04/27: Where's That Panic Button?
Posted by: James
I'm just kidding. Seriously...quit looking for the button. I hid it.
Actually, before the recap, I just want to throw some numbers at you: .163/.250/.256. That's who was put in the line-up in the #2 hole tonight. If you have an answer as to why this makes sense, please let me know and I'll send you a box of green tea.
The big story was obviously Phil Hughes' first start so let's begin there. Hughes was in trouble in the first inning, giving up a single to Alex Rios (went to second on a SB), a double to Vernon Wells and a single to Frank Thomas. 2-0 Toronto. He settled in from that point on until the fifth. At that point, Hughes gave up an infield single (should have been an out) and after another SB, a ground ball up the middle brought that run home. He gave up a single to Vernon Wells (3-for-3 off Hughes) before leaving the game and Wells came home on a sac fly by the Big Hurt. 4-0 Blue Jays. The final line was for Phil was 4.3 IP, 7 hits, 4 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks with 91 pitches thrown.
The Jays scored the rest of their runs off the Yankees pen while A.J. Burnett simply shut down the Yankees lineup for 7 innings before the Jays pen closed the door. Toronto scored their last 2 runs off the Yankees pen in the 7th when they walked the bases loaded (2 from Henn, 1 from Proctor). One run scored on a sac fly from the Lyle Overbay and another on a wild pitch by Proctor. 6-0 Toronto.
Honestly, for his first major league start, and accounting for jitters (and looking at the glass half-full), I thought Hughes was all right. He certainly showed far more promise than any of the other potential #5 starters that the Yankees have tried out this season and looked pretty effective against most of the Toronto lineup. However, he struggled against the really good hitters (Rios, Wells, Thomas) in the Blue Jays lineup. Still, since this was his first start, I'm basically giving Hughes a pass but I'm certainly very interested in how he does against a pretty decent Texas line-up next time around.
In any case, with yesterday's loss. the Yankees losing streak has hit 6 and they are now in the cellar of the AL East and possess the third worst record in the majors through 20 games. That means that to get to 95 wins (let's just set that as the generally accepted cutoff for the playoffs), they'll have to play .613 ball the rest of the way. That's 87-55 for those scoring at home. They went 86-56 both last year and in 2005 for those who think that such a pace would be unsustainable. Personally, I'm not panicking and while I understand why people might be, I still think that I will be proven right in the end. The turnaround is coming. The first steps will begin this weekend (weather permitting) when they take at least two of three from the Red Sox.
Actually, before the recap, I just want to throw some numbers at you: .163/.250/.256. That's who was put in the line-up in the #2 hole tonight. If you have an answer as to why this makes sense, please let me know and I'll send you a box of green tea.
The big story was obviously Phil Hughes' first start so let's begin there. Hughes was in trouble in the first inning, giving up a single to Alex Rios (went to second on a SB), a double to Vernon Wells and a single to Frank Thomas. 2-0 Toronto. He settled in from that point on until the fifth. At that point, Hughes gave up an infield single (should have been an out) and after another SB, a ground ball up the middle brought that run home. He gave up a single to Vernon Wells (3-for-3 off Hughes) before leaving the game and Wells came home on a sac fly by the Big Hurt. 4-0 Blue Jays. The final line was for Phil was 4.3 IP, 7 hits, 4 ER, 1 BB and 5 Ks with 91 pitches thrown.
The Jays scored the rest of their runs off the Yankees pen while A.J. Burnett simply shut down the Yankees lineup for 7 innings before the Jays pen closed the door. Toronto scored their last 2 runs off the Yankees pen in the 7th when they walked the bases loaded (2 from Henn, 1 from Proctor). One run scored on a sac fly from the Lyle Overbay and another on a wild pitch by Proctor. 6-0 Toronto.
Honestly, for his first major league start, and accounting for jitters (and looking at the glass half-full), I thought Hughes was all right. He certainly showed far more promise than any of the other potential #5 starters that the Yankees have tried out this season and looked pretty effective against most of the Toronto lineup. However, he struggled against the really good hitters (Rios, Wells, Thomas) in the Blue Jays lineup. Still, since this was his first start, I'm basically giving Hughes a pass but I'm certainly very interested in how he does against a pretty decent Texas line-up next time around.
In any case, with yesterday's loss. the Yankees losing streak has hit 6 and they are now in the cellar of the AL East and possess the third worst record in the majors through 20 games. That means that to get to 95 wins (let's just set that as the generally accepted cutoff for the playoffs), they'll have to play .613 ball the rest of the way. That's 87-55 for those scoring at home. They went 86-56 both last year and in 2005 for those who think that such a pace would be unsustainable. Personally, I'm not panicking and while I understand why people might be, I still think that I will be proven right in the end. The turnaround is coming. The first steps will begin this weekend (weather permitting) when they take at least two of three from the Red Sox.
Patrick wrote: