Fire from the Hip: Thoughts on Sports & Real Life

So as we go to the top of the seventh inning at Yankee Stadium, both the Indians and the Yankees must start looking ahead to Game 4. But first, let us reflect on Eric Wedge’s management of his pitching staff tonight. Against a potent Yankee offense, SP Jake Westbrook skated through his first four innings thanks in large part to four double plays. In the fifth things fell apart as the Yankees strung together four straight hits, concluding with a three-run home run from Johnny Damon.

Eric Wedge faced a difficult decision in the bottom of the sixth: bring Westbrook back for one more inning or go to the pen and try to keep the game within striking distance? Hoping to sneak him through the sixth and save the pen, Wedge let the starter start the sixth. He induced a groundball off the bat of Alex Rodriguez that Johnny Peralta failed to turn into an out, to put it nicely. Curiously, Wedge yanked Westbrook and handed the ball to Aaron Fultz. Fultz proceeded to give up a base hit to Jorge Posada. A sacrifice bunt by Doug Mientkiewicz and an intentional walk to Hideki Matsui followed. Robinson Cano hammered a single to right that RF Trot Nixon misplayed allowing three runs to score. To all intents and purposes, the outcome of the game was decided.

I can respect the fact that Wedge faced a very difficult decision. Should he use his best relief pitchers in a game with the series at 2-0 with a likely Game 4 on the horizon the very next night? There isn’t a right answer. But if you are going to try to sneak Westbrook through an extra inning, he might as well have stuck with him than bring on Fultz. And once the bases were loaded, he needed to go to his best relievers. Even if LP Rafael Perez had given up the hit to Cano, you could have gone to a less important reliever in the later innings with the game out of hand. To leave Westbrook out there and then go to Fultz was poor management.

Now the question that ought to be considered by Wedge is whether to bring ace C.C. Sabathia back Monday night on three days rest for Game 4 Monday night? Even if Indians were to lose Game 4, Fausto Carmona would still be available on Wednesday on full rest in Game 5 at Jacobs Field. It would be a gutsy decision for Wedge to go with Sabathia instead of scheduled starter Paul Byrd. But Byrd is a soft-thrower who the Yankees hit hard earlier in the season and while Byrd has been with the Tribe. In three starts against New York the past two seasons, he is 0-3 and has allowed seventeen runs in twelve innings.

An interesting side note has arisen since I started this article: why is the Yankees most valuable reliever other than Closer Mariano Rivera in the game with a five run lead? Now, Joba Chamberlain has thrown thirty-eight pitches tonight and one must wonder about how long he’ll be able to go if needed tomorrow night.

Labels: AL Division Series, American League Playoffs, Cleveland Indians, Game 4 ALDS, New York Yankees

If the game between the Rockies and Padres are a sign of things to come, we could be in for one fantastic month of baseball. Before we get into some scenarios I foresee in the first round, I'll start with the Rockies game.

1. Does anyone else feel that Tim McClelland should be made to offer his side of the story of what sure looked like a terrible call last night when Matt Holliday attempted to score on Jamey Carroll's flyball to right field? His delayed call left me and I'm sure countless others feeling a bit hollow at the end of one of the most dramatic games in recent postseason memory. If that call had been made against New York or Boston, I can't help but think that public outrage and media attention would have forced a statement by McClelland.

1A. Where were all the cameras last night? It's the playoffs and we can't see a definitive angle on a close play at home and a disputed home run? A bad omen.

2. Red Sox/Angels - Vision 1. Boston jumps out to an early lead and feeds off the Fenway Faithful taking the first two games behind strong starting pitching and the bullpen that performs as they did back in May and June. Kevin Youkilis and Dustin Pedroia prove to be the bane of the Angel pitching staff by working counts and getting on base while Ramirez and Ortiz get the key hits.

3. Red Sox/Angels - Vision 2. Angels earn a split in Boston and head home where they managed the best home record in baseball. Angels play small ball and the Red Sox fail to execute in key situations similar to the 2005 Division Series against the White Sox.

4. Yankees/Indians - Vision1. Johnny Damon, Derek Jeter, Bobby Abreu, and Jorge Posada continue to foul off pitches from Cleveland pitchers' Sabathia and Carmona. Each leaves after 5 plus innings, putting the strain on the Indians middle relievers. Yankees get key knocks and take care of the young Indians who struggle against Wang and Pettitte. 4A. Insert Yankee hitter here _________ hits game-winning home run in Games ____ and ___ off Indians closer Joe Borowski, breaking the hearts of Indians fans everywhere.

5. Yankees/Indians - Vision 2. Yankees and Indians split the first two games, the Indians behind a dominant pitching performance, the Yankees by way of clutch-hitting late. They split in New York in two heart-stopping one-run games. Game 5 sees Sabathia dominate and the Indians pull off a thrilling series win.

6. Phillies/Rockies - Vision 1. Phillies jump the emotionally-drained Rockies in front of a raucous home crowd and win the series in a slugfest. Neither team's starters produce a win as the Phillies patchwork pen finds a way to get it done against Colorado.

7. Phillies/Rockies - Vision 2. Colorado manages a split in Philadelphia and returns home to magical Coors Field. With a starting staff of unknowns, the Rockies hold the psychological edge against the Philly pitchers at home. The offense continues to produce with Troy Tulowitzski and Matt Holliday, propelling Colorado into the NLCS.

8. Diamondbacks/Cubs - Vision 1. Behind sterling starting pitching from Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly, the Cubs shock the Diamondbacks in the first two games. On offense, the Cubs take advantage of a few mistakes up in the zone against Brandon Webb and Doug Davis. Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez lead the Chicago offense. Arizona can't overcome some tough luck and even tougher losses.

9. Cubs/Diamondbacks - Vision 2. Brandon Webb sets the tone in Game 1 with a scintillating performance, shutting down the hit-or-miss Cubs offense. Arizona starters' Doug Davis and Livan Hernandez battle the Cubs starters to a draw in Games 2 & 3. The Diamondbacks bullpen holds the Cubs in check while the offense scratches out a couple of runs against Ryan Dempster and Chicago's pen. Diamondbacks win a tight series as Cubs fans experience heartbreak once again.

10. I have a heart-attack watching Joe Borowski pitch in the ninth inning of Game 1 against Alex Rodriguez with the bases loaded and the Indians clinging to a one run lead. Thus, I am unable to witness any of the events above. At any rate, as I said before, we should be in for a thrilling month of baseball.

Labels: AL Division Series, American league division series, American League Playoff Hunt, American League Playoffs, Chicago Cubs, Cleveland Indians, MLB Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, NL division series