Talk about a game that immediately ticked me off. This is perhaps my own issue I have to deal with, but I was really pissed just after 1 inning. For one, I realized that CB Bucknor was behind home plate and it is always an adventure with him back there as he is simply pathetic behind the plate (more on that later). Second, and my son can attest to this, before the HR to Arozarena, I said clearly, DO NOT THROW HIM A FASTBALL on the 3-2 pitch with nobody on base...Sanchez put the 1 down and he hit a HR. This immediately set me off. It is just stupid and without a game plan. It is pretty obvious that fastballs have been the pitches that TB has done their damage against and while you must throw fastballs, Arozaerno would not see one from me unless it was inside tying him up.
Right away I was annoyed, but then I became more pissed and perplexed when Haap started the 2nd inning??? What was Boone thinking? Garcia would have been OK, but the pitch selection was not good, and don't you want to use guys to extend in this format? Yes, he allowed a HR, but the idea behind the 1 or 2 innings starter is to get through their perfect lineup with a good pitcher. I really like Garcia and he is a very bright future, but, I am not ready to anoint him as a great pitcher yet. Regardless, I would have left him in for the 2nd inning once you decided to start him game 2 (which led to many texts about this decision before the game). Also, while I think the idea of a 1-2 inning starter does have merit, it is better when you can move their lineup around with a righty or lefty and then switch to the other. The problem here is that because of the great changeup Garcia has he is more effective against lefties (small sample size but .817 OPS against righties and .579 against lefties). Happ is a little better against lefties too so you don't really get any advantage out of the switch so the decision didn't make sense. Happ actually had a solid year, but I am not sure what Boone was really trying to do and I think he was trying to be cute without any real reason behind it...and it blew up on us as Happ was awful allowing 4 runs in 2.2 innings and it could have been worse if Ottavino didn't get out of a 2 on and 2 out situation. This was good to see as Ottavino looked good enough where we can use him to matchup on a righty batter or two. He can be important.
Stanton has been a monster and all the people who have been criticizing him need to back off as he clearly has not been worth the money so far, but injuries happen and he has absolutely been carrying us. His 3 run HR had to be farther than the 454 they stated, it was crushed. Ron Darling may not be the best, but he did state that he has seen so many long balls before but that was probably the longest HR he has ever seen. Stanton did K later and also hit another bullet right at the LF'r. I feel good for Stanton and it is great for us!
Loaisiga followed Ottavino and allowed his walked man to score by throwing a fastball down the middle to Keiermaier and then allowed his own HR the next inning on another fastball down the middle. Down 7-4 against their vaunted pen, we did mount some pressure in the 7th as we got the 1st two guys on, but Sanchez, DJ and Judge all K'd against Anderson, who made some mistakes that we just didn't hit.
Down by 3 in the 9th they brought in Fairbanks and Gio started us off with a walk. Then Torres walked, but wait, CB Bucknor called a strike on a pitch that should get him fired. It was high and outside (I will try and attach a picture of this). There were roughly 15 calls that change the outcomes of AB's throughout the game and not all against us (Happ had 2 very important calls go our way when they had 1st and 3rd and 2 outs and it allowed him to get a K). But, this would have set up the tying run at the plate with nobody out in the 9th inning. Torres was able to gain his composure and foul off a ball just off the plate that would have been called a strike before taking ball 4. While the outcome of teh AB was the same, who knows if Cash would have taken him out or how it impacts the players in future AB's not being able to take anything remotely close? This guy is throwing 99-101 MPH so it stinks having Bucknor back there.
Frazier was now up and we know he is a good FB hitter. With a 2-0 count and having walked the first 2 batters, I said to myself, this is time for Frazier to cement himself as a Yankee we can trust. He swung through a top of the zone 99 mph fastball. Darn, had his chance, but I would still be sitting dead red and when Fairbanks missed way up high we had a 3-1 count and things looked good. We got a tough break as Fairbanks luckily caught the up and inside part of the strike zone and CB called it a strike (he could have missed it as the catcher was not calling for it there. That was a bad break and it hurt as Frazier then swung through a fastball that was just above the strike zone for our first out. We still had Sanchez, but he swung 3 straight times and went back to the bench. The last pitch was basically right down the middle but he missed it. Fairbanks was struggling that after Gary swung at the 2nd pitch that was outside and high you would think he would not throw a strike, but he did and Sanches still missed it. DJ then went up with a plan looking for a fastball and he got and ripped it up the middle for a run and now Judge represented the go-ahead run. Unfortunately, Judge is struggling and after the first slider that was a ball was called a strike he was in a bad spot. He then tried to check his swing on a slider ball in the dirt, but the 1st base ump said he went. It was close, but I think the right call. Then Judge got a slider right over the heart of the plate but he topped it to 3rd to end the game.
CB Bucknor is horrible behind the plate and should never ump a postseason game...or any game behind home plate. I have said this numerous times throughout the years in this blog and last night was yet another example of him changing the outcome of AB's and the game with incredibly inconsistent calls and one, in particular, that was absurd. Here is the picture; Torres was tossing his bat and I had already fast-forwarded to what I thought was the next AB and couldn't believe it was called a strike. I don't think this does it justice as I couldn't get a better freeze of it, but the dot is where the pitch ended up and the catcher is centered on the plate. In his natural stance, this was above his letters and way outside.
Time to get back at it tonight!
Spot on about CB! Terrible behind the plate!
ReplyDeleteStanton getting his groove back but Sanchez has been awful at the plate and terrible behind the plate...bad pitch calls, lazy stretch to catch the outside pitch. Great arm but not having a good year.