The Yankees have to feel pretty good about themselves after sweeping
the Red Sox in three taut games in the Bronx. It doesn't erase the fact
that they can't seem to beat the Angels or Tigers, nor does it erase
the fact that the Sox play an easier schedule from here to the end of
the season than the Yankees do.
This Week In Pinstripes: Week of August 31 by Cecilia Tan
Not Quite A Massacre But.... The Yankees have to feel pretty good about themselves after sweeping the Red Sox in three taut games in the Bronx. It doesn't erase the fact that they can't seem to beat the Angels or Tigers, nor does it erase the fact that the Sox play an easier schedule from here to the end of the season than the Yankees do. It's more likely that the Yankees will hang onto the lead in the wild card than catch the Sox, unless a September Swoon comes to Boston. It should be a surprise to no one that the key to beating Boston was stellar starting pitching. Despite issuing far too many walks, Roger Clemens and Chien-Ming Wang limited the opposition to six hits over two days. Andy Pettitte was the man who got things started though, and continues to live up to his reputation of being a stopper of losing streaks.
Moose Dropping The man who can no longer live on his reputation, nor his fastball, is Mike Mussina. After being absolutely pummelled in his last two starts, Mussina will skip a start. The irony is that the pitcher who will take his start, Ian Kennedy, has been repeatedly described by scouts as being "Mussina-like." What's wrong with Mussina? He claims that there is no physical problem. If there's a mental one, it may be similar to what Tom Glavine went through a few years ago when he seemed to go through an adjustment period to the "new" strike zone. In Mussina's case, as his pitching style has evolved to use more deception and 'junk,' it may be that umpires are themselves are fooled. He certainly does not seem to be getting the benefit of the doubt from the men in blue, and as a result he ends up pitching more over the plate... and getting hit.
Damonic Possession Johnny Damon lost his job in center with a balky, injury-ridden first half of the season, but in the month of August has been the Damon of old, hitting .325. Since July 20th--the day he snapped an 0-for-20 skid--he has been hitting and scoring at a torrid pace, notching 21 RBIs and 26 runs. The Yankees have won 15 of 17 games he has started in left while Hideki Matsui's sore knees rest a bit. He is healthily ensconced in the leadoff spot.
Defense Department With the number of Yankees who need to spend time at DH for one reason or another, Jason Giambi must feel like his best bid to be in the lineup every day is to impress when he plays in the field. He made three eye-opening plays at first in the series against Boston. In game two, the first play of the game was a diving stop that saved a double. In game three he did it again on a smash of the bat of Pedroia, and he saved Jeter from an error by making a flat-on-his-face pick of a wild throw to complete a 5-4-3 double play. Jeter had a rough day with throwing, missing first two other times, once in which Giambi tagged the runner going by and one in which Youkilis was ruled safe on the throwing error. Anything Giambi can contribute down the stretch is huge.
Minor Keys Shelley Duncan has won the "Player of the Year" award for the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees, while Matt DeSalvo won "Pitcher of the Year." Meanwhile the Yankees have announced the seven prospects who will play in the Arizona Fall League for the Peoria Javelinas: four pitchers, Steven Jackson, Ross Ohlendorf, Kevin Whelan, and Steven White; two infielders, Reegie Corona and Juan Miranda; and outfielder Brett Gardner.
Coming Up Hopefully the Yankees will keep up the intensity against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. The Rays, of course, are often a punching bag for the league's heavy hitters, but from time to time they rise up and sting. The Yankees need to make hay while they face a weak team, as Seattle is sure to come in hungry. The Wild Card race is probably going to come down to three horses, Seattle, Detroit, and the Yankees.
