Results tagged ‘ Tigers ’
Yankees hoping to salvage finale behind CC
There is always a lot of attention on pitch velocities, especially when they correspond with any hint of trouble, but Joe Girardi said that he won’t be glued to the radar gun readings when CC Sabathia takes on the Tigers this afternoon.
“This is typical for CC,” Girardi said. “In the seasons that we’ve had, his velocity in April is not the same as it is in June, July, August. That’s been his DNA. I can’t tell you how high it’s going to go, but I know it’s going to go up. I believe it’s going to go up, just like it did last year.
“There were a lot of pitches he threw 89, 90 mph early in the season. But I think, because of what he went through last year, I think people are paying closer attention to it. But this is not abnormal for CC.”
Sabathia has said numerous times that he does not get caught up in marquee pitching matchups – a lesson he learned the hard way in his young Indians days, when he tried to match Pedro Martinez pitch-for-pitch and wound up heading to the showers early – but this promises to be a good one with Sabathia and Justin Verlander locking up. Girardi said his hitters don’t need any reminders about the mission here today.
“They know what they have to do,” Girardi said. “The thing about Justin is, he has four swing-and-miss pitches. You have to be patient on him. You have to hope he’s having a hard time commanding a few early in the game, because once he gets on a roll, he’s pretty tough.”
There was a nice pregame ceremony to honor Mariano Rivera. Tigers manager Jim Leyland shook hands with Rivera behind home plate and unveiled the team’s gift to the retiring 43-year-old, a photo display of Rivera pitching at both Tiger Stadium and Comerica Park. The display also included glass bottles containing dirt from the pitcher’s mound at both ballparks. Rivera doffed his cap to the cheering crowd and raised both hands in appreciation, offering Leyland a hug.
The Yankees and Tigers are underway. Lineups for both teams and expanded game information is available via MLB GameDay.
Out of necessity, Yankees turn to Hughes
In a perfect world, the Yankees would have received a report sometime today about Phil Hughes’ outing for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre. This is not a perfect world, so they’ll be able to watch Hughes get his work in against the Tigers right here in Detroit.
Manager Joe Girardi said that the team’s overtaxed bullpen left them with little padding if anything were to happen with David Phelps, who’d originally been the Yankees’ scheduled starter today, so they changed Hughes’ travel itinerary coming from Florida and told him to skip the extra Minor League outing.
“We don’t really have a long guy if we start Phelpsie today, so we felt if something were to happen with Phelpsie we’d have a little trouble there,” Girardi said. “It was kind of out of necessity. We wanted him to make one more start, but he’s going to make it here.”
If you’re wondering what Derek Jeter is up to, he took 41 ground balls this morning on the outfield grass standing near the left field fence. If this update sounds at all familiar, it’s because Jeter basically was doing the same thing on Feb. 11.
Jeter tried to suggest on March 24 that he hadn’t actually had a setback, but the fact that he seems to be starting Spring Training over points to that he is still weeks and not days away from being in a big league game.
That increases the importance that the Yankees get Eduardo Nunez back as soon as possible from his bruised right biceps; he is expected to only be available as a pinch-runner today but said he could play tomorrow.
The Yankees and Tigers get started here at Comerica Park at 4:05 p.m. ET. Lineups for both teams and expanded game information is available via MLB GameDay.
Robinson Cano seeing some shift action
Greetings from Detroit! After last night’s vintage turn back the clock experience with Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera leading the Yankees to their first victory, the Bombers are here in the Motor City on a quick turnaround to try and spoil the Tigers’ home opener.
One interesting note from the last few days has been the defensive overshift on Robinson Cano, who has been limited to one hit in his first 12 at-bats of the young season. The Red Sox saw some success with it, and you’d imagine other teams may also give it a try as the year goes on, daring Cano to hit ground balls to the left side.
As Boston manager John Farrell explained back in New York, “He can hit to the opposite field a lot of times, but that’s typically in the air. When you see the spray charts, it’s pretty evident where a high number or high percentage of the balls on the ground will travel. We look to defend those areas.”
Joe Girardi said this morning that he hasn’t seen teams shift against Cano much, but teams are already doing it with Travis Hafner and (when he returns) Mark Teixeira. It’s not clear if Cano is really going to be in that group — the Tigers didn’t use the dramatic overshift during his first at-bat on Friday — or if he can make the adjustment to stop teams from trying it.
“Robbie’s a guy that has the ability to hit the ball the other way, so I’m curious to see how it’s going to play out,” Girardi said. “Robbie hits the ball the other way. A lot of times for a lot of guys, when they hit the ball on the ground it’s more to the pull side. That’s just the way it is for a lot of guys. We’ll see how it works out.”
Lineups for both teams and expanded game information is available via MLB GameDay.
Spring Game 28: Yankees at Tigers
Andy Pettitte gets the ball for a rare road Spring Training start this afternoon as the Yankees roll up to Lakeland, Fla. to take on the Detroit Tigers.
Actually, while Pettitte said it has been at least a few years since he pitched in Tiger Town, starts against big league competition have been scarce for him in recent years. This is just his second of the year, and Pettitte has had bad luck with rain in the past as well — Joe Girardi still laughs about the spring that Pettitte seemed to get all of his work done in the batting cages and sim games.
Here at Steinbrenner Field, Derek Jeter will take ground balls this morning and if everything goes well, he’ll DH in a Minor League game. The Yankees really need Jeter to prove he can play back-to-back days without discomfort before they’ll consider putting him on the big league roster to open the season.
Also, outfielder Brennan Boesch (left rib cage soreness) saw a doctor and got a green light — the Yankees will rest him until Tuesday or Wednesday, according to Girardi.
Here is the Yankees’ lineup:
YANKEES
Brett Gardner CF
Eduardo Nunez SS
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Kevin Youkilis 3B
Travis Hafner DH
Juan Rivera 1B
Ben Francisco RF
Jayson Nix 2B
Chris Stewart C
Andy Pettitte LHP
Spring Game 9: Yankees vs. Tigers
New York Yankees (1-7) vs. Detroit Tigers (3-4)
1:05 p.m. ET – George M. Steinbrenner Field, Tampa, Fla. – TV: YES, Radio: WCBS
RHP Ivan Nova (12-8, 5.02 ERA in 2012) vs. RHP Shawn Hill (11-2, 4.00 ERA in 2012 w/ Las Vegas & York)
TIGERS
Omar Infante 2B
Torii Hunter RF
Andy Dirks CF
Don Kelly 1B
Kevin Russo 3B
Brayan Pena C
Nick Castellanos LF
Danny Worth SS
Ramon Cabrera DH
Shawn Hill RHP
Hill is scheduled to be followed by Kyle Lobstein, Trevor Bell, Kenny Faulk, Jose Ortega and Michael Morrison.
YANKEES
Brett Gardner CF
Ichiro Suzuki RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Kevin Youkilis 3B
Travis Hafner DH
Matt Diaz LF
Jayson Nix SS
Chris Stewart C
Ivan Nova RHP
Nova is scheduled to be followed by Clay Rapada, David Aardsma, Shawn Kelley, Mark Montgomery, Matt Daley and Francisco Rondon.
ALCS Game 4: Yankees at Tigers (rained out)
As the Yankees fight to extend their season for another day, they’ll do it without Alex Rodriguez and Curtis Granderson in the lineup.
The start of ALCS Game 4 is being delayed due to inclement weather in the area, and the forecast isn’t particularly kind until after midnight, according to what I punched up from the Weather Channel. After what happened in last year’s AL Division Series right here, with CC Sabathia and Justin Verlander getting knocked out early in Game 1, Major League Baseball has been sensitive to starting games with threats in the area.
So, we’ll wait… Here are the lineups:
YANKEES
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Nick Swisher RF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez DH
Eric Chavez 3B
Russell Martin C
Brett Gardner CF
Eduardo Nunez SS
CC Sabathia LHP
TIGERS
Austin Jackson CF
Omar Infante 2B
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Prince Fielder 1B
Delmon Young DH
Jhonny Peralta SS
Andy Dirks LF
Avisail Garcia RF
Gerald Laird C
Max Scherzer RHP
ALCS Game 3: Yankees at Tigers
The Yankees have a new-look lineup for tonight’s Game 3 of the American League Championship Series against the Detroit Tigers, with Alex Rodriguez and Nick Swisher planted on the bench.
Brett Gardner will get his first start since April 17, leading off and playing left field, while the Yankees hope that Curtis Granderson and Ichiro Suzuki can chase down any deep fly balls that the Tigers connect for facing Phil Hughes. Eduardo Nunez also replaces Jayson Nix at shortstop as the Yankees hope for some speed to rattle Justin Verlander.
Is this an ideal situation? No, but the Yankees are in a desperate situation, and both manager Joe Girardi and general manager Brian Cashman figure they’d might as well try something different to shake things up.
“With all due respect, he can’t really give us any less than what we’ve gotten,” Cashman said of Gardner. “So why not? We’ll try it.”
Here are the lineups:
2012 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES – GAME 3
NEW YORK YANKEES (0-2 / 95-67) vs. DETROIT TIGERS (2-0 / 88-74)
RHP Phil Hughes (0-0, 1.35) vs. RHP Justin Verlander (2-0, 0.56)
Tuesday, October 16 • 8:07 p.m. et • TBS • Comerica Park
YANKEES
Brett Gardner lf
Ichiro Suzuki rf
Mark Teixeira 1b
Robinson Cano 2b
Raul Ibanez dh
Russell Martin c
Eric Chavez 3b
Curtis Granderson cf
Eduardo Nunez ss
Phil Hughes rhp
TIGERS
Austin Jackson cf
Quintin Berry lf
Miguel Cabrera 3b
Prince Fielder 1b
Delmon Young dh
Andy Dirks rf
Jhonny Peralta ss
Alex Avila c
Omar Infante 2b
Justin Verlander rhp
Information from the Yankees media relations department:
TWO DOWN: The Yankees have lost the first two games of an ALCS series for just the second time (also 1980 when they were swept by Kansas City in the series under a three-game format)…marks the ninth time the Yankees have started a best-of-seven series 0-2 – all coming in the World Series (1922 vs. New York Giants, ‘56 vs. Brooklyn, ‘58 vs. Milwaukee, ‘63 vs. Los Angeles, ‘76 vs. Cincinnati, ‘78 vs. Los Angeles, ‘96 vs. Atlanta and 2001 vs. Arizona)…came back to win the series four times in those previous situations (‘56, ‘58, ‘78 and ‘96)…were swept in ‘22, ‘63 and ‘76 and lost in seven games in ‘01.
ð Marks the third time the Yankees have begun a best-of-seven series with both losses coming as the home team (also ‘63 when they were swept by the Dodgers and ‘96 when they won four straight vs. Atlanta (beating Glavine, Avery, Smoltz and Maddux).
START US UP: Yankees starters have combined to go 2-2 with a 2.33 ERA (54.0IP, 14ER) in the 2012 postseason, with 48K and a .201 opponents average (40-for-199)… have tossed at least 6.0IP with 3ER or less in all seven starts, matching their World Championship season of 2009 for the best such stretch to start a postseason in franchise history.
ALCS Game 2: Yankees vs. Tigers
2012 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES – GAME 2
NEW YORK YANKEES (3-3/95-67) vs. DETROIT TIGERS (4-2/88-74)
RHP Hiroki Kuroda (0-0, 2.16) vs. RHP Anibal Sanchez (0-1, 2.84)
Sunday, October 14 • 4:07 p.m. et • TBS • Yankee Stadium
TIGERS
Austin Jackson CF
Quintin Berry LF
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Prince Fielder 1B
Delmon Young DH
Andy Dirks RF
Jhonny Peralta SS
Alex Avila C
Omar Infante 2B
Pitching: Anibal Sanchez RHP
YANKEES
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez DH
Russell Martin C
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Curtis Granderson CF
Nick Swisher RF
Jayson Nix SS
Pitching: Hiroki Kuroda RHP
BIRTHDAY BOY: Manager Joe Girardi is celebrating his 48th birthday today.
EXTRA, EXTRA: The Yankees have played three extra-inning games thus far in the 2012 postseason (12 inn., 13 inn. and 12 inn.), with all three coming over their last four contests… matches their most extra-inning games in a single postseason all time (also 1996, 2004 and 2009)… had played three extra-inning games over their previous 31 postseason contests entering 2012.
ð Have lost their last two extra-inning games at home (also ALDS Game 4 vs. Baltimore)… prior to the setbacks, had won 10 straight extra-inning postseason wins at home dating back to 1999.
ð Have now played six extra-inning games in their last 10 home games.
ð Have played 46 combined innings over their last four games/days.
SO COOL: With his game-tying two-run homer in the ninth inning last night, RHP Raul Ibanez became the first player in Major League history to homer three times in the ninth inning or later in a single postseason (also had a game-tying solo HR and “walk-off” solo HR in ALDS Game 3 vs. Baltimore)…joins Johnny Bench as the only two players ever with three career game-tying or go-ahead home runs in the ninth inning or later in postseason play.
HEY, REMEMBER THE 80s: Today, the Yankees will do something they haven’t done since 10/28/81 (Game 6 of the World Series) – play a postseason game without either Mariano Rivera or Derek Jeter on the roster.
ALCS Game 1: Yankees vs. Tigers
2012 AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES – GAME 1
NEW YORK YANKEES (3-2/95-67) vs. DETROIT TIGERS (3-2/88-74)
LHP Andy Pettitte (0-1, 3.86) vs. RHP Doug Fister (0-0, 2.57)
Saturday, October 13 • 8:07 p.m. et • TBS • Yankee Stadium
TIGERS
Austin Jackson CF
Omar Infante 2B
Miguel Cabrera 3B
Prince Fielder 1B
Delmon Young DH
Jhonny Peralta SS
Andy Dirks LF
Avisail Garcia RF
Gerald Laird C
Doug Fister RHP
YANKEES
Derek Jeter SS
Ichiro Suzuki LF
Robinson Cano 2B
Mark Teixeira 1B
Raul Ibanez DH
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Nick Swisher RF
Curtis Granderson CF
Russell Martin C
Andy Pettitte LHP
AT A GLANCE: The Yankees will play Game 1 of the 2012 American League Championship Series vs. the Detroit Tigers tonight at Yankee Stadium…marks the Yankees’ 15th ALCS all-time, going 11-3 in the series, including a 7-2 mark in their last nine since 1996 – which have been a “best of seven” format…is their third ALCS in five years under Joe Girardi (also 2009 and ‘10)…are 34-14 in 48 “best-of-seven” series all time.
OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT: The Yankees have won the first game in each of their last four postseason series and nine of their last 11.
ANDY’S TURN: LHP Andy Pettitte will make his seventh career Game 1 start, first since the 2005 NLCS at St. Louis w/Houston… is his fifth Game 1 start as a Yankee, first since the 2001 ALCS at Seattle… is his first Game 1 start at home since the 2000 World Series vs. the Mets (6.2IP, 8H, 3ER in the ND)… overall, is s 2-2 with a 5.59 ERA (37.0IP, 23ER) in his six previous Game 1 starts.
ð The start by Pettitte snaps a streak of seven consecutive postseason Game 1s started by CC Sabathia dating back to 2009.
Cody Eppley replaces Eduardo Nunez on Yankees’ ALCS roster
NEW YORK – The Yankees have made one modification to their roster for the American League Championship Series, carrying right-handed reliever Cody Eppley instead of infielder Eduardo Nunez.
New York elected to take 12 pitchers into the ALCS against the Tigers, as Detroit’s stable of right-handed starting pitchers – beginning with Doug Fister in Saturday’s Game 1 – made it less likely the Yankees would need Nunez’s bat to counter left-handed pitching.
The Yankees continue to carry Jayson Nix as a backup infielder, who would play shortstop in the event Derek Jeter is unavailable. A bone bruise on Jeter’s left foot forced him to DH in Game 4 of the ALDS against the Orioles, though Jeter was back at shortstop on Friday as the Yankees won Game 5, 3-1, over the Orioles.
The roster decisions may suggest that David Phelps is in line to start Game 2 of the ALCS on Sunday against the Tigers, though manager Joe Girardi said he would not reveal that decision until later on Saturday. The Yankees could also start both Hiroki Kuroda and CC Sabathia on short rest in Games 2 and 3, respectively. Andy Pettitte is scheduled to start Saturday’s Game 1.
Behind Pettitte and Phelps, plus Sabathia, Kuroda and Phil Hughes, the Yankees’ seven-man bullpen has two left-handers, Boone Logan and Clay Rapada. The Yankees’ stable of right-handed relievers is comprised of Joba Chamberlain, Eppley, Derek Lowe, David Robertson and closer Rafael Soriano.
Chris Stewart is on the roster as the backup to starting catcher Russell Martin. New York’s starting infield of Mark Teixeira, Robinson Cano, Jeter and Alex Rodriguez will have Nix and Eric Chavez in reserve. It is unknown if Rodriguez will start in Saturday’s ALCS Game 1 after being benched in favor of Chavez for Friday’s ALDS Game 5.
The Yankees’ starting outfield of Ichiro Suzuki, Curtis Granderson and Nick Swisher has Raul Ibanez and Brett Gardner in reserve. Ibanez will likely see designated hitter duty in the series after his hot ALDS, including his game-tying and game-winning home runs in ALDS Game 3 against the Orioles.
Here’s a PDF version of the ALCS Roster.
Bryan Hoch
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