Posts Tagged ‘Alfredo Aceves’

After the Yankees imploded against the Indians on Saturday, ESPN 1050 radio host John Rothstein asked fans whether CC Sabathia or Joba Chamberlain’s recent struggles were more concerning.

Sabathia gave up five runs in six innings against the Indians Saturday and in his previous start he gave up five earned runs in five innings against the Mets. He is 0-2 in his last four starts and the Yankees are 0-4 in those games, although he pitched well against Boston on May 18, but, ironically, Joba and the bullpen blew the lead that Sabathia handed them.

Joba gave up four runs while only getting one out against the Indians Saturday. He gave up three earned runs in consecutive outings on May 16 against the Twins and May 18 against the Red Sox. Sometimes he comes into games and blows the opposition away, but other times he gets hit hard. Read the rest of this entry »

The question of who will be the Yankees fifth starting pitcher is sure to be a hot topic until a decision is reached later this Spring. The leading candidates are the obvious suspects, Joba Chamberlain and Phil Hughes, followed by Sergio Mitre, Alfredo Aceves and Chad Gaudin (in no specific order).

Early spring training starts aside, who is better suited to be the Yankees fifth starter? I don’t think I’m going out on the limb by saying that the spot will be given to either Joba or Hughes. The Yankees have visions of one of them being a starter this season, although, could you imagine how good their bullpen would be all season if they had both guys in there? They’d lock down the 7th and 8th innings before handing it off to Mariano Rivera. This was the case in the 2009 postseason and although Hughes didn’t pitch well then, I’d still be extremely content with having them both in the bullpen this coming October. 

The NY Daily News wrote a good article about Alfredo Aceves winning the starting spot and having Joba and Hughes in the bullpen. Although I can’t see it happening, the Yankees would turn their baseball games into six inning games. With Joba and Hughes working out of the bullpen, the Yankees may rarely lose games when having a lead after six innings. It would similar to 1996 when the Yankees were almost unbeatable when they had a lead after six innings. Mariano pitched the 7th and 8th innings and John Wetteland closed the door in the 9th. 

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Who do the Yankees trust coming out of the bullpen? The first and most obvious answer; Mariano Rivera. After Mariano the level of trust drops substantially. Here are the various confidence levels the Yankees have in their bullpen.

Most Confidence: Mariano Rivera
Mr. Reliable has a 0.71 ERA this postseason. Girardi has called on Mo to get six out saves in game six of the ALCS and game two of the World Series. Girardi won’t have the luxury of using Mo for two inning saves in Philadelphia since there are no days off between any of the three games. Mo is one of the best, if not the best, postseason pitchers of all-time.

Gaining Confidence: Damaso Marte, Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson
Damaso Marte made 21 appearances and gave up 14 earned runs during an injury plagued 2009 regular season (9.45 ERA). The lefty specialist has gotten some big outs against left-handed hitters for the Yankees in the postseason. He hasn’t given up a run in five appearances although his last three appearances have come in Yankee losses.
Joba Chamberlain looks to have taken over as setup man. Joba has given up seven hits in 3.1 innings but has given up only one earned run. He’s been hit hard in a couple of outings against the Angels but the Yankees remain confident in Joba. Look for Girardi to go to Joba instead of Phil Hughes in the 8th inning.
David Robertson is 2-0 and hasn’t given up a run so far this postseason. Girardi’s not afraid to hand the ball to Robertson in a big spot. Robertson has put together strong efforts in tough spots this postseason including getting out of a bases loaded jam in extra innings against Minnesota that set up a Mark Teixeira walk-off  home run.

In the Middle: Phil Coke, Chad Gaudin
Phil Coke was once Girardi’s go-to-guy but has now become the second lefty Girardi calls upon. He hasn’t done anything to cause the demotion so it’s hard to understand. Some situations have called for a lefty pitcher but Girardi decided to stick with a right hander. Coke hasn’t given up any runs in two innings of work this postseason. 
Chad Gaudin is in limbo. He’s pitched one inning this postseason and it was the 9th inning of a 10-1 blowout win over the Angels. Gaudin awaits word of whether he’ll start a game in the World Series.

Losing Confidence: Phil Hughes, Brian Bruney, Alfredo Aceves
Phil Hughes had an unbelievable regular season as the Yankees setup man and bridge to Mariano. Hughes has been rocked this postseason. An inflamed 9.64 ERA and his inability to record an out in game one of the World Series doesn’t show Girardi he can be that 8th inning guy.
Brian Bruney won’t touch the mound unless there is a blowout. Not after he gave up two runs on three hits and recorded just one out in game one of the World Series. Bruney was left off the Yankees ALDS and ALCS rosters and for good reason. 
Alfredo Aceves hasn’t pitched since game three of the ALDS. Tied at 4-4, Aceves gave up the game winning run the 11th inning. In game two of the ALDS he gave up a run in the 11th inning but was saved by A-Rod’s game tying home run. Aceves has dropped in the pecking order.

David Robertson earned the victory in game two of the ALCS going 1.1 innings and giving up just one hit and no runs with two walks. Yankees coach Joe Girardi went to Robertson in the 11th inning in game three but replaced him with Alfredo Aceves after Robertson successfully got the first two outs of the inning. Aceves pitched 1.1 innings in game two and gave up a run on a hit and two walks. Aceves couldn’t record the final out of the 11th and gave up two hits, including Jeff Mathis’ game-winning double.

Girardi has bee going to his bullpen often during these playoffs. Three pitchers came in for one out each in game two and three pitchers came in for one out each in game three. Girardi has been questioned for the way he has used his bullpen but hasn’t taken heat for it because the Yankees have been winning. Now, after their first loss of the postseason, Girardi is being ridiculed for the way he used his bullpen in game three. He made a great choice by bringing in Mariano Rivera with a man on second and no outs in the 10th but how often does that choice not pan out? His choice to bring in Aceves for Robertson is what’s in question.

You could argue Girardi should have left Mariano in for the 11th but that’s pushing it after he pitched 2.1 innings in game two.

Here is what Girardi told Bombers Beat writer Bryan Hoch after the game:

“Yeah, we thought we had Mo for an inning. I didn’t feel that I could stretch him out any further than that in that situation because of what we did the other day with him. So he had that inning, and that was it. As far as Robertson, we like the match up with Ace better, the two guys. And it didn’t work.”

Girardi has made several questionable pitching changes this postseason but has lucked out that the Yankees have won. After their game three loss, Girardi will be ridiculed a bit for his bullpen management, or lack-thereof.

You can question Girardi about some moves he made with his bench too. It’s tough to swallow Brett Gardner getting thrown out on a pitchout but it was going to happen to Gardner at some point this postseason.

The ALCS may have shifted coasts but that didn’t stop the Yankees and Angels from going into extra innings for the second straight game. The Yankees hit four home runs, all solo shots, and lost the game 5-4 on a Jeff Mathis RBI double in the 11th.

The Angels were able to avoid a 3-0 deficit and make it a doable 2-1 series. The Yankees just couldn’t get things going on offense other than their four solo home runs. They weren’t able to string hits together and it cost them. Derek Jeter, Johnny Damon, A-Rod, and Jorge Posada each went deep for the Yankees. Posada’s home run came after pinch runner Brett Gardner was caught stealing on a pitchout. The Angels offense came from a solo home run by Howie Kendrick, a two-run homer by Vlad Guerrero, a sac fly, and the eventual game winning double by Mathis.

Alfredo Aceves, who gave up a run to the Angels in the 11th inning in game two, gave up the game winning run in the 11th inning of this one. With two outs in the 11th, Joe Girardi pulled David Robertson, who got the first two outs of the inning, for Aceves. Aceves gave up a single to Howie Kendrick and a game winning RBI double to Jeff Mathis. Just like that, the series is 2-1 in favor of the Yankees.

This should make Girardi think twice before bringing in Aceves again in this series. Joba Chamberlain also didn’t have a good outing, giving up a go-ahead run in the seventh inning on a sac-fly by Maicer Izturis. Girardi went to the ‘pen often again and this time, unlike most times this year, it backfired on him.

In 6.1 innings of work, Andy Pettitte gave up three runs on seven hits including a two-run homer to Vlad that tied the game at three in the 6th inning. Girardi didn’t handle his pitching staff too well in this game other than bringing in Mariano in the 10th after Phil Hughes gave up a leadoff double. Mo got out of the inning after he had runners on the corners with no outs. For the second straight game, Girardi used up his entire bullpen except for Chad Gaudin.

The Yankees go to Sabathia on short rest in game four. Scott Kazmir is slated to start for the Angels.

No decision has been cemented yet by he Yankees concerning their rotation for the ALCS against the Angels. We know CC Sabathia will get the ball in game one, followed by AJ Burnett and Andy Pettitte. Game four remains up in the air. Joe Girardi is leaning toward going with a three man rotation and starting Sabathia for game four on three days rest, setting him up to pitch game seven on full rest. The day off between games four and five in Anaheim allows Burnett and Pettitte to pitch the series on regular rest even if Sabathia goes on three days rest. Sabathia’s game seven start would also be on full rest thanks to the off day in Anaheim.

Weather could become a factor in the Yankees decision plans. They may choose a plan then have to change it if a game is cancelled or postponed. The outcome of games could also be a factor. Some people think with a 3-0 or 2-1 game lead, the Yankees should go to a fourth man and let Sabathia pitch game five on full rest. 

If the Yankees choose a four man rotation, questions will arise about who will be that fourth man. Will it be Joba Chamberlain, who worked out of the bullpen in each game of the ALDS, or Chad Gaudin, who hasn’t made an appearance yet this postseason but turned some heads on the regular season with unexpected strong pitching? I prefer keeping Joba in the ‘pen for the rest of the postseason and giving Gaudin the ball in game four with long reliever Alfredo Aceves waiting in the wings.

Once again, no decision has been made yet whether the Yankees are going with a three or four man rotation. All signs point toward a three man rotation right now.

Joba Chamberlain has been anything but dominating in the last two months of the season. Now as the Yankees wait to see who they will play in the ALDS, questions arise whether Joba will be on the Yankees postseason roster. With Sabathia, Burnett, and Pettitte notched as starters, Joba will not be in the Yankees’ starting rotation for the postseason. If he fits anywhere it would be in the bullpen but some people don’t think the Yankees will put him on their postseason roster at all.

With Phil Hughes as the setup man and Mariano Rivera as the closer, Joba’s only chances of pitching are in the middle innings. The Yankees will most likely put 10 pitchers on the ALDS roster and with the three starters, setup man and closer, that leaves five spots remaining. I’d have to believe that lefty Phil Coke has a spot and so does Alfredo Aceves, who can pitch in long relief. That leaves three spots remaining for four pitchers. Either Damaso Marte, Dave Robertson, Chad Gaudin or Joba Chamberlain will be left off the roster.

Even after seeing Joba’s struggles this season he has be on that roster. That’s just my opinion. He can be dominating. His upside is incredible, especially for just one inning. We’ve seen him have success out of the bullpen before. Give him the ball and tell him to let it fly. I can see him flourishing out of the bullpen for an inning before handing it over to Hughes in the eight. Could you imagine adding the Joba of old (2007 setup man Joba) into the mix with Hughes and Mariano? They would be lights out. Add a dominating Sabathia start to the mix and you can chalk up a win. 

Joba can still be dominating and using him for an inning or even an out can be beneficial for the Yankees in the postseason.