Yup. (Photo by Nick Laham/Getty Images)
That the Yankees were even within a run of tying a game they really had no business winning was pretty impressive, though they’d ultimately fall to the A’s . Down 6-0 heading into the bottom of the eighth, stymied by A’s righty over seven shutout innings, this did not appear to be the Yankees’ night.
That they were even in a 6-0 hole against a limp offensive attack such as the one the A’s boast is somewhat troubling to begin with, but I suppose even the A’s have to beat the Yankees every now and again. turned in another mediocre start, going 6.1 innings and giving up five runs (5 Ks and 0 BBs). Granted two of them were inherited runners let score — wisely pinch-hit for the lefty (43 wRC+ coming into this game), who already had a solo home run off Bartolo Colon in this one (his first career blast!), with (108 wRC+), and it wound up paying off quite nicely — but still, it’s the A’s.
Colon also got taken deep by Brandon Allen, who I’d never heard of prior to tonight, but who is apparently raking in limited duty (177 wRC+). Still, Eric Sogard? That’s just terrible.
finally got the Yankees in the board with a three-run homer in the eighth, chasing McCarthy (7.2 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 3 BB, 6 K), and after opened up the ninth with a solo shot off Oakland closer to close the gap to 6-4 it really started to feel like the Yankees were going to come back and win this one. Unfortunately, for the first time in what feels like a long time — in fact, the last instance I can find of me griping about a Girardi bunt was on May 12 – conspired to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Following the Posada bomb, ripped a double and reached on error, giving the Yankees runners on 1st and 2nd with no outs and bringing to the plate.
Now, earlier in the season, when Jeter couldn’t buy a hit, this would have been one of the rare instances in which I might have agreed with Girardi calling for a bunt here. However, Derek’s been one of the hottest hitters in baseball (.401 wOBA, 153 wRC+ in August), not to mention had already picked up three more hits in this game, so of course Girardi calls for the bunt. Per Tango, the average run expectancy in a 1st and 2nd no out situation is 1.556. If you round up, that’s two runs, which would have tied the game. The average run expectancy with runners on 2nd and 3rd and 1 out is 1.447, or one run, which is exactly what Joe Girardi got. Derek’s bunt also took the team’s chances of winning from 35.5% to 31.5%, and was the ninth-most damaging play of the game to the Yankees’ chances of winning, per WPA.
Still, you had to like the team’s likelihood of completing the comeback with up with the tying run in scoring position and only one out. Curtis managed to work a walk, bringing Mark Texeira up. Unfortunately Tex popped out weakly to the third base side, not even deep enough to score on a sac fly. came up and worked a bases loaded walk on an extremely close ball four on a full count, bringing the Yankees to within one.
This brought previous-inning hero Nick Swisher to the plate with the bases loaded and two outs. Swish got into a 2-0 count, and then unloaded on a rising fastball, and launched a shot that came within about two feet of clearing the fence for a walk-off grand slam. So close.
Still, that the Yankees even battled back after being done by six after 7 1/2 innings and only lose by one was notable, and if not for the gift-wrapping of an out to A’s manager Bob Melvin and/or Swish just missing a game-winning home run, we’d be talking about how the Yankees pulled off their biggest comeback of the season.
McCarthy surely opened the Yankees’ eyes in this one, and depending on whether the A’s offer him arbitration and he accepts or rejects it, he may become a free agent, and as I mentioned in the preview I’d definitely be interested in a potential flyer on the righty, who’s had a very nice season in 2011.
As for Colon, I’m not sure what’s going on with him. After noting last week how he’s cut back significantly on the use of his two-seamer, he only threw three of them out of his 106 pitches (and 80(!) four-seamers). I know Colon is in love with his fastball, but I’m not sure anyone can get away with throwing that many four-seamers to MLB hitters unless your name is .
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I thought Colon looked much better. That Sogard homerun was garbage, you guys have to admit that, as it barely cleared the right field corner. But it all counts the same, so it still hurt. Logan didn’t do Colon any favors, and if he were able to get out of that jam, I think we’d be singing a different tune on Colon.
As for the bunt, I debated with my buddy if it were right or wrong. I hate giving up an out in that spot, but Jeter (although red hot) is still prone to ground ball DPs, and you had the two best hitters on deck, so I didn’t hate the bunt as much as you did. But I can see where your coming from.
We also debate Swisher swinging at 2-0. I’m sure he was only swinging if it was right down broadway, and he gave it a hell of a ride. Perhaps taking would of been best in that spot, but you can’t fault a guy for being aggressive, and it’s not like he popped out weakly (I mean really Tex, you going to get some big hits for us this year or are we seeing Giambi 2.0?)
“I mean really Tex, you going to get some big hits for us this year or are we seeing Giambi 2.0?”
Fairly or unfairly, I agree 110% with this. He’s just absolutely killing me with his version of the three true outcomes: popout, flyout, groundout.
yeah, sadly.
The one thing that needs to be mentioned is the Yanks once again struggled with men on base- 2-20 total and 1-13 with RISP. So, while the 9th inning stands out, the fact is they had numerous opportunities to score throughoutt the game leading to the 9th. As for Colon, it’s obvious, at least to me, he’s hit a wall and given the fact he’s pitched more innings this season than the last 3 seasons combined, I’m not surprised. That’s why, more than having Jeter bunt, I believe Girardi’s truly questionable decision was having Colon start the 7th when A) he had already given them 6 serviceable innings; B) his pitch count was approaching 100 and C) the Yanks had a fully rested BP. Wade to start the 7th was the way to go- not squeezing one more inning from a pitcher whose was on fumes and who the Yanks were already concerned about having pitched too many innings .
agree on the colon went to far
the come was not a few feet short, it was a guy who had a two ..o count .. the kid on the mound was in serious trouble ..thirty plus pitches , loaded bases., walked several guys .. swisher needed to take a strike..but wanted that grand slam walk off , so that que tip head can put shaving cream on his face . i am convinced swisher would have walked.. he has a good eye..but espn and cream was calling him..
I’m not too upset that Swisher swung on 2-0 (although I think you’re right…he probably would have walked to tie the game on Bailey’s 40th pitch of the inning). What rankles me is that, sitting dead red in a hitter’s count and Bailey having thrown 30+ pitches, he didn’t pull the ball. If he’d gotten out in front of the pitch, it was ballgame, grand slam or not. How didn’t that happen?
AGREE..
Brandon McCarthy was the pizizzle, absolutely pitched a masterful game. A big caution on signing him, though, is that list of DL assignments: elbow, shoulder, shoulder surgry, shoulder, shoulder.
I agree on the bunt: I regretted it. DP would have killed the rally, but we had so much momentum! Playing it careful, Robbie took what should have been called strike three. Robbie TOOK! (I agree with the maxim: ump should call close ones on 3-2 strikes/ swing on close ones 3-2.)
Teixiera is not fit to bat third, cleanup, or even fifth anymore this year. .249 or whatever the hell he’s batting is crap.
Gardner
Jeter
Granderson
Cano
Swisher
Teixiera
A bat off waivers vs.RHP/Jones vs.LHP DH with a little of Posada here and there
Martin (Chavez in games he plays 3B)
Nunez (Martin in games Chavez plays 3B)