ALCS Game 3: Going Back To Cali

Yesterday the Yankees traded the chilly confines of New York City for the cloudless skies and comfortable temperatures of southern California. Instead of ponchos and parkas, fans in the stands today will be rocking shorts and sunglasses.

Given that players wearing thermal facemasks were at the center of Angels' two biggest errors of the series (and Robinson Cano had two errors of his own), it's probably safe to say that the frigid weather - by baseball standards - contributed mightily to the sloppy play in New York.

As Mike Scioscia said after Game 2, "Anybody can play baseball when it's 70 degrees and beautiful out", which is what the conditions are going to be when the game starts up around 1:00 Pacific Time. While the sunlight, warmth and early start might take away some of the edge of a typical playoff game, we can hope that this one will be won't be wrought with nearly as many miscues. The Yankees are probably thrilled with where the series is at right now, but the Angels are probably the happiest to be stationed in SoCal.

Jered Weaver gets the ball for the Angels this afternoon. Weaver is coming off his best season as a Major Leaguer, having thrown 211 innings to a 3.75 ERA with a 2.64 K/BB and 16-8 record -which compares favorably to the best season his brother has ever had. He's been even better down the stretch, posting a 2.47 ERA over his last 8 starts, including a masterful performance against the Red Sox in which he gave 4 baserunners and one run over 7.1 IP.

Weaver has walked 14 in his last 51 innings which isn't bad at all, but has still had problems controlling his pitch count, averaging about 6 1/3 and 110 pitches per start. If the Yankees are patient and work the count as effectively as they did against John Lackey, they should be able to reach the Angels' bullpen before the seventh inning is over. The Yanks have been fairly successful in doing that against Weaver this year, extracting 12 runs in 19.1 IP over three starts.

With Jorge Posada behind the plate Weaver will have to contend with a full-strength Yankees offense including, most notably, A-Rod who has a notorious affinity for hitting in Anaheim. He's compiled an offensive line of .335/.401/.716 with 37 HRs during 89 regular season games at the Big A, which is the most HRs of any park he hasn't called home. It almost unfair to expect him to continue with the heroics that have thus far defined this postseason, but given his track record there, would you be all that surprised?

The Yanks send Andy Pettitte to the hill to make his 37th postseason start. His teams are 22-14 in those games and Pettitte has 15 wins and a 3.89 ERA. A win today would give him sole possession of the most in postseason play as he is currently tied with John Smoltz. Andy might not be one of the greatest playoff pitchers of all-time in terms of dominant performance, but he's certainly one of the most prolific with a regular season's worth of wins and innings pitched (224 1/3) in October.

Pettitte has not fared well against the Angels this year. In three starts (two of them against Weaver) he's given up 21 hits, 8 walks and 14 runs in 16 innings (7.88 ERA). If it makes you feel any better, the most recent one of those was the best of the bunch (6 IP, 3 ER).

That start came on long rest (like the one today) after Pettitte was skipped in the rotation because of shoulder fatigue and was the first of a three game set. It was the last time they were in Anaheim and the Yankees lost that game but took the next two to win the series. Two out of these next three would earn the Yanks a trip to the World Series.

Think I'm gon' stop, givin' L.A. props?

All I got is beef with those that violate me,
I shall annihilate thee...

I'm going (going),

Back (back),

To Cali (Cali).

Game 145: Day Tripper

The Angels made their only scheduled trip of 2009 to the Bronx back at the end of April, starting a four game series on a Thursday. The Yanks took the first two, including one of their 13 walk off wins during the Friday night game, before the Halos took the Saturday contest behind journeyman starter Matt Palmer on Kentucky Derby Day. Sunday's series finale was rained out, leaving us with today's make up.

That weekend in early May however was not the last time these two teams met. The Yankees traveled to Anaheim for a three game weekend series just before the All-Star break and completely mailed it in, getting swept despite leading each game at some point. Fortunately, that series marks the last thing remotely resembling a speed bump this season, as the Yanks have gone 41-14 (.745) since.

Joba Chamberlain will oppose Jered Weaver in today's game. Joba has faced the Angels once, on July 10th this year, allowing 10 baserunners, 5 runs, 4 earned, in 4.1 innings. This will be his fourth intentionally truncated start; with any luck he'll be able to get through four innings today and be able to do it something resembling a reasonable pitch count. After a rough first inning his start last Wednesday, Chamberlain had an effective last two plus innings, retiring the final eight batters he faced. He'll look to build on that tonight.

Weaver has faced the Yankees twice this year and is 1-0 with 1.08 WHIP despite a 5.25 ERA over 12 innings of work. For his career, he's 4-1 in six starts against the Yanks but carries a 5.82 ERA against them. For the season Weaver is 15-5, leading his club in starts, innings, wins and strikeouts, and is second amongst Angel starters in ERA. He and John Lackey are the only Halo rotation members with an ERA lower than league average. He's been outstanding over his last three starts: 2-0 with a 1.40 ERA and 17:3 K:BB over 19.1 IP.

The Yankee bench will be a little more crowded tonight, as the Yankees did what I thought they wouldn't do, and recalled outfielder Freddy Guzman. Peter Abraham speculates that the Yanks are giving him a look as a potential post-season pinch running option. Not only do I think that's a bad idea, I don't even know if it's possible since Guzman was not added to the 40 man roster until today. To make room for him, Anthony Claggett was designated for assignment, becoming the third young, if unspectacular, pitcher the Yanks have DFA'd this year in order to make room for inferior talent. I imagine the Pirates will scoop him up just as they did to Steven Jackson and Eric Hacker. Scranton's already decimated roster is down two more bodies, but they will have Ian Kennedy available to start Game 2 of the IL Finals on Wednesday.

After today's little day trip, the Angels travel to Boston for three then on to Texas for three more. All of that is good news for the Yanks, as they're guaranteed to reduce their various magic numbers by at least one for all six of those days, whether it be to clinch a playoff spot, to clinch the AL East, or to clinch homefield throughout the playoffs. Counting tonight, the Yanks have four more games against the Angels this year. Given their troubles at The Big A over the last several years, it would be awfully nice if the Yanks can beat up on the Halos and ensure they have homefield throughout the post-season.



Bonus version with Jimi Hendrix

Tried to please her, she only played one night stands
Tried to please her, she only played one night stands, now
She was a day tripper, Sunday driver, yeah!
It took me so long to find out, and I found out

Game 87: Just Like California

Angels' ace Jered Weaver gets the ball today, and boy do I want to see the Yanks putting a beating on him. Not just because it'd be awfully nice to salvage a series victory and keep the momentum going into the All-Star break, but because Jered's brother Jeff has to be one of my least favorite Yankees of all time. I loathed Jeff Weaver, who then was flipped for Kevin Brown, and that didn't work out too hot either.

Six seasons after Jeff Weaver threw his last pitch as a Yankee, my lasting memory of him is him making excuse after excuse, crappy outing after crappy outing, insisting that he didn't pitch that poorly and that he'd get in straightened out next time. Except he never did. I've been reminded of those post-game interviews every five days of late, and it's not a pleasant recollection. Since Jeff is hiding out in the NL these days, I'll have to settle for the Yanks hanging a crooked number on his brother.

And the Yanks have done just that in the past. Weaver is 3-1 against the Yanks, but he carries at 6.11 ERA and 1.46 WHIP in 28 innings of work. The Yanks touched him up for 4 runs in 6 innings on May 1st this year, but Weaver escaped with a no decision in the Yanks 10-9 victory.

Andy Pettitte takes the mound for the Yankees. Pettitte hasn't been as consistently poor as last night's starter, but he's been consistently inconsistent all season long. He has alternated good starts and bad starts over his last five. The good news is that if that pattern holds today he's due for a good one, after allowing ten baserunners and giving up 6 ER in 6 IP on Monday. Pettitte opposed Weaver in that May 1st game, and he wasn't much better, giving up 5 ER in 5.2 IP. For his career his 12-8 against the Angels with a 4.52 ERA and 1.46 WHIP.

Brett Gardner gets the start in CF; Nick Swisher gets a day off, replaced by Eric Hinske in RF.

After going up four runs at the halfway point last night, it was just like the (former) California Angels to make fools of the Yanks in the second half of the game. Here's hoping the Yanks right the ship today and take a lead all the way tonight.



Just like California to make a fool of me
Steal the sideshow, burn the disco, slide into the sea
I'm a thinking person and I think that it's wrong
To keep on saying true love's waiting, when true love is long gone

Time is on my bad side
Halfway there just wouldn't be fair
So I'm going all the way tonight

Game 23: Low Income (It's Friday)

The Yankees are red hot, folks! Well, not really, but a win tonight would establish their longest winning streak of the season at four games. Andy Pettitte takes the ball for the Bombers tonight against Jered Weaver.

Jered is of course the brother of Yankee legend Jeff Weaver. The Yanks have faced the 26 year old righty four times since August of 2006. Despite throwing 6 innings of one run ball his first time in the Bronx, he holds a 6.14 ERA and has given up 25 hits in 22 innings against the Yankees.

If you need further reason to be encouraged, Wyclef Jean would like to remind you what day of the week it is.

To my people who don't wanna go to work,
Thank God it's Friday...
To my people who don't got no job,
Everyday it's Friday.