ALDS: New York Yankees vs. Baltimore Orioles

[Battingly]

I don't know if they are subject to change, but MLB.com has posted the times for all three remaining games.

G3 - Wed. 7:30
G4 - Thur. 7:30
G5 - Fri. 5:00

I'm assuming G5 (if necessary) will be pushed back to prime-time if there are no other games, but right now its listed as a 5PM start.

[Battingly]

It will be the third time the Yankees see Miguel Gonzalez. This series may very well hinge on whether the Yankees can hit this guy.

His two games against the Yankees:
July 30 vs. Garcia at Yankee Stadium (W, 5-4) -- 6.2 IP, 4 ER, 6 H, 3 HR, 8 K, 0 BB
August 31 vs. Kuroda at Yankee Stadium (W, 6-1) -- 7 IP, 0 ER, 4 H, 0 HR, 9 K, 1 BB

The three homers in the first game were hit by Ichiro, Ibanez, and Chavez. A-Rod has never faced him.

If there was ever a game to give Chavez a start over A-Rod, this is it. But of course, that would never happen.

Of course there is a way he can get Chavez and Ibanez in this game without benching Arod (as we already discussed), and that would be to sit Swisher who is 0 for 6 verses Gonzalez with 5 K's, start Ibanez in RF, and DH Chavez.

[jcarey]

Didn't you say that before the Texas game too?

Yes. Any pitcher can have a good start, but if you think Joe Saunders is a good pitcher, I don't know what to tell you. It's possible he can shut down two explosive offenses in back-to-back away starts, but I wouldn't count on it.

As another poster mentioned, the nod might go to Tillman anyway.

[ymike673]

Of course there is way he can get Chavez and Ibanez in this game without benching Arod (as we already discussed), and that would be to sit Swisher who is 0 for 6 verses Gonzalez with 5 K's, start Ibanez in RF, and DH Chavez.

Sit Swisher with his 1-33 with RISP in the Post Season? Joe would not even think of it.

[YankeeStripes]

Tonight and tomorrow's pitching matchups scare me, and I don't even know who is pitching for the Orioles tomorrow.

Miguel Gonzalez gave the yankees a lot of trouble in his last start, and he is precisely the type of pitcher that gives the Yankees trouble - a composed, young pitcher who throws hard.

Kuroda has a fairly low ERA but he has also had several games where he has been clobbered, and clobbered early. But he hasn't had one in a while, so that scares me.


Hughes on Thursday is terrifiying. I hate to let our season ride on a game where we pitch a guy who has given up 35 home runs, in a home run hitters ball park, against a team that hit 215 home runs.

[ZIM 2002]

Ironic that two hitters with better numbers are Ibanez and Chavez. They seem to be able to adapt to what the pitcher is giving them. Maybe Joe will DH Arod today and play Chavez at third?

[THEBOSS84]

After a miserable rainy morning in NYC, the sun is shining right now.

[effdamets]

Ironic that two hitters with better numbers are Ibanez and Chavez. They seem to be able to adapt to what the pitcher is giving them. Maybe Joe will DH Arod today and play Chavez at third?

And play Ibanez in left?
Move Ichiro to right?
Sit Swisher?
That might be way too much for Girardi's brain to handle...
It's the right thing to do at this point, but it'll never happen.

[THEBOSS84]

From RAB:

By my unofficial count, 26 of the 64 total ALDS series from 1995-2011 were tied at one after the first two games. Of those 26 series, the team that won Game Three went on to win the series 21 times. The Yankees have been on both sides of that ledger, both the winning and losing. That 21-5 series record for Game Three winners doesn’t guarantee anything for anyone going forward, but it goes to show how much of a boost a Game Three win will be for whoever gets it.

[NYYankeesFan92]

No worries here, the Yankees will wrap this series up in four games.

[ymike673]

Tonight and tomorrow's pitching matchups scare me, and I don't even know who is pitching for the Orioles tomorrow.

Miguel Gonzalez gave the yankees a lot of trouble in his last start, and he is precisely the type of pitcher that gives the Yankees trouble - a composed, young pitcher who throws hard.

Kuroda has a fairly low ERA but he has also had several games where he has been clobbered, and clobbered early. But he hasn't had one in a while, so that scares me.


Hughes on Thursday is terrifiying. I hate to let our season ride on a game where we pitch a guy who has given up 35 home runs, in a home run hitters ball park, against a team that hit 215 home runs.

I agree. Its very scary. Gonzalez has handled the Yankees this season and it's anyone's guess which Phil Hughes shows up tomorrow. But the Yankees should have scored off Chen. That's why this is scary now.

[ymike673]

And play Ibanez in left?
Move Ichiro to right?
Sit Swisher?
That might be way too much for Girardi's brain to handle...
It's the right thing to do at this point, but it'll never happen.

It's like a replay of last years Tigers series. Joe played the exact same lineup in all 5 games. The man does not like to make changes. Funny how every other manager will tweak the lineup from game to game but not Joe.

[ZIM 2002]

Well, the players had better be less scared of facing Gonzalez in game three than the fans are!! But Buck playing mind games with Arod and Swisher sure doesn't help.

[effdamets]

Who else feels like Showalter is totally outmanaging and outsmarting Girardi thus far?

[Mr Coffee]

Who else feels like Showalter is totally outmanaging and outsmarting Girardi thus far?

Not me.

[JfromJersey]

Tonight and tomorrow's pitching matchups scare me, and I don't even know who is pitching for the Orioles tomorrow.

Miguel Gonzalez gave the yankees a lot of trouble in his last start, and he is precisely the type of pitcher that gives the Yankees trouble - a composed, young pitcher who throws hard.

Kuroda has a fairly low ERA but he has also had several games where he has been clobbered, and clobbered early. But he hasn't had one in a while, so that scares me.


Hughes on Thursday is terrifiying. I hate to let our season ride on a game where we pitch a guy who has given up 35 home runs, in a home run hitters ball park, against a team that hit 215 home runs.

You're not the only one. The last Yankee game I attended (Aug 31) had tonight's pitching matchup (Kuroda/Gonzales), and Hiro was less than effective (gave up a few bombs), while Gonzo shut out the Yankees while he was in there. Hope this isn't a bad case of Deja Vu..or should i call it Deja P.U.

[THEBOSS84]

Who else feels like Showalter is totally outmanaging and outsmarting Girardi thus far?

How so? I don't even feel that the managers have come in to play yet in this series.

[JL25and3]

Who else feels like Showalter is totally outmanaging and outsmarting Girardi thus far?

Michael Kay.

[fredgmuggs]

Who else feels like Showalter is totally outmanaging and outsmarting Girardi thus far?

well, Michael Kay is a given.

[effdamets]

Not me.

How so? I don't even feel that the managers have come in to play yet in this series.

I just feel like Showalter, as much as I despise him these days, is a superior strategist compared to Girardi - given Girardi's hard headedness to not change the lineup at all....

[JL25and3]

From RAB:

Not surprising that the team that goes up 2-1 has a much better chance of getting to 3.

[JL25and3]

And play Ibanez in left?
Move Ichiro to right?
Sit Swisher?
That might be way too much for Girardi's brain to handle...
It's the right thing to do at this point, but it'll never happen.

You can play Ibanez in left if you like, but keep in mind: kittens will die. And you will be responsible.

[YankeePride1967]

After a miserable rainy morning in NYC, the sun is shining right now.

Problem is the forecast is for more rain later today with winds at 30 MPH.

[THEBOSS84]

I just feel like Showalter, as much as I despise him these days, is a superior strategist compared to Girardi - given Girardi's hard headedness to not change the lineup at all....

He probably is a better strategist, but he hasn't used any strategies so far this series. So far the first two games were fairly manager-proof.

[THEBOSS84]

Not surprising that the team that goes up 2-1 has a much better chance of getting to 3.

I guess you're right, but the percentages are probably higher than I imagined.