great job. my only complaint is that i don't see how werth can be considered better than posada. if you just go off of recent postseason performance werth obviously has the edge, but then again he hasn't been facing very impressive pitching. and posada not only has his entire career backing him up, but also had a higher ops+ than werth this year. i think this should be at least even.

also, the yanks never played the wild card team.

This is awesome, Cliff. I've been waiting all week for this! (And how awesome was it to write one of these for the Serious?)

I wonder if we'll see any AL vs NL quality effects seep in, or if the small sample of the Serious will be enough to keep things close? I still say Yanks in 5, and that's really due to the league difference as much as it is anything else.

[1] I'm a big Werth fan. The guy is a monster and he crushes lefties, who will likely pitch five of the seven games for he Yankees. I've been talking up Werth since late last year in my various writing outlets and have yet to be proven wrong by him. He might be the most dangerous hitter in the Phillies' lineup in this series given Howard's struggles against lefties.

I'm getting worried about the prevailing view that Ryan Howard will not be dangerous against our lefties. For one thing, in his career he isn't terrible against southpaws -- this year is much worse than usual for him.
I dunno, it's probably just nerves on my part.

[3] fair enough, but he isn't facing just any lefties. he's 2/8 with 3 ks and 0 bbs against sabathia in his career (he hit 2 doubles against him in that nlds game last year) and 1/13 with 5 ks and 0 bbs against pettitte. we'll see, but i'm not terribly scared of him.

Thanks Cliff.

Sad that it's the last series analysis for the season, but it is for the World Series. I'll restate my prediction: Yankees in 7, with each team having a stink bomb of a game. Teix the MVP (he's been saving all those hits)

[5] Wait, the guy is slugging .500 against CC Sabathia and that's supposed to be bad? Sounds pretty damn good to me.
I do like the 0 BB part.

and with this it is officially serious day.
thanks cliff - good stuff.
i like that you view the lineups by batting order rather than position and then look by position for defense.

assuming girardi has a supply of green tea with him and manages to settle down a bit and not go for that blooming binder too much and yank the starter too soon - the yanks bp (though better than the phillies) should come into play far less than the phillies. lee is the only starter than can even think about giving them any length.

[7] i mean that sample is insane - but you could also say his obp is 250 and cc's k rate against is 375.
cc's stuff and howard's poorer outcomes against leftys should prevail - we shall see.

[3] I agree Cliff, Werth is a monster. What a great series this is on paper, Torre actually called it, when he forecasted a "street brawl", it's gonna be savage and I can't wait.

I also agree with [6] in that I expect Teix to have a huge series, you could see him gaining confidence as the LCS progressed. Now, if our young wonder twins in the pen can get into form that would be so nice.....

Yanks in 6

Who's your daddy, indeed.

[7] true, but both those doubles came in one of cc's worst starts of his career, the 4th consecutive on 3 days' rest. anyway, my real point is that sabathia and pettitte are better than the average lefty. and neither has had particular trouble with righty hitters in his career. pettitte has a cutter that bores in on a righty, and sabathia has a nasty changeup.

Third longest drought. 81-96 and 65-76 were longer than 5 years.

I really don't think it is "disrespectful" to be considered an underdog to this Yankee team, which is statistically very superior to the Phillies.

[3] I am also a big Werth fan, and even suggested that the Yankees make an attempt for him at the beginning of last year, but I don't think it is fair to call him a monster by any stretch.

jorgie after alex:

YANKEES
Jeter SS
Damon LF
Teixeira 1B
Rodriguez 3B
Posada C
Matsui DH
Cano 2B
Swisher RF
Cabrera CF

it has stopped raining and i can see sunlight trying ever so hard to appear.

[14] That's odd. I wonder why. Splits against Lee?

very very nice piece of hitting here, Cliff.

minor typo alert: you left off the L in Manuel. but bringing this to your attention is like telling Halle Berry the paint on her left pinky toenail has an ever so slight chip in it.

[15] matusi gets on base better, po slugs better:
po .286 .273 .667 .940
ma .294 .368 .412 .780

i think it has more to do with not wanting gardner or whomever might be in the lineup for matusi batting behind arod at the end of a game if matsui was lifted for a pr

[14] [15] Yeah, looks like it's their performance against Lee. Small Sample, obviously, but career (PA, AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS)

Posada 22 .286 .273 .667 .940
Matsui 19 .294 .368 .412 .780

Note that Jorgie has the rare AVG > OBP against Lee lifetime!

Oh, dang, beaten to the punch by Ms. Oct! Well, it's your month.

Note also that Po is just raking Lee this year...

But interesting point about possible pinch runner/defensive replacement. Although a PR for Po isn't out of the question either...

[0] Awesome, awesome post Cliff. Thanks!

[18] I think it has more to do with [17] as well as stacking more righties in the middle of the order against a lefty. That's the same strategy employed in game 6 of the ALCS. I prefer having Matsui in the 5-slot, especially now that you can use Hinske in his spot should you use a PR. If you run for Posada, you are now stuck with Molina behind Arod.

Posada hits after Alex because Joe won't be able to pull Matsui for a pinch runner if Alex loses his protection in the lineup. There won't be much incentive to Alex if Gardner is on deck.

Posada, on the other hand, is projected to stay in for 9 innings. Full-time protection.

Anyway, that's my take.

Sliced said it so well: nice piece of hitting indeed, Cliff.

As to weather, Ms. O, you're sure it's not raining?--'cause it continues to pour in New Haven. Cold and wet, all day.

You'd better not be getting my hopes up here, 'cause I'm certainly not expecting any baseball tonight.

[19] She's married to Dr. Octopus? I had no idea.

[19] haha - i don't know what i'll do next week though

[19] [21] i think with no cervelli girardi will be loathe to pr for po - it will be a situation he absolutely has to
i can't get the link to post at work for some reason - but damon's splits against lee are anemic, but other than robbie everyone else who will actually play are at least competent to very good

[23] i can assure you that it has stopped raining on 22nd street - though the glimmer of sunshine i saw a little while ago is gone

[22] i got the same take - albeit slower

[24] Ah, no, she's the Latin kind of "Oct", not the Greek kind.
Subtle difference.

[25] Oh, uh. How do I break this to you? We're going to replace you with Ms. Nov.
Sorry, someone should have told you earlier.

I'm getting antsy. Anyone going tonight?

I concur with Ms Oct. the rain is gone, but then again, so is the sun.

A nice side effect of this series is I stumbled on to this excellent blog. Like the analysis of the matchups. Full disclosure - lifelong Phillies fan. A few nits to pick. I think the Phils have the defensive edge and, one shouldn't count on another craptastic fielding performances a'la the Angels. The fielding gets better in your park with Francisco in left instead of Ibanez. Also, I disagree that Rollins took his struggles at the plate into the field. He was gold glove caliber all year long. Also, I would like to see the Sabbathia v. Lee matchup 3 times but, I don't think it's likely that Manuel will use Lee in game 4 - not unless they're down a game or 3. Expect Kentucky Joe Blanton in game 4.

[27] i have 8 arms though - so good luck

[28] me too especially now that it is almost quitting time -
going to miss the first hour or so though :{

[30] hi.
yeah we're not counting on a horrid defensive performance, but we'll take one throw on the back end of the dp sailing over howard's head though.

Jeter might meet up with another Lou Gehrig record: RS in the WS, lifetime. Jetes has 27, Lou 30.

Andy will move into sole possession of second place for WS games started with 12 (he's now tied with Mathewson and Hoyt). But Whitey Ford started 22, wow.

[23] It's been a bright sunny day since about 11 AM in DC and the weather has been moving your way. The clouds are starting to come back but the radar suggests that this six hour window should match up well for the game. knock on wood.

[30] A phil at the Banter! Close the gates!

[31] overstated it on the defense but, agree that an error or two could doom one team. If I had to bet, it would be one of the Phils' relievers trying to field a bunt that blows one. don't count on another misplay by our 2B, or that he won't put up some XBH's. Not the best glove guy but a real ballplayer - future hall of famer if he stays healthy.

[35] There's one thing we can agree on, your second baseman is awfully good.

[34] the last time we had a philly fan here it was a piece bruce did on abreu

[35] oh i know, wishful thinking (or maybe knoblauch transference) - utley is great and one of the top players in mlb

Hmmm. Hugh. Phils.
Phil Hughes.

More than just a coincidence????

[35] Enjoy the calm. It can get a bit f-balmy (bomby) during the game. : D I am super psyched.
[0] Great play.

Just thought I'd check in with a prediction fort the Series since I won't have time later. The Yankees have the edge in hitting, bench, frontline starting pitching, and bullpen; the Phillies have the edge in starting pitching depth and overall team speed.

I had the Yankees beating the Angels in six. Since the Phils are slightly better than the Halos, I'll go with the Yankees in seven.

I'd wager even money that Matsui takes the field at least once in this series. The advantages are immense short term and most of the disadvantages that ruled it out in the past were longer term. And we are starting to run out of Matsui longer term. An injection a day will get matsui to play!

Slate has a perceptive article about the one position at which the Phillies obviously have the edge.

Prediction: Whomever wins this first game, wins the Series.

[42] 3 questionable (ok, 1 questionable, 1 stupid, and 1 idiotic) moves vs. 1 obvious (and necessary) move prove that girardi is worse than manuel. very perceptive indeed.

[44] just to be clear, i have no idea how good a manager manuel is. i do know that he has received quite a bit of criticism (but maybe not since winning a world series), but i have no idea if it was warranted. i do, however, know that his leaving lidge in to save games is completely meaningless when he had basically no other options and when all lidge has done so far is pitch 2.2 scoreless innings against the rockies and dodgers.

[44] [45] I don't think the examples are supposed to "prove" that Manuel is a better manager. They are supposed to illustrate the way in which he's better.

[43] Was that "whomever" a joke?

Is seems to carry more weight then 'whoever'.

[48] Ah, very true. James Thurber agrees with you.

[42] That article is the opposite of "perceptive." It is self-contradictory. First it claims that Girardi cost the Yanks the game by replacing Robertson with Aceves, then it states that there is no meaningful statistical difference between the rate at which the two pitchers get hitters out. Dumb.

[43] whom do you think wins the 1st game?

It's World Series Day! Me and Mr, OK Jazz Jr have been up here since 6! (Ok, maybe he was up and by banging me on the head repeatedly I woke up).

Are we SURE the weather stays good?

Yankees in 6.

[50] No that makes perfect sense. Why lift an effective pitcher (known, positive quantity) for one who statistically doesn't change much but whose performance is still an unknown quantity? It was a classic if it aint broke don't replace it scenario.

Flu symptoms might keep me out of work, but they will not dull my excitement. Excellent work as always, Cliff.

[46] i know, but presumably there are better examples of manuel's style of managing than letting the only guy who can close games close games. i just don't see how this article says much of anything except that girardi made a couple weird moves in the alcs.

Pedro's press conference was very interesting. He mentioned the 03 series a couple of times.

[38] heh heh heh hehe!

Weather?

[53] I agree that it makes sense not to make a move if there is no meaningful statistical difference between pitchers. But if you assume there isn't any difference, you cannot then logically argue that the move cost them the game.

[50] It doesn't say there's no meaningful statistical difference between the rates at which the two pitchers get hitters out. It says the statistical difference between the runs per batter for each pitcher is very small. And that Girardi may well have cost the game by that move, because it later compelled him to pinch hit for Mo.

[55] Oh, well, the point is that he's an "overmanager", and that overmanaging can be very costly. That's what the illustrations are illustrations of.
Hawk put it nicely [53].

[59] Sure you can! Assuming they're the same statistically, that still doesn't mean they're going to give the exact same performance each and every time. Robertson was pitching well, Aceves performance TBD. You gotta go with what you know to be working not what you think will work. If Robertson wasn't pitching well or the next batter and Aceves were lefties, then there'd be some reason to switch. But replacing a guy who's pitching well with a statistically similar guy who may or may not pitch well is unnwise.

Anyway that article seemed spot on for me - there are a few quotes I wish I'd thought of but it's nice to know they exist:

The Yankee manager's overarching philosophy, then, seems to have less to do with statistics than with the notion that a manager needs to make slick maneuvers to win ballgames.

This isn't the normal annoying tinkering we've all seen in 100 boring playoff games; it's a compulsive effort to control randomness

Is this the game thread? I need me some game thread...

This is the ersatz game thread.

OK, I do kinda dislike the OTT introductions and stuff. I may have to tune in something else until the first pitch.

[51] I'm worried. We have a better team, but have not played well this PS. ARod, Jeter, CC and Andy have been great (and of course Mo) Posada... decent. But everyone else? Scary!!!!!!!!

We either have to hit the shit out of the ball (because the Phillies WILL hit) or CC has to dominate THREE times.

I feel this eerie and unsettling sense of calm...that will last about 10 more minutes

FUCKING BAND is playing too loud to hear the crowd!

I'm flipping. Does this ever get easy?

[63] i hope not, there's too much to scroll through at the 50/100 marks

I had that sense of calm all day. Now, not so much. Is Ronan Tynan watching from the apt. building where he doesn't want Jews?

Old School dirt strip between home and the mound. WTF?

[66] I'm no more nor less worried than any other short series in the post season.

I think the issue with Girardi is not so much that his moves are terrible, but unnecessary. So I guess they are bad as they bleed the BP and the bench. Girardi, and that article, do illustrate that taking stats absolutely, especially when of a small sample size (can we just say SSS?), is folly.

[72] Are you joking? Did they even have that in the old stadium? Hoo boy.

[72, 75] no dirt strip, its a carpet for the first pitch

Can Yogi still get a hard-on?

[76] Thank heavens!

[76] Now I see. LET"S GO YANKEES!!!

[77] Huh?

WTF is up with Fox!!!!!!!!
My picture is frozen!
Now black!
Anyone else???

I gotta say, that Dr. Jill Biden...for a more "mature" lady...not too shabby

[81] mine's fine. they may be trying to keep you from thinking strange thoughts about 84 year olds.

[81] Ha-ha...I'm getting the international feed...ESPN announcers, no frozen screen.

I am so ready. And so nervous, but I think the long lay off will prove to be a bad thing for Philthy.

I'm not sure about the Bruney to the roster move (thanks for the info re Robertson's shoulder) - won't we need some pinch hit bats on the bench when we get to Philly? We will have a couple of games there, after all.

Ouch. Comcast TV went out for a minute. Now back... in time for a commercial.
DID I MISS ANYTHING????

And Hoss.......
FOR CRYING OUT LOUD DUDE...
Participate (you sissy!)

That's one impressive lineup for the hometown 9+1.
I won't plague you wiht my presence here - I hope you suffer in solidarity tonight. I hope we can agree on one thing - Joe Buck ain't his dad and needs to shut the fvck up.

Can we have a group hug for Hoss?
I mean... this is the Seriousness.
Will everybody play nice?

[87] On the latter, we are in total agreement.

Can we open the Christmas presents now, Dad?

And I really hate the national flags next to each player when they show the lineup. Can't we just have baseball without all of the nation-state nonsense?

[87] And McGarver? Can you say insufferable?

Hey Team!!!

GO YANKS!!!

i'm just getting in from teaching. no time to catch up on all the news & comments. gotta jump right in and...WIN !!!!

i picked up gigs and will miss both Games 2 & 3. sucks, but i gotta work...

my firefox is slow. hope word press isn't...

LET'S GO YAN-KEES !! !!!

[85] is there any real information on robertson, or is it all speculation since he didn't pitch in games 4-6? if it's just speculation, that seems silly since there weren't all that many opportunities to get into one of those games.

well done Jimmy

Thank you, Jimmy Rollins.

1 down!

26 more, just like that!

Thanks Jimmy!

Yes, thank you Jimmy Rollins. Gift out.

Greeting from San Francisco, where its is 60 and sunny

[96] 107 more

[93] I'm quoting the blog, first I heard of it.

[87] Dude... ya gonna stick around a while? We are reasonable folk (for Yankee fans) here at the Banter. It would be really good to have you around.

i like the helmets with ear flaps on both sides.

shake it off, Jorgie!

strike this fucker out, CC !!!

[99] Hey DF.

[99] Wanna come watch in Berkeley? What are you doing here?

Gameday Ahoy! Detailed analysis, Score Truck mantras and crude humor from all the Banterites please!

I may have to place all my insane, irrational hatred on Vicorino for a few days. No one on the Phils gets my goat. Yet. YES. 2 gone

this is quite weird .... its 5pm here .... and given that I've been up since 5am, I'm ready for bed

San Francisco? Is that near Little Neck?

[105] at fisherman's wharf for a weekend scrabble tourney, and I'm sight-seeing otherwise till next thursday

You know it's World Serious when the crowd is standing for a first inning K

Exit 50 on the LIE

[110] Is there a walking tour of Joe D's old haunts?

I think keeping Utley in check is a key to this series.

2 out walks. Bollocks!

shit

damn, lost him.

well, let's get howard out of the way early.

Me no like Howard up with men on base...

[110]

i believe there is .... there is at least a joe d playground

um, that's not good.

Um, not what I want.

christ

Howard is a monster!

Hmm. Two out walk ≠ good.

Missed the spot

2 out doubles following a walk are also Bolllocks. C'mon Big Fellla!!

You would think, ESPECIALLY in YS, we would stay outside to Howard.

Over/Under on comments tonight: 3400?

I am already tired of Joe Buck.

Bear down, CC - don't let 'em get you down! Get Werth out!

Jayson Werth is the nephew of one-time Yankee Dennis Werth

Nice and easy CC.

[127] pretty sure that's where he likes it

Come on CC...what's going on...?

What, no strikes?

Nerves? Jitters? Squash that shit.

Get 'em here, CC.

fuckin eh

Some early tension here.

me no likey

Damn, was that a ball? Maybe outside.

Gulp.

Looked like a strike to me, whatever FOXTrax says.

Excuse me while I begin physical mortification.

It's stating the obvious, but CC stopped challlenging the hitters with the Utley AB.

If CC gets out of this, he'll buckle down. But, he needs to get out of this.

This can't be nerves from cc, can it? Maybe he's over-amped?

Way too many off speed pitches so far.

I don't like this

Dammit...they aren't biting on the offspeed stuff.

No control, come on

The pitch selection has been awful so far...CC is pitching scared.

Game 1, top 1st, already too tense to speak..

wtf?

thank you!

PHEW!

thanking everything in the universe!!!

very bad sign for the phillies early on to let a huge chance slip away!

Wasted opportunity there Phillies...

No runs, but a lot of wasted pitches....why was CC/Posada afraid to use the fastball?

Just put the kids to bed, wtf???

At least he got out of it, but should we be concerned?

No runs - that's our ace!

This is the first inning of the first game, of maybe seven?
Good Lord.

Yes!

CC's offspeed pitch wasn't bad, but they weren't going for it off the plate. He's gonna have to show the fastball and then get them to chase.

The worst thing about that inning is that he wasted a two-outs-on-five-pitches start. Now he's in the hole, and needs a fast inning or two to make up for it.

[160] No.

And you can be assured on that, weeping! ;)

[160] No, because that inning was the result of CC not being CC, or pitching completely backwards...the way a soft tossing lefty would.

CC had a 1st inning case of Jobaitis.

[166] That's exactly what it was.

[160] I am always concerned when the WS is on the line...but I'm not ready for extra concern just yet.

[159] i think just trying to trick the big hitters. i didn't love it, but i don't think they were especially scared.

[169] Not more tricks!! :)

Wow, Lee has a nasty curve.

Holy fuck, what a goofy pitch.

I don't think I've ever seen anything like that.

damnit, jetes

Hmpf.

Jeez... that pitch really dives.

Christ. That curveball was outrageous.

And that was a baaad curver ball.

Terrible AB, Cap

[177] Or, if Timmy was right (which I am not sure, a bad cutter.

make him work!

i don't know what that last pitch to jeter was, but it missed by about a foot and should have been drilled the other way

Johnny repays Rollins.

wtf was that johnny?! : /

[180] Cliff Lee has had some very, very short games against the Yankees in his career.

I guess both teams are into giving away outs tonight?

Sutcliffe: "The key to this series for the Yankees is that they have to get offense from somewhere."

Thanks.

Sigh, Damon. Sigh.

There's no way we're hitting this guy.

Hey Ruiz looks like Posada. : D

Ruiz has looked a little Jorge like this inning.

that was low!!!!

the catcher seems completely fooled by some of these pitches. when did lee start to throw that sharp curve? i don't remember him ever throwing it before.

[185] And he's paid to spout such "wisdom"!

AAAAIIIIEEEE!

Oy!

total bollocks

Where's CC's fastball

Diane Firstman - I think D. Werth is J. Werth's stepdad.

[187] Dude, you gotta relax. This team led the league in scoring somehow.

I think Buck just shat in pants. Asshole.

Someone please tell me when I'm allowed to panic...

[185] "If Alex Rodriguez continues to hit, the Yankees will score runs"

Genius!

Advantage Phillies in the first inning...both CC and the Yankee hitters looked a little flustered in that frame. Hopefully, that's just a little rust and not pressure.

CC has to match him and we have to hope someone can hit a mistake or we can somehow get into the pen, 'cause we're not hitting this guy, certainly not the way we've been swinging the bats against far, far inferior pitchers, letting meatball sail on by or flat out missing them...

Damn.

[185] I think the key is to score more runs than the other team in four of the seven games.

Can I be a baseball "analyst" now? Maybe ESPN can hire me -- at least I'm single so there won't be such a scandal when I hook up with the interns.

[201] Yes, if the Yankees keep swinging at pitches about neck high, they will most certainly not hit this guy.

[196] I hope you're right...

I'm worried already.

Where is our CC?

throw strikes, man!!!

[204] I am right...they did lead the league in runs score! ; )

The Ben Francisco Treat. Throw fucking strikes BIg Fella!

Now, it would help if CC threw some strikes.

If Sabathia doesn't command his fastball is it going to be a very long night.

Who is Ben Francisco and why is he not strikign out on three pitches??

No command of the zone. Could be a long night.

Wide corner tonight

Too much rest for cc? c'mon

whew, good. i would be incredibly displeased if the leadoff man got on...

That's the way, CC. You've got a good defense behind you.

[214] you mean the 3-0 pitch that was clearly a strike?

[208] :)

Nice curve.

is it raining pretty steadily or is that my crappy tv?

Thanks for that weak hack, pal!

[202] Yup, the majority of the time, that is the formula.

Curve and change to start the 8th hitter...effective, but I really would love to see him spotting that fastball.

Didn't CC start one or two of the the other PS games a bit rough, before locking in?

[220] Rain from hd tv as well.

There's a good fastball.

[224] Yes. He'll be fine.

Good work, big guy.

Phew!

Much better.

OK, maybe CC has a little groove developing...

[224] game 4 of the alcs looked a little iffy at first, but he wasn't quite missing this much.
but that was a nice quick inning anyway.

we VERY much needed that!

34 pitches thru 2

nice quick inning! 34 pitches after 2, CC will be fine.

There ya go!. I almost hope Alex walks. Laying off that nasty shit Lee brought tonight would be a fine sign. OR a homer.

Can someone in the NYC area please tell us if it's raining... and what the forecast is for the next 3 hours?

[232] jinx!

[224] The ALDS game was a little shaky early on.

It's raining.

[234] Patience may be a good approach here.

[235] It is raining lightly in Brooklyn. Forecast is for areas of drizzle.

It was supposed to clear by 7pm. It's not raining hard. It's around 50 degrees.

[238] Serious rain? Or, it will pass rain?

OK... got it

A-Rod's 1st WS AB !!!

[242] Supposedly the serious rain has passed.

Fuck the base hit shit. Swing for the fences.

Everything is up from Lee.

Hey Mother Nature. Go fly a kite.

He swung and missed..uh-oh.

crap

why have all the strikeouts been on hanging cutters or whatever that is?

That was Arod's first swing and a miss since the ALDS.

First swing and a miss for Alex?

Lee is dealing.

Jesus.

Trouble.
Troubletroubletrouble.

[247] Yeah, but he's hitting the corners.

It's easy to say from a seat in front of the TV, but these pitches do not look good from Lee.

he's working so fast, slow him down a bit

Looks like good whale hunting weather...

Eek. Either I need a new TV or it's raining pretty good.

Lee pitches up very effectively. the breaking stuff starts up and finishes down.

Nice hitting, Jorgie.

Molina!

Hip-Hip !!!

Let's go Mats!!!

I like watching the World Series through the aft porthole.

Screw the meteorologist. It's raining hard.

lee's a weird guy. i hate that sprint off the mound thing.

I smell an H-Bomb

2-0.

Nice.

Now all of a sudden, the strike zone is getting small.

Right now........

That's a great pitch on 2-0.

[258] I'm sure from the batter's box they look nasty.

If the Yankees could stop swinging at bad pitches, I think they'd do pretty well.

Fuk me.

Terrible swing on strike 2, and then he was helpless on strike 3.

Come on, Frosty.

[275] The low ones must start out looking good.

[275] Two balls in a row Matsui hacked at.

Damn.

Least he gave it a ride.

I've watched the Yankees layoff better pitches than these...hopefully after the first AB is done, they will take a collective deep breath and resume their normal approach.

Ok, two solidly hit balls that inning. Moral victory!

Whaterever douchelord weatherman was on the Yes pregame said the rain was long gone for the night. McCarver's ancestors must have been forecasters before sportscasting was invented. SHITE.

that last pitch to matsui was pretty nasty. the one before was bad.

Cano brings his hacktastical ways to his first WS AB. That's OK, the Score Truck is coming round the bend.

Mats looked terrible on strike 3.

at least Robbie gave it a ride.

27 pitches for Lee...

[286] make sure the Score Truck driver knows to only make deliveries in the BOTTOM half of the innings!!!

WTF. Please throw some strikes, CC.

now, i've heard the guys name before - mostly here, methinks - but i have NO clue who the fuck this Jay-Z guy is. i realize he's some rapper/hip-hop guy...

Little unsettling so far...CC doesnt look like CC and the bats dont look like the bats.

Thanks for swinging at that, pal.

Are those empty seats?

[284] i'm so glad "douchelord" has made into the Banter Argot. thanks for using it!

Why are they throwing fastballs out of the zone on 2-2 to Rollins?

Pfew!

Atta boy, Melkius!

MELKOWITZ !!!!!!!!!!!

(exhale)

Melky!

eep.

Melkster!

Can o Corn!

If Sabathia doesn't establish is fastball early, it is going to catch up to him.

[294] It is pretty good.

[293] In RF upper deck? That's a temporary press area...because they designed a zillion dollar stadium with fewer seats and, apparently, insufficient room for the press during the PS.

That should've been strike one!

Melky scared me just a bit there, but it's all good now.

Another breaking pitch early in the count...this makes me believe that CC doesn't like his fastball tonight, which means he is going to need a lot of guts and some Phillie impatience to get through this one tonight.

[304] They did that in the old Stadium too.

[304] No, visitor's dugout way.

Two out.

good

First real good fastball of the night from CC.

Alright, now let's try this "pitch to the #3 hitter before Howard bats" thing again.

[307] i think he's having trouble gripping it or something because it has some weird extra movement almost like a 2 seamer

[309] Those people have access to an all you can eat gourmet restuarant. I am sure many will retreat to it in the rain.

He's all breakng ball tonight. Makes me nervous.

Open your gd eyes, blue. Where'd the strike zone go?

[308] Yep, in the old stadium built in 1923---before there were armies of press---and yet it still accommodated over 55,000 fans for the PS---they did the same thing.

prime time for CCs 1st K

why not throw that changeup in to utley? he'll swing right over it.

[309] Sorry, I wasn't sure which empty seats during the WS you were talking about... : (

[317] No...the new old Stadium...the one remodeled in 1976.

Good pitch.

What is his out pitch?

Utley is making him work.

CC's at 51 pitches

Utley & Howard are scaring the crap out of me..

[323] Doesn't appear to have one, does he?

[321] The one that was made up of 75% the same substructure as the one 1923? The one that still held over 55,000 fans despite sacrificing some for the press? That 1976 stadium?

I got to think that CC is pitching the opposite way he pitched to the Phils last postseason when he was with the Brewers. Damnit Utley. Just make out.

Fuckfuckfuckfuck.

where was that?? High???

Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck.

Frak!

Whoops...NYS gives and NYS takes away...

Fuck you Utley.

[328] The seating was completely remodeled. Besides, it's irrelevant. The Yankees designed a stadium to accomodate the capacity they wanted for 162 games...not to accomodate the press in the post season.

Not worried.

jesus fucking christ.

what's wrong w/ CC tonight???? : /

[327] Shit. When I mean out pitch. I don't mean out of the ballpark.

shit

CC isn't going to be dominant...he has NO fastball command. He needs to really grind this one out and the bats need to stop swinging at everything.

Settle down, Big Man, settle down.

So who's first out of the pen. Aceves?

Yankee BP is going to have to win this one.

At this point, you might be looking at CC for 6 and then hope Hughes is over his hiccup.

[326] Yes, it was completely remodlled, and yet still held 56,000+ for the regular season and 55,000+ for the PS. And yes, the Yankees designed the new stadium to hold as many as they wanted for the regular season...about 49,000 fans.

Well done, CC, well done.

Very nice recovery.

Build from there...

Where has that been?

well, if it takes a solo hr to get cc focused, that's fine. we're still in this.

Ok. Found his fastball.

finally... a strikeout.

let's get that run back quick... and then some!

We can get that run back with one swing of the bat.

(please let me be a baseball analyst)

Well now he's loose. I sincerely hope Swisher doesn't kill himself TRYING to hit Lee. Oy.

ahh, takes giving up a solo shot to get cc to throw hard strikes, eh?

[345] Yep, especially if they want him to go three times. If he can wriggle through six innings only giving up a run or two, it will be somewhat a success. Whatever the case, the bats need to wake up.

58 pitches thru 3

[346] Right, so it wasn't an oversight or a poor investment. Whether one likes it or not is another thing. Also, the point about the old Stadium is that even with a 56K capacity they still used the Upper Deck for overflow, so building this one with the same seating would have mad no difference.

[352] Hey, it's my turn:

If the Yankees don't score a run, they will hav a tough time coming back in this game.

How was that?

[357] Exactly...it was not an oversight. It was by design, which has been (part of) my point all along.

c'mon Swish!

[358] Heh heh hehe.

[358] Pretty good.

not what i had in mind, Nick...

I am getting close to wanting to pull the plug on Swisher.

Son of a bitch.

[364] Who is in your OF?

[357] Stadium is that even with a 56K capacity they still used the Upper Deck for overflow, so building this one with the same seating would have mad no difference.

That makes no sense. The overflow for the press has nothing to do with teh seating, but with the accommodations for the press. One would think that a brand spanking new stadium would be designed to accommodate the press better, so that precious seats would not have to sacrificed. But then, when you design a stadium in the biggest market, with the biggest demand, with 6000 fewer seats and another 1500 behind a restaurant, and then carve out more for the overflow press...well, I guess you don;t think of those seats as precious.

[366] Gardner against Pedro might not be so bad.

this is quickly becoming infuriating.

[358] Can I play? "If Cliff Lee gets strike outs, he will really limit the damage this Yankee offense can do"

These ABs are awful...I am not willing to credit Lee because the pitches being swung at don't look very good.

[369] It's be infuriating since Jeter's K.

Hell yes, Derek!

OK, that makes up for it.

Atta boy Jeter. Now a shot of JD.

i love my Captain!!!

wonder if he coulda made 3rd. werth has a very good arm though...

let's go Johnny!

Nice work, Jeter. Now Johnny with the two out base hit??

Nice short swing, Johnny.

Jerek Leter is McCarver's favorite player.

[377] That would be nice.

Damon should have launched that pitch!!

[371] i think it's in his delivery

What kind of swing was that Johnny?

Dear Johnny,

Lay off the curve down and away.

love,
Yankee fans everywhere

Don't waste Jeter's AB, Damon. For God's sake!

[371] I don't know, he's got a lot of movement, a good assortment, and pretty good location.

He looks pretty tough to me.

And then he swings at that garbage.

[288] Sorry about that...I forgot to get the Score Truck driver the memo.

Close. C'est la vie.

boooooooooooooooooooooo to the swing on 1-1. One bed shitter.

FUCK! Almost.

JD looks terrible against Lee

[370] LOL!

Fuck.

[386] If you let 84 mph pitches with no movement go by, then yes, he does look pretty tough.

Good pitching beats good hitting, but this has been bad hitting, which has no chance.

The Score Truck is making its way slowly to the stadium, so CC has to lock them down from here on out. I say he gets warmed up this inning!

Lee won the Cy int he AL..he's a good pitcher. Let's drive up the pitch count and get to that craptacular Philly bullpen?

[395] Yeah, maybe. I think you're seeing something I'm not seeing.

I don't give a RAT'S ASS who's in the house.

Good job, CC.

At least Girardi does know what Lee is doing...getting ahead and then going up. Now, the Yankees have to sit on the early strike and try to lay off the high stuff.

Prediction: A-Rod will lay off the off-speed away stuff and drive the ball in next AB. Double to right-center

True OldTale:
It was Oct 2, 1978, and my wife's family had it's biggest family get together since the kids left home.

Me and wifey; Brother #1: his wife and 2 kids; brother #2: and his son; and of course, the Inlaws (who paid for it all). We are having a feast in a fancy restaurant somewhere near Crested Butte, Colorado.

In a way, I'm glad I have a legitimate excuse to miss the game, as the tension would have killed me. Getting the score afterwards may have been the cowards way out, but I was under enough stress as it was. Late, after a long night of eating, drinking and arguing, I go out to my rental car for a smoke and to hear the news.

I find the station, tune in, but it's JUST after the bottom of the 8th starts. I have to stay the inning to get the score. Needless to say, after hearing the score, I MUST listen to the 9th. Freezing, I turn on the car, and turn the heat up to full blast. After what seemed like a month of tension and sphinter squeezing, Yaz flies out, and I am euphoric.

I saunter back into the restaurant, back to the family table... some 45 minutes after I left. I take my seat... sweating, flushed, with a victorious shit-eating grin on my face.

I don't have the vocabulary to express the look on my father-in-law's face.
My mother-in-law actually had a weird little smile on her face.
My 2 sister-in-laws were literally drop-jawed.
My 2 brother-in-laws were grinning ear to ear.
There was silience for quite a while.
At the time, I really didn't get it.
(Were they not Yankee fans?)

There you go, Big Man...

Ibanez did go after the 52-footer.

nice hook, CC !!!

OH, yes!

Now he's dealing.

[401] I like your predictions!

Beautiful pitch.

Sit down, Raul. So says Uncle Charlie. Whoo-hoo.

[404] Like Werth, that's a product of throwing a 95 mph fastball for strikes. The Yankees, however, are taking fat pitches in the mid-80s and then swinging at balls either in the dirt or high. Lee isn't really setting them up as much as getting ahead and then seeing if they will chase.

Good work, CC.

Better late than never...

Now, Tex has to get going. The Yankees need him in this series. He can't have another .500 OPS.

much better inning, very large man!

71 pitches thru 4.

[402] Crusted Butt !!!

[410] Need to get him third time through the order... faster...

[402] Very nice, OYF, very nice. Thanks for sharing that.

[415] Right...this is also the same exact strategy that Pavano used, which is kind of troubling.

CC was a little ragged, but otherwise he has been his typical awesome self...I sure hope they don't lose on a 320 foot pop fly.

let's make Lee WORK this inning.

please!!!

[410] They've been doing that all postseason. It's worrying to say the least.

You can't let that pitch go!!

[418] i wouldn't mind if they tied it on one though

that was ball 3

[423] Yup. WTF?

On queue, Tex takes a BP fastball and then goes out of the zone. That's not good pitching...it's very bad hitting.

goddamn motherfucker!!! : /

what's hard to understand is that they're swinging through pitches that are high 80s right down the middle or up and over the plate.

[425] Cue or queue...both are appropriate.

Alex is lunging.

I've never seen so many 84 mph straight pitches taken for a strike.

[428] i figured it was all that time you spent in London!

[427] There's late break on those pitches. Plus, he's moving the ball around very effectively.

[114] Strikes!

oh dear. : (

This is both embarrassing and infuriating. And fucking bullshit to boot.

Oy!

Plus, I'm guessing that goofy curve is in the back of their minds.

This is brutal.

Man... Lee's location is nasty.

I'm off to hang myself from a beam in my garage with an orange extension cord.

BRB

Jorge is the only hitter who is looking to go the other way...again...this is so much like the Pavano game.

[437] i don't know, as goofy as it is it has to be easy to recognize. i think it's just the change of speeds and his deceptive delivery. look how long he keeps his arm hidden before delivering.

Goddamn.

OMG

this is just awful.

Grumblety grumble grumble.

The Yankees are shitting the bed.

L.A.M.E.

My prediction failed..Tex & A-Rod heading towards the Golden Sombrero...

It feels like we're getting killed, but it's only ONE run (on 2 hits).
Only 56 pitches for Lee.

Hey gang.

My power went out at 7:30. Had to drive seven miles to a bar (I live in the boonies). Kind of wish Utley's power had gone out instead.

Back in business now, let's hope the Yankees follow suit.

CC needs to make this another quick 1-2-3 inning.

[442] You're probably right, which might account for him not using it too much. The change of speeds really does seem effective. Haven't noticed the delivery, I'll keep my eyes open.

Maybe everyone should just sit on the changeup for a while?

If CC can hold them down, the Yankees will be fine. Lee will not throw a complete game

[450] Good you're here, RI, sorry about your power. You won't freeze or anything?

[453] You mean the 84 mph one he keeps throwing right over the plate for strike one?

CC at 71-41 thru 4.

[454] That's what I'm thinking...they have to make him work some, at least throw four or five pitches per AB (easier said than done).

[456] Obviously, our boys are looking for heat.

Jeez, that's a change up. Won the Cy with that pitch. Can't even wear him out and get into the bullpen, because he doesn't walk anyone. Can't even BLAME anyone yet (though I'm sure if I scroll up the thread it is happening!)

Hang tough. CC is solid, too.

OHHH, hot damn!

Oh, my power is back now. I knew it wouldn't be long, but, you know, I couldn't wait it out!

[458] They can't really do that because he is throwing hittable pitches for strike one. They need to make him change that first.

[459] They should realize by now that they aren't going to get it.

[457] That's not too bad, all things considered. he's right on pace for seven innings. It's the other guy that worries me!

[460] i agree. right now, lee is just fooling them by working quickly and changing speeds. sometimes it looks like these pitches are hittable, but lee's pitches always look hittable, yet he's been nearly unhittable for 2 years.

[463] No, he's mostly throwing his version of heat. Alex had a change, 5 fast balls, then down on the change.

So is Cliff Lee the absolute best pitcher in baseball now?

Two out.

I figure this is one of those third-time-through situations. So I guess that would mean the fifth will suck again, but the sixth is going to be our innin