Monday, October 15, 2012
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Blown Call
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Blown Call: More than a blown call that has the Yankees against the wall as they leave for Detroit down, 2-0 By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, October ...
Blown Call
More than a blown call that has the Yankees against the wall as they leave for Detroit down, 2-0
By Rich Mancuso
BRONX, NEW YORK, October 15- Cleary it was a blown call that was unacceptable in the Tigers eighth inning at Yankee Stadium Sunday in Game 2 of the American League Championship Series. Robinson Cano, in his own slump could not change it and neither could Yankees manager Joe Girardi.
But the call with two outs, that led to a two- run Detroit Tigers inning leads to questions about expanding the instant replay rule in baseball, and the continuing failure of the Yankees to hit and score runs.
Replay is another issue that may have to eventually be dealt with. For now, as the Yankees head to Detroit, trailing 2-0 in the best of seven series, their backs are against the wall and Girardi may be out of answers.
There is no telling what the result would have been had the Cano call at second to get Omar Infante went differently. With the Yankees bats going sour at the wrong time, that comeback seen so often in the Bronx during that four-time championship reign has been a futility.
But that call also opened the door for two more Tigers runs. And a one-run game may have been easier for the Yankees to overcome in the eighth inning than trailing by three.
“We have to make adjustments,” said Girardi about his team with a .205 batting average in seven post season games with the Baltimore Orioles and Tigers. “We are more than capable of scoring runs. We have done it before.”
It may mean Girardi sits Nick Swisher and his four hits in 26 at bats, along with eight strikeouts in the post season. Cano, batting .083 is hard to comprehend. However, this was a continuing problem for the Yankees the entire season with a few spurts of enthusiasm coming from their bats in late August and September.
“There is nothing you can do but keep your approach,” commented Cano who batted at a .615 clip at the end of the season. The funk now has him hitless in 26 at bats in the post season, whether or not he is hitting the ball and not getting the hit.
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): STUNNED!
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): STUNNED!: Yanks Shut Out by Tigers; Fall to 0-2 in ALCS By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, October 15- The Yanks now have their work cut out for them...
STUNNED!
Yanks Shut Out by Tigers; Fall to 0-2 in ALCS
By Howard Goldin
BRONX, NEW YORK, October 15- The Yanks now have their work cut out for them after being shut out by the Tigers, 3-0, to fall to 0-2 in the ALCS. The two teams will now travel to Detroit to play games three and four and, if necessary, game five. If the Yankees fail to win two of the three, their season will end. If they manage the near impossible task on the road, the two clubs will return to the Bronx to play game seven in Yankee Stadium next Saturday night.
As most of the post-season contests in which the Yankees have played this year, the starting pitchers easily handled the opposing hitters they faced. Hiroki Kuroda pitched with short rest, three days between starts, for the first time in his career in the majors.
The hurler from Japan must not have found the effort too taxing as he retired the first 15 Tiger batters. He fanned seven of the first nine he faced. Jhonny Peralta’s single to lead off the sixth ended Kuroda’s bid for a perfect game and no-hitter.
The first run of the game was scored in the top of the seventh. Quinton Berry doubled and crossed the plate after a single to right by Triple Crown winner Miguel Cabrera.
After striking out two batters to begin the eighth, four straight singles and a walk led to two runs. Kuroda left the game after 7.2 innings with 11 K’s and five hits. Although all three runs scored were allotted to Kuroda, relief pitchers Boone Logan and Joba Chamberlain each yielded a single that drove in a run.
Starter Anibal Sanchez and those who followed him to the mound collectively kept the Yanks scoreless. The righty gave up three scattered hits in seven frames. Mark Teixeira doubled with two out in the first. Nick Swisher singled with two gone in the second. Raúl Ibañez led off the fourth with a single.
The only other base hit for the Yanks was a single with two out in the ninth.
Detroit’s veteran skipper Jim Leyland commented on the two starters, “I think that both starting pitchers were absolutely terrific.”
According to the batting of the Yanks in the post-season, the name Bronx Bombers is outdated. Although Alex Rodriguez has received the brunt of the jeers from the fans in attendance for obtaining 3 hits in 23 at bats including 12 strikeouts without a run batted in the first seven post-season games, he is not alone in lack of success.
Robinson Cano has two hits in 32 at bats. He has been without a hit in his last 26 at bats, a single post-season record. Nick Swisher has four hits in 26 at bats. In 26 at bats, Curtis granderson has hit safely on three times. He has fanned 13 times. Russell Martin has hit safely five times in 26 ay bats. Eric Chavez has yet to get a hit in 11 times at bat.
The Yanks and Tigers will move to Comerica Park in Detroit for the next two or three games, depending on whether or not the Tigers can sweep the series. The difficulty will be intensified by the absence of Yankees captain Derek Jeter. The injured shortstop was batting .333 in the 2012 post-season.
To make matters worse, Tiger ace Justin Verlander will start in game #3 against Phil Hughes.
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jeter is Done for the Season!
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): Jeter is Done for the Season!: Yankees say they will move on By Rich Mancuso BRONX, NEW YORK, October 14- Now the question is can the New York Yankees survive and win the...
Jeter is Done for the Season!
Yankees say they will move on
By Rich Mancuso
BRONX, NEW YORK, October 14- Now the question is can the New York Yankees survive and win their ALCS series with the Detroit Tigers with the loss of their captain Derek Jeter? It is an answer the Yankees will have to answer on the field with game two in the Bronx at Yankee Stadium Sunday afternoon.
The Yankees say they will move on, the same way they did when all-time saves leader Mariano Rivera went down for the season with a freak torn knee injury earlier this season. It has been a season of adversity, injuries to a pitching staff and position player at one time or another.
But this is Jeter, the captain, and he is hard to replace. Jayson Nix will replace Jeter at shortstop and Eduardo Nunez was added to the roster. The manager, Joe Girardi knows this is the most difficult dilemma to deal with as the Yankees try to even the series Sunday before heading to Detroit for what is hoped to be three more games.
“Just like Mo said, ‘we have to move on,’” commented Yankees manager Joe Girardi when asked about the impact on losing Jeter, the reference to what Rivera said to the team when he went down with his injury back on May 3rd shagging fly balls in the outfield at Kaufman Stadium in Kansas City.
But it is hard to move on without a player like Jeter, especially this time of year as the Yankees try to move another step to their 28th world championship.
“Is it a big loss? Yes,” said Yankees General Manger Brian Cashman. “Is it something that’s going to stop us from dreaming about achieving our goal, no,” he said.
And perhaps the loss of Jeter won’t stop their goal. But Nix is not Jeter on the field, neither is Nunez. Girardi was asked about possibly utilizing the slumping Alex Rodriguez at short. “No I wouldn’t do that,” he said. “It’s just been too long.”
To hear Cashman say that Jeter will “No longer be a player for us this year,” is hard to comprehend but a broken ankle, that will take three months to recover, is that huge loss for the Yankees and perhaps for the game of baseball. They said Jeter will be well enough to be ready for spring training in February.
In the second inning, Jeter got his 200th career post season hit with a single. Later, in that 12th inning, when things fell apart for the Yankees, he made that play ranging toward second base, one that he has done so well over the years.
This time, he had to be helped off the field. And many of the 47,122 who remained on a long Saturday night, into a Sunday morning of baseball were silent. The captain was down and told Girardi, “No, don’t carry me.”
They chanted “Derek Jeter, Derek Jeter.” He heard them. And his teammates consoled him as he was helped to be immediately examined. That left ankle, that has been hindered one way or another this season could no longer take the punishment of wear and tear, though this fracture reportedly was in a different area.
Now without their captain, the Yankees will have to do this, themselves. Not that Jeter has been banging the ball all over the field, but he always seems to ignite a rally, get on base, and make the big play. Five championship rings in the same uniform are enough to state the value of Derek Jeter, especially in October.
Jeter did not have a reaction when he was examined and told by team physician Dr. Christopher Ahmad that he could no longer play. He was in the same room with Cashman, Joe Torre, his former manager who he played for on four world championship teams, Reggie Jackson, and former teammate Tino Martinez.
Twice with two-run home runs in the ninth inning, including one from Raul Ibanez, maybe the new “Mr. October” off Joe Valverde, it appeared this was going to be another one of those great October nights in the Bronx when the Yankees tied the important first game in a best of seven series.
However, the loss of Jeter now makes it that more difficult for the New York Yankees. They say the loss of their captain will be overcome. They will play for Jeter and are inspired to win that championship for their leader.
“It’s a tough moment for all of us because of what he means to our team,” said Ibanez.
And an obstacle that Cashman and the Yankees will know how to deal with in this season of adversity that continues at the most important time of October baseball.
“The job is to overcome every obstacle that comes our way,” said Cashman. “We have one team standing in our way to get to the World Series.” And one player short of that goal, the most important part of their quest to get there again.
e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com
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Bronx News (Bxnews.net): What a difference a day makes
Bronx News (Bxnews.net): What a difference a day makes: Yank fans go from cheers to jeers about slumping Sluggers To Fears for Injured Jeter By Howard Goldin BRONX, NEW YORK, October 14- After ...
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