Proctoring has now been given a new meaning.

Proctoring (n) - The art of raising the white flag in a baseball game; predicting perfectly that your pitcher is going to lose the game.

Seriously, if you are hell bent on losing, at least give us Andrew Brackman.

I was ok with losing this game until Proctor showed up in it. Girardi should be suspended or at least fined by MLB for throwing the game.

That loss pissed me off.  When they went up 3-0 early, I figured they had it, and I was loving it.

Then it ends up going 14 innings, with scrubs “hitting” in key spots and ultimately the game gets Proctored.  Grr.

You have a chance to stake the beast and you pass… it might just get up and bite you.

That said, it only matters if the Yankees get through the ALDS, the Sox make the playoffs, win their ALDS and then beat the Yankees in the ALCS.  Unless all of that happens, it’s nothing.

And of course, Proctor won’t be called on at all in the next three games….

I was ok with losing this game until Proctor showed up in it. Girardi should be suspended or at least fined by MLB for throwing the game.

The turning point for me was letting Romine hit when there were at least 10 better options on the bench.  The worst part about it is you could actually see the thought process behind it.

“Romine’s a great defensive catcher and I want to carry him on the postseason roster, so let’s see how he does in a big spot.”

The answer, shocking exactly one person, was lousy.

Pretty sure that wasn’t the thinking there. It probably had a lot more to do with not wanting to put Martin in the game at catcher after he played the first game. They could have gone to Jorge, but it seems he’s only available in emergency capacity (injury). None of the regulars who played in the first game were getting into the second game, and rightfully so IMO.

I don’t think that was it. I think he was just committed to not making any waves in a “meaningless” game. In other words, he was not playing Martin, Jeter and A-Rod in the nightcap. And he did not want to move Montero to catcher late in the game (and they’ve told Posada he is not even the emergency catcher anymore).

And I think that he honestly does have faith in Laffey and Prctor.

EDITED TO ADD: yagottagotomo1 beat me to it.

If the Baltimore Bucks win tonight and the Rays do what they need to do, I’ll feel a bit better.  But it would have been amazing to head into the last 3 games of the season with two teams tied for the wild card.

The only thing that could have made it any better is if Boston and Tampa were playing each other.  Like a mini-playoff series.

Romine hitting for himself was inexcusable and a slap in the face to the “best interests of baseball.”  I’m not sure why Ayala couldn’t of gone an inning and even Kontos was a better option but the question for me is why was Proctor added to the 40 man in the 1st place and once he demonstrated his uselessness why was the mistake not rectified by releasing him in favor of one of the Scranton starters.  Why give Joe the option to use him.  He had an over 8 era coming in and his era as a Yank is now 10.8 with opponents hitting 420.  Shame on Joe for the Romine and Proctor stupidity and double shame on Cash for not at least releasing Proctor.

They could have gone to Jorge, but it seems he’s only available in emergency capacity (injury).

This is what I was thinking, but maybe it’s not realistic.  Last game at home, let him catch a few innings if he has to.  I do agree Martin shouldn’t have played again.

Montero should have been the catcher to start and Arod or Jeter or Posada should have DHed since he was never going to use the first two guys.

Also why not have let CC throw 3-5 innings instead of a simulated game?

Cashman is just waiting to see if Proctor’s right arm is still attached to his body at the end of the season before giving him a 5-year, $200M extension to pay him back for what Torre did to him. I’m less pissed by Romine and Golson, their insertion into the game could at least be explained by not wanting anyone hurt for the post-season. I also think Romine can learn from those off-speed pitches he saw last night in those high-leverage situations. But it’s one thing to pay a guy back by giving him a spot on your roster for what you think were pass transgressions Proctor was a victim of, but to actually have him be non-competitive and yet still insist on placing him in important situations makes me believe the front office may actually think he’s a part of their roster construction beyond this year.

I’m no scout, but I’ll tell you what I saw from Romine last night…the dude can not hit good major league pitching. His swing is long and he was late on just about everything. Also, I don’t want to see Franklin Morales in the post season. That guy is nasty.

When Joe pinch hit with Posada, I remember thinking that he had decided it was ok to lose this game, he was using it as a way to manage through some scenarios that he’s likely to face in the playoffs.

I don’t hate that approach; especially given the Yankees position. I’m probably not as scared of the Red Sox as I should be. But the “scenario planning” approach to the game went out the window when Proctor was brought in.

Worst game of the season.

Maybe like in the Sopranos Proctor could have been given a “no show job, ” instead of one pitching.  What was Cashman thinking?

Romine is literally the worst hitter (of position players*), and was allowed to hit in the most important at bat of the game.

Proctor is literally the worst pitcher (of pitchers**), and was allowed to pitch in the most important spots of the game. 

*and CC

**and Swisher

I can’t understand the hate on Romine. The guy jumped up to AAA only just recently, and now he’s in the majors hitting against Papelbon and Morales, guys who throw in the high-90’s with nasty off-speed sliders and changeups in high pressure situations. He’s been in the big leagues for two weeks and guys here are ready to call him a bust?

Me too on the Proctor thing. Where was Noesi or Ayala? I think Girardi was just ready to get it over and what most of figured would happen-did in fact happen- and it didnt take long.  On the plus side Wade did a fine job.  what’s with McClelland anyway? BTW, where did Boston find Morales? He’s nasty.
Bad bad game for Swish, Gardy and Grandy. They will need to do better or its a short season come Friday and particularly if its Detroit.

I’d like to have faith that Jeter would stay above .300 but against those Rays pitchers and absolutely nothing to gain, I’d have him hang out with Denbo for three days. I would like to look at the .300 over the offseason even if it means nothing to him.

Yeah, if it was destined to be a loss, I’d rather see one of the young arms out there than a dead end Proctor. There’s just no point in using Proctor.

Romine I guess I don’t mind. Any of the other hitters could have won it.

Who called him a bust?  who evaluated his future?  Seems like everyone is commenting on how he’s presently overmatched and not qualified to be doing what Girardi is asking of him.

I don’t think it’s hate.  People just don’t think he can hit - at least not right now.  He’s a rookie who isn’t far removed from AA.  And he was, of course, matched up against some nasty relievers.

I think Romine has a chance to develop into a decent major-league hitter *for a catcher* but likely that’s his ceiling (this is based on reading what scouty media types say about him).  But right now?  He had very little chance of success. 

The point isn’t that Romine sucks or is a bust or whatever.  The point is that, if Girardi really wanted to win the game, he had better options on the bench. I actually take more issue with allowing Ramiro Pena to “hit.”  At least Romine was catching and the regular catcher was unavailable.

You know, I was rooting just as hard as anyone to see the Red Sox lose last night, but ... are the Red Sox (with pitching/injury issues) really that much worse a playoff opponent for the Yankees than a pumped, pitching-rich Tampa Bay squad (assuming both make it to the ALCS) that you would handle things much differently than Joe did last night?

a pumped, pitching-rich Tampa Bay squad (

That can’t hit for crap?

Boston’s pitching woes are less of an issue when they can use Beckett and Lester four times in seven games.  Middle relief is thin, but they won’t be using people like Lackey, Wakefield and Andrew Miller as frequently as they have been in games that count.

I think most objective projections would put Boston ahead of every other team in the AL when looking at a short series.  They have as much front-line talent as anyone.  That’s a big advantage in a small window.

We’ll see how it works out.

[24] Exactly. Sure, Boston is playing like crap (or was playing like crap, since last night will of course awaken them), but they are a far more dangerous team than the Rays in a playoffs, with a far more hostile ballpark. They will also probably get Youkilis back for the playoffs, and considering how well he hits against the Yanks, that’s even worse.

By the way, Ellsbury must be on the juice, right?

By the way, Ellsbury must be on the juice, right?

Proctor pitching is PED. So yeah.

Franklin Morales was obtain in May from Colorado for a player to be named and cash considerations.  Seems like a cheap price for the stuff I think he has. Wonder where Cashman was on that deal given the problems we have having a good second reliever.

So Girardi not wanting to go all out in the 14th inning of the 2nd game of a DH when they had already clinched everything is to blame?  What about the other 11 loses to the Red Sox this year?  I think the horrific start to the season series is harder to take than this one loss.  If they played Boston .500 this year then TB would have clinched already.

If Beckett and Lester and Bucholtz are fully healthy, the Sox are a significantly more dangerous team than the Rays; with Bucholz out, and Lester really looking bad (to the point that most Sox fans I know are assuming he’s hiding signifcant injury(, it’s a little closer, imo.

Aside:  found this at BBTF:

“In 190 2/3 innings this season, Pelfrey has induced a swinging strike on just 5.5 percent of his pitches. Only two other qualified starters, The Detroit Tigers’ Brad Penny and Yankees’ revelation Bartolo Colon, have a lower rate of whiffs this season.”

Colon’s strikeout rate, OTOH, is fine:  he ranks 35th of 97 guys (Pelfrey and Penney are both in the 90s somewhere).  Weird combo.

Seems like a cheap price for the stuff I think he has.

Morales has always had great stuff and crappy command.  He looked good last night, but let’s remember who he was pitching against before we curse Cashman for not trying to get him.

If they played Boston .500 this year then TB would have clinched already.

Which is why pissing away a winnable game is more frustrating.  The Yankees shit the bed against Boston all year, and they had a chance to make up for it a bit more last night and didn’t.

Colon’s strikeout rate, OTOH, is fine: 

I think Colon has gotten an inordinate number of called strikes thanks to the two-seamer.  So his overall K rate has been fine even if he’s not getting a ton of swinging strikes. 

FWIW:

K/BF pre-DL: 22.9%
K/BF post-DL: 16.2%

I fear hitters have stopped taking those called third strikes, and that’s been part of his problem.

I don’t have any big problem with how Girardi played it.  I think he managed the game consistent with a desire to win, even if he didn’t play it TOTALLY balls-to-the-wall.

If he had played it all-hands-on-deck style, with CC coming into pitch at midnight or whatever, then it could have made it tougher for him to completely tank the last three games with TB.  It would look suspcious as hell if he went all-out to beat Boston and then run out nothing but scrubs for the last three games.

31 -

They should have put in some regulars to beat them. The roster is so big, Noesi is pitching tonight. Other reinforcements could be called in as well, right? Just to see what the kids have? I don’t think losing a game after being up 3-0 in the first with 5/9 scrubs is acceptable. The only solace i can take from that game is that it took TWN 14 innings to beat the Yankees AAA team. But they do still scare me in the playoffs, since SG can’t guarantee a win against them in the postseason.

Franklin Morales was obtain in May from Colorado for a player to be named and cash considerations.  Seems like a cheap price for the stuff I think he has. Wonder where Cashman was on that deal given the problems we have having a good second reliever.

Colorado probably asked for Montero and one of the B’s.  But from Boston, a PTBNL was more than enough.

31 - Instead of putting their Ace in in relief (after throwing a simulated game), how about just pinch hitting Arod for Pena at some point so that they couldn’t keep pitching around Montero?  Heck, Montero singles, and then they have Pena bunt poorly. 

Or, have Arod or Jeter or Martin pinch hit for Romine, and then give that player the next two days off.

We absolutely should lay down for TB.  NOBODY should play tonight, and then tomorrow we give our starters five innings or so and pull them.  At least make Boston run the table against the o’s.

I think Colon has gotten an inordinate number of called strikes thanks to the two-seamer.  So his overall K rate has been fine even if he’s not getting a ton of swinging strikes. 

You are so very right.  Of all major league pitchers, Colon has the second highest called strike rate (17.0%) on pitches outside the strike zone this season, according to PitchFX data.

Mo is first at 17.5%.

They could have used their ace to start or relieve for 3/5 innings INSTEAD of throwing a simulated game.  Seems to me this would have been a better prep.  Or limit CC’s pitches to 50 or so last game against TB and then starting him tonight.

The Yankees are so winning at least one of these three games. I have that little faith in the Rays.

how about just pinch hitting Arod for Pena at some point so that they couldn’t keep pitching around Montero?

THIS.

[34] “We absolutely should lay down for TB.  NOBODY should play tonight, and then tomorrow we give our starters five innings or so and pull them.  At least make Boston run the table against the o’s. “

I completely agree with this, not because I fear the RS over the Rays, but just because if TWN misses the playoffs, it would be one of the greatest things ever.  The fact that TWN Nation would KNOW the Yankees played an active role in their missing the playoffs would make it even better.

As for the implications on the Yankees’ WS chances, do we really have any idea?  To face either TB or the RS in the second round assumes both the Yankees get by TEX/DET and that TB or the RS can get by DET/TEX. Assuming each series is a 50-50 deal, then there’s only a 25% chance the Yankees will face either team in the ALCS.

On top of that, you have to resolve the issue of whether TWN’s recent swoon is likely to carry over into the playoffs (and to what degree), or whether they will suddenly snap out of it.  From where we sit today, it would be very hard to conclude that the RS would give the Yankees more trouble in the ALCS than the Rays, or vice-versa.  Whatever differences we perceive in the overall strength of these teams (which will both finish the season around 90 wins) are nothing compared to the range of performances you could see out of either team in a short series.

Wow.  You guys are all over not giving your 37 year old SS, or 35 year old 3B with recent hip, knee, and thumb issues, or your catcher who has been beat up this year, any time off.  All to win an essentially meaningless game, just because you want to beat the Red Sox.  This is why Girardi is a good manager - he’s focused on winning the war, not engaging in a battle that he may not win anyway, but may cost him the war in the long run.

Of course, if Boston gets in by a game now, and ends up beating the Yankees in the ALCS, you guys (and girls) will point to THIS game as the reason why the Yankees aren’t in the WS.

Whoever is the WC will probably have a minimal impact on our chances but I just don’t like the Townies.  Does anyone here not detest them?

A little disheartening also was Nova only looking so so yesterday.

You could have just used Andruw Jones for Romine and then had Montero catch and lose the DH.

That way you could still rest the delicate triumvirate of A-Rod/Martin/Jeter and improve your chances of winning greatly. I mean, come on, it was first and third and they intentionally walked POSADA to get to Romine. Is there any greater sign that the opposing team really really wanted to face Romine in that spot? And the Yankees just acquiesced.

39 - Speaking as someone who lives in a “contested zone”, and I think this is true of all Yankee fans to at least some extent, losing to the Red Sox in the playoffs is 100,000,000 times worse than losing to the Rays would be. If there was a 0.00% chance of that happening I’d feel just a tad more secure going into the playoffs.

Beating the Red Sox is only 1.5 times better than beating the Rays, so I’d rather avoid the bad 100 million than get the good one and a half.

[40]

Play Arod for an hour on Sunday night, and then give him all of Monday off.  And Tuesday off. 

I’m all for resting guys, but it’s picking your spots.  How many times did a starter rest on a game against the Sox this season.  If the answer is more than the number of double headers they played, then I think that’s a poor decision.  Rest them the game before Boston comes into town and the game after.  They are our toughest comeptition and thus those wins mean more.

As for playing CC in a couple of innings, normally I’d be okay with that.  I think the first team that starts using their starters on their throw-days for a couple of innings is going to have a huge advantage.  However, in this case, CC has been over-worked recently, and we’ve seen a decrease in velocity.  No need to have him out there chugging along. 

I’m not saying the Yankees should have stretched Mo out for 2 innings, or done anything to drastic to win the game.  A pinch hit by Arod isn’t going to wear him out.

The only problem I had about last night was this: if it’s Proctor time, it’s Brackman or Betances or Kontos time. Proctor time should not exist.

[40]  No.  It’s that Girardi made a whole series of lame decisions that gave the game away, when he could have done something different to try to win.  He was willing to pitch Mo in the ninth, but used Proctor instead of…anyone else?  Also it was not a meaningless game.

Play Arod for an hour on Sunday night, and then give him all of Monday off.  And Tuesday off.

I’m all for resting guys, but it’s picking your spots.

*Not* playing him twice in one day is certainly picking your spots. He played that afternoon, remember?

[45]  Yes.  Or Swisher time.

45 or Phelps time or Warren time, Proctor should not have been there in the first place to tempt Joe. 

44 Would pitching CC 3/5 innings have been more stressful then having him throw a simulated game?  And why was he allowed to throw 125+ pitches in his previous starts.

44 Didn’t Arod ask for more ABs? 

Joe had multiple ways to manage the Romine AB and chose the absolute worst.

My only problems with last night was the refusal to PH ARod, when they could give him the entire Rays series off if they wanted, and using Proctor instead of anyone of the other available options. If Brackman or Ayala or Kontos lose the game, so be it, but at least it will be someone who has a future with the team getting some experience in a tough spot in extra innings against their hated rival. Other than losing a game on purpose or already being down eleventy billion runs, what reason is there to put Proctor into a game?

If they wanted to rest any of those non-Proctor relievers, that’s fine. Throw Proctor in all three games against TBA for all I care.

And this, losing to the Red Sox in the playoffs is 100,000,000 times worse than losing to the Rays would be

[49] Phelps and Warren aren’t on the 40 man. And Sabathia had already thrown his simulated game that morning, before the first game.

[51] I can think of one guy from the 40 man that they could have DFA’d, or never signed in the first place, that would clear a spot for Phelps or Warren. Hint: his name rhythms with Prott Scocter. And if Phelps or Warren need to be put on the 40 man this winter for Rule V protection, that makes this all the more hilariously annoying.

Yeah, the Sabathia 3-5 inning idea is nonsense.  Should Girardi have known the game was going to go 14 innings?  Or should he have skipped his #2 starter to pitch CC in a meaningless game?  He had to pitch his simulated game before the game, so it’s not like you could have held him off in case.

The main issue was letting Romine hit in a spot that could have won the game.  Proctor, eh.  He shouldn’t be on the team, but that’s more of a Cashman issue.

Also, with Jeter at .300, and at 2.5 WAR according to fangraphs (SG - what do you have Jeter at WAR-wise?), it’s time for me to eat crow from earlier in the season when I was predicting the 1 WAR or less season from Jeter.

You proved me wrong, Jeter, you proved me wrong.

—-*Not* playing him twice in one day is certainly picking your spots. He played that afternoon, remember?——

Why is twice in one day worse than once for two days in a row?  It might be, but I’m not ready to definitely say it is.  We’re also talking about a single at bat (if we’re talking the Romine at bat instead of PH for Pena and staying in at 3rd).  I’m not sure how warming up before a game works.

[52] I think we’re all resolved to realize that Proctor is on the team as some sort of “we’re sorry we probably ruined your career, he’s some MLB service time and a month of an MLB salary. All the best.” And I’m totally OK with that, so long as Proctor is the last option on the depth chart. Which he’s not, and which is very frustrating.

The thing to do last night would have been to pinch hit for Romine and lose the DH by moving Montero to C.  Probably would have used Andruw Jones there.

I also can’t remember if he came up in a big spot, but was pinch running Pena for Posada really necessary with 2 outs and the bases loaded? What are you really getting there - a marginal increase in the chance that there won’t be a force out at 2nd and you’ll score?

[55] Girardi’s exact words were that he didn’t want to risk injury for those guys. Warming up, playing, cooling down and then warming up quickly to get one at bat seems like a way to get a 35 or 37 year old hurt. All very logical.

[57] Ok, if we all agree that it was fine for Jeter, ARod, and Martin to completely rest to avoid risk of injury, will Binder explain why he didn’t at least PH Andruw for Romine? (I agree with the earlier statement that they were hoping Romine wins the game so they can use it as an excuse to have him be the BUC in the playoffs and to not put Montero behind the dish in October) Or why Proctor was a better choice than Kontos, Brackman, Betances, or Ayala? No he won’t because no reporter will have the balls to ask him.

I agree CC is a non-issue, but there were multiple better options than Proctor unless the goal was to simply make sure the game ended so everyone could go home and go to sleep.

[56] They could also be giving Proctor a chance to show he’s got something left in the tank, which could help him get a major-league job next year.  That seems to be failing, but…

Also again, you guys are treating this like it was a must-win game.  It wasn’t.  It may not have been meaningless, but pretty darned close.  It wasn’t meaningless to YOU, because it was the Red Sox.  And yes, I would have rather they won than lost.  But boy, if ARod (or even Jones) had come in and pulled a hamstring while getting the game winning hit…gee, the victory wouldn’t have meant much.  If that victory was the difference between getting into the post-season or not it’s worth it…

51 I know they weren’t at least somewhat because Proctor was.  And Proctor earned 3 million between 2006 and 2011 so I’m not gonna shed any tears for him.

[59] No, I’m not treating it like it was a must win game. I’m treating it like it was a game they had a very good chance to win given the line up they chose to run out there, and made some decisions that likely resulted in them losing the game.

From what I’ve read, I don’t think anyone here is treating it like a must win game either - just a game that could have been won and probably should have been.

Worth risking injury? No.  Was a win a good thing for them? Yes. The Red Sox would have left staring into the abyss - not in absolute control of avoiding a one game playoff with the Rays.

[59]  It’s not meaningless because TB is as good as they’re going to get right now and the Yankees can smash that, but Boston has the possibility of getting a whole lot better fast.  Yes, TBR/TWN and NYY both have to get past the divisional round for that to matter, and maybe Girardi doesn’t care.  Then why bring in Mariano to preserve a tie?  It’s like he did care for a minute, then didn’t.  It ain’t that hard to see that Proctor sucks.  Any other available pitcher would have done a better job, or at least there was a chance they wouldn’t suck quite so badly.  You can’t blame Cashman for that decision.

[59] No. If it was meaningless, then Girardi would have managed it as such and brought Proctor in long before he did, rather than burn through his entire bullpen. I’m sorry, but there is no way he managed that game as if it was so meaningless. 14 innings is probably as much of a strain on a player than warming up and taking one AB—and lets be honest here, we aren’t talking about going out and doing anything other than swinging and running to first, since that would in effect end the game.

Either you manage like you don’t care and end the game in 9 innings, or you manage to win and play your best guys. Doing anything in between is just bad managing.

And furthermore, having TB and Bos tied mean they have to exert more energy to even stay tied and face a one game playoff, which would further weaken them. That helps the Yankees, so its not meaningless

53 Of course Girardi did not know the game was going into xtras but is a simulated game a BETTER prep then facing live batters?  That’s the question. I would have started him and brought in Nova in the 4th.  That was my feeling a priori   I also wouldn’t have let him throw 125+ pitches against TB.

[58]  I don’t see why not PH’g for Romine is such a controversial decision.  Even if you have Andruw Jones hit for Romine, it’s still fairly long odds against Jones driving in that winning run with 2 outs against Papelbon.  Let’s say Jones reaches via hit/BB/HPB against Paps at a .250 clip vs. Romine at maybe .150.  So PH’g Jones for Romine wins you that game once every ten times the situation presents itself.

OTOH, pinch-hitting for Romine means losing the DH and some defense at home plate for the remaining (what turned out to be) 5 innings of the game, while exposing Montero to the risk of some kind of injury because of a collision at the plate, for example.

[66]  But Romine is just as much at risk of a possible collision at the plate.

[65] Regardless, it’s not worth arguing. They planned on the sim game - whether Girardi or Sabathia or Rothschild or some subset is anyones guess.

The only reason I can see to be upset is that the game was tied 4-4 for like 7 innings, and it’s a game that would be good to win. It wasn’t managed that way. I’m not really too spun up about it, but the consistent Cashman/Girardi apologist meme gets a little tough to swallow every single time (not saying you are doing that, others are though.)

Oh, and BTW, prepare for Phil Hughes-belongs-to-the-pen-in-2012 the first time he has a 1-2-3 inning and is sitting 96 on his fastball in the playoffs.

On a completely unrelated note we had top 2 prospects in GCL and the top prospect in NY Penn League.

[63]  “Either you manage like you don’t care and end the game in 9 innings, or you manage to win and play your best guys. Doing anything in between is just bad managing. “

I disagree strongly.  I think Girardi managed the game as if it were “somewhat meaningful” but not “all-important” to the Yankees, which I think is right.  We all agree it would have been better to win the game than to lose it.  I think we all agree that it also wasn’t the equivalent of an elimination game for the Yankees, and therefore it wasn’t the time to tempt injuries in a no-holds-barred frenzy to win.  The idea that a good manager must either play it like he doesn’t care or play it like a must-win game ignores all of the degrees of variation between a completely meaningless game and a game where everything is on the line.

Oh, and BTW, prepare for Phil Hughes-belongs-to-the-pen-in-2012 the first time he has a 1-2-3 inning and is sitting 96 on his fastball in the playoffs.

If Hughes manages a 1-2-3 inning, it’d be worth it.

“But Romine is just as much at risk of a possible collision at the plate. “

When did Romine become the future of the franchise?

[70] Oh, it’s related because when they eventually get to the show, no matter what position they play, Binder will use Proctor instead of them.

Mike,

Wow.

I know, right?  This is some serious, world-class #1 prize-winning complaining.  Aren’t you proud of us?

When did Romine become the future of the franchise?

After he failed with the bases loaded. A TYM if there ever was one.

Regarding Hughes: I’d almost rather he be shut down for the remainder of the year. 

Righty relievers I trust more than Hughes:

Mo
Robertson
Soriano
Wade

Maybe even Ayala. 

That isn’t to say that I’ve given up on Hughes - not at all.  I still think he can become a good starting pitcher.  But he’s had a tough year and his back is hurting.  The ‘pen is very strong already.  Why mess with it?

[77] I think he’s the long man. Or second long man after Colon. I guess with our rotation, it might help to have 2 long men.

Is Hughes healthy to pitch now?

OMG, why is Girardi risking injury to Arod and Jeter tonight?!?!?!?

Also, Martin should catch every inning of the postseason, and if he needs to rest for an entire week leading up to that, so be it.

Derek Jeter SS
Curtis Granderson CF
Robinson Cano 2B
Alex Rodriguez DH
Jorge Posada 1B
Eric Chavez 3B
Russell Martin C
Eduardo Nunez RF
Brett Gardner LF

EDITED to credit Lohud w/ the lineup.

[80] OMG, why is Girardi risking injury to Arod and Jeter tonight?!?!?!?

Please tell me you are kidding.

[81]  Being snarky.  I believe the risk of Arod/Jeter getting injured tonight is >>> than if they pinch hit last night for Romine.  I believe that the value in stepping on Boston’s throat last night is slightly > than the postseason value of keeping jeter “non-rusty” by playing tonight.

Thus, if Girardi defends not pinch hitting with a “prevent injury” excuse, he should NOT be playing them today.

[80]  That’s a disappointing lineup because it looks like they’ve decided NOT to try to lose.  Maybe they figure that going into the playoffs having lost 3-4 games in a row is not good for everyone’s psyche and is also inviting bad karma from the baseball gods.

“Oh, and BTW, prepare for Phil Hughes-belongs-to-the-pen-in-2012 the first time he has a 1-2-3 inning and is sitting 96 on his fastball in the playoffs.”

So we should hope he pitches like he did in October 2009?

[71] When you’re talking about a 14 inning game and some of your regulars are out there playing the whole game and the rest of the team is sitting there watching it into the wee hours of the night, I don’t think there really is anything in between. If you’re willing to blow out your bullpen and put your guys through that, you should be willing to pinch hit a guy for 1 AB. Its not a matter of “playing like he doesn’t care,” but hits not like we haven’t seen those games before. By steadfastly insisting on letting the AAA and AA guys bat, but managing the pitching staff like its the playoffs (until Proctor), its just a weird, unsuccessful approach that did nothing but create a tired team.

[85] AND, he has a recent history of using Proctor in that situation back when the games DID matter.  It’s actually scary to see him trust Proctor and Posada, and not Montero, for example.

Didn’t proctor start a few games for Torre?  Hmmmm.

What bothered me most was bringing out Nova for the 7th. He luckily got out of the 6th (WP, out at home, catcher unassisted - how often does that ever happen) and had already had lots of baserunners in the 5th and 6th. Take him out with a 1 run lead and trust the bullpen.  And after the leadoff double (smacked) he definitely should have been removed. But as usual, Joe G leaves his starting pitcher in too long. grrrr