Pre-Series Q&A with Yankees Blog Pinstripe Alley

by WholeCamels on Oct 27, 2009 8:23 PM EDT

One more time, for the win! I exchanged questions with our rival playoff blogger on the SBNation network. See my answers to their questions here. See theirs below.

1. Why was this Yankees team, as opposed to the 2004-2008 ones, able to break through and make it to another World Series?

The simple answer to that is 'better pitching.' None of those teams had a CC Sabathia, or even an A.J. Burnett at the front of the rotation. And this is the best bullpen the Yankees have had since the glory days when Jeff Nelson, Ramiro Mendoza and Mike Stanton set up for Mariano Rivera. The other part of that is that Alex Rodriguez is -- finally -- having the post-season we have always dreamed he would have.

2. A.J. Burnett is something of an "x-factor" in this Series; capable of being utterly dominant, but almost as likely to melt down. Are there any particular situations in which he struggles more than others? Or is he just completely unpredictable?

Burnett is unpredictable -- game to game, inning to inning, hitter to hitter even. He has fabulous stuff. A mid-90s fastball, one of the best curveballs in the game, and he has no fear. Thing is, he's a thrower, not really a pitcher. And, sometimes, he just loses concentration or focus. Something gets him out of rhythm, and he struggles.

3. CC Sabathia appears to be on track to potentially start three games in this Series. Do you worry about fatigue, particularly against the team that battered him so badly last postseason after one too many starts on three days rest?

Not a bit. The Yankees have not done to Sabathia what the Brewers did to him -- which was basically pitch him into the ground. On three days rest in the ALCS he went 8 innings, gave up 5 hits and one run, and was still throwing 95 mile-per-hour gas in the 8th inning. The Yanks kept his innings down a bit and never used him on three days rest during the regular year. He's ready to go, and if this series goes seven games I'll be stunned if you don't see him three times.

4. Why is Alex Rodriguez such a beast this postseason? Are we talking "inner-circle Hall of Famer on a normal hot streak" or is itsomething else?

I don't really know why. Is this what Kate Hudson can do to a guy? If so, I want her spending some time with the slumping Nick Swisher, too. This is Alex Rodriguez, laughed at for his post-season failings and his steroid scandal, finally showing the world what it looks like when a super star plays like a super star in the post season. It has been a lot of fun to watch.

5. Which Phillies player scares you the most in this Series?

Well, the sight of Ryan Howard walking to the plate generally makes me want to cover my eyes. He's the hitter who scares me. I am a big Chase Utley fan, too. Love the way the guy plays.

6. In which areas do you think the Phillies are superior to the Yankees?

Oh, that's a difficult question. I think the fact that the Phillies are the defending champs has to be an advantage. They know they have done this before, and that little extra swagger a champion has can never be overlooked. The Yankees had it back in the late '90s glory days, and that absolutely rock-solid belief they had that they were "supposed" to win every time they stepped on the field was huge.

7. How has Joe Girardi changed the Yankees? Has he made things better, or worse?

Girardi had a rough go in his first season. Yankee fans will never be completely happy with a manager -- they will always find things to scrutinize, criticize and second-guess. Even now the "Fire Girardi" movement has not been completely quelled. That said, Girardi has made this his team. He has been much better with players and the media than he was a year ago. His biggest flaw is that he can over-manage a game sometimes, seemingly making a whole slew of moves just because he can. But, he is a good manager.

8. Which Yankees player needs to step up in order for the team to fly
the 27th flag?

Well, you know all about Sabathia, A-Rod, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera -- all those guys. The one big-name guy I would be concerned about is Mark Teixeira, who has hit only .205 in the post-season thus far. If he can heat up it sure would make the Yankee lineup a lot tougher. Pitching-wise, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes have had an up-and-down post-season trying to set up for Rivera. The Yankees need them to lock things down.

9. Series prediction? And Series MVP?

Well, of course I will take the Yankees. I think this is the time the Yankees finally get that 27th title that has been elusive for several seasons now. The Phillies are a terrific team, though. I will say Yankees in six. As for an MVP, I will take A-Rod. Somehow, I think it just has to work out that way if the Yankees win.

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Comments

I’m really tired of the NL being dismissed by any AL team’s fans simply because of the league in which they play. Has no one ever informed these people of the saying “anything can happen in a short series”?

by doubleh on Oct 27, 2009 8:37 PM EDT reply actions

Dude’s answer to Question 6 reminds me of GW Bush when he was asked in a 2004 debate if he’d made any mistakes during his first term. Lotta tap dancing.

The easy answer for him would have been to say that the Phillies have advantages in fielding and baserunning (as crashburnalley ably showed). I would agree though that the Phillies don’t have any advantages anywhere else, although none of their disadvantages are very large.

You did a nice job as usual on their site. Thoughtful, witty answers. And way to represent without letting homerism distort your view of the facts. I note with some dismay that their commenters are not showing either you or our team a great deal of respect. They also seem not to have fully understood what you said about the rotations.

by taco pal on Oct 27, 2009 8:38 PM EDT reply actions

I noticed that, too. They seem to forget that our rotation, as shallow as it is, took 2 out of 3 (and damn near swept them) back in May…and that was without Lee! I realize that the teams are not the same now and that this is the WS, but some respect would be nice. They criticize other fanbases and Phillies fans for doing the very same thing they dislike.

by doubleh on Oct 27, 2009 8:41 PM EDT up reply actions

There’s douchery all around us these days. There’s another Philadelphia site where people were practically apoplectic that Jayson Stark would dare betray his hometown by predicting that the Yankees would win in seven. (He’s just doing his job, it’s not like he’s saying he wants the Yankees to win.) But you generally see a more intelligent breed of sports fan on the SBN blogs, so their behavior over there is disappointing.

Anyway, what they’re all missing is that WC didn’t say the Phillies’ rotation was “better” than the Yankees’. He said it was “deeper” which is different. Surely it helps the Phils that they’ll be pitching only one of their starters (at most) on three days’ rest. Even if we were to stipulate that Sabathia is an indestructible “horse,” the way the Yankees’ rotation sets up, Burnett and Pettitte are going to have to pitch on short rest too if it doesn’t rain.

by taco pal on Oct 27, 2009 8:55 PM EDT up reply actions

I gotta agree especially with the point that a more intelligent breed of sports fan is found on the SBN blogs. I think it stems from intelligent posts with strong quantitative backup. Of course fuck the yankees has a certain ring to it come game-time.

by Sept.28.Oct.27.Dec.28.2008 on Oct 28, 2009 3:19 AM EDT up reply actions

Yeah, there’s some serious confusion over there as to “better” vs. “deeper.” Beyond our front two, Blanton, Pedro and Happ are all legitimate #4 starter types, which is a lot more than you can say for the back-end of their rotation. Joba is talented but has obviously been a mess all year, and their other candidates would be… Chad Gaudin and Sergio Mitre. Funny how Yankees fans say “Pedro would’ve gotten killed in the AL East,” while they’re meanwhile running two Triple-A starters out there at the end of the year.

Now obviously they’re likely going to the 3-man rotation to counteract that, but it remains to be seen how effective Burnett, and especially Pettitte, can be under those circumstances.

by PhillyFriar on Oct 28, 2009 10:46 AM EDT up reply actions

Why does it matter if Burnett and Pettitte have to pitch on short rest if “AJ AND ANDY RULLLLZZZ” and we have 4 #5 starters (the math of which I will never understand)?

I hadn’t had a chance to educate myself at PA prior to my thought that the Phils might take it in 6 or 7. Now I have no choice but to say Yankees in 5.

I think we’re pretty lucky with the average caliber of post here…

by Steve J on Oct 28, 2009 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

I see more similarities than differences in the rotations. It’s a fair point to me that the Yankees have used Sabathia better than the Brewers did, so we shouldn’t make too much of thrashing him in last year’s postseason too much. But moderation in all things: The CC hype was big last year. Didn’t matter.

One thing I saw in game 6 of the ALCS was that Jeter’s range, which was never great anyway, has gotten worse. Gone are the days when I think he’ll dive into the left field line seats to get a pop fly — he missed one that fell in left field. OTOH, Cano strikes me as pretty reliable, well, at least an upgrade over Belliard.

by Wet Luzinski on Oct 27, 2009 10:17 PM EDT up reply actions

Oddly enough, this was his best year UZR-wise.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 27, 2009 10:52 PM EDT up reply actions

Sean Forman plagiarizes Crashburn Alley in the NYT. Just kidding.

I respect the new-fangled defensive stats as much as anybody, but I have to admit it’s pretty wild that Raul Ibanez had a better UZR/150 than either Shane Victorino or Jayson Werth this year.

by taco pal on Oct 28, 2009 11:55 AM EDT up reply actions

Thanks tp.

I’ve noticed that a great deal (note: not all!) of Yankees fans have a prideful ignorance about the rest of MLB outside of their own team and usually the Red Sox.

Last summer, for instance, I joined a northern NJ co-ed law firm softball team with mostly Yankees fans and chose #35 for Cole Hamels. “Huge baseball fan” on the team asked if it was for Mike Mussina; I explained that it was Hamels, and he had no idea who he was. This was pre-WFC, but still.

http://www.thegoodphight.com

by WholeCamels on Oct 28, 2009 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

It’s just a microcosm of their view of the world in general, I think. Reminds me of that famous New Yorker cover.

by taco pal on Oct 28, 2009 1:26 PM EDT up reply actions

Yankees fans are saying the same things about CC as the Brewers fans were last season.

I don’t think fatigue was a problem for CC at all last year. I think he was just got a bit rattled by Brett Myers’ walk. Afterward he couldn’t find the plate against Jimmy and then made a mistake to Shane. Other than that, he wasn’t too bad last year. I don’t think people give the Phillies enough credit for winning that game. It seems like just about everyone blames the Brewers for losing.

Does that mean the Phillies have CC’s number? Of course not. That’s just ridiculous. The Phillies can hit him though. The question is whether they actually will or not.

AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte don’t scare me. I view them the same way I view Cole and Pedro. All 4 are capable of throwing a great game but are also very hittable. I don’t think either team has an advantage in the pitching match-ups in any of the first three games.

Both teams have one outstanding starting pitcher. Both teams have scary offenses. It should be a great series.

by yosoysean on Oct 28, 2009 1:34 AM EDT reply actions

one thing i haven't seen a lot of people talk about

the yankee’s main relievers are all righties corret? I think Shane and Jimmy are both better hitters from the left side of the plate, and not having multiple left handed relievers could mean trouble when your starting pitcher is struggling in the sixth and you’re going to face the top of the lineup.

by packimop on Oct 28, 2009 1:48 AM EDT reply actions

Damaso Marte and Phil Coke

In an extremely small sample size Marte has had success vs Utley and Howard they’re a combined 0-6 with 5k’s. Utley has a hit off Coke in 1 appearance. I’ll be honest they’re not exactly lock down but both are pretty good as loogies.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 28, 2009 2:05 AM EDT up reply actions

Marte and Coke have pitched a combined 2 2/3 innings this postseason

Either very few situations have come up where the Yankees could use left-handed pitching, or Girardi doesn’t trust those guys.

"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"

by The Dark on Oct 28, 2009 9:17 AM EDT up reply actions

Well since they go about a batter a piece

2 and 2/3 innings is 8 appearances. Plus between the Angels and Twins there’s only a few lefties that scare you, pretty much Mauer and Abreu.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 28, 2009 10:31 AM EDT up reply actions

Coke appeared in 72 games

during the regular season. Girardi trusts him plenty.

Strikeouts are boring- Besides that, they're fascist. Throw some ground balls - it's more democratic.

by CasanovaWong on Oct 28, 2009 10:34 AM EDT up reply actions

Marte and Coke are solid relievers. They’re similar in effectiveness to Scott Eyre, i.e. not really lockdown guys, but tough on lefties.

That being said, they’re nowhere near the level of Kuo and Sherrill.

Now that point could be moot depending on when the bullpen’s used. Rivera can pitch the 9th (and some of the 8th, if needed) if the middle of the lineup is due up, and he’s obviously tougher against lefties than righties. But if the Phils can get into the Yankees middle relief, say in the 6th inning, then Girardi has to decide whether to let Utley/Howard face his superior right-handed relievers (Robertson, Hughes) or his slightly inferior left-handed ones.

by PhillyFriar on Oct 28, 2009 10:54 AM EDT up reply actions

he’s obviously tougher against lefties than righties

is that because his cutter cuts in towards a lefty making it harder to handle, I haven’t really watched a lot of the Yankees so I’m curious.

by Tron79 on Oct 28, 2009 12:03 PM EDT up reply actions

Yup, that’s it. Rivera has a career .081 OPS reverse split, and it’s because he can get in on the hands of lefty hitters. For the innings he pitches, Mo breaks an inordinate number of bats per year.

by PhillyFriar on Oct 28, 2009 12:59 PM EDT up reply actions

I found this rant to be rather impressive in its apparent disconnectedness from reality.

http://www.pinstripealley.com/2009/10/28/1104307/phillies-in-5#23481057

by taco pal on Oct 28, 2009 12:58 PM EDT reply actions

Wow, I couldn’t even make it all the way through that.

Just like any fanbase, there are plenty of good Yankees fans out there — fans who understand the game, are respectful of other teams, etc. And just like any fanbase, there are idiot fans who are disconnected with reality. It’s just that, to me at least, the Yankees fans who are disconnected from reality seem a disturbingly amount more obnoxious, idiotic, and delusional than anyone else.

by PhillyFriar on Oct 28, 2009 1:14 PM EDT up reply actions

Can we come up with a sabermetric for that? David?

Split Delusional Arrogant Fan Totals (sDAFT) or maybe Fanatical Unsupportable Abrasive Lectures Logistical regression (FUALL+) perhaps?

by Steve J on Oct 28, 2009 1:35 PM EDT up reply actions

Delusional Arrogant Fan Factor (Yearly), or DAFFY

"When you make your final stand
I'll be right there
I'll never leave
And all I ask of you is
Believe"

by The Dark on Oct 28, 2009 3:16 PM EDT up reply actions

especially hilarious

given this

"It was almost like if Harry didn't call it, it wasn't real." - Jayson Stark

by Chris Haines on Oct 28, 2009 1:27 PM EDT up reply actions

What’s staggering about this is Jim Caple’s prediction—not that the Yankees will win the series, but that the Phils will beat them twice before they pop the corks! That’s I think one more win than he’s given us in any round of the playoffs over the last two years.

by dajafi on Oct 28, 2009 1:44 PM EDT up reply actions

That is.. insane. Like, seriously nuts. I have no idea what media outlet he could possibly be following that would cause him to think that the Yankees are serious underdogs to those media darling Phillies.

*sigh*

by zempf on Oct 28, 2009 2:42 PM EDT up reply actions

I think the biggest advantage for the Phils is that the team expects to win but the rest of the world does not. For the Yankees, the world expects them to win but i don’t know if they’re team expects it as much as the Phils do… this Yankees team hasn’t gone through it all before (Texiera, Swisher, Cabrera, CC, Burnett, Joba, Hughes…)

I’ll be at the sports cafe at picadilly ’til like 4am… jesus.

by LondonPhillie on Oct 28, 2009 2:41 PM EDT reply actions

That's a great place to be in London.

I was there in 2005 and was walking by and saw the Phillies on TV, So the wife and I went in and had a late lunch. Pretty decent food and great atmosphere. There was also some soccer going on, as well, lol.

by SmilingJPhilsPhan on Oct 28, 2009 2:50 PM EDT up reply actions