This wacky season marches on.
Carl Pavano was super, Bobby Abreu drove in one and scored another and Mariano Rivera registered a five-out save as the
Yanks trimmed the Blue Jays 2-1 in the Boogie Down. The Bombers didn't exactly solve A.J. Burnett (8 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 1 BB, 8 K), but it was good enough to beat him for the first time in four tries this season. Joe Girardi managed this one like it was a playoff game (and I guess they are at this point) as he called on five relievers to nail down the victory.
Unfortunately, the Red Sox also won so the Yankees remain six games back in the wild card chase.
The Good:Carl Pavano. I wasn't sure how the fans would react to Pavano as he took the Yankee Stadium mound for the first time since April 2007 (and as far as I could see the reaction was lukewarm), but I knew it would have turned virulent if he got off to a bad start. Joe Inglett singled to lead off the game, but Pavano got out of the inning without giving up a run and was in control for nearly his entire outing. I know it's hard to give this guy any praise (and I feel dirty doing it), but I have to be honest. Going up against Burnett is a tough assignment for any Yankee starter (especially this season), but Pavano was up to the task. Pavano retired 12 straight Jays at one point and struck out Alex Rios to end the sixth. Girardi pulled Carl after only 72 pitches, but I think Pavano was gassed. The Blue Jays hit three balls hard in the fifth and scratched out a run in his final inning. That's why pitch counts don't always tell the whole story. Anyway, Pavano upped his record to 2-0 with this: 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 1 BB, 1 K. Who woulda thunk it?
Bobby Abreu. The Candy Man drove in the Yankees only run against Burnett in Toronto on Aug. 19 and he picked up where he left off Friday night. Abreu smacked an RBI-double to left to bring Johnny Damon home with the game's first run in the fourth. El Comedulce then advanced to third on an Alex Rodriguez infield single and raced home on Jason Giambi's shallow sac fly to left field. Bobby also nearly knocked Burnett's head off with a sharp line drive single in the sixth. I'm not sure if Abreu will be in pinstripes next year, but he's been the Yankees most consistent hitter this season. Abreu finished 2 for 4 with a run scored and an RBI.
Mariano Rivera. It was a hairy situation -- runners on first and second with one out in the eighth and the Yanks clinging to a 2-1 lead. I trust Mo in any situation, but the Blue Jays had Inglett and Marco Scutaro due up. Oh, sure, they aren't the most feared hitters in the league, but they are the type of guys that could flare a single for a cheap run. But not tonight. Rivera got Inglett to ground into a fielder's choice and struck out Scutaro to end the threat. The Sandman had to go through the heart of the order in the ninth, but allowed only a one-out single before closing the door. Rivera notched his 32nd save of the year with this: 1.2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K.
The Bad:Jose Veras. The bullpen was nearly flawless Friday night. Nearly. Brian Bruney, Damaso Marte and Edwar Ramirez were perfect and Rivera was Rivera, but Veras wasn't up to the challenge. Girardi mixed-and-matched in the seventh, but Vera was summoned to pitch the eighth. It didn't work out. Rod Barajas greeted Veras with a ground rule double and Scott Rolen followed with a walk. Veras may have the second-best stuff coming out of the pen, but he can run hot and cold. Hopefully, he'll heat up. Veras' night: 0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 0 K.
The Ugly:The Joba Situation. I didn't think the Yanks would mess around with
Joba Chamberlain after he injured his shoulder, but it looks like he's ready to return. Chamberlain threw 45 pitches on Thursday and is set to pitch in a simulated game Saturday. "We're going to see how he does tomorrow facing the hitters," Girardi said.
"The one thing that we've done is we have not rushed this and we have not tried
to get ahead of ourselves. We won't do that. After tomorrow's performance, we'll
make an evaluation to see if the next step is that he needs more time or we can
activate him." And it looks like when Joba comes back it will be as part of the bullpen brigade. "We couldn't necessarily bring him back as a starter if we activated him
right away, just because he's not built up," Girardi said. "I would have loved
to have him back three weeks ago, but that's not the case. We had to deal with
an injury and he's been feeling pretty good. We all feel good about that. We'll
make a decision sometime this weekend." I didn't like the way the Yankees handled the whole Joba situation earlier in the season and I really don't like that they plan to put him back in the pen. It feels like a disaster waiting to happen. But maybe I'm just paranoid.
Darrell Rasner (5-9, 5.03 ERA) will go against John Parrish (1-0, 4.05 ERA) Saturday afternoon. Parrish has pitched in only seven games this season (four as a starter and three as a reliever) and hasn't thrown a baseball since Aug. 10 against the Cleveland Indians. The lefty's lone win this season came way back on June 28 against the Atlanta Braves. Parrish is 0-4 with a 4.50 ERA in 30 career appearances against the Yanks. Rasner couldn't get out of the fourth inning in his last start against the Baltimore Orioles, but picked up a no-decision in the Yanks 8-7 victory. The Ras is having a horrible month (0-1 with a 5.40 ERA in five games) and hasn't won a game since Jul 12 against the Jays in Toronto. Ranser is 1-0 with a 3.09 ERA in two starts against the Blue Birds this season and is 2-0 with a 3.57 ERA in three career starts against the Jays.
Seems like a promising trend.
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It turned out ok, but I was surprised Pavano didn't start the seventh. I agree he was almost out of gas, but why bring in Bruney for one guy and then go to the lefty. I would have let Pavano face the leadoff man, then gone to Marte even if Pavano recorded the out. Seemed like a waste to me to burn Bruney for one out especially how well he's pitched lately.
And I completely agree on Joba. Maybe I'm paranoid too, but I don't like the way they've handled him at all this season.