November 20, 2009
MLB Latest News Stories
Happ, Beckham named SN's MLB rookies of the year
Phillies lefthander J.A. Happ and White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham are Sporting News' 2009 rookies of the year, as selected by a panel of 338 major league players.
Phillies pitcher J.A. HappHapp, who moved from Philadelphia's bullpen to its rotation in late May, went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA in 35 games (23 starts). He struck out 119 batters in 166 innings pitched and had two shutouts. Happ pitched in relief in Game 2 of the NLDS against Colorado and started Game 3. He has pitched twice in relief in the NLCS.
"J.A. wasn't the typical pitching prospect because he didn't necessarily put the numbers up on the radar gun," Orioles scout Bob Szymkowski, who signed Happ with the Phillies in 2004, told Sporting News. "Most times, he threw 86 to 88. But Jay had very good mound composure and competed very well. His best qualities were a very deceptive delivery in terms of his arm slot and the ability to mix all of his pitches and locate them on the perimeter of the strike zone. While he didn't have a power approach, he still had a great feel for pitching."
Beckham, who didn't debut until June 4, hit .270 with 28 doubles, 14 homers and 63 RBIs in 103 games for the White Sox.
White Sox third baseman Gordon Beckham"We saw a guy who was going to be able to play shortstop but also with the ability to move over to second or third. And that's what he ended up having to do this year," Doug Laumann, Chicago's director of amateur scouting, told SN. "Offensively, we thought he would be a high-average guy with average big league power and the ability to knock in a lot of runs. He could take the ball the other way, but if the ball was on the inner half, he was able to turn on it and drive the ball. He is willing to learn and wants to get better."
Sporting News will unveil its award winners throughout the week on sportingnews.com. The schedule:
• Wednesday morning: Pitchers and managers of the year
• Thursday morning: Player of the year, all-star teams
• Friday morning: Comeback players of the year, relievers of the year
Chris Bahr is Sporting News' baseball editor. E-mail him at cbahr@sportingnews.com.
Boras already trumpeting Damon's free-agent value
The New York Daily News reported agent Scott Boras already is singing the praises of Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon, a pending free agent.
Speaking to reporters prior to Game 3 of the ALCS, Boras said, "Not that I've been thinking about this, but players who can get on the field every day and score 100 runs, how many guys do that? Johnny just plays, and he's got the body type that allows him to do that. If stem-cell research were around, you'd want to tap into that gene pool. He's (35), but has a 30-year-old's body. He plays much younger."
The newspaper noted Damon is only the fifth player in major league history to play in at least 140 games for 14 consecutive seasons. Damon's future remains unclear in New York, as does that of DH Hideki Matsui, who also will become a free agent this offseason. It is doubtful both will return to the Yankees.
Damon hit .282 with 107 runs scored and 82 RBIs, and he tied a career-high with 24 homers in the 2009 regular season.
Dodgers turn to Padilla to extend season
When the Dodgers signed righthander Vicente Padilla in August for a prorated share of the major league minimum, they probably did not anticipate that their season would rest on his shoulders in October.
With the Dodgers trailing the Phillies 3-1 in the NLCS, Padilla will start Game 5 on Wednesday, Dodgers manager Joe Torre told the Los Angeles Times after Monday's Game 4 loss. Padilla will be opposed by Phillies lefthander Cole Hamels, who won Game 1 despite allowing four earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.
Related LinksIn two starts this postseason, Padilla, released by the Rangers prior to agreeing to a deal with L.A., has allowed only one earned run in 14 1/3 innings. He threw 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball in Game 2 against the Phillies but settled for a no-decision in the Dodgers' win.
With Padilla moving up to the Game 5 start, Dodgers lefthander Clayton Kershaw is expected to start a Game 6 (if that game is necessary). Kershaw started the series opener but was hit hard (five earned runs on four hits and five walks in 4 2/3 innings).
What We Learned: Starters steady themselves
Three things we learned watching the Philadelphia Phillies come back to beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 in Game 3 of the NLCS on Monday:
Dodgers starter Randy Wolf rights himself after a shaky beginning.
1. It's all about the next pitch. Both starters flashed moments of confidence and moments of carelessness. Phillies starter Joe Blanton retired the first 10 batters he faced Monday but then gave up three hits and a pair of walks in a fourth inning he'd rather forget. "I really started rushing," he said. "I'd been in the windup all game, and got in the stretch and started rushing way too much." He persevered, though, and finished six innings before the Phillies turned to their bullpen.
Randy Wolf, on the other hand, gave up a single and a home run, to Ryan Howard, in the first inning to put his team in a 2-0 hole. He didn't panic, though, and retired 14 of the next 15 Philadelphia batters before running into trouble in the sixth. "Wolf had his good stuff tonight," Howard said. "He was mixing his pitches, working inside and out. Very sneaky." And he was in line for the win until Jimmy Rollins' heroics in the bottom of the ninth.
2. Finish the job. The Phillies have so much momentum right now that they could probably split the Liberty Bell clean in half with a lowered shoulder and a bit of a running start. Confidence and emotions are at an all-time high after a blowout victory in Game 3 and a thrilling comeback win in Game 4 to grab a 3-1 advantage in the NLCS. The goal now, with a day off before their chance to clinch their second consecutive National League pennant, is maintaining focus. "We've still got to finish that last game," Shane Victorino said.
In the other clubhouse, don't tell the Dodgers the odds. "We can't be trying to figure out percentages because that wouldn't work on our behalf," manager Joe Torre said, "so we have to go out there and play baseball and win one ballgame. That's what we need to do. One ballgame and we go home." He meant that as, win one ballgame and go back home to L.A. for Game 6. Could also be interpreted, though, as lose one ballgame and go home for the winter.
3. Battle of the bullpens. The Phillies' bullpen took its share of criticism heading into the postseason, and it hasn't been perfect. But so far, it has been good enough. "I really think we have the best bullpen in baseball when we're doing our thing," closer Brad Lidge said. "That's what we felt last year, and that's what we feel right now." The Phillies used four relievers to shut out the Dodgers over the last three innings.
Related Links
The Dodgers had what was generally considered the best bullpen in the NL, but their closer, Jonathan Broxton couldn't seal the deal Monday. "It's one of those things," Torre said. "They're a very tough lineup to go through. You try to be careful. He almost dug himself out of that last inning."Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com.
Walking tall on walkoffs
The Phillies were down to their last out when Jimmy Rollins smoked a two-run double with two outs in the ninth to beat the Dodgers 5-4. Dodgers closer Jonathan Broxton allowed a one-out walk and hit a batter to set up Rollins' heroics.
Why the Phillies should be confident: They're up 3-1 and have the hottest hitter in the postseason, Ryan Howard, on their side. Howard hit his second homer of the series and reached base for the 17th consecutive playoff game going back to 2008.
There's still work to do: The Phillies have one more game to close out the series before it would return to Los Angeles.
Wednesday in Philadelphia: After a day off, veteran Vicente Padilla will try to keep the Dodgers' season alive. He will face left-hander Cole Hamels.
Angels catcher Jeff Mathis didn't start the game but he finished it by lining a walk-off double to left-center with two outs in the 11th inning. "The biggest hit of my life," Mathis said after the 5-4 victory. The Yankees built a 3-0 lead before the Angels rallied to hand the Yankees their first loss of the postseason.
Why the Angels can be confident: They've got two more games at home and played much sharper in the Southern California warmth than they did in New York. The Angels, however, ran into two outs on the bases.
There's still work to do: The Yankees own a 2-1 lead and the Angels have yet to figure a way to retire Alex Rodriguez. He hit his second home run of the series and has driven in at least one run in all six of his postseason games.
Related Links
Tonight in Anaheim: The Angels will try to even the series with lefty Scott Kazmir, acquired from Tampa Bay in part because of his success against the Yankees (2.21 ERA in the past two seasons). Game 1 winner CC Sabathia, working on three days' rest, will start for New York.
This story appears in Oct. 20's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free.
Comeback? Never a doubt in these Phillies' minds
PHILADELPHIA — A baseball lifetime ago, Jimmy Rollins was sitting in the visitors' clubhouse in St. Louis talking about what his Phillies needed.
Yes, Jimmy Rollins, your Phillies do have that swag. They think they can beat anyone.
This was long before Rollins delivered the two-out, game-winning double Monday night, the extra-base hit that lifted his Phillies to a 5-4 victory over the Dodgers and put them a win away from the opportunity to defend their World Series championship. No, the Jimmy Rollins in the visitors' clubhouse on that sweltering August day in St. Louis had just three playoff games under his belt—all losses, to the Rockies the year before—but a firm grasp of what he considered the essential element to winning in the postseason.
Swag.
Yep, swag. Confidence. A belief in yourself and your teammates. Rollins knew his team had the talent. They needed swag. At that point in their development as a unit, they needed to eliminate the excuses. "When you've got swag, it's 'They got away from us today' or 'They pulled it out just in time' or 'We just missed a couple of pitches' or 'If we could have just found the hole here,' " he said with an earnest look in his eye. "But without swag, it's 'We couldn't hold them here' or 'We couldn't get a big hit' ... you see that? It's the same thing, but your mindset is different, the way you think about that."
Well, these Phillies have swag. No doubt about that. And thanks to that swag, they also have a commanding 3-1 lead in the NLCS. Facing a one-run deficit with one out in the ninth inning against one of the best closers in baseball, Jonathan Broxton, a guy who had already pumped in a couple of fastballs at 101 mph, the Phillies never flinched.
Veteran Matt Stairs, whose sole on-field role with this team is to be a left-handed power hitter off the bench, strode to the plate as memories of his dramatic home run off Broxton in last year's NLCS Game 4 flashed across the masses at Citizens Bank Park. "I had stood there all day, thinking about that situation against him as something that could happen," Stairs said. "I stood in that batter's box and felt very comfortable."
Broxton wasn't comfortable. At all.
He walked Stairs on four pitches, and then hit Carlos Ruiz with his next pitch to put two runners on with one out. Even after Greg Dobbs lined out, in the Phillies' dugout it had become a matter of trying to guess how they would win instead of hoping they would.
"We were on the bench trying to visualize where (Rollins) might hit it," said closer Brad Lidge, who had snuffed out a potential Dodgers' rally with two ninth-inning strikeouts, "and to see it actually happen was pretty amazing."
Rollins was 1-for-4 in the game and 1-for-4 in his career against Broxton. Rollins turned on a 1-1 pitch—a 99-mph fastball—and drove a double into the gap in right-center that chased Andre Ether all the way to the wall. That was enough to chase Ruiz, who isn't normally a speedster, all the way home from first without so much as a play at the plate.
Ryan Howard, who was the first one to reach Rollins to start the celebration pile, couldn't remember the last time he saw Ruiz move that fast. "I don't know," he said with a smile. "Maybe spring training? Maybe."
What he did know for sure was that his team was one win away from another trip to the World Series.
This story appears in Oct. 20's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com.
Girardi too smart for his own good in Game 3
ANAHEIM, Calif. -- In the movie Bull Durham, one line defines the essence of baseball: "You throw the ball, you catch the ball, you hit the ball."
A simple game, right?
Jerry Hairston Jr., one of the pawns in Joe Girardi's late-inning chess match with himself, can't track down Jeff Mathis' game-winning double in the 11th.Well, Joe Girardi made Game 3 of the ALCS on Monday afternoon at Angel Stadium anything but simple. With an abundance of moves, the Yankees manager complicated things so much that he may well have cost his team a victory. Instead of having a (nearly) insurmountable 3-0 lead over the Angels, the Yankees now have a series on their hands at least for a day.
One move in particular was so confusing that explaining it will take awhile:
It starts with Yankees left fielder Johnny Damon, whose weak throwing arm is no secret to anyone who watched the Angels exploit him for a run in Game 2. When the Angels put the winning run on third in the 10th inning of Game 3, Girardi made the unusual move of removing his left fielder during an inning.
First problem: This replacement, Jerry Hairston Jr., already was serving as the Yankees' designated hitter. When a team inserts its DH in the field, it forfeits its DH for the rest of the game, which results in the pitcher being inserted into the batting order (The rule prevents teams from flopping their DH with position players during the game).
Unfortunately for the Yankees, the pitcher in the game wasn't any pitcher. This was Mariano Rivera.
Rivera had entered the game after Jeff Mathis doubled to lead off the 10th. Rivera actually made a mistake that could have ended the game when he botched a throw to third when the Angels tried to sacrifice over Mathis. But Mathis did not take advantage of the overthrow and stayed on third.
Rivera would not make another miscue. He escaped the first-and-third, no-out situation by inducing three grounders (Mathis probably could have scored on one of them but that's another story). The last two hitters Rivera retired were the third and fourth hitters in the Angels' lineup, Torii Hunter and Vlad Guerrero. Neither hit the ball to the left side of the field, much less left field.
Now it's the top of the 11th and Rivera is due to hit third. After the first two Yankees are retired, Girardi -- who already has gone through four other relievers -- pinch-hits for Rivera. The pinch hitter, third-string catcher Francisco Cervelli, strikes out without making contact.
On to the bottom of the 11th. With Rivera no longer an option, Girardi turned to young David Robertson, who quickly retired Juan Rivera and Kendry Morales. Girardi then complicated the situation again by bringing in another reliever, Alfredo Aceves. He promptly gave up a single to Howie Kendrick and a double to Mathis. Game over.
Girardi defended the Damon/Rivera/Cervelli move by saying Rivera would not have pitched the 11th, anyway. He threw 17 pitches in the 10th and the plan was to use him for only one inning.
"Now if it's a save situation, may be a different story," Girardi said at his postgame news conference, adding that if the Yankees had scored before Rivera's turn to bat, his closer would have stayed in and hit.
"I didn't feel that I could stretch him out any further because of what we did the other day with him," Girardi said. The other day, Rivera threw 25 pitches. Rivera had thrown more than 17 pitches in 27 appearances so far this year.
Angels leadoff hitter Chone Figgins did not realize Rivera was done. "I thought he was going back out there," Figgins said. "But stuff got so hectic. I didn't realize they pinch-hit for him. I saw Damon (leave the game). Usually you see changes on the scoreboard but we were hitting (when Damon left) so we didn't see it."
Hectic, indeed. The game included six homers, 12 pitching changes, at least three Angels baserunning gaffes and Rivera's bad throw.
At any rate, the Angels certainly weren't disappointed to see Robertson. "I don't care what they do as long as we don't see Mariano," Hunter said.
Now with new life, the Angels will start a fully rested Scott Kazmir in tonight's Game 4. Over the past two seasons, the lefty has a 2.21 ERA against New York.
Girardi will start CC Sabathia on short rest, a move that for most teams has not worked that well in recent postseasons. Maybe Girardi just doesn't like to do things the simple way.
This story appears in Oct. 20's edition of Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
MLB playoff schedule
New York vs. Minnesota
Wednesday, Oct. 7
New York 7, Minnesota 2
Friday, Oct. 9
New York 4, Minnesota 3, 11 innings
Sunday, Oct. 11
New York 4, Minnesota 1 | New York wins series 3-0
___
Los Angeles Angels vs. Boston
Thursday, Oct. 8
Los Angeles 5, Boston 0
Friday, Oct. 9
Los Angeles 4, Boston 1
Sunday, Oct. 11
Los Angeles 7, Boston 6 | Los Angeles wins series 3-0
___
National League (All times Eastern; all games on TBS)Los Angeles Dodgers vs. St. Louis
Wednesday, Oct. 7
Los Angeles 5, St. Louis 3
Thursday, Oct. 8
Los Angeles 3, St. Louis 2
Saturday, Oct. 10
Los Angeles 5, St. Louis 1 | Los Angeles wins series 3-0
___
Philadelphia vs. Colorado
Wednesday, Oct. 7
Philadelphia 5, Colorado 1
Thursday, Oct. 8
Colorado 5, Philadelphia 4
Sunday, Oct. 11
Philadelphia 6, Colorado 5
Monday, Oct. 12
Philadelphia 5, Colorado 4 | Philadelphis wins series 3-1
___
LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES American League (All times Eastern; all games on FOX)Friday, Oct. 16
New York 4, Los Angeles 1
Saturday, Oct. 17
New York 4, Los Angeles 3, 13 innings
Monday, Oct. 19
Los Angeles 5, New York 4, 11 innings | New York leads series 2-1
Tuesday, Oct. 20
New York (Sabathia) at Los Angeles (Kazmir), 7:57 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 22
New York at Los Angeles, 7:57 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24
Los Angeles at New York, if necessary, 4:13 or 8:07 p.m.
Sunday, Oct. 25
Los Angeles at New York, if necessary, 8:20 p.m.
___
National League (All times eastern; all games on TBS)Thursday, Oct. 15
Philadelphia 8, Los Angeles 6
Friday, Oct. 16
Los Angeles 2, Philadelphia 1
Sunday, Oct. 18
Philadelphia 11, Los Angeles 0
Monday, Oct. 19
Philadelphia 5, Los Angeles 4 | Philadelphia leads series 3-1
Wednesday, Oct. 21
Los Angeles (Kershaw or Padilla) at Philadelphia (Hamels), 8:07 p.m.
Friday, Oct. 23
Philadelphia at Los Angeles, if necessary, 8:07 p.m.
Saturday, Oct. 24
Philadelphia at Los Angeles, if necessary, 8:07 p.m.
___
WORLD SERIES (All games on FOX)Wednesday, Oct. 28
National League at American League, (n)
Thursday, Oct. 29
NL at AL, (n)
Saturday, Oct. 31
AL at NL, (n)
Sunday, Nov. 1
AL at NL, (n)
Monday, Nov. 2
AL at NL, if necessary, (n)
Wednesday, Nov. 4
NL at AL, if necessary, (n)
Thursday, Nov. 5
NL at AL, if necessary, (n)
What We Learned: Ryan Howard is locked in
What we learned from Philadelphia's 11-0 drubbing of Los Angeles in Game 3 of the NLCS. Ryan Howard has at least one RBI in all seven of Philadelphia's playoff games.
1. Ryan Howard is sealing up the holes in his swing. The home runs have always come easy for Howard, Philadelphia's slugging first baseman. Few players in baseball can match his raw power. But there has been this lingering perception that he could be pitched to when it mattered most—and his propensity to strike out in massive numbers were all the ammunition his critics needed. Then his early postseason results backed up that thought; he had just two RBIs and a .200 batting average in his first 10 playoff games. In his 14 games since then, though, he's batted .364 and become an RBI machine. In the 2009 playoffs alone, he has 12 RBIs in 26 at-bats, a staggering number that's easily the best in the postseason.
"Ryan's just a big-game player," Jayson Werth said. "He drives in a ton of runs every year, and he always comes on strong late in the year. And, if you're going to pick when you'll play good, you're going to choose down the stretch and in the postseason. Ryan's been pretty true to form."
2. Familiar ground. The Dodgers have been here before. After losing Game 1 to the Phillies, they faced a must-win situation knowing a loss and a 2-0 deficit heading to Philadelphia would be, shall we say, unfavorable. It's a nearly identical situation; win or face a two-game gap.
But the Dodgers aren't looking at it like that.
"It's really more about us getting wins than what they have," right fielder Andre Ethier said. "When we get wins, we get closer to achieving our goal."
The task of trying to corral a Philadelphia lineup that knocked Game 3 starter Hiroki Kuroda out after getting just four outs falls to Randy Wolf. He started Game 1 of the NLDS against the Cardinals, but didn't survive the fourth inning. That struggle, in part, led manager Joe Torre to move him back to Game 4 against the Phillies, where he will start a game that, really, is more important than the opener considering the situation. Related Links
3. A loss is a loss is a loss. This game was essentially decided about 45 minutes after Cliff Lee's 92-mph fastball opened the game with strike one to Rafael Furcal. Quite the contrast from Game 2 of the ALCS, where it took the Yankees 5 hours and 10 minutes to defeat the Angels in 13 innings. Which type of loss is more devastating?
"These games, you don't toss and turn wondering, if I had made this move or that move," Torre said. "This is one you can put away a lot quicker even though it's a lot uglier than most."
Then, there's the other side of the coin. "You're losing for a lot longer time this way," Ethier said. "It's still tough to take."
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com.
Phillies have their pick of heroes in Game 3 romp
PHILADELPHIA—The song blaring over the speaker system was either an eerie coincidence or the work of a rather devious employee at Citizens Bank Park.
Cliff Lee dominated with eight shutout innings, but he wasn't Philly's only heroThe Dodgers were in the middle of a second-inning pitching change—that should tell you something—and Bon Jovi's classic "Livin' on a Prayer" was drawing out the best karaoke stylings of the mostly red-clad sellout crowd of 45,721. By the end of that second inning—which took three Dodgers pitchers to finish—the hometown team had a commanding 6-0 lead and starter Cliff Lee was engaging the cruise control that would take Philadelphia to a convincing 11-0 victory in Game 3 of the NLCS.
If not for a Game 2 collapse by the Phillies' bullpen, the Dodgers would be staring at a nearly insurmountable 3-0 deficit in their drive for a World Series berth. As it stands, they're down 2-1 and the series is far from over, though the Phillies have a chokehold on the all-powerful momentum that has decided many a Fall Classic spot. On Sunday, it was hard to pick a hero for Philadelphia from so many options, and that's one of the reasons it's hard to find a reason to expect the Dodgers to mount a comeback in the series.
Lee was dominating on Sunday, allowing just three hits and no walks to go with 10 strikeouts in eight shutout innings. "He threw us some pitches to hit, but sometimes with his delivery and how aggressive he is, I think he comes at you quick, and sometimes it startles the hitters where they're not quite ready to hit," Dodgers manager Joe Torre said. "You know, he knows what to do with the lead."
Ryan Howard had three RBIs and flashed his speed with a triple.
"(It was) full-out panic going around second base," Howard said with a smile. "No, I mean, it was a lot of fun. I saw where the ball was. I saw where (right fielder Andre) Ethier was. It was one of those things where I had to make my mind up if this is going to happen or not. So once I hit second, it was pretty much going full bore."
Jayson Werth punctuated the Phillies' four-run first inning with a rocket shot of a home run straight into the teeth of the wind that was blowing hard in from center field.
"With Cliff on the mound, that was probably all we needed for the whole game," Werth said. "But we were able to pack on some more." Related Links
Carlos Ruiz had two more hits and an RBI; Pedro Feliz had an RBI triple; Shane Victorino had a three-run homer to cap the blowout win in the eighth.
"When you're hitting in this lineup," Howard said after the game, "you've got guys like Chase (Utley), Jayson Werth, Raul (Ibanez), Shane, Jimmy (Rollins), Cliff, when you've got guys like that in this lineup, it makes things a lot easier."
And it makes things a whole lot scarier for the Dodgers.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com.
What We Learned: A-Rod is automatic
What we learned from the New York Yankees' Game 2 victory over the Los Angeles Angels in the ALCS:
David Robertson was the Yankees' seventh reliever and earned the victory.1. A-Rod is becoming automatic. For a player with a checkered playoff history, Alex Rodriguez is making his presence felt this postseason. His leadoff home run off Angels closer Brian Fuentes in the 11th inning was his third of the postseason, and all three have tied the game in the late innings.
"I know you guys are probably looking for something profound," said A-Rod, who is 7-for-19 this postseason and has driven in eight runs. "I mean, I'm just in a good place. I'm seeing the ball and hitting it. I mean, that's about it."
2. Yankees bullpen delivers. Manager Joe Girardi reached deep into his bullpen, sending seven relievers to the mound, trotting out Phil Coke, Joba Chamberlain, Phil Hughes, Mariano Rivera, Alfredo Aceves, Damaso Marte and David Robertson in relief of starter A.J. Burnett, who gave up two runs in 6 1/3 innings.
Aceves surrendeed the only run on a RBI single by Chone Figgins in the 11th inning. Rivera did yeoman's duty, surrendering only one hit in going a longer than usual 2 1/3 innings. And Robertson earned the victory with 1 1/3 innings of work. "I told Derek (Jeter) I was starting to run out of bullets," Girardi said.
3. Home sweet for Angels. Rest assured that Anaheim will never look better to the Angels than when they arrive back for Game 3 on Monday. The normally sure-handed club, which made a franchise low 85 errors in the regular season, made five in two games at cold and damp Yankee Stadium. Those miscues figure to go away at what promises to be warm and sunny Angels Stadium.
Related LinksThey also can take comfort in their 4-2 record against the Yankees at Angels Stadium, and in Game 3 starter Jered Weaver. Weaver is 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA in three playoff starts, all against the Red Sox, including a 4-1 victory over Josh Beckett in Game 2 of this year's ALDS. "He was on top of those guys the whole way," Scioscia said. "Really was in a pitcher's count the whole night."
This story appears in Oct. 18's Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free.
Bill Eichenberger is a staff writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at beichenberger@sportingnews.com.
Sloppy play, missed opportunities doom Angels to excruciating loss
NEW YORK – Playoff losses don't get any longer or more excruciating than this.
Maicer Izturis' throwing error led to the Yankees' game-winning run in the 13th inningAfter 5 hours and 10 minutes, 13 innings and more missed opportunities than they could recall, the Angels fell 4-3 to the Yankees in Game 2 of the ALCS Saturday night to fall behind 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
That the loss came on a throwing error by second baseman Maicer Izturis on an attempted force play at second base that allowed Jerry Hairston Jr. to score from second only made it that much more difficult to take.
"I think he was trying to make too much of that play," Angels manager Mike Scioscia said of Izturis, who was trying to turn a double play on a grounder by Melky Cabrera. "If we get an out on any base, we're in good shape. Izzy just tried to do too much."
The Angels lost despite a stellar effort by starter Joe Saunders, who limited the Yankees to two runs on six hits in seven innings. They lost despite some excellent work by four relievers who limited the Yankees to two runs in 5 1/3 innings. They they lost despite a clutch RBI single by Chone Figgins in the top of the 11th that gave them a 3-2 lead.
But they did lose in part because of the failure of Vladimir Guerrero to come through in the clutch, failing to drive in runs twice with the bases loaded and once with runners on second and third and going 3 for 15 as a team with runners in scoring position.
"We did a lot of good things out there," Scioscia said "Unfortunately, one of them wasn't hitting with runners in scoring position. And that's eventually what hurt us." Related Links
When they did get Figgins' clutch single in the 11th, his first hit of the postseason, they were not able to hold that lead, as closer Brian Fuentes left an 0-2 fastball over the plate that Alex Rodriguez deposited into the first row of the right-field stands to tie the score at 3.
"Brian was trying to elevate a fastball," Scioscia said. "But he didn't get it quite up enough."
Despite the heartbreaking defeat that saw the Angels use five pitchers, including Ervin Santana, who took the loss, Scioscia said all is not lost for his team. "I'm encouraged by what I saw on the field. I thought we pitched really well. And for the most part we made plays, notwithstanding the last play of the game."
As for the lack of clutch hitting, Scioscia said he is confident that will come. "We're not getting it done in the batter's box right now. But these guys can turn it right very quickly."
This story appears in Oct. 18's Sporting News Today. If you are not receiving Sporting News Today, the only daily digital sports newspaper, sign up today for free.
Bill Eichenberger is a staff writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at beichenberger@sportingnews.com.
Red Sox's Wakefield to have back surgery Wednesday
According to The Boston Globe, Red Sox righthander Tim Wakefield will have back surgery Wednesday.
Assuming the surgery is a success, the team is expected to pick up its $4 million option on the knuckleballer for the 2010 season. Doctors believe the 43-year-old should be fully recovered by spring training.
General manager Theo Epstein told the newspaper that the Red Sox will use Wakefield as a starter if he is ready to return.
"We haven't sat down and finalized anything," Epstein told The Boston Globe. "Obviously, we want to see how the surgery goes and then both sides will sit down and talk."
Wakefield went 11-3 with a 4.31 ERA in 17 first-half starts this season and made his first All-Star team. However, he battled back problems throughout the second half of the season, starting just four times (0-2, 6.00 ERA) after July 8. He wasn't included on Boston's ALDS roster.
Braves' McCann has second Lasik procedure
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports Braves catcher Brian McCann had a second Lasik eye surgery Friday.
Early in the 2009 season, McCann battled dry eyes and blurred vision because of his contacts. He hit only .195 in April and needed a stint on the disabled list. When eye drops didn't work effectively, he chose to wear glasses while playing.
McCann hit .281 with 21 homers and a career-high 94 RBIs in 138 games this season and made his fourth All-Star team.
His previous Lasik procedure was done in 2007.
Blanton likely to get Game 4 start for Phillies
The Philadelphia Daily News speculated righthander Joe Blanton will get the start in Game 4 of the NLCS on Monday. Game 3 is Sunday.
Blanton, who made 31 starts in the regular season, has pitched exclusively in relief thus far in the postseason. In two appearances in the NLDS (3 2/3 innings), the righthander allowed two earned runs and a homer.
Blanton said he will be ready if called upon. "I'm not rusty," he told the newspaper. "Two-hundred innings into the year, for the most part you are either there or you are not."
Rookie lefthander J.A. Happ, another starter-turned-reliever in the playoffs, also is a candidate to get the Game 4 start, according to the Philadelphia Daily News.
Marlins reportedly wanted to hire Valentine in June
The Palm Beach Post reports Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria wanted to fire manager Fredi Gonzalez in June and replace him with Bobby Valentine.
Valentine was linked to the Marlins in September when Loria talked with the former Texas Rangers and New York Mets manager about a position in the organization.
Loria and Gonzalez are meeting this week in Paris. The Post speculates the get-together is designed to iron out differences.
Valentine tried to deflect the Gonzalez matter during a radio interview with a Miami radio station Friday. He was complimentary of Gonzalez and sidestepped questions about whether he and Loria spoke. The Post says Valentine confirmed to the newspaper that a meeting had taken place.
Valentine recently returned to the U.S. after a successful stint managing in Japan. He is working as a studio analyst for ESPN, but has been linked to managerial openings in Cleveland and Washington.
With Jaramillo out, Pudge may bolt Rangers, too
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram speculates that catcher Ivan Rodriguez will choose not to re-sign with the Texas Rangers now that longtime hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo has decided not to return.
According to the newspaper, Rodriguez planned to work with Jaramillo during the offseason and was interested in returning to Texas because of Jaramillo.
Rodriguez hit .245 with two homers and 13 RBIs after his trade from the Houston Astros to the Rangers this season.
For Twin Cities, Vikes, Twins double the pleasure in 24 hours
MINNEAPOLIS — It's a grand time to be a Twin Cities sports fan. In case you've been walking aimlessly in a hallucinatory state for the past 10 days, let's catch you up on what's been happening at the Metrodome.
Over in St. Paul, fans at the Minnesota Wild NHL game Tuesday are glued to the TV and the Twins game.First, Brett Favre throws a 32-yard pass to Greg Lewis, who makes an impossibly balletic catch in the back of the end zone as the Vikings beat the 49ers. On Monday night, Favre passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns against the Packers, his former team, as the Vikings stay undefeated.
Then, about 24 hours later, the Twins beat the Tigers in a one-game tiebreaker that had all the ingredients of a 12-round heavyweight championship prize fight. By winning, 6-5, in a game that lasted 12 innings and more than 4 1/2 hours, Minnesota captured the AL Central title and the right to meet the Yankees in the opening round of the playoffs.
"Unbelievable," said winning pitcher Bobby Keppel, the last of eight pitchers used by manager Ron Gardenhire. "An instant classic. They'll be watching this game for years to come."
After a 162-game season, the Twins finished in a tie with the Tigers, who had owned or shared the AL Central lead since May. So they had to play a 163rd game to determine the winner. Then, 163 turned into No. 164 as the two teams went back and forth, matching timely hit for timely hit and necessary defensive play for necessary defensive play before heading into extra innings.
The 54,088 fans—the largest regular-season crowd in Metrodome history—weren't the only ones who felt their hearts jump up into their throats throughout the night. The players were experiencing similar emotions.
"Like a roller coaster," said Twins first baseman Michael Cuddyer. "I'm glad I didn't eat much lunch, because I probably would have lost it."
Many fingerprints were left on this memorable game. For the Tigers, Miguel Cabrera and Magglio Ordonez each hit home runs, starting pitcher Rick Porcello struck out eight and allowed only two runs in 5 2/3 innings and closer Fernando Rodney pitched his way out of a couple of sticky situations before giving up the winning hit. For the Twins, Orlando Cabrera and Jason Kubel homered, closer Joe Nathan pitched out of some jams and Keppel gained his first major league victory.
But the decisive moment featured a player who started the game on the bench, entered it as a pinch runner and then drove in the game-winner with a one-out single in the 12th.
"I was ready for it," Alexi Casilla said. "I told (Jose) Morales in the first inning, even though I wasn't playing, 'Hey, Morales, I'm going to be the hero tonight.' That's what I told him. I was feeling it."
After the game, the Twins' clubhouse felt and looked like a college frat house gone bonkers as players took turns spraying and pouring champagne on each other. They had to be operating on giddy adrenaline given the emotional experience they had been through in the last month. They won 16 of their final 20 games, including the last four, to force the tiebreaker.
As if that wasn't enough, they were forced to endure one more emotional battle.
"I can hardly stand up. It's like I've got jelly legs," said Keppel, who briefly escaped the celebration by stepping into a video room adjacent to the clubhouse.
"We thought we won the game three times, we thought we lost the game three times. They had runners on third numerous times with less than two outs. Nathan came up huge, (Matt) Guerrier got a big out. You name a guy on this team—what a contribution. What a team effort.
"I grew up a Cardinals fan and saw highlights of the Twins doing this same thing in here in '87. Here I am now celebrating in the Metrodome 22 years later. Celebrating with the good guys, the team that won. Champagne flowing. Amazing. Let's go to New York," Keppel said.
The Twins had only a short time to celebrate. Late Tuesday night, they boarded a charter for New York, where they will meet the Yankees in the opening game of their AL Division Series tonight. They'll have to recapture their energy quickly against a team they failed to beat in seven games this season.
A year ago, the Twins lost a tiebreaker for the AL Central title when Jim Thome's homer lifted the White Sox to a 1-0 win in Chicago. "It was a very, very sour feeling," Cuddyer recalled. "Tonight was the exact opposite. It was a great feeling."
For athletes and fans alike, it's a grand time right now in the Twin Cities.
Dennis Dillon is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at ddillon@sportingnews.com.
Triple play day: Twins are in as postseason begins coast to coast
LOS ANGELES -- The Twins got a 12th-inning walkoff hit from Alexi Casilla to beat the Tigers, 6-5, and clinch the AL Central on Tuesday. Minnesota completed MLB's eight-team playoff field with little time to spare before today's tripleheader.
AMERICAN LEAGUEMariano Rivera is rested and ready to add to his postseason legend. Yankees vs. Twins
Game 1: Tonight, 6:07 p.m.
Yankees' edge: The Yankees have home-field advantage, as well as seven players with at least 20 homers, led by $180 million man Mark Teixeira (39). Lefthander CC Sabathia, another big-money acquisition, finished with 19 wins. And incomparable closer Mariano Rivera still lurks.
Twins' edge: Their rotation is thin, their bullpen is exhausted and their former MVP, Justin Morneau, is out. But the Twins have momentum after winning 17 of their final 21 games to overtake the Tigers. They also have batting champ Joe Mauer and one of the game's top closers, Joe Nathan.
Prediction: Yankees in three.
Angels vs. Red Sox
Game 1: Thursday, 9:37 p.m.
Angels' edge: Manager Mike Scioscia's guided Los Angeles through early-season tragedy to another A.L. West crown. The Angels boast a lineup that includes seven batters who hit at least .293 and a pitching staff that posted a 3.02 ERA after August.
Red Sox's edge: No team has a better mix of power hitting and power pitching. Boston has eight players with at least 14 homers and eight pitchers with 95 mph-plus fastballs. Its bullpen could be the playoffs'best with closer Jonathan Papelbon and a setup crew led by Billy Wagner.
Prediction: Red Sox in five.
Phillies vs. Rockies
Game 1: Today, 2:37 p.m.
Phillies' edge: The defending champs overcame Brad Lidge's season-long struggles to win their third consecutive N.L. East title. Ryan Howard finished with 45 homers and 141 RBIs, and Chase Utley, Raul Ibanez and Jayson Werth all hit at least 30 homers.
Rockies' edge: Troy Tulowitzki led Colorado to an N.L.-best 74-42 record after Jim Tracy took over as manager. The team also got a breakout second half from No. 1 starter Ubaldo Jimenez. "He's one of those guys that are going to be the next generation of great pitchers," says TBS analyst Ron Darling.
Prediction: Phillies in four.
Cardinals vs. Dodgers
Game 1: Tonight, 9:37 p.m.
Cardinals' edge: Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday form the game's most potent righthanded 3-4 punch, so the offense could break out against Los Angeles, which lacks a true No. 1 starter. The Cardinals feature two No. 1s in Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright.
Dodgers' edge: Manny Ramirez had help from a lineup that includes emerging outfielders Matt Kemp and Andre Either. "Real game-changers," Cardinals manager Tony La Russa said. With closer Jonathan Broxton and setup man George Sherrill, L.A. shouldn't lose many late leads—if it can get them.
Prediction: Cardinals in four.
Stan McNeal is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at smcneal@sportingnews.com.
ALDS matchup: Yankees vs. Twins
Congrats for winning the AL Central, Minnesota. A most impressive comeback from seven games back in the division. Your reward is a short series against the best team in baseball, the first American League team to win as many as 103 games since 2003. Good luck with that, eh? If nothing else, that "Central champs" banner will look spiffy on display in your new stadium next season.
What to watchBig Mo. As in momentum for the Twins, and as in Mariano "Mo" Rivera for the Yankees. The Twins completed their frantic push toward the playoffs with a 12-inning victory against the Tigers in a one-game playoff (er, sorry, Game 163 of the regular season); how will that affect them? Are they feeling invincible right now, or are they exhausted? Speaking of invincible, the Twins had better hope they have a lead late because Mr. Invincible, Rivera (and his career 0.77 postseason ERA), won't squander leads like the Tigers bullpen did Tuesday.
A-Rod won't be confused with Mr. October (that would be the guy on the left, Reggie Jackson), but he doesn't need to be great this October.A-Rod, always. The only pressure on Alex Rodriguez in this series will be the pressure he puts on himself (which will be considerable). The Yankees could probably drag any Joe Schmoe off the street, stick him in the cleanup spot and still march into the ALCS; that's how good this lineup is. It's the perfect situation for Rodriguez, who, contrary to popular belief, isn't a complete flop in the postseason. He's just a recent flop. In his first five playoff series as a starter, he totaled six homers and 14 RBIs and hit .313, .308, .409, .421 and .258. Seems like a long time ago, though. The Yankees were eliminated in the first round in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and Rodriguez was virtually non-existent in those 13 games. But these Yankees have a deeper lineup and superior pitching, and there's no need for A-Rod to panic if he strikes out a couple of times. Get him on track in the first round, and the Yankees become even more dangerous.
Mr. Mauer. On the other hand, the pressure that's off A-Rod's back is squarely on Mauer's shoulders. He hit just .182 in his only playoff series (in 2006, after he led the AL in batting average for the first time), and his primary power partner, 2006 AL MVP Justin Morneau, has been on the shelf the past few weeks. Michael Cuddyer and Jason Kubel have elevated their games in Morneau's absence, but tearing through the AL Central isn't quite the same thing as pounding Yankees pitching in the postseason. Mauer needs to be at his very best for the Twins to have any chance.
A.J. in NYC. The Yankees got pretty much what they must have expected out of the mercurial A.J. Burnett this season—flashes of brilliance and flashes of frustration. He struck out 195 batters, and he posted a 2.08 ERA through one 11-start stretch this summer, but he also walked 97 (tops in the AL) and threw 17 wild pitches (again, leading the league). And, he's making his postseason debut, in his 11th season in the majors. "When he is throwing his slider where he wants, no one can hit it," says former All-Star pitcher and TBS analyst Ron Darling. "He's got all the stuff; the key for him is he can get excitable. Sometimes I think that excitement works to his advantage but sometimes it works against him. Getting control of his emotions is going to be key."
Twins
CF Denard Span: Took a long time, but Span has developed into a good leadoff hitter
SS Orlando Cabrera: Hit .292 after the trade to Minnesota
C Joe Mauer: Led the AL in average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage
RF Jason Kubel: Hit .400 with four homers and 13 RBIs in past eight games
1B Michael Cuddyer: Hit 32 home runs in stellar bounce-back campaign
LF Delmon Young: Hasn't come close to star status, but .284 average isn't bad
DH Jose Morales: Hit .336 for Class AAA Rochester, .316 for the Twins this year
3B Matt Tolbert: Hit .328 after return from minors in early September
2B Nick Punto: Hit .206 as a shortstop, .255 as a second baseman
SP LHP Brian Duensing: Rotation is spent; rookie lefty with nine career starts is best option
Yankees
SS Derek Jeter: Has hit .333 or better in 14 of his 25 career postseason series
LF Johnny Damon: Matched career high with 24 homers this season
1B Mark Teixeira: Led AL in RBIs, total bases and extra-base hits
3B Alex Rodriguez: Yankees were two games under .500 before his debut May 8
DH Hideki Matsui: More HRs (15 to 13) and better OPS (.949 to .816) on the road
C Jorge Posada: More HRs (14 to 8) and better OPS (1.013 to .760) at home
2B Robinson Cano: Topped 100 runs, 200 hits and 20 homers for the first time
RF Nick Swisher: Led the Yankees in walks (97) and strikeouts (126)
CF Melky Cabrera: Hit .298 batting seventh, .238 batting eighth, .317 batting ninth
SP LHP CC Sabathia: Has a 7.92 ERA, 2.20 WHIP in five career playoff starts
Season series: Yankees won, 7-0
Offense: The 2009 Yankees set a franchise record with 244 homers. The Twins have been playing very well lately, but not having Justin Morneau in the lineup hurts. Edge: Yankees
Pitching: The Yankees' rotation is rested and the bullpen is anchored by the greatest postseason closer of all time. The Twins' bullpen isn't rested; neither is the rotation. Edge: Yankees
Defense: The Twins have made fewer errors than any other team in the postseason. Edge: Twins
Bench: Brett Gardner's speed will be a difference-maker at some point in the postseason, and Eric Hinske is a reliable bat off the bench. Edge: Yankees
Prediction: Yankees in three. They're clearly the superior team.
Ryan Fagan is a writer for Sporting News. E-mail him at rfagan@sportingnews.com.