Game 18: Duel at Ranger’s Ballpark
Charlie Riedel, Associated Press
The narrative in tonight’s game will surround two pitchers who could, at the end of their careers, be crowned the greatest Japanese pitchers in MLB history. After only 3 major league starts, that might be preemptive for the Texas starting pitcher , but he’s certainly the most talented pitcher to come out of the NPB. You can read more about what Darvish throws and how he’s pitched thus far in my scouting report. will be pitching for the Yankees, and in his MLB career he’s been the most successful Japanese pitcher to switch leagues. That said, there is a different narrative a lot of Yankee fans will be watching, the Yankees’ failure to seriously pursue Darvish. When Brian Cashman opted not to aggressively bid for the Japanese super-star, he instead targeted and Kuroda. While Pineda’s future with the Yankees has become a huge question mark, Kuroda could step up and show that Cashman made the right move, but could also get shelled while Darvish mows down the Yankee lineup.
| Yankees | Rangers |
| SS | 2B |
| CF | SS |
| DH | CF |
| 2B | Adrian Beltre 3B |
| 1B | DH |
| RF | Nelson Cruz RF |
| LF | LF |
| 3B | C |
| C | 1B |
The game starts at 8:05 PM EST on YES/MLBN. Go Yankees!
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Am I the only one who never realized Darvish pitched exclusively from the stretch?
Apparently, he started doing that sometime in his last start. First start raised his hands over his head. Second start didn’t, then started from the stretch. I’m listening to the Ranger broadcast, I live in Texas, and that’s what the announcers said.
So you are forced to listen to the worst homer broadcast of all time too huh? I can’t stand Rangers broadcast!
On Darvish I heard he went long stretches from the stretch in Japan as well, he feels more comfortable with it. Lincecum did it a ton last year as well.
I absolutely hate the Ranger’s broadcasters. They make me long for Kay. Did you catch Tom Grieve marveling at Darvish’s 88 mph change up coming after his 92 mph fastball?
He does that at times since he sometimes has issues switching between his windup and stretch.
What a well timed, well placed bunt! Caught Yu with his pants down, but Jete woulda beat anyway. Bases loaded, nobody out. Jeter!
Sick curveball from Darvish.
If you measn the one that got Curtis, yeah, a killer pitch. But I think it’s a splitter. Same pitch for strikeouts on two hitters before Curtis, in the last couple innings.
That was definitely a curveball to Granderson, his splitter sits about 88. The strikeout pitch Martin was the splitter.
Yea, I rarely check the velocity. But the three pitches had what seemed to be the same flight,with a marked fade to the right (unless I’m deceived by the camera angle) as it drops.
Should be the opposite break. The splitter I’m sure of because I could see his grip, the curveball has 14″ downward break according to gameday, a splitter would be a lot less.
Err but the splitter I’m think of was actually from Kuroda on Napoli. Too many Japanese pitchers haha. The pitch that Martin walked on was a slider, and yes they have very similar movement except the slider is faster and the curveball has about 50% more break.
I don’t mean to argue, and want to watch, so let’s tlk later. The three I referred to were strikeout pitches v. the yanks by Yu in the two innings, that and prior.
Oh, and whe I said fades right, I meant from the pitch perspective.
Yea I think we’re talking about different pitches. I missed Darvish’s first inning, so I’ll catch that after the game.
On the Encore, I saw the pitch to Granderson again, and it looked like a regular curve. Didn’t catch the slo-mo, but it looked like my error.
Oh, man! Came up with nothin’! Yu pretty clever guy.
Love Kuroda’s foot action, as seen in slo-mo. When he’s gathering strength on his back leg, his left foot shakes back and forth. I used to use my foot to lead a drive toward the plate. He would seem to be telling himself that back leg is where he needs to concentrate.
Interestingly enough, both pitchers tonight use the drop and drive motion.
yeah, watching, I see that Yu doesn’t point his left foot toward the plate, either. He drops and smoothly drives his hips. Kuroki sits way back.
Michael, what other categories are there, other than the “drop and drive”?
Not sure if there are any others with cool nicknames like that but most pitchers lead with their front hip, “falling” or “drifting” into the stride.
I dunno, just remembering my best (small tho that be), there’s was a gathering of momentum, a pivot around my butt, in which the back leg played a major role, a sweep forward, my mind conscious of a sweeping leg that ends pointed very near to the mark. I note the difference.
Great hit by Robbie, but two excelllent curves sunk Swish.
Kuroda’s split v Murphy was sharp and straight down.
Kenny S reminded me: it was a “strike” that got curtis that secured my attention on that split of Yu’s. Looked like t was agood take, in a high pressure situation, a ball just wide. But the pitch was identical in flight (except for a few inches) to the pitch earlier, I thinkthey froze on, showing Yu’s spread fingers, seemingly for a split.
I don’t watch velo’s, so correct me if I’m wrong, but I guess he throws tat at a -5mph from the full out fastball. Maybe it’s just the slo=mo, bt there was a marked (5″?) fade right as it drops, like a change. A split-change. A beauty.
Michael, what other categories are there, other than the “drop and drive”?
Whoa mojo! Kuroda didn’t miss that, he wisely resisted the urge to block a sweet Robbie double play! I lika the implications.
Kuroda really handled Young well. A convincing strikeout. He looked very in-control the whole inning. He’s shaping up well, I expect.
Kuroda and Darvish have both pitched extremely well.
Yu, too. What a strikeout of d – d- Derek. He showed the ump a perfect lower left corner at 94, an uncanny pitch, and the ump said,”Show me that again, kid.” So he did, a bit generously, and Derek just gave it a token stab.
Now,if I were Joe, I would have been scared to throw Rapada in this game. We’ll see.
As long as he doesn’t face righties.
Damn, I’m surprised Chavez missed that. Needs to work out more. 20 pushups!
He crushed that early line drive, but Yu figured him out that last at bat.
A lotof the crowd was standimg, clapping, Yu-ing. And Nolan was sitting there, with arms crossed. Now if he stands and claps, Yu has arrived.
It bothers me that he could have been a Yankee… and Montero could still be on this team.
valid thought.
But the hindsight risk is too great. Can Yu imagine if this got out? Well, we saved $110 million, minus Jesus value less those additive and comparative values, so .. who coulda known, you know? Jesus?
I bet the Yankees were mostly worried about injury risk. His delivery is very demanding on his shoulder, and his breaking pitches aren’t exactly easy on his elbow.
True, but such could be said of any outstanding pitcher. Nolan sure doesn’t believe it, dealing from self-proof.
Myself, I see a very smooth deivery, yes, exhibiting a disposition toward velocity, and full effort, but also finesse in learning batter tendencies as he worked thru the order.
He’s a clever, strong pitcher, what’s not to like, Greg Maddox?
In a devilish vein, in which I hope my enemies crash and burn, Yu showed weak confidence early, in line with his high walks, so so start. A team should try to jump early, to get him before he gets his machine in tune.
Game ending double plays suck.
Nathan punctuated Yu’s fine performance against the YANKEES!
Game over. I am on a business trip in Thailand and got both these games on ESPN asia. Darvish had a strategy and a game plan and he executed it perfectly. Yankee hitters expected the nibbling style? They got a shitload of 1st pitch strikes and were behind in the count the whole game. Once behind, Yakee hitters simply guessed wrong. Not easy to guess correctly when a guy throws 7 pitches and 4 locations. Maybe they should stop guessing and just see the ball out of the pitchers hand, and hit it? No way. Not my Yankees. Making adjustments are for pussies. Anyone have any stats on how many times the Yankees get bases loaded, no outs or 1 out and don’t score? Seems that has happened too many times this season.
I think that was the first time we failed completely in such a situation, maybe excepting the opening sweep. We’ve been very good in that hard pressure, though it rarely feels enough. But don’t trust me, I’m just remembering, feebly.
On Yankees as guess hitters, you should except Jeter and Cano, and Granderson, Gardner, too. Chavez. That’s almost half.
oh, and Nuney, he’s definitely a see-the-pitch kinda guy.
Hell, to leave off is to insult. Alex has frustrated by not adapting, but he could, he just sees the better odds in confining his stance and approach. Tex and Swish can coast on their recent heroics, and others may guess if that’s their best chance. They gotta find one the can handle, but they aim for the moon. Wish they would find holes more often. Chavez is the best, but …
wow, Thailand. And Espn brings you the game? Do they sell much to Korea, Japan, Taiwan, else?
ESPN asia televises at least 3 games a week. I think that covers all the countries you named. Tex and Swish are the worst guess hitters and I think Grandy looks so badly on curves and changes that he must be guessing. Everyone should be forced to watch film on Robinson Cano hit. Should be mandatory. Instead of batting practise, watch him hit…ok, it’s just a game, but i think there can be improvements.
oh, no, watch him hit, and realize, follow the bouncing balll, verrry slowwly, that you can do that too. Realize it!
One last note, on seeing out of the hand: Boston, while compiling the 5, or 7 off Garcia, and probably into Phelps, did a superb job. Joe G. later explained Garcia’s velocity was down, but Sweeney, then a succession of batters read and guessed breaks of near a foot, and popped or lined them to great effect. Joe said his breaks weren’t as sharp, along with the slower pitches. It amazed me that anyone could be so successful timing those drops (slipping sliders that hardly break, I understand; and high curves with insufficient umph to break strongly, like Peedy LOVES, I’ve seen.) of a half foot if not whole, to hit so well, I was surprised.
That’s why the comeback felt sooo gooood.