Sunday, August 22, 2010

The Genius Maker #103

I can start to give a more detailed breakdown now that I have been able to watch the games...Being on the road limits my insight.

It was pretty easy to see that the first 3 innings had pitchers making very bad pitches and a lot of them. Hanging change ups, fastballs down the middle and even when the pitcher got ahead of the hitter with 2 strikes they grooved the pitches. Both teams put up a deserved 4 runs against the other bad pitching and then the game settled into a more normal game. Before I get to that, I want to comment that I am disappointed with Vazquez. Seattle has a weak offense and while it is OK for pitchers to have very bad games, Vazquez is still having too many of them after the terrible start. I was not looking for the sub 3 ERA from him with how great he did last year in the NL, but I was hopeful for a mid to low 4 ERA and eating up innings. Branyan crushed a Javy grooved pitch for the 1st hit into the upper deck in the stadium.

Cano made the worst defensive play he has made in a long time on a ball off the end of the bat that blooped in front of him that he booted. He thought it was deeper and then at the last minute backed up rather than charge it and it ate him up...

Seattle has a lot of lefties in their lineup and having a good long reliever from the left side should shut them down.

Granderson had a great AB against the lefty Vargas in the 7th inning as he just missed a double down the line, but then took some close pitches and waited for a 3-2 pitch he could handle and ripped a single. this led to 1st and 3rd and our rookie Nunez up. I liked that Girardi stuck with him and he delivered driving a hanging change the other way to give the Yanks a 5-4 lead. Jeter followed on a hit and run single that should have been a double play but Figgins (and Seattle) had Figgins covering on a 1st and 2nd double steal and he took a false step toward 2nd base and Jeter hit it right where Figgins was originally. Not sure why he would cover 2nd with Jeter up, plus why open the hole when guy is stealing 2nd? Bad play on their part and it opened up the inning.

Girardi went to Rivera for what was surprisingly the 1st time this year to get 4 outs. I didn't look it up but I thought Rivera came in before in the 8th, but the Yanks opened up enough of a lead to let him rest in the 9th? I could be wrong...anyone have the stats?

I didn't have a problem letting Mo go 4 outs, but I wonder why do it in such a meaningless Seattle game? I mean it would make more sense in a closer game against TB or the Red Sox?

Mo, did the job but did allow a run in the 9th. He wasn't crisp, but Seattle actually did a decent job and the ump squeezed him a little.

The Yanks better win today (if the it is not washed out)

No comments:

Post a Comment