It's going to be a good opportunity to get Phil Hughes' innings up (he's been criminally underutilized in August) or to get Al Aceves back on track. I'm not trying to take anything away from Mitre, who pitched great, but man do the White Sox look bad. Totally different team from the one that took 3 of 4 from the Bombers not too long ago.
It's funny how when it's someone on another team, four out of the five most recent games is a meaningful body of work to you. If it were someone on the Yankees, you'd highlight the one bad start as proof that he is continuing to suck and the other four starts were the flukes. Or point to how six innings of 3 run ball isn't ace material. The most telling thing with Kazmir is that he - unlike the fat guy you swore would be on the DL by the break - actually has an extensive injury history; a history that has seemingly affected his ability. Kazmir's fastball used to sit around 93. This year, he's averaging around 90mph on his fastball. And his other secondary pitches have also dropped in velocity. This suggests that it's not a mechanical issue when throwing the fastball... he's just not generating arm speed the way he used to. Don't get me wrong. I still think Kazmir is a pretty damn good pitcher. I don't think he'll ever develop into the lights-out stud everyone thought he was going to be as a prospect. And I doubt he will ever be durable, given the nature of his injuries. The "every game" you speak of is going to be 4-5 starts. All but one of which will occur with expanded rosters. There will be plenty of options.
This just shows the whole central division sucks. Hopefully the Yanks draw a Central opponent in round 1.
Again, you can never really count on anything in the playoffs because it's truly a crapshoot. But Detroit is the matchup that Yankees fans should be crossing their fingers for in the first round. Texas is the team to avoid I think.
While I don't disagree you are the best team in baseball at the moment, beating the shit out of Jose Contreras and the White Sox isn't exactly a shining moment in Yankee history.
Great game for Mitre. I would have liked to see how far he could have gone. Good that September 1st is right around the corner. We will need some more long relievers.
Give me someone on the Yankees other than Sabathia or Pettitte and I will be glad to highlight them. He is not being picked up to be their ace. Your arguments get weaker all the time and if you don't think that was a terrific pickup by the Angels then you are a fool. Just keep praying we keep the home field advantage.
Hold on a second here... You said (and you'll do well to notice the quote marks I'm about to use), "Too bad we didn't have a pitcher that good. I wouldn't expect you to realize that though." We do have a pitcher that good. In fact, you even admit that we have two of them. I find that to be hilariously awesome. And I'd argue that both Burnett and Joba -- for all of their inconsistency this year -- are still more effective pitchers than Kazmir has been, especially this year. Kazmir is basically Joba plus more injuries, runs, and walks... he just does it left-handed. Do you get frustrated watching Joba nibble, and scoff at him for his inability go more than five innings? Well, guess what? Kazmir's career BB/9 is higher than Joba's. They both average about 5 2/3 innings per start. Other than that, you're putting up a bunch of straw men. I never said Kazmir was picked up in order to be their ace. And I never said it wasn't a good pickup on the part of the Angels. In fact, I explicitly said that I still think Kazmir is a pretty darn good pitcher. Of course, it's far easier to say my arguments get weaker all the time when you are making up things for me to believe than it is to refute that which I have actually said, so I understand why you feel you have to resort to that. What I think is ridiculous, though, is this idea you are implying that has Kazmir somehow giving the Angels a magical advantage over the Yankees in the postseason. That we're all now doomed because of it. That this was the clincher they needed. And that this was a deal that the Yankees missed out on. Kazmir has been a less than mediocre pitcher this year, and there is no way in hell he was being traded to the Yankees.
Cappy will now give us his 12 layers of stats on why Cashman is a genius to use Chamberlain for 3 innings and 35 pitches today, right Cappy?
No need for stats, a little logic will suffice. If the Yankees are going to win in the postseason they will need Joba to be effective. Joba can't pitch too many innings. Joba has shown that he struggles when he's taken out of rhythm. Aceves or Hughes would benefit from a few longer outings, which can come shadowing Joba. Everybody wins, no?
Nice W. Pitching got it done today, timely hitting. This team keeps rolling.... On to the next victims.
