Pettite Better
Channeling beat-blogging guru Pete Abraham, Andy Pettite apparently no longer has back stiffness and will throw a bullpen session tomorrow. He is slated to throw in a minor-league game Saturday, pushing him back a game or two into the season for his first start. Yet he should still start one of the first few games, really the most important point.
I have to confess to being relatively indifferent to who starts when at the beginning with the exception of the Opening Day starter. There are plenty of off days during the first couple months allowing Girardi to juggle the rotation for particular series, match-ups, and to throw different looks at teams. Pettite clearly belongs among the top two Yankee starters, and will likely move behind Wang soon enough. Lefty also provides an especially nice contrast to Wang and Hughes--all other Yankee starters are obviously righties--because of Pettite's slider, and toughness on lefties. Certainly good news.
Abraham also said yesterday that Chris Britton was sent down, taking him out of the running for the last bullpen spot despite a good Spring. Hopefully he'll continue his good work in Scranton and be solid if called up. This improves Bruney's chances in my estimation.
Pettite better, Kennedy not. A three-run homer to Garko part of a four-run first off Kennedy. Eeesh.
Report any abuse or spam
Consecutive two-out walks from Kennedy, but no eventual harm, Martinez flies out to end the second.
Report any abuse or spam
Well, it looks like the Yankees came back from being down 4-1...
I see they tied it at 4-4...
And, in the top of the 7th...
Robinson Cano just got his third hit of the day to put Yankees ahead 5-4...
Cano is 6 for his last 8 AB's !!!
I don't know if we will ever see another .400 hitter in Major League Baseball, but it will be interesting to follow Cano over the next 10 years - to see how close he will get to reaching the .400 plateau!
Cano needs to get his strikeouts down [a bit]; and, increase his "walk" totals...and, I can see him get his average up in the .375 - .385 range [.400?] in a few of the next 10 years! He has such a beautiful swing!
Going into the bottom of the 8th...
Yankees 5, Indians 4
http://baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/
Report any abuse or spam
I think that the key for anyone trying to reach .400 is how many walks can they draw. In 1941, Williams walked 147 times. (He struck out 27 times. FYI, Joe D. struck out 13 times in 1941!). Bonds hit .370 in 2002 when he walked 198 times. In 2004, he walked 232 times when he hit .362. Amazingly, Bill Terry only walked 57 times in 1930 (the last N.L. player, and last player to do it before Williams).
I think the walks is key. With today's longer schedule, night games (rare in Williams' day) and coast-to-coast travel (no one west of St. Louis in Ted's day), drawing a ton of walks, then raking in the ABs is the only shot one has at .400.
Report any abuse or spam
yankeefan1,
I totally agree...Walks are the Key!
A look at Cano's numbers over the past three years reveal Cano needs to do a lot better in drawing walks...
2007 - 617 AB; 39 BB; 85 K's; .306 BA
2006 - 482 AB; 18 BB; 54 K's; .342 BA
2005 - 522 AB; 16 BB; 68 K's; .297 BA
Robinson Cano's career stats are:
1621 AB; only "73" walks; 207 K's; .306 BA
I guess the only other way he can increase his BA [if he's not going to walk much more], is just get more HITS !!!
Cano may very well be capable of doing just that!...and, it will be fun watching him improve over the next few years!
Take care!
Jimmy
Report any abuse or spam
Not a good ending for the Yankees today...
A two-out error by shortstop, Chris Woodward [in the bottom of the 8th], lead to 3-run Homerun by Andy Marte, and a 7-5 win by the Indians!
Errors hurt the Yankees in today's game!
Report any abuse or spam
Great discussion, guys. Jimmy, meet Mike from The Sommer Frieze, a great blog that you can find under the "Yankees Sites" list on the left. Jimmy himself has a really good blog, "Baseball, the Yankees, and Life," also in the "Yankees Sites" list.
I too am in total agreement with the importance of walks--forcing pitchers to offer hittable pitches, reflecting how well one sees the ball, making plate discipline pay off. Bonds is an amazing (though juiced-up) case in years where his average was so high. In 2002, he only struck out 47 times; in 2004, 41 times. For a power hitter in modern times, that's remarkable. I know, to a degree low strikeouts coupled with high average is a given to hit for average. But for Bonds, it stands out against his much higher strikeout totals earlier in his career. But there is a commonality with how many batters with high averages struck out INCREDIBLY FEW times. For example, late in his career (the mid 1930s) Lou Gehrig--easily the greatest first baseman ever to play in my mind--had strikeout totals in the 30s and 40s in those seasons. Rogers Hornsby, one of baseball's pre-eminent bats ever and a player with a fair degree of power, had strikeout totals of 50 in 1922 when he hit .401, 32 in 1924 when he hit a ridiculous .423, and 39 in 1925 when he hit .403. I suppose I'm just impressed with players who hit for average AND power and how they so often make contact. But one can also make a case that the next .400 hitter, should it happen, does not necessarily have to be only a contact hitter. He may have power, but the combination of power and contact ability is also key.
I'll write up something about this tonight. Great discussion, guys, and great stats. I love it.
Report any abuse or spam
As long as Andy is healthy --- I don’t care if he starts the first game of the season, or the fifth, or whichever.
The most important thing to me is that he doesn’t start a game before he’s ready to start and then tweak his back and end up on the shelf for 3 or 4 weeks.
http://mointhe9th.mlblogs.com/
Report any abuse or spam
Jason,
Thanks for the kind words - when you mentioned my Blog [above] !!!
I was thinking a little bit more about the Robinson Cano discussion, and thought of some examples of players who have had .350+ seasons [and not many walks]...
Rod Carew [Minnesota Twins] - who Cano has been compared to...
1977 - 616 AB; 239 H; 69 BB; 55 K's; .388 BA
1974 - 599 AB; 218 H; 74 BB; 49 K's; .364 BA
1975 - 535 AB: 192 H; 64 BB; 40 K's; .359 BA
Ichiro Suzuki [Seattle Mariners]...
2007 - 678 AB; 238 H; 49 BB; 77 K's; .351 BA
2004 - 704 AB; 262 H; 49 BB; 63 K's; .372 BA
Also, one other player, George Brett [KC Royals], but in only 117 Games...
1980 - 449 AB; 175 H; 58 BB; 22 K's; .390 BA
Just a few interesting stats for consideraion!
Jason, I'll probably live blog some of the Red Sox vs. A's game [in Japan] tomorrow. So, if you're watching the game, you're welcome to visit my blog, to offer your comments!
Until then, take care!
Jimmy
http://baseballtheyankeesandlife.mlblogs.com/
Report any abuse or spam
[rubbing eyes briskly, blinking rapidly] Mike?!? Mike!! Welcome back, buddy. It's good to see you. I know you had some things going on that caused your unfortunate and noticeable absence last year, so it's good to see you back in the swing of things.
No doubt on Pettite--just start sometime soon, and no relapses.
Report any abuse or spam