key outs in tight spots.

 -And finally, Joe Girardi.  World Series champion manager Joe Girardi.  Everybody, including myself, doubted him from day one.  And after the Yankees missed the playoffs for the first time in 12 years in his first season as manager, he was on thin ice going into this season.  Even after the year we had, people still questioned Girardi.  They scrutinized every in-game move, especially how he handle the pitching staff and choosing to elect only 3 days rest for CC in the playoffs.  But now Joe is a vindicated World Series champion, and we are all glad he stuck with his gut and managed with his heart.  Girardi was able to bring this team the camaraderie that they have been desperately seeking for the past 9 years, and because of this the Yankees are World Series champions for the 27th time.  Congratulations.

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KRM, November 5th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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Is it time to worry about Phil Hughes?

Hughes kneels behind the mound during the eighth inning of Game 1 of the World Series last night.

Hughes kneels behind the mound during the eighth inning of Game 1 of the World Series last night.

Lets face it, so far this post season Phil Hughes has looked nothing like the pitcher who struck out 96 batters in 86 innings this season while allowing only 68 hits.  After walking the only two batters he faced last night things seemed to be going from bad to worse right in front of our eyes.  I don’t want to jump to conclusions here but I am honestly worried about this kid right now.  I just cannot see Hughes getting big outs right now, when he steps onto the mound it seems like an impossible task for him to get anybody out.  I don’t think I’m speaking to soon by saying I would rather see Joba in this spots rights now.  Lets hope the kid can get his shit together.

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KRM, October 29th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Sports

Well that sucked

Anyone who knows me also knows I fucking hate Cliff Lee.  Maybe this is what I get for years and years of hating on this guy.  Whatever it was this douche bag completely shut us down last night.  Lets just hope we can abuse the shit out of Pedro tonight in game 2 and get this series back on track.

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KRM, October 29th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , ,
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Yankees vs. Phillies World Series Preview

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The New York Yankees begin their quest for a 27th world title tonight against the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies.  Your Mother’s Mustache breaks down all of the match ups for you.

Catcher: Jorge Posada vs. Carlos Ruiz-Jorge Posada has made the most of his postseason at bats considering Jose Molina has become AJ Burnett’s personal catcher.  In 31 plate appearances, Posada has 2 home runs and is slugging .484.  Carlos Ruiz has even better numbers this postseason, batting .346 with a home run and 7 RBIs.    While Posada has the clear edge in playoff experience, Ruiz is the better defender and the hotter bat right now.  Oh yeah, and he can actually count to 3.  Edge: Phillies

First Base: Mark Teixeira vs. Ryan Howard-Mark Teixeira has had a rough postseason at the plate thus far, batting a measly .205 with only 5 RBIs out of the three hole.  But his offensive numbers don’t tell the whole story.  His defense at first base changes games, and where his bat has failed his glove has excelled.  On the other side, Ryan Howard is on a tear right now, and has been the Phillies MVP through the first 2 rounds.  He is batting .355 with 2 home runs and 14 RBI for the defending World Series Champs.  His defense is vastly improved this year, and he is the second most dangerous bat in this series.  Edge: Phillies

Second Base: Robinson Cano vs. Chase Utley- These two players have very similar skill sets.  Both can hit for average and power, and both provide outstanding defense at the second base position.  Utley has hit .3o3 so far this postseason, but Cano has driven in 3 more runs.  This is the closest call in these match ups, but I’ll take Utley because he always seems to come through in the big spots.  Edge: Phillies

Third Base: Alex Rodriguez vs. Pedro Feliz-  My, how a year can change everything.  The former postseason punching bag must think it’s May, because Arod has carried the Yankees offense through the first two rounds.  He’s been the definition of clutch, coming through with 3 game tying hits in the late innings, all while batting .438 with 5 home runs and 12 RBIs.  He has been the Yankees Most Valuable Player this postseason, and if they win it all this year, no one will remember the man who was demoted to 8th in the lineup against the Tigers just 3 years ago.  Pedro Feliz is… well, Pedro Feliz.  Enough said.  Edge: Yankees

Shortstop: Derek Jeter vs. Jimmy Rollins-  There’s a reason why the Yankees have been to the playoffs 13 times since Derek Jeter became the everyday shortstop.  He makes clutch plays when the game is on the line.  The captain is hitting .297 with 3 home runs, 5 RBIs and 9 runs out of the lead off spot.  His range isn’t what it used to be, but any team would be more than happy to have him manning their shortstop position.  Jimmy Rollins is a strong defender, but offensively is a mere shell of his former MVP self.  Let’s be honest, he would need to be batting .600 with 25 home runs this postseason to even have a chance to win this match up anyway.  Edge: Yankees

Left Field: Johnny Damon vs. Raul Ibanez-Both players have been disappointments in the playoffs after coming off very strong regular season campaigns.  Raul Ibanez does have 9 RBIs for the Fightin’ Phils, but his .226 batting average leads me to believe that his run production has more to do with hitting behind Ryan Howard and Jayson Werth than anything else.  Johnny Damon is only batting .238 with a .273 on base percentage out of the two hole.  He’s going to have to get on base in front of the big bats with more regularity if the Yanks want to keep pace with Philadelphia’s high powered offense.  Ibanez’s defense give him the edge in this match up.  Edge: Phillies

Center Field: Melky Cabrera vs. Shane Victorino- The Flyin’ Hawaiian is hitting .361 with 3 home runs, 7 RBIs, 8 runs and 2 stolen bases.  To top it all off, he is a gold glove center fielder.  Melky Cabrera is not.  Edge: Phillies

Right Field: Nick Swisher vs. Jayson Werth- Nick Swisher has had an abysmal postseason.  He is batting .125, and his defense is questionable at best.  But Swisher’s real value this season has been his ability to keep the clubhouse atmosphere loose, taking pressure off of the team’s superstars.  Jayson Werth is just another potent cog in the Phillies lineup.  He is slugging .813 this postseason.  Yes, .813.  I don’t care if Swisher is giving Arod blow jobs before each game, there’s just no way to compete with that.  Edge: Phillies

Designated Hitter: Hideki Matsui vs. Matt Stairs-Hideki Matsui may not be able to play the field anymore, but he sure as shit can still swing a bat.  Godzilla is coming off of a regular season in which he hit 28 home runs with 90 RBIs, all while batting a respectable .274.  Matt Stairs has 2 postseason hits in his 17 year career.  Even with Matsui struggling through the first 2 rounds, he is the clear cut favorite in this match up.  Edge: Yankees

Starting Pitching: CC Sabathia/AJ Burnett/Andy Pettitte vs. Cliff Lee/Pedro Martinez/Cole Hamels- CC is 3-0 this postseason and has 20 strikeouts and a 1.19 ERA through 23 innings.  He has been the Yankees best pitcher, regularly pitching on short rest.  Burnett started this postseason strong with a 2.19 ERA through his first 2 starts, but got bombed in his last appearance in game 5 against the Angels.  He can’t afford to have an off day against the Phillies lineup.  Andy Pettitte is old reliable, and gives his team a chance to win every time he takes the mound in the playoffs.  His 2.37 ERA is impressive, and the Yankees will need him to come up big and neutralize the Phillies left handers.  Cliff Lee is the only pitcher who might be having a better playoff run than Sabathia.  Through 24 innings, he has a 0.74 ERA and 2 wins.  Just remember that this has come against NL hitting, and his career numbers against AL hitters are not nearly as impressive.  In a strange twist of fate, old Yankee nemesis Pedro Martinez gets the nod in game 2.  In his last and only postseason appearance this year, he pitched 7 shutout innings.  Cole Hamels has continued his disappointing season, putting up a 6.75  ERA in 15 innings through the first 2 rounds.  The Yankees starters are stronger from top to bottom, and when you have CC pitching a shutout every 3rd start it’s tough to lose.  Edge: Yankees

Bullpen: Mariano Rivera vs. Brad Lidge-Mariano Rivera is the best relief pitcher in the history of the game.  At the age of 40, he continues to dominate the competition with just one pitch.  Armando Benitez could be his set up man and New York would still have the edge in this match up.  Edge: Yankees

Manager: Joe Girardi vs. Charlie Manuel-  Joe Girardi has a tendency to over manage game situations, but his team is so talented that they can overcome any mistakes he makes.  Charlie Manuel gets the most out of his players, and already has a World Series title on his resume.  Edge: Phillies

Prediction: 

 

Yankees in 6.

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Dubbs, October 28th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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CC is going to remind cliff Lee what life in the American League is all about

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NY POST – Though starting three times in the World Series means CC Sabathia would have to pitch two of them on short rest, he said he will do whatever the Yankees ask him.

“Whenever they tell me to pitch,” Sabathia declared amidst last night’s celebratory clubhouse, “I’m ready.”

Sabathia earned his first career Fall Classic berth last night, and though he didn’t pitch in the clinching Game 6, his impact on the series was enormous. The $161 million left-hander earned the victory in ALCS Games 1 and 4, allowing two earned runs in 16 innings (1.13 ERA). For that, he also earned ALCS MVP honors.

“This is what you come here for, to try to win a championship,” he said. “And this is one step closer.”

Sabathia pitched Game 4 on three days’ rest and would have pitched a third time (on normal rest) had the series gone to seven games. But the World Series is structured differently in terms of days off, and if the Yankees want to start Sabathia three times against the Phillies, he would have to pitch twice in a row on three days’ rest.

This guy is a complete animal.  Anyone who didn’t think he would be able to pitch on 3 days rest was clearly wrong and I have a feeling CC will show us  again in the world series that his makeup is simply different than everyone else.  When you win 2 games in dominant fashion like CC did against the Angels, I don’t think there should be much debate.

I’m really looking forward to Cliff Lee pitching game 1 against a real major league baseball team and not this garbage that you call the NL.  We’ll see how that works out for him.


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KRM, October 26th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
Posted in Sports

This guys pretty good too

ALCS Angels Yankees Baseball

I hope all the retards who were flipping out because Pettite was going to start game 6 learn to keep there big mouths shut from now on.  You HAVE to trust the guys that got you here.  Period.

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KRM, October 26th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , ,
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2009 ALCS Preview: Yankees vs. Angels

ALDS Yankees Twins Baseball

This year’s ALCS features the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  The series is set to begin Friday night at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.  For the Yankees, it’s their first appearance in the ALCS since the 2004 heartbreaker of a series vs. the Red Sox.  The Angels return to the ALCS for the first time since 2005, when they lost in 5 games to the Chicago White Sox.  The Angels hold a 6-3 advantage against the Yankees in 9 previous playoff matchups, which includes the 2002 ALDS when the Angels won the series in 4 games and the 2005 ALDS when they defeated the Yankees in 5 games.  Your Mother’s Mustache has a full breakdown of what’s sure to be a classic tilt among these two American League powerhouses.

2009 Season Series:  Tied 5-5

CATCHER:  Jorge Posada/Jose Molina vs. Mike Napoli/Jeff Mathis

Posada hit .364 (4 for 11) in the ALDS vs. the Twins.  He hit a clutch go-ahead home run off Carl Pavano in the 7th inning of game 3 that proved to be the game winner.  Posada will once again sit in favor of Jose Molina when AJ Burnett pitches, but best believe the Yankees will get his bat in the lineup as much as they can in this series.  The Angels will look to run on Posada with speedster Chone Figgins (42 steals), as well as Bobby Abreu (30 steals), but will find it much tougher to run when Molina is behind the dish.  Mike Napoli can hit for power, as evidenced by his 20 home runs in 100 starts this season, so the Yankees pitchers will need to keep the ball down in the zone against him.  Napoli went 1 for 4 (.250) in the series vs. the Red Sox and split time with the Angels other backstop, Jeff Mathis.  Mathis hit .333 in the ALDS vs. Boston, but has a career average of only .143 against the Yankees.

EDGE:  YANKEES

FIRST BASEMEN:  Mark Teixeira vs. Kendry Morales

The comparison between two of the game’s premier switch-hitting first basemen is closer than many of you may think.  Other than two clutch hits in game 2, Teixeira didn’t have a particularly good series with the bat in the ALDS.  He hit just .166 (2 for 12) in the series, but he did hit the game-winning, walk-off home run in the 11th inning of game 2.  Teixeira had an MVP caliber season in his first with the Yankees, but struggled against the Angels, hitting just .225 in 10 contests.  On the other side, Cuban-born Kendry Morales was one of the biggest breakout players of this past season.  He set career highs across the board, hitting .306 with 34 HR and 108 RBI.  Like Teixeira, Morales struggled in the opening round of the playoffs, hitting just .200 (2 for 10) with 1 HR and 3 RBI.  But he was one of the Angels better hitters vs. the Yankees in the regular season, hitting .375 in 10 games.  Morales is a solid defensive first basemen, committing only 8 errors in ’09, but he doesn’t compare to Teixeira who is probably the best defensive first basemen in the game today.

EDGE:  YANKEES

SECOND BASEMEN:  Robinson Cano vs. Howie Kendrick

Cano bounced back from a disappointing 2008 campaign to regain his status as one of the most productive players at his position in all of baseball.  He hit .320 this season with 25 HR and 85 RBI, but also struggled in the ALDS, hitting just .167 (2 for 12) with 1 RBI.  Cano was one of the Yankees more successful hitters against the Angels in the regular season.  He had 14 hits in 10 games, hitting at a .341 clip.  Howie Kendrick had a very interesting season for the Halos.  He was optioned to the minors in the middle of the season amidst some offensive struggles, which limited him to just 105 games on the season.  But Kendrick bounced back in the 2nd half of the season and despite his early season struggles, still finished with career highs in HRs (10) and RBI (61) while batting .291.  Kendrick will split time with Macier Izturis as he did in the ALDS vs. Boston.

EDGE:  YANKEES

SHORTSTOP:  Derek Jeter vs. Erick Aybar

The Yankee captain excelled in his new role as a lead off hitter this season, hitting for his highest batting average since 2006 (.334), while also stealing 30 bases.  Jeter began the 2009 post season with a bang, hitting a 2-run HR off Nick Blackburn in the 3rd inning of game 1 of the ALDS to get the Yankees on the board.  He finished 4 for 10 in the series, with 1 HR, 2 RBI and 4 runs, and once again showed why he is considered by many to be one of the best post season hitters ever to play the game.  Jeter hit .333 against the Angels during the regular season.  Erick Aybar came into the 2009 ALDS against Boston with minimal post season success.  He went a combined 2 for 19 in the 2007 and 2008 division series match ups with the Red Sox, but proved to be much better in this season’s series.  Aybar hit a 2 run triple in the 7th inning of game 2 and sparked the Angels comeback rally late in game 3 that helped lead to their 3-game sweep of Boston.  In 10 regular season clashes, Aybar hit .286 against the Yankees.

EDGE:  YANKEES

THIRD BASEMEN:  Alex Rodriguez vs. Chone Figgins

Coming into the playoffs this season, I told as many people as I could how sure I was that A-Rod would have a monster post season.  Well through the opening round, I think it’s safe to say that Rodriguez is well on his way.  Against the Twins, A-Rod hit an astounding .455 (5 for 11), including two clutch home runs and 6 runs batted in.  What’s even more so, is that A-Rod went a combined 0-6 in his first 2 AB’s of each game, meaning he went 5 for 5 in his final AB’s.  If that’s not clutch, then I don’t know what is.  A-Rod has seemingly silenced his critics for the time being and by the end of the ALCS, I expect him to silence them for good.  Chone Figgins is as dangerous a player as there is on the base paths in all of the majors and the perfect lead off man for manager Mike Scioscia’s National League style of baseball.  Scioscia will have Figgins testing Posada’s arm every chance he gets in this series.  In addition to his 42 stolen bases, Figgins hit .298 in ’09 with 114 runs (3rd overall in MLB) and 30 doubles.  He hit .333 on the season against the Yankees, but he’s coming off an awful series vs. the Red Sox, in which he went 0 for 12 with just 1 run scored.

EDGE:  YANKEES

LEFT FIELD:  Johnny Damon vs. Juan Rivera

After a great first half of the season that put him on pace for career highs in several offensive categories, Johnny Damon tailed off and puttered down the home stretch of the season.  Those struggles seem to have carried over into the postseason, as Damon hit just .083 (1 for 12) in the ALDS and looked lost at times at the plate.  To make matters worse, the veteran is a huge liability on defense, making only the most routine catches in left field.  Look for the Angels base runners to challenge Damon’s arm with every opportunity.  Hopefully his bat starts to get going in the first 2 games of this series, otherwise we could see more of Melky Cabrera in left and Brett Gardner in center.  Damon hit just .121 against the Angels in the regular season.  Juan Rivera finally got over the injury bug that has plagued him for much of his career and had a very productive season for the Angels.  He hit .287 with 25 HR and 88 RBI during the regular season and .273 (3 for 11) with O HRs and 2 RBI in the ALDS vs. Boston.  Rivera has a good arm in left and definitely gets the edge defensively in this match up.  In the 8 games he played vs. the Yankees in ‘09, Rivera hit .222 win no homers and 2 RBI.

SLIGHT EDGE:  ANGELS

CENTER FIELD:  Melky Cabrera/Brett Gardner vs. Torii Hunter

Melky Cabrera proved throughout the season that he can hit in the clutch as he collected several walk-off hits on the year.  He was one of the Yankees best players against the Angels during the regular season, hitting .393 with an on-base percentage of .485.  In the opening series sweep of the Twins, Melky was just 2 for 12 (.167) with 1 run and no extra-base hits.  We should also see Brett Gardner in CF, as Girardi will certainly use him late in games as both a pinch runner and defensive replacement.  Torii Hunter is still one of the best defensive outfielders in the game despite slowing down a few steps over the past few years.  He hit .299 on the season, with 22 HR and 90 RBI in just 119 games played.  In the ALDS vs. Boston, Hunter hit .200 (2 for 10) with 1 HR and 3 RBI, but struggled in the regular season vs. the Yankees, hitting just .233 in 7 games.  He is an important part of the Angels team and has a clear advantage over the Yankees counterparts in center field.

EDGE:  ANGELS

RIGHT FIELD:  Nick Swisher vs. Bobby Abreu

Nick Swisher is a very streaky hitter.  But all things considered, the Yankees got more than they expected from their right fielder in 2009.  He hit just .249 on the year, but also had 29 homers to go along with 82 RBI.  Swisher struggled mightily vs. the Twins however, collecting just 1 hit in 12 at-bats (.083).  He also struggled against the Angels in the regular season to the tune of .211 with 1 HR, 3 RBI and 4 K’s in 22 plate appearances.  When the Angels failed to sign Mark Teixeira as an unrestricted free agent last off season, they were forced to turn elsewhere to land the offensive firepower they needed.  They wound up landing what proved to be the biggest bargain signing of last year’s free agency market in Bobby Abreu.  Abreu had an absolutely superb season for the Angels, hitting .293 with 15 HR, 103 RBI and 30 stolen bases.  He became only the 2nd player in Angels team history to record over 100 RBI and 30 SB’s in the same season.  Abreu was excellent in the series vs. Boston, going 5 for 9 (.556) with 1 RBI and 4 runs scored.  He hit .314 in 35 at-bats against the Yankees in the regular season.

EDGE:  ANGELS

DESIGNATED HITTER:  Hideki Matsui vs. Vladimir Guerrero

For those of you out there that didn’t follow the Yankees closely this year, you may not have realized the type of season Matsui put together.  As the full-time DH for the first time in his career, Matsui hit .274 with 28 HR and 90 RBI for the Yankees.  In game 1 of the ALDS, he connected for a 2 run shot in the 5th inning vs. Twins starter Nick Blackburn to help lead the Yankees to victory.  Matsui has now played in 9 playoff series since coming over to the Yankees from Japan, and has 7 home runs in 165 at-bats with an average just above .300.  In 10 games this season vs. the Angels, Matsui had 3 HR and 6 RBI while hitting .250. Vladimir Guerrero battled injuries throughout the 2009 season, but started to come along in the last month of the season.  He’s certainly not the player he once was, but “Bad Vlad” is still a very dangerous hitter amongst many in the Angels lineup.  Guerrero was the hero in game 3 of the ALDS, coming through with a two-out, two-run single off Jonathan Papelbon to rally the Angels past the Red Sox and into the ALCS.  In the entire series, Vlad was 4 for 10 (.400) with those 2 crucial runs batted in, and in just 3 games vs. the Yankees in ’09, Vlad hit .462 with 1 HR and 3 RBI.

EDGE:  EVEN

STARTING ROTATION:  CC Sabathia/ AJ Burnett/ Andy Pettitte vs. John Lackey/ Joe Saunders/ Jered Weaver/ Scott Kazmir

In the ALDS, the Yankees outscored the Twins 15-6 behind superb outings from starters CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte.  The three combined for 19 innings pitched, allowing 4 runs (3 earned) and 14 hits, while striking out 21 batters and walking only 6.  There has been a lot of talk stemming from Yankees camp that manager Joe Girardi is leaning towards going with a 3-man rotation against the Angels in an effort to get 3 starts from his ace, CC Sabathia.  I personally love this plan.  While with the Brewers last season, Sabathia repeatedly showed that he is capable of pitching effectively even on short days rest.  Couple that with the 5 days rest he’ll have coming into this series and I think Girardi’s approach is the way to go.  The one legitimate issue with this strategy is the forecast for inclement weather in the New York area on Friday night, which could cause game 1 to be postponed.  If this were to happen, the Yankees will be forced to go to a 4-man rotation seeing as the game would get pushed back a day and Sunday’s off day would be lost.  If the Yankees go to a 4-man rotation, Chad Gaudin would get the nod in game 4.

The Angels sport a very talented and deep starting rotation, beginning with game 1 starter John Lackey.  Lackey threw 7.1 shutout innings in game 1 of the ALDS vs. Boston and has proven to be a big game pitcher in playoffs’ past, particularly in game 7 of the 2002 World Series vs. San Francisco.  Lackey was 1-0 against the Yankees this season with a 2.57 ERA.  Joe Saunders will take the mound in game 2.  Saunders had a solid season for the Halos, going 16-7 with a 4.60 ERA and 101 strikeouts.  In his last start against the Yankees on September 21st, Saunders pitched very well, going 8.1 innings and allowing just 2 runs in a win.  The game 3 starter for the Angels will be Jered Weaver.  Weaver bounced back from a down year in 2008 to win 16 games with an ERA of 3.75 and 174 strikeouts.  Despite his success, Weaver didn’t fare well against the Yankees, going 1-1 with a 5.59 ERA.  And in game 4, the Halos will look to Scott Kazmir, who was acquired in a deal with the Tampa Bay Rays on August 28th of this year.  Kazmir went 2-2 with a 1.73 ERA in 6 regular season starts with the Angels, but didn’t pitch well in the Angels clinching win in game 3 vs. Boston.  He allowed 5 runs in 6 innings, while striking out 1 and walking 3.  In his career vs. the Yankees, Kazmir is 6-5 with a 2.67 ERA.

SLIGHT EDGE:  YANKEES

BULLPEN:  Closers: Mariano Rivera vs. Brian Fuentes

The Yankees bullpen had a 1-0 record with 1.80 ERA and 13 strikeouts in the ALDS vs. the Twins.  During the regular season, they had a 3.91 ERA, 483 strikeouts and a .231 batting average against in 515 innings, ranking them atop the American League and 5th in all of baseball.  The best reliever in the history of the game, Mariano Rivera, continues to be the anchor for the Yankees.  In 4 regular season appearances against the Angels, Rivera had 4 saves with an ERA of 0.00.  In the ALDS, Rivera pitched 3.2 innings while striking out 7 and recording the save in the Yankees series clinching win.  Phil Hughes has been nothing short of spectacular since being assigned to the set-up role for the Yanks, but he struggled in the opening round series vs. the Twins with a 9.00 ERA in 2 innings pitched.  Hopefully, he’ll be able to get back on track vs. the Angels.  Joba Chamberlain has re-assumed a role in the bullpen and appears to be the 7th inning bridge that leads to Hughes and Rivera.  The main cogs of the rest of the Yankees’ pen include youngster David Robertson, Alfredo Aceves and left hander, Phil Coke.

The Angels bullpen went 6.1 innings in their opening series vs. Boston, recording a 1.08 ERA with 4 strikeouts and a miniscule .174 batting average against.  In the regular season, they ranked 11th amongst bullpens in the American League.  Closer Brian Fuentes led the majors 48 saves in ’09, but had an unusually high ERA for a closer (3.93).  In four appearances against the Yankees this season, Fuentes recorded 3 saves with an ERA of 9.00.  Fuentes was solid vs. the Red Sox, recording 2 saves in 1.2 innings pitched.  The rest of the Angels bullpen is rounded out by Jose Arrendondo, Jason Bulger, Darren Oliver, Scot Shields, Kevin Jepsen and Matt Palmer.

EDGE:  YANKEES

MANAGERS: Joe Girardi vs. Mike Scioscia

Girardi has made some head scratching moves this season, but also some very good ones (i.e. moving Jeter to the lead off spot).  It’s hard to argue against a manager who led his team to 103 wins and the best record in baseball.  Hands down, Girardi should win the 2009 award for A.L. Manager of the Year, an award Mike Scioscia already won back in 2002.  It was during the 2002 season that Scioscia led the Angels to a World Series title, so he has obviously proven that he can win in the playoffs.  As good as both of these managers are, it’s the players who will undoubtedly decide this series.

SLIGHT EDGE:  ANGELS

PREDICTION:

This series has the potential to be a truly classic ALCS between what are clearly the American League’s two best teams.  The Angels will gain a slight edge in starting pitching if the Yankees are forced to go a 4-man rotation and Chad Gaudin winds up facing off with Scott Kazmir in game 4.  It’s important for the Yankees, who had the best home record in baseball this season, to take care of home field advantage in the Bronx.  It’s going to be a fantastic series, I just can’t help but feel like it’s the Yankees year.  My prediction:

YANKEES IN 6

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Jsunfella, October 16th 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
Posted in Random Stache'

Can we really trust Joba right now?

*Aug 11 - 00:05*

NY Post - Joba Chamberlain’s regular season is mercifully finished. Any chance the Yankees give him an October vacation as punishment for a job not-so-well done?

Last night, the erratic right-hander lit a stink bomb and lobbed it high above the pitcher’s mound at the Stadium, bringing additional cloudiness to his status for the ALDS and potentially beyond.

The Yankees were denied victory No. 103 in a 4-3 loss to the Royals, after Chamberlain allowed three earned runs on seven hits and four walks over 3 2/3 innings.

It’s been a no-brainer for weeks that barring an injury Chamberlain will be omitted from the Yankees’ ALDS rotation — CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte will handle those honors. But it shouldn’t be considered an automatic that Chamberlain earns a bullpen job. Not after posting a 7.15 ERA in September while frustrating the Yankees, particularly in the first inning of starts.

Nor should it be a given that Chamberlain will get an ALCS start should the Yankees advance past the first round. Though Chad Gaudin never will be confused with Cy Young, he has been more dependable than Chamberlain and could be a consideration for postseason duty, both in the bullpen and ultimately starting an ALCS game.

“If they tell me to fold towels, I’ll fold towels — I don’t really care,” Chamberlain said. “I’ll do anything to win on this team.”

Chamberlain’s early-inning woes continued last night with two walks in the first inning before Brayan Pena delivered an RBI single. It was the fifth time in his last seven starts that Chamberlain allowed at least one run in the first inning. His first-inning ERA this season is 5.58.

I’m not going to lie, I’m woried about Joba.  What can we do though?  Has Joba really slid so far from his dominace of two years ago that we would rather have Chad Gaudin on the mound for a game 4 in the playoffs?  With the postseason just around the corner the thing that sucks the most is that I do not know the answer to this question, hopefully that is not the case for the Yankees.  At this point we can not be sure that Joba will even get the opportunity to start a postseason game, if he does it will be without a doubt the biggest start of his career.  If I would’ve told you earlier in the season that Wang and Chamberlain were going to basically be non-factors and that the Yankees would still win 102+ games you would think I was smoking rocks.  The great thing about this Yankee team is that they have fought all year to get to this point.  We’ve seen them go from the same kind of team that was knocked out of the ALDS the last four years into a perrenial juggernaut.  Up and down the lineup every single Yankee has stepped up in a big way this season and now it’s Joba’s turn.  Let’s just hope he can get his shit together so he can help us in the playoffs.

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KRM, October 1st 2009 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,
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