Roger Clemens gave up 6 hits and 3 earned runs in 5 1/3 innings tonight at Double AA, and ESPN reported that he looked to have heavy legs.
He certainly didn't pitch well, and it wasn't very encouraging given the control problems and the high pitch count, but Clemens sounded encouraged after the game, and I didn't realize 3 runs in 5.1 was getting roughed up. Like I said, it's not good at all, but it's not "roughed up."
You know, Clemens pissed me off last night. Not his performance, but the fact that he was all over the YES broadcast. Kay even miscalled the first out of an inning as the last, all because he was desperate to get to talking about Clemens. Who cares? Our pitching is fine. We don't even need him. Will he help? Probably, but we don't need him. I really wish there was not such a freaking obsession with him. The Yankees just took 2 of 3 from the division leading Sox, and it took a backseat to a minor league appearance by the Rocket. Come on.
Its all about pitch count my friend. When you're making starts in the minor league its all about stretching out and gaining your velocity back. Unless he gives up ten runs of course. but he was able to throw 106 pitches yeasterday. So i'm happy with that.
We don't need him? Of course we need him. We have 3 starters. Last time I checked we still need 5 and Mussina is the same useless pitcher he's been since he's been here when it matters.
Wang Pettitte Hughes Clippard (yes, I am THAT convinced this kid is for real.) DeSalvo Mussina Unfortunately, the other guys that could start are all banged up. We don't NEED Roger Clemens. He's a luxury. Coming in, he's arguably the FOURTH starter. Dependent on Clippard's next couple performances, he might even be the FIFTH. Interestingly, if the rotation looks like: Wang Pettitte Hughes Clemens Clippard what happens to Moose? Trade? The pen?
Not only do the Yanks need Clemens, I think they need him to be the Clemens of 10 years ago. The Yanks rotation is bad, I don't think it is good enough to get them out of the hole they are in.
Hughes is hurt still and how did he get hurt to begin with? It wasn't even cold then. Forget Clippard and DeSalvo. Once any team has seen them twice they will get lit up like Paris. Not to say they won't be good in time but they still need to learn situational pitching and that only comes with experience. If Clemens gave up 10 run itwouldn' mean a thing because he does know how to pitch when it matters. I'm sure he is still working on "some things" at AA. (Keyboard must be dying here)
If you're gonna talk about the Yankees,atleast pay attention to Yankees. The pitching is NOT the problem. Offensive consistency has been the problem.
as a Yankee fan , you should know that the pitching was the problem in April, and the offense in May.....with the defense being pretty consistently bad both months :wink: Clemens look shaky at best last night....but it's only a tuneup.....dont' know how much stock anyone can put in that
See, that's the thing. Coming into the season, the starting rotation was a question mark. No one knew how Pettitte would pitch, Pavano is, well, Pavano. Could Wang be the Wang that almost won a Cy Young? Igawa was a huge ? too. Sadly, coming in, the one pitcher everyone thought would anchor the rotation was Moose, and he's been the worst of the bunch. Spring training looked like everyone worried for nothing. The pitching was fine. The season started, and for a week, we looked like we'd be fine. Then the injuries started piling up. We lost Pettitte and Moose for a couple weeks. Wang was already out. And Igawa was, well, Igawa. The story was always about the pitching staff. However, all the rookies have pitched well enough to keep us in games. The problem, as you point out, has been the cold bats. It started early when Matsui went out. That put Melky in the everyday lineup. Obviously, that's a defensive upgrade, but it's an offensive downgrade that more than negates the benefit. Then Damon started cramping in his calves, and his average plummeted. At that point, our 1 and 9 hitters were contributing nothing. Then we had Abreu getting worse every day. There goes the 3 spot. Of course, Giambi started off slow, there goes the 5. Mienky had a slow start, there goes the 8. And of course Cano was dismal, bye bye 7. So up until some life started being shown last Sunday @ Shea, we were being carried by our 2 (Jeter,) 4 (ARod,) and 6 (Posada) spots. You don't win games when only your even numbered batting positions are hitting. You could have Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, and Whitey Ford starting for you, and you'd still lose every 2 of 3. How's this for lopsidded: Pettitte: 12 games/10 starts 2.66 ERA 64.1 Innings 3-3 Record. Less than 3 runs a game, and he's LOSING? Or getting no decisions. When a team comes into a year projected to score 1000 runs, NO pitcher who has an ERA under 3 should be pitching .500 ball. You're absolutely correct. Starting pitching has not been the problem. (If we want to look at the pen, however...)
The starters may be keeping them in games, but they're not going NEARLY deep enough. The most important number for the Yankees starters right now is 5.2. That's how many innings per start they're getting, which is terrible. Even Pettite is only going 6.2. Combine that with a shaky bullpen, and that's a problem. Also, the rotation hasn't been lights out by any means. If you take Pettite out of the equation, the Yankees starters have posted an ERA of 5.76. The starting pitching has been a big problem.
That stat isn't very telling. We've lost a starter in the first inning, we also lost another in the 3rd I believe it was. Yes, early on, the starters were not going deep, but over the past month, they've steadily climbed the number of innings, and are all getting into the 7th. The rotation is a problem, but I said that already. There's no question our pen has been dismal. It's been the bats. Trust me. The stats are lying in the story they tell.
so you think that because the rotation has been decent(they have not been better than decent) for a couple weeks, the rotation is good enough to make up a 10 game cushion? Sorry I can't buy that, the Yankee rotation is terrible, 3 weeks of pitching decent is not going to change that. The only one that can be counted on is Pettite and sometimes Wang, that won't get it done.
