Baseball Thread Rated X -- Mature Audiences Only

There have also been suggestions -- because Wang has been so good at home and Mussina has "big-game experience" -- that Torre could go Johnson 1, Wang 2 (at home) and Moose 3 (possible swing game on the road). Of course, that also means bringing Randy back for Game 5 after Wright/Lidle spits up in Game 4 and do you really want to count on an old man (I can say that!) with a bad back and a bad attitude in Game 5?

 

Well, no. Nobody in their right mind would want Randy Johnson pitching a deciding Game 5.

There is definitely the issue of who is pitching Game 4. Wright and Lidle suck huge monstrous donkey dock. However, with the Twins loss of Liriano, I have to wonder who their number 4 is going to be.

 

Is the Twins bullpen more likely to get the Yankees out than the Yankees bullpen is to get the Twins out?

Uhh, yes.

The Twins are leading the league in batting average. You could look it up.

And other that Rivera, who still isn't pitching yet, the Yankee pen is awful.

I'd take Rincon, Neshek and Reyes over anyone New York has, and I'd take Nathan right now rather than Rivera. That's open to review if Mariano makes some appearances and looks back to form before the postseason starts.

 

Yankees might have more power than the Twins, but the Twins know how to get on base. Those pesky little guys beat out a ton of infield hits, which keeps innings alive.

And there's no question, the Twins middle relief is much better than Yankees middle relief, especially with Rivera only pitching one inning per game usually.

 

You're forgetting the X factor: The Yankees lineup. One-through-nine, the Yanks take pitches and make pitchers work. Since the Abreu trade, opposing starters have averaged 90 pitches and five innings per start.

It doesn't matter what American League rotations the Yankees face in October, they're going to the World Series.

 

Yanks ain't slouches when it comes to getting on base. A quick glance of MLB.com shows:
Damon: .369 OBP
Jeter: .422 OBP
Abreu: .432 OBP
ARod: .385 OBP
Giambi: .409 OBP
Matsui: .376 OBP
Cano: .364 OBP
Posada: .375 OBP
Sheffield: .372 OBP
Williams: .329 OBP
Wilson: .277 OBP
Cabrera: .364 OBP

 

I hope we get a chance to find out.

And if Liriano didn't get hurt, the Yankees wouldn't have a prayer.

At least now it will be sporting.

 

Nathan is hardly an automatic, especially so against the Yankees. So while that middle relief may be better, their still facing better, more experienced hitters.

What is the Twins rotation for the playoffs?
Will Radke be healthy?
If he is healthy, how risky is it putting him out there?

 

I don't think the Yanks are worried about anyone except the Angels.

 

Radke's quote the other day, after Liriano got hurt. (I'm paraphrasing)

"I don't care if my arm falls off on the mound, I'm going back out there."
He's been pitching with a torn labrum all year. Basically, when he was still going, he didn't do anything with his right hand for four days and then went out and pitched. No throwing on the side. No playing catch. Brushes his teeth and combs his hair southpaw. He's already made clear that he's retiring at the end of the year, and that's why he's willing to risk tearing the labrum all the way. After his last start this season, he'll likely never throw a baseball again.

The Twins pitching is beyond fucked. Although, John-Boof Bonser had his third good start in a row last night.

If I had to guess, presuming Radke comes back, and the Twins are on the road at New York:

Santana game one
Bonser/ Silva game two
Radke game three (save him for a home start)
Garza/Guerrier/ Silva/Bullpen game (deending on how the series stands)
Santana game five

As for Nathan not being automatic:

Pitching
Last 3 years
Team G GS W L SV CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP BAA
2004 MIN 73 0 1 2 44 0 0 72.1 48 14 13 3 23 89 1.62 0.98 .187
2005 MIN 69 0 7 4 43 0 0 70.0 46 22 21 5 22 94 2.70 0.97 .183
2006 MIN 56 0 6 0 32 0 0 60.1 35 12 12 3 13 84 1.79 0.80 .164

Pitching
Last 3 years
Team G GS W L SV CG SHO IP H R ER HR BB K ERA WHIP BAA
2004 NYY 74 0 4 2 53 0 0 78.2 65 17 17 3 20 66 1.94 1.08 .225
2005 NYY 71 0 7 4 43 0 0 78.1 50 18 12 2 18 80 1.38 0.87 .177
2006 NYY 59 0 5 5 33 0 0 71.0 57 16 15 3 11 49 1.90 0.96 .221

I'll let those numbers speak for themselves.

 

I've heard that every year since 2000, I think.

And Pastor, as for "Nathan is hardly an automatic, especially so against the Yankees," he's got a 1.79 ERA and 0.80 WHIP this season. He's got 32 saves and blown only two chances.

As for Nathan against the Yanks, the past two seasons he's only thrown three innings against them with for two saves to go with one loss, a 3.00 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, .111 BA against, four Ks and three walks. I call B.S. on that argument.

EDIT -- Should have known, Zeke beat me to it.

 

Gotta represent the Central, Oz.

The Yankees are just damn lucky they don't have to see the Royals in the playoffs.

They're the team no one wants to play right now.