Posts Tagged ‘Melky Cabrera’

Johnny Damon still believes he fits on the Yankees even though they have acquired center fielder Curtis Granderson.

“I don’t think it affects what I can still do. Either they come out and pursue me or they don’t,” Damon told the New York Post. “I still know how to play baseball and will make any team better.”

The Yankees could figure out a way to make it work if they bring back Damon (although I don’t like the idea of having Damon and Granderson in the same lineup), but not on a four-year deal. Two years is the maximum I see the Yankees going. If Damon and the Yankees come to terms, either Melky Cabrera or Brett Gardner become expendable. Finding potential trade suitors for Cabrera of Gardner shouldn’t be hard since some teams have already expressed interest in the young outfielders. 

Nothing but silence has come out of Matsui’s camp meaning they are weighing their options and realistically evaluating the market for slugger. Matsui has to be the Yankees priority over Damon for the mere fact that signing Damon gives the team excess outfielders and without Matsui, the Yankees don’t have a defined DH. The fact that Damon is a better option in left field than Cabrera and Gardner takes a back seat to the Yankees’ unwillingness to give Damon a four-year contract. If Damon’s asking price doesn’t come down to where the Yankees want it, they’ll be content with putting Cabrera in left field and having Gardner as their fourth outfielder.

If Damon lowers his contract standards to two years and Matsui accepts a one-year deal, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that both guys are back with the team next year. The Yankees should be more concerned with brining back the World Series MVP before Damon. 

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Cliff Lee and Chase Utley combined to beat the Yankees in game one of the World Series. They were back at it again in game five. Utley hit his fourth and fifth home runs of the series, tying him with Reggie Jackson for most all-time in a World Series. Lee had another impressive performance against the Yankees although they got to him in the 8th inning. Lee’s line doesn’t exactly show how well he pitched. He gave up five runs on seven hits.

Yankees’ starter AJ Burnett pitched two plus innings and was blasted. He gave up six runs and four walks. The 6-1 Phillies lead after three innings was too much for the Yankees to overcome and the bullpen couldn’t hold the Phillies down either.

New York hitters didn’t put on their best display against Lee until the 8th inning when A-Rod knocked him out with a two-run double off the glove of a diving Raul Ibanez. The Yankees weren’t able to put their best offensive team out there with the pitcher batting and Jose Molina catching for Burnett. The Yankees lineup will be at full strength, minus the injured Melky Carbera, in game six at home but they’ll most likely rely on Andy Pettitte to pitch on three days rest.

The Yankees tried to put together a comeback in the 9th but the Phillies weren’t having it. With runners on the corners and no outs, Jeter grounded into a double play that killed the rally. Damon singled with two outs, giving Teixeira a shot to tie it or at least get A-Rod to the plate but he struck out to end the game.

We go back to the Bronx for game six with the Yankees leading 3-2 in the series.

The Yankees and Phillies have boarded the Amtrak to Philadelphia both having one won game each in the Bronx. Both managers have some decisions to make for the upcoming games in the NL stadium.

With no DH, Girardi loses Matsui’s bat in the lineup. Matsui hasn’t played the field at all this season and his only appearances during regular season interleague play came as a pinch hitter late in games. Don’t expect to see Matsui in the outfield for any of the games at Citizens Bank Park. He will be a nice bat off the bench for Girardi.

Beyond game three, neither team has confirmed their starting pitchers. CC Sabathia will most likely go for the Yankees in game four and the Phillies have to choose between Joe Blanton and Cliff Lee. If Charlie Manuel goes with Lee, it would be on three days rest, the same amount of rest Sabathia would be pitching on.

Girardi also has a decision to make on who plays right field. Jerry Hairston Jr. went 1-3 in game two as the Yankees right fielder. Girardi can stick with Hairston, go back to Swisher, or go to the bench. Eric Hinske is a possibility. Brett Gardner could play center field and Melky Cabrera could move to right field. Girardi would rather keep Gardner on the bench and use him as a pinch runner late in games. It worked in game two when he went from first to third on a single and scored the Yankees third run on a single.

Girardi and Manuel will have their hands full answered the media based on their managerial decisions the rest of the series. Both managers will hope they make the right decisions. The only way the series doesn’t go back to the Bronx is if one team wins all the games in Philly. These teams are so good that this series may go the full seven games.

Joe Girardi goes from being New York’s most ridiculed man to a genius in 24 hours. A day after Girardi was blamed for the Yankees game three loss by mishandling the Yankees’ bullpen, he sends out CC Sabathia on three days rest and it pays off. Sabathia rewarded Girardi with a brilliant eight inning dominating performance. He gave up one run in eight innings on five hits.

The Yankees offense put up 10 runs, including another big day from Alex Rodriguez. A-Rod went 3-4 with a two-run home run, two RBI’s, and three runs scored. Melky Cabrera, the Yankees number nine hitter, went 3-4 with four RBI’s and a run scored. Swisher and Matsui went hitless and the Yankees still were able to put 10 runs on the board.

Sabathia and A-Rod were the stars tonight and have been the stars throughout postseason. They have been dominating in the postseason.

The Yankees have a 3-1 lead over the Angels. AJ Burnett goes up against John Lackey in game five. The Yankees can close out the series and earn a trip to the World Series with one more win.

The Angels were so close to stealing a game before heading back to Anaheim but a man named Alex Rodriguez had other plans. After Chone Figgins drove in a run in the top of the 11th to give the Angels a 3-2 lead, A-Rod answered with a line drive home run to right field over the glove of Bobby Abreu to tie the game at 3-3.

“Wow, what a game,” Rodriguez said.

What a game indeed, A-Rod. His dramatic home run adds to the incredible postseason he is having.

“I’m doing what I’ve done all year. Try to stay in the moment and really enjoy the moment,” A-Rod said. “I had a blast out there today.”

In the bottom of the 13th, Jerry Hairston Jr. led off the inning with a single, his first career postseason hit. Brett Gardner sacrificed him to second and the Angels intentionally walked Robinson Cano. Melky Cabrera hit a grounder to the left of second baseman Maicer Izturis who tried to get the force out at second. His throw was out of Erick Aybar’s reach, which allowed Hairston to make a run for home. Figgins, who was backing up the play, couldn’t get a handle the ball to make a throw to home and Hairston scored easy to give the Yankees the win.

After the game Izturis said, “I was a little aggressive there. I’m not scared to be aggressive. Unfortunately, it cost us the game.”

The Yankees have made two fundamentally sound teams, the Twins and Angels, play anything but fundamental baseball. The Angels’ two errors Saturday night gives them a total of five errors in the first two ALCS games.

The Yankees didn’t play good defense either in the 13 inning marathon. Jeter bobbled a taylor-made double play and Cano misplayed two balls for a total of three errors.

What may be lost in the game is the jobs both starting pitchers did. AJ Burnett and Joe Saunders pitched really good. Burnett gave up two runs on three hits in 6.1 innings and Saunders gave up two runs on six hits in 7 innings.

Call A-Rod what you want, a choke artist is not one of them. In the Yankees’ five games this postseason, A-Rod has had three game tying home runs in the 7th inning or later. Two of the three were when the Yankees were down to their last half inning. In the regular season, 15 of his 30 home runs either tied the game or gave the Yankees the lead and 50 of his 100 RBI either tied the game or gave the Yankees the lead.

Everyone but Chad Gaudin was used out of the Yankees’ bullpen and they did an outstanding job. They combined for 6.2 innings and gave up one run. They may have gotten themselves into trouble, but other than that one blip in the 11th, they were able to get out of it. David Robertson earned the win.

The win gives the Yankees a 2-0 lead in the series. The series heads to Anaheim.