The lineups via LoHud:
YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF
Jose Molina CPitching: RHP A.J. Burnett (0-0, 2.19 ERA in postseason)
ANGELS
Chone Figgins 3B
Bobby Abreu RF
Torii Hunter CF
Vladimir Guerrero DH
Kendry Morales 1B
Maicer Izturis 2B
Juan Rivera LF
Jeff Mathis C
Erick Aybar SSPitching: RHP John Lackey (1-1, 1.38 ERA in postseason)
TIME/TV: 7:57 p.m., FOX
Here are Lackey’s numbers against the Yankees.
Here are Burnett’s numbers against the Angels.
Lackey needs to be careful with Derek Jeter (who is battling a cold), Johnny Damon, Hideki Matsui, and Melky Cabrera tonight, as all four players have had success against him in the past. Conversely, Burnett must be careful with Bobby Abreu, and Chone Figgins. Surprisingly, despite being on the brink of elimination, Howie Kendrick and Mike Napoli aren’t in the lineup, though both have very good numbers against Burnett (thanks, Scioscia).
If the Yankees win tonight, they’ll head to the World Series to face the Phillies.
Go time…
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what’s going on with RAB?
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Rob A from BBD Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:21 pm
No problems for me. What is happening?
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Finally, an out.
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bumbler Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 8:22 pm
Double play. Glad to see that inning end.
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Glad Posada caught Burnett. Without him, Burnett would have give up 4 runs in the first… oh, wait.
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 9:38 pm
Eh, that’s not really fair.
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Mariano Rivera should have pitched the 7th inning after Burnett allowed 2 baserunners with no one out. Any objective, logical analysis of baseball clearly concludes that. Math doesn’t lie. In all likelihood, that was the highest-leverage situation that the Yankees would encounter. Instead, Giradi went with a worse option and the Yankees will likely lose because of it. I fucking hate MLB managers.
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:41 pm
A worse option? Come on, he went with Phil Hughes, I can’t quibble with that. Hughes came in and needed to get one out, and just couldn’t do it. Sometimes, it is on the players.
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Chris H. Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:44 pm
Hughes has struggled this series. Not a good night for him.
But, Burnett should not have been in there after the Yankees got him the lead.
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
October 22nd, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I’m going to strongly disagree. Burnett was rolling.
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Chris H. Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:56 am
Burnett was rolling after giving up 4 ER in the first. People judge his performance as if the first inning never happened. Obviously, the first inning did happen and in that inning, he demonstrated that he is prone to imploding to this particular team. If a starter has already given up 4 ER, what’s to say that he’ll continue putting zeroes up? He’s more likely to fall apart given what he did earlier in the ballgame. When you have the lead and have a rested bullpen, you go to the bullpen when A.J. Burnett is out there. His performance can change dramatically in an instant and that’s who he has always been.
How Girardi failed to see that is beyond me. Against the Twins, he pulled Andy Pettitte after 81 pitches after Pettitte had only given up 1 ER. How is this situation any different? Does Girardi trust Burnett in that situation more than he does Andy Pettitte, one of the winningest pitchers in postseason history? It makes no sense.
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 1:19 am
Pettitte had given up his run in the previous inning and had left a few pitches up. Burnett was pitching well, I get sticking with him to start the inning, and then he had gotten Aybar to hit GB in all 4 of his AB’s this series, so it made sense to stick with him.
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Chris H. Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 2:57 am
Didn’t Burnett leave pitches up to Mathis? Why allow him to even face Aybar then? A.J. is a notoriously erratic pitcher. This is no secret. As Pete Abraham put it, “Anyone who has watched the Yankees all year knew it was a bad idea to stick with Burnett once the Yankees had the lead” (paraphrase). It makes no sense at all to stick with a pitcher after he allows the weakest bat in the lineup to reach and after he had already given up 4 ER. It’s indefensible.
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Moshe Mandel Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 7:48 am
Seriously, that’s almost insulting to those of us who watched all year and wanted him back out there.I just gave you a perfectly good reason to let him back out there. It is certainly not indefensible. Also, quoting Peter Abraham about Girardi is like quoting Lombardi about .Cashman
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EJ Fagan Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:08 am
Hughes is a good reliever who has struggled recently. Mariano is the best reliever of all time, by far the best playoff reliever of all time, and has gotten the Yankees out of huge jams in the playoffs. Mariano Rivera is the better option, and not by a small option. To put it differently: If you have Barry Bonds and Bernie Williams on the bench, you pinch hit with Barry Bonds in a key situation, even if Bernie is a damn good hitter. You don’t wait for a better situation to come to you to use Bonds. For some reason, the logic is reversed for relievers.
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I am getting sick of Swisher. I didn’t like him all that much during the regular season and his continuous struggles are making me angry….wouldn’t mind to see Brett Gardener CF, Melky RF
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Chris H. Reply:
October 23rd, 2009 at 12:57 am
It’s just a bad matchup for him. His numbers against the Angels are awful.
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AJ is so frustrating to watch. He’s struggling, then coasting, then struggling again. I wouldn’t mind going after lackey in the off season. AJ could be lights out one day, then stink up the joint the next. The two men he left on base ended up being the game winner. Jeez, swish has been sucking in these playoffs for us. would be nice to actually get a hit from him w risp for once.
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