| |
Playoff expectations are A-Rod’s next challenge
By Tim Brown
October 7, 2009
It is that time again for A-Rod.
It is for everyone.
But October is different for the ballplayer, and very different for the New York Yankees, and beyond all of that for Alex Rodriguez.
He nods. He knows. Of course he knows. It’s practically why they print newspapers anymore in New York City, to remind everyone of A-Rod’s comings and goings, his frailties, and his Octobers. Business hasn’t been too bad, either, thanks to A-Rod’s many comings and goings and frailties.
He has suffered embarrassing headlines, enough of them self-inflicted. This year alone, he has worn the steroids accusations and gone along with the press conference to come clean, and then been publicly humiliated and maybe even humbled. Certainly humiliated.
So, yeah, it’s October.
It’s also eight months from the morning he couldn’t get out of bed without a good shove, so he’d laid there with a bum hip and thought this was going to be one huge struggle this season. And it’s seven months from the morning after surgery, when he couldn’t get out of bed at all, so he’d laid there and thought it would be great if he could one day get all the way to the bathroom on his own.
In Vail, Colo., Dr. Marc Philippon had repaired the labrum and stabilized the cartilage in A–Rod’s right hip, an abbreviated surgery the doctor believed would salvage his season.
Long before today, the day the Yankees host the Minnesota Twins in the division series and A–Rod hits cleanup for them in it, there had to be February, and then March, back when the most daunting part about October was that it seemed so unrealistic.
“I doubted I could play one game this year,” A–Rod says.
He stood at third base in Baltimore’s Camden Yards on May 8, feeling maybe 60 percent. In the weeks that led to that day and the months that would lead away from it, he’d be strong enough for only brief workouts. For the first time, he’d limit his batting practice swings and grounders at third. He ran like his right leg was connected to him by a thumb tack.
That’s when A–Rod, for maybe the first time in his life, allowed himself some limitations on a baseball field. That’s why this A–Rod might not be the same player who batted somewhere from .071 to .267 in his past four postseason series, and why this A–Rod, three times an MVP and never a champion, is maybe not even the same person. In the end, could it help him to have a big October if he didn’t need to have a big October?
In his first month back, he hit .260. In his second, he hit .207. He folded himself into the clubhouse, refused to address anything beyond the game, and stayed after his rehab. Little bits came at a time. And while he stood in the middle of the best offense in the game, only small parts of his own game were reliable. He tried not to cheat, to look fastball and get his swing going early, but his body wasn’t reacting like it used to, and some nights it was his only chance. He tried to keep his weight back, but that meant torque on his right hip, and that felt all wrong, so some nights he pushed balls he was used to driving.
He thought, given about five months, he could hope for 15 home runs and 80 RBIs.
“That would be credible,” he told himself, and got to work for that.
Pretty soon, he’d sit at his locker after a game and be satisfied with a couple good at–bats and an RBI and a win. The Yankees were winning a lot, too, and Mark Teixeira and Derek Jeter were becoming MVP candidates, and Robinson Cano’s(notes) bat was back, and it was all very satisfying. It was, for A–Rod, so different. And cool.
“What I have is what I have and that is all I can give,” he’d decided, adding, “There’s been no pressure to do anything more than that.”
When he could play at 60 percent capacity, that’s what he did. Some days were worse. Others were much better. In mid–June, when he was dragging his right leg and struggling at the plate, manager Joe Girardi benched him for two days in Florida, where friends and family come to watch him play. July, however, was better. He hit .315 in August, then .344 (with 30 RBIs) in September and October, notably including a regular-season finale of two home runs and seven RBIs.
The numbers were fine. He finished with 30 home runs and 100 RBI, the result of plenty of nights he chipped in with a sacrifice fly and a walk and a handshake for the guy with the big game.
“In my whole career,” he says, “I’ve never felt good about that. But all I’ve wanted to do from the day I got back was to come in and do one thing that helps the team win today.”
He holds up his forefinger.
“One thing,” he says. “That’s a great feeling. I’ve enjoyed the role very much. I’ve enjoyed kind of taking a back seat. This was a year of zero expectations, something I’ve never played with.”
So he comes to another October, that time again. It’s different for him. It could be very different.
Sports Ticket Depot -
MLB News Archive Index: 2010, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lee surprises Rockies with a stolen base
By Gordon Edes
October 7, 2009
PHILADELPHIA — Despite the dozens of hours the Colorado Rockies spent scouting the Philadelphia Phillies prior to the National League playoffs, the Phillies still proved capable of springing a total surprise.
No one had any reason to suspect Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee(notes) would take off from first base after his two-out single in the third inning of Game 1 of the NLDS on Wednesday afternoon. Lee had never attempted a stolen base in 68 previous plate appearances in his career.
Lee, who was not being held on the bag by first baseman Todd Helton, strolled into second base without drawing a throw. He became just the fourth pitcher in big league history to steal a base in the postseason, according to Baseball Reference.
John Smoltz, then with Atlanta, was the last to do so, in Game 2 of the 1995 NLCS against Cincinnati. Smoltz also was credited with a stolen base in Game 4 of the NLCS in 1992 against the Pirates, and Game 3 of the NLCS in 1991, also against the Pirates.
The other two pitchers with stolen bases did so in the World Series, Brooklyn’s Billy Loes in Game 6 of the ’52 Series against the Yankees, and Detroit’s Bill Donovan in Game 5 of the 1908 World Series against the Cubs.
Lee, perhaps emboldened, took a good lead off second base prior to the next pitch and narrowly averted being picked off by Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez, who whirled and threw to shortstop Troy Tulowitzki. Second base umpire Jerry Meals ruled that Lee, who did not slide, tiptoed back into the bag just before Tulowitzki applied the tag.
Colorado manager Jim Tracy came out to argue the play, to no avail.
Lee, who spent his entire career in the American League until being traded to the Phillies in July, was stranded at second when Jimmy Rollins struck out.
Sports Ticket Depot -
MLB News Archive Index: 2010, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A roll call of role players for October impact
By Tim Brown
October 7, 2009
The stars might come out in October, but somebody has to hit behind them.
The theme of today’s Pulse is the minor players who could have a major impact as the postseason goes on. We think of it as locating David Eckstein(notes) in ’06, Scott Brosius in ’98 or Pat Borders in ’92, before they were World Series MVPs.
David Robertson, Yankees: You know about Mariano Rivera. And, by now, you know about Phil Hughes, his transition from starter to eighth-inning man. Robertson gets the ball to those guys. Not surprisingly, right-handed hitters batted only .237 against him. He was even more effective against lefties, who hit .189. A big fastball and a power curve have brought 63 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings.
Orlando Cabrera, Twins: Even before he hit a home run Tuesday to help push the Twins their final few inches, Cabrera had done more than his share to bring them back in the final two months. He’s not Joe Mauer, or Justin Morneau, or Michael Cuddyer, or even Jason Kubel(notes), but he brings a professional chippy-ness that gives a contender its attitude. It worked for the Red Sox, then for the Angels, and now for the Twins. Cabrera drove in 23 runs from Sept. 1 on.
Maicer Izturis, Angels: If Mike Scioscia isn’t going to get offense from Howie Kendrick(notes) (.148 batting average in past two division series against Red Sox), he’ll go to Izturis, still underrated after five productive seasons in Anaheim. A switch-hitter, Izturis batted .302 with runners in scoring position, .311 with two out and runners in scoring position. In 13 plate appearances as a pinch-hitter, he had three hits and walked six times.
Alex Gonzalez, Red Sox: Since Gonzalez showed up after a mid-August trade with the Reds, and after running through Julio Lugo, Nick Green and Jed Lowrie(notes), the Red Sox are the league’s best defensive team. The hope in Boston is Gonzalez can do for this club what Orlando Cabrera did for the ’04 club, which was to bring up-the-middle stability. Gonzalez, second baseman Dustin Pedroia(notes) and center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury( are better than solid. Gonzalez, who has hit in the nine hole, has enough pop to keep a pitcher honest/
Juan Pierre, Dodgers: While fun and easy to dismiss as an effective player for some, Pierre put his head down, got the Dodgers through the Manny Ramirez(notes) crisis, chipped in when other smaller issues arose, and gnawed off the ear flap on his batting helmet. Though unhappy as a fourth outfielder, Pierre batted .308, batted .315 with runners in scoring position, had a .372 OBP as a leadoff man, hit .320 against left-handed pitching, hit .326 as a pinch-hitter and hit .364 against the Cardinals. And he stole 30 bases.
Brendan Ryan, Cardinals: Another shortstop whose defense alone, like Gonzalez’s, could turn a series. Ryan typically bats second for Tony La Russa against left-handed starters, and the Dodgers will start Randy Wolf(notes) and Clayton Kershaw in Games 1 and 2 of the division series. While Ryan actually hits right-handers better than lefties (.305 to .265), La Russa’s other option in the two spot – Skip Schumaker – is less attractive. Ryan should be very comfortable playing the Dodgers. He went to high school in California’s San Fernando Valley (Sherman Oaks Notre Dame). Most important, along with pilot Chelsey Sullenberger and others, Ryan is a finalist for the American Mustache Institute’s top mustache award.
Carlos Ruiz, Phillies: On a team loaded with stars and personalities, Chooch is unheralded and even overlooked, but the catcher has great touch with a pitching staff that trusts him. In that ballpark, pitchers need something – anything – to trust. Though he missed some time in late September with a sprained left wrist, Ruiz is expected to be at full strength against the Rockies. One of the heroes in the Phillies’ World Series run last October (he batted .313 in the NLCS, .375 in the World Series), he ended Game 3 with a walk-off infield single.
Franklin Morales, Rockies: Though Morales has had a tough go of it lately (seven runs in his last 1 2/3 innings, 12 runs in his last 5 1/3, 8.71 ERA in September and October), he still rides that 97-mph fastball and still is the best set-up answer Jim Tracy has for Ryan Howar(, Chase Utley and Raul Ibanez. In three at-bats each against Morales, Howard and Utley are hitless, Howard with two strikeouts.
All right, then, we have our eight teams. And the Yankees finally let us know when they’d like to play. Shouldn’t the commissioner have recognized the extenuating circumstances of the football game in Minneapolis and at least had the Yankees declare their series by Monday? It’s not the Yankees’ fault the Twins needed another game to win their division, but the commissioner could have considered having the Angels and Red Sox play today in Anaheim, giving the Twins a moment to compose themselves.
Wednesday’s primer:
» Rockies at Phillies. Ubaldo Jimenez vs. Cliff Lee.
The Rockies were 27-26 in games started by an opposing left-hander, 8-16 on the road. They get Lee and Cole Hamels in Games 1 and 2 at Citizens Bank Park.
» Twins at Yankees. Brian Duensing vs. CC Sabathia.
Sabathia’s postseason ERA is bumping up against 8. From the Cleveland and Milwaukee experiences, Sabathia said in the final weeks of the regular season, he learned patience.
“Just to put less pressure on myself,” he said. “Not try to win the game by myself. Let my team do that and just get that offense back on the field.”
Nearly nine years have passed since the Yankees’ last championship, and Sabathia’s October – like Alex Rodriguez’s October – will go a long way toward No. 27.
“If there are questions out there, they’ll be out there until somebody says otherwise or does otherwise,” Yankees GM Brian Cashman said. “As far as I’m concerned, CC’s getting the ball and A-Rod’s name is in the lineup.”
» Cardinals at Dodgers. Chris Carpenter vs. Randy Wolf.
The 276th start of his major league career will be Wolf’s first postseason start. It comes a few miles from where he grew up in the San Fernando Valley, and 16 years after he pitched in the high school city championship game at Dodger Stadium.
Pardon Carpenter if he doesn’t well up. He’s 5-1 with a 2.53 ERA in eight postseason starts, 5-0 with a 2.20 ERA in six career starts against the Dodgers, and has won both of his careers starts at Dodger Stadium.
Sports Ticket Depot -
MLB News Archive Index: 2010, 2009
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Yankees stick to formula of success — From Jeter down, Girardi uses familiar lineup in Game 1
By Anthony DiComo
October 7, 2009
NEW YORK — The Yankees spent Wednesday afternoon preparing to play the most important game to date at the new Yankee Stadium. Might as well go with what's worked.
Derek Jeter is leading off and Alex Rodriguez is batting cleanup in the Yankees lineup for Game 1 of the American League Division Series. It is a mimic of their most popular lineup of the season, which manager Joe Girardi scribbled out 15 times over the summer months.
After Jeter, who is playing shortstop, is Johnny Damon in left field, Mark Teixeira at first base and Rodriguez at third. Hideki Matsui is starting at designated hitter and batting fifth, followed by Jorge Posada at catcher, Robinson Cano at second base, Nick Swisher in right field and Melky Cabrera in center.
It is the most common lineup for an offense that scored 915 runs, pounded out 244 home runs and reached base at a .362 clip -- all of them Major League highs.
"Anytime you look up there and you have Jeter and Damon and Tex and A-Rod the first four hitters, and they're on your side, you feel pretty good," Wednesday's starting pitcher, CC Sabathia, said. "That's kind of the attitude I've taken all year where I'm not going to try and go out and do too much. I'm going to go out and try to put up zeros and get these guys back in the dugout as quickly as possible."
Jeter led the Yankees with a .334 batting average this season; Teixeira with 39 home runs and 122 RBIs. In his first season in New York, Teixeira credited much of his success to the presence of Rodriguez behind him in the lineup.
"I can take a few more risks this year," Teixeira said. "There are certain seasons where you look at your lineup and you say, 'Hey, I've really got to get the job done.' Maybe I have to walk to extend an inning because I'm not sure how many chances we're going to get. This lineup is so deep this year, I might take a few more hacks, might be a little more aggressive. If I don't get the job done, we have [batters Nos.] 1-9 that can get it done. It made it a lot of fun playing with that lineup this year."
In addition to their league highs, the Yankees also set a franchise record by hitting 136 of their 244 homers at home, the majority of them sailing over the right field wall.
Hours before Wednesday's Game 1, fierce winds whipped through Yankee Stadium in the direction of right-center field, snapping the flags atop the roof to attention. A wind advisory was in effect for the evening, warning of 30-mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph.
"Sometimes wind can play tricks with the ball," Girardi said. "The ball can carry a little bit different. If you don't get the ball up in the air, it doesn't really have a whole lot of effect. If you hit ground balls and line drives, it's not going to have a lot of effect. It's going to get a little bit chilly with that wind and sometimes that can affect the pitchers a little bit, but it's not going to be frigid, and that's always a concern."
Sports Ticket Depot -
MLB News Archive Index: 2010, 2009
|
