Thursday, October 18, 2012

Newsflash! The Detroit Tigers Were Not Dominant.

That was my face when I heard a TBS announcer say that Detroit pitching has been "dominant".

The Tigers team batting average in the AL Championship Series is .259. That's good enough for 2nd out of the four teams that were left in the playoffs before today, but it's hardly a stat to get excited about. You want another stat to not get excited about? Here you go... Detroit's team on-base percentage is .317. One more? You got it... a slugging percentage of .371. In the regular season the Tiger's team triple-slash was .268/.335/.422.

I'm not going to go by stats like ERA to show that Tiger pitching hasn't been any better, because those stats are incredibly skewed thanks to Yankee hitters that apparently checked out a couple of weeks ago. The Yankees have hit .182/.244/.291 in the ALCS. .182/.244/.291! New York hit .265/.337/.453 in the regular season. If the Yankees had hit anything near those regular season numbers, then there's a good chance the Yankees would have been in position to sweep the ALCS... not the Tigers.

Lord, I haven't pitched since Little League (played 2B and RF in high school), but I think I could have thrown a quality start against that Yankee offense.

So for TBS announcers, or anybody else for that matter, to be acting as if Detroit has been "dominant" is ridiculous. Simply put, the Yankees suckiness has overshadowed Detroit's "meh" LCS.

Alex Rodriguez Possibly Open To Trade In Offseason


Bob Nightengale reported that Yankees Alex Rodriguez would not stand in the way of a potential trade this offseason to another big market club. He did mention that Alex would not ask for a trade or demand a trade but would be willing to waive his full no trade clause and 10/5 player rights for a move to another big market. The Yankees have expressed interest in eating a significant portion of his contract to make a deal happen or even take back another bad contract in return to make the deal happen. Bob mentioned Vernon Wells as a prime example and I hope it was just that, an example, because A Rod is light years ahead of Vernon Wells at a "premium" position, and still somewhat useful. Vernon Wells is an outfielder that we do not necessarily need and is owed $42 million through the 2014 season. Expect to hear nothing but A Rod trade rumors all winter long. Frankly, I am excited #sarcasm. 

Alex Rodriguez Rant


Ok so I do not like to take my personal feelings and put them on this blog that much because frankly I do not think a lot of you care what I think. I think you come here for the news or the rumors or the scores or whatever. I like to leave my personal side for twitter and facebook and such but I cannot help it anymore. Joe Girardi is ONCE AGAIN benching Alex Rodriguez in the playoffs. This way of thinking has gone from gutsy, to personal, to downright idiotic in a matter of a weeks time. Where the hell does Joe Girardi get off benching Alex Rodriguez due to performance when he has not allowed Robinson Cano or Russell Martin or hell anyone on the roster not named Ibanez. Why is Alex Rodriguez the scape goat when he has had better at bats with better results then a ton of guys that are on the ALCS roster? This is personal and I do not like personal when it comes to baseball because it should be a business on their end. Joe Girardi apparently was paying as much attention to when Joe Torre started messing with ARod in the playoffs as he does to his brain because this is a dumb move in every conceivable way.

Justin Thomas Elects Free Agency


The Yankees designated left handed reliever Justin Thomas for assignment and after clearing waivers Just Thomas has elected to test the free agent market rather then go to the Yankees AAA team. Cannot say that this is a huge loss for us as we only used him a few times in September ourselves after he was designated for assignment by Boston.

ALCS Game 4: Yankees @ Tigers



For real this time... I think.The Yankees backs are against the walls tonight in this elimination win or go home game. The Yankees really can come out and play like they have nothing to lose even though they potentially have everything to lose. We could see the last of players like Russell Martin, Curtis Granderson, Nick Swisher, Hiroki Kuroda, and even as much of a stretch as it is Robinson Cano. The Yankees strung together a few impressive at bats last night in the 9th inning against Justin Verlander and Phil Coke but it was just too little too late. Win or go home so it is time to man up or shut up. The Yankees will send CC Sabathia to the mound who is a whole lot of man to face off against Max Scherzer who I hope we make shut up by the end of the night. The game will be televised at 4:07 pm ET on TBS

Lineups


Yankees:
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner CF
Eduardo Nunez SS
C.C. Sabathia LHP
Tigers:
Austin Jackson CF
Omar Infante 2B
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Prince Fielder 1B
Delmon Young DH
Jhonny Peralta SS
Andy Dirks LF
Avisail Garcia RF
Gerald Laird C
Max Scherzer RHP


Go Yankees!!

Cory Wade Claimed Off Waivers By Toronto Blue Jays


The Yankees designated right handed reliever Cory Wade for assignment last week to make room for Dellin Betances on the 40 man roster so he could go down to the Arizona Fall League. The Blue Jays have been awarded the waiver claim and will acquire Cory for basically nothing. At only 29 years old you have to figure there is some shot he harnesses what he had in his year plus of memorable pitching in the Bronx and brings it up to Canada but it is not likely.