Zombie Posada hits granny; backs second straight strong outing by Hughes

By On August 14, 2011 · 26 Comments · In Game Recaps

(AP Photo/Bill Kostroun)

This was a fun one, not only because the Yanks blew the Rays out 9-2, but also because I got to watch it with Matt Imbrogno, MJR, and fellow huge fans , and .

must not have been terribly thrilled about his recent benching, because he went crazy in this game, getting the Yankees on board in the 2nd on a two-run bases-loaded single and blowing the game open in the fifth with his 10th career grand slam. It was all part of a 3-5, 6 RBI day for Posado. The Yankees were able to knock out after a mere 4.1 innings (due in part to ‘s MLB-lead-tying 33rd home run of the season), and went to town on Rays’ relievers Brandan Gomes and .

had his second straight strong outing, holding the Rays scoreless through five before yielding a solo blast to and an RBI groundout. The two-run, six-inning performance including a season-high 6 Ks, and Hughes will stay in the rotation for at least another turn with Freddy Garcia missing his scheduled start with a cut finger. It’s a little bittersweet, as even with Hughes’ strong start — as Mike Axisa noted, Hughes not only mixed and match very well but also held his velocity throughout, an area of concern for some — it felt as though the team was already prepared to send him to the ‘pen regardless of how well we performed. Another important positive to take away from this outing was Phil’s effective deployment of his changeup, which, as we all know, has been one of the primary factors holding him back from becoming a true frontline starter. While it should be taken with a grain of salt, Hughes’ racked up -1.3189 linear weights on his change yesterday, and though I don’t have all the data in front of me at the moment, I would hazard a guess that that’s probably the most effective the pitch has been since prior to 2010.

Hughes has a 4.05 ERA as a starter since returning to the rotation on July 6, which actually falls all the way to 2.48 if you take out his 4.1-inning, 7-run disaster against the A’s. While he hasn’t pitched past the sixth inning in any of his starts, that’s still pretty damn effective. One other interesting note that I haven’t seen brought up anywhere else is that Hughes has also done an excellent job of limiting the longball — one of his primary bugaboos in 2010 — since coming back, as Jennings’ solo shot was only the second he’s surrendered since July 6.

With today’s rainout, the Yanks may be making this game up during the next time the Rays are at the Stadium — Tuesday, September 20 through Thursday, September 22 — a series which already features another rescheduled rainout between the two teams. The Yankees head to Kansas City for three this week; our Series Preview will be up first thing tomorrow morning.

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26 Responses to Zombie Posada hits granny; backs second straight strong outing by Hughes

  1. Matt Imbrogno says:
    August 14, 2011 at 12:57 pm

    #notdeadyet

    Reply
    • Kevin Ocala, Fl says:
      August 14, 2011 at 1:25 pm

      go on, get into the cart… any speculation as to why Hughes doesn’t/can’t throw that nasty curve that he had coming up?

      Reply
      • Larry Koestler says:
        August 14, 2011 at 1:37 pm

        His curve has actually been a lot more effective since coming back in July — see this post — although it was his worst pitch yesterday, which was primarily due to the hanger he left over the plate for the Jennings HR.

        As to why, I don’t really know. I would say that for it to get back to being a go-to pitch for him he’ll need to keep working it in more and more. Since he’s been back he’s been getting better velocity on the curve, and if he can throw it in the high-70s/low-80s it has a chance to get back to being a true effective pitch for him.

        Reply
  2. Duh, Innings! says:
    August 14, 2011 at 1:20 pm

    Today’s game postponed, Jamie Shields faces the Red Sox Tuesday (doubleheader), A.J. Burnett faces the Royals Monday.

    HA HA, HA-HA-HA!

    If Seattle beats Boston today and the Yanks beat the Royals tomorrow, the Yanks and Boston will be tied for the division going into Tuesday : ) GO SEATTLE!!!

    Reply
  3. X says:
    August 14, 2011 at 1:31 pm

    What’s nice about this postponed game is the Yanks can still go with a six-man rotation (Sabathia on normal rest?) and have the option to choose who gets the start next Sunday, Burnett or Nova, then reset their rotation with the off-day 8/22.

    I’d give Burnett one last chance tomorrow and if he sucks, I remove him from the rotation, start Nova 8/21, and go back to a five-man rotation 8/21 on. If Burnett can’t beat the Royals, he has no place in this year’s rotation anymore.

    Reply
  4. Duh, Innings! says:
    August 14, 2011 at 3:05 pm

    The Mets are the ONLY East Coast team playing at home the weekend of 9/11 (Mets vs. Cubs.)

    Yankees @ the Angels
    Boston @ Tampa Bay
    Orioles @ Toronto
    Phillies @ Milwaukee
    Marlins @ Pittsburgh
    Braves @ St.Louis (Atlanta isn’t a coastal city but it’s close enough)

    MLB why don’t you tell the terrorists they won?

    What a disgrace.

    Reply
  5. Duh, Innings! says:
    August 14, 2011 at 3:21 pm

    Having all but one East Coast team play away the weekend of 9/11 is saying you’re scared to have an East Coast (port city) game then, and that’s bullshit.

    I would’ve loved to have had the chance to go to a Yankees game on 9/11 as a big fuck you to the terrorists. No, you’re not making me sit at home afraid to go out. You’re not making me afraid to live life including go to a game or do whatever I want to do which requires me to go out.

    MLB has deprived me of this chance to show defiance against the subhumans who attacked our country ten years ago. I will be out most if not all day that day making a point to live life unafraid of subhuman scum and may drop in here at some point during the day.

    Reply
    • Matt Imbrogno says:
      August 14, 2011 at 4:05 pm

      You’re not serious about this, are you?

      Reply
      • Duh, Innings! says:
        August 14, 2011 at 4:30 pm

        Excuse me? I’m dead serious.

        I don’t like that MLB deliberately scheduled most of the East Coast teams to play away 9/11 weekend because they were afraid of East Coast ballparks being targets for terror attacks. It shows cowardice, that the terrorists won. They had to have the Mets play at home cuz if they didn’t then every East Coast team would be away for 9/11 weekend and that would definitely look like MLB was scared to have an EC team play at home 9/11 weekend. And you have to have one of the NY teams at home. It’s pathetic and cowardly on MLB’s part that both NY teams aren’t.

        How is it just mere coincidence that most East Coast teams are away 9/11 weekend? How many times have all but one East Coast team and Atlanta played away the weekend of 9/11 since 2002? I would be curious to know. It’s the tenth anniversary of the attacks and most East Coast teams are away? Sorry, that’s no coincidence.

        Part of fighting the terrorists is showing them you are not afraid to congregate in large masses such as a baseball game at Yankee Stadium or any other East Coast ballpark. By scheduling most of the East Coast teams away from home the weekend of 9/11, you are either saying you’re scared of the terrorists and/or you don’t think cities have their shit together to make sure an attack doesn’t happen at a ballpark. If the latter that’s a slap in the face of our National Guard, all local and state law enforcement, fire, and rescue workers.

        It is inappropriate to have all but one East Coast team play away on 9/11 weekend. The attacks happened in NYC, DC, and rural Pittsburgh.

        This is what I think and I’m not asking anyone to think likewise. If people agree or agree to a point, cool, if not, cool. You obviously don’t think likewise, so let’s leave it at.

        I forgot to check the Nationals schedule. They play at home 9/11 weekend as they should as how the hell would it look if the team representing the nation’s capital was playing away that weekend? So they don’t count in that they have to represent/there has to be a game in D.C. that day.

        Reply
        • Matt Imbrogno says:
          August 14, 2011 at 4:40 pm

          I think you’re reading much, much farther into it than necessary; that’s all.

          Reply
          • Duh, Innings! says:
            August 14, 2011 at 4:53 pm

            I don’t think I am and that’s really all that matters re: this subject. It’s not a right or wrong deal, it’s just what I believe.

            Doesn’t anyone find it at least weird that everyone save the Mets and a team that should be at home (the Nats) are the only East Coast teams playing at home on 9/11?

            I think it would’ve been wonderful if both New York teams, Boston, Philly, Baltimore, Atlanta, and Florida (Miami) had played at home that weekend and all had their own ceremonies to pay respects to all who were killed in the 9/11 attacks on 9/11. MLB made it so only the Mets and Nats could do this. Terrible job by MLB.

            If you look at it along those lines, what I’m saying isn’t really that farfetched.

            Btw can I get a reply more than one or two sentences? LOL. It’s like I leave you all speechless haha.

            Reply
            • Matt Imbrogno says:
              August 14, 2011 at 5:29 pm

              Honestly, no, I don’t find it weird. If you wouldn’t have called attention to it, I’m 99% sure I wouldn’t have noticed either.

              Reply
              • Duh, Innings! says:
                August 14, 2011 at 5:48 pm

                I didn’t really ask you if you found it weird as I take it from your curt replies you don’t, even though I said “doesn’t anyone at least find it weird…?” I don’t care what you think, how’s that? I tried to ignore your smarmy comments like “You’re not serious about this, are you?” (how dare you think I would joke about something like this) but you chose to be uncivil, so…

                Lots of things haven’t been called to attention in life. I love how you TYA authors think you can speak for everyone or the “99%”. And I’m pretty sure most baseball fans don’t know or give a rat’s rear about most of the stats you post about on here. What is “WAR” again and what does it have to do with anything if a really shitty hitter with limited power smacks a two-run walkoff homerun off Roy Halladay in a World Series game?

                If you’re gonna get snide with me ignore or ban me. It ain’t my blog but I’ll post here as much as I want until I can’t. No skin off my teeth if I can’t post again.

                I’ve really had it up to here with the comments section. There isn’t a reply I get that isn’t smarmy or nasty but I’ll continue to post until I can’t.

              • Matt Imbrogno says:
                August 14, 2011 at 6:14 pm

                I’m not trying to be snide or curt with you; I apologize if it came off that way.

              • Matt Imbrogno says:
                August 14, 2011 at 6:27 pm

                Also, I never claimed to speak for 99% of anyone. I was simply saying that if you didn’t point out the lack of East Coast teams home on 9/11, I most likely would not have noticed it. I wasn’t trying to speak for anyone but myself.

                And I’d feel remiss if I didn’t say that you should watch out with accusing people of being “snide” or “curt” when you make a comment like you just did in an attempt to belittle the writing that I–and many others on this site–do.

            • Phil C says:
              August 14, 2011 at 5:33 pm

              Quick, call Glenn Beck he’s another conspiracy for him to uncover!

              Reply
              • Duh, Innings! says:
                August 14, 2011 at 5:51 pm

                Conspiracy? Nah, a planned occurance by MLB.

                Keep it up with the nasty replies, folks.

                Where did I insult anyone in this post after I was talked to in a smarmy fashion?

              • Phil C says:
                August 14, 2011 at 6:00 pm

                Duh, my response could be taken as smarmy, although it was intended to funny. For that I do apologize.

                On the other hand, from my reading of his posts absolutely none of Matt’s were smarmy or insulting.

  6. Duh, Innings! says:
    August 14, 2011 at 4:47 pm

    Btw I think it’s time I became a regular contributor to this blog. I’d say an article a month. I bet you’d get a ton of hits and alot of funny but cool comments, considering I’m the most interesting and passionate in the comments section, not to mention the funniest.

    The preface alone could be something like this:

    “Ok, much against the better judgement of this blog, we, the powers that be (for lack of a better term) have decided to let none other than poster ‘Duh, Innings!’ contribute a post. Some of you may be unfamiliar with Duh. He is typically the most outspoken, outrageous, brash, and at times vitriolic of all our posters. His posts are generally long and longwinded but buried in that longwindedness is a person who is deeply in love with the Yankees and baseball and who makes enough good points that we haven’t banned him yet. He clamored for Ivan Nova to remain in the rotation over Hughes and he was right about Nova. He was the first poster to call for Burnett to be removed from the rotation and did so before Burnett’s awful start in Chicago a few weeks ago and he could be right if Burnett keeps stinking it up against the Royals. So here he/she/it is, Duh, Innings!”

    Reply
    • seimiya says:
      August 14, 2011 at 8:13 pm

      uh, at risk of sounding like a jerk, why do you want to post a blog entry at a blog you think hates you?

      Reply
      • Incapacitated Soap says:
        August 14, 2011 at 8:26 pm

        I usually don’t comment over here, but it’s pretty clear you don’t have the slightest idea how it works.

        Anyone who has *that* inflated a sense of himself would last, maybe a week, at most.

        It’s also evidently clear that you don’t understand how sample sizes work, how this is probably your first season at all watching the Yankees, and how you can’t understand that you’re not original, at all.

        Reply
    • Incapacitated Soap says:
      August 14, 2011 at 8:27 pm

      …I usually don’t comment over here, but it’s pretty clear you don’t have the slightest idea how it works.

      Anyone who has *that* inflated a sense of himself would last, maybe a week, at most.

      It’s also evidently clear that you don’t understand how sample sizes work, how this is probably your first season at all watching the Yankees, and how you can’t understand that you’re not original, at all.

      Reply
  7. Steve says:
    August 14, 2011 at 10:04 pm

    Too bad it’s basically written in stone that Hughes will go to the pen. Cashman will go to his grave defending his AJ signing – and I had no problem with it actually. I thought it was a good risk – a risk they had to take given the state of their SP at the time. I don’t think AJ has been really bad enough to remove from the rotation, so I think Phil should be sent to AAA to start. Putting him in the pen will be a waste: not only will he get completely meaningless innings as the mop up man (he’s certainly not supplanting Robertson or Soriano), but his progress with his secondary pitches will be stunted and he won’t accumulate sufficient innings. If he’s given a chance to compete for a starting spot next year, he’s going to have innings issues.

    I get that Cashman, rightly so, was upset with Hughes for coming into camp out of shape, but I really think that he’s pretty much given up on trying to develop him – mostly because I think he’s not intending (if he’s still here) to re-sign Phil as a FA. There are other, more talented and younger starters behind him and I think that Cashman wants to give them a chance.

    Reply
    • JohnnyC says:
      August 14, 2011 at 10:35 pm

      You have no idea what Cashman really thinks.

      Reply
    • Steve S. says:
      August 14, 2011 at 11:00 pm

      You’re going way, way too far with all of this mind reading. If anything, the fact that they keep delaying this rotation decision over and over would lead one to believe they really like what they’ve seen recently out of Hughes.

      Reply

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