The Genius Maker #75

I have a little write up for the last 3 games, but yesterday morning I wrote the following (before Laffey pitched last night) and I wanted to start the blog with this.

“Yankees picked up the lefty Laffey on waivers…I don’t get picking up guys like this and then having to put them on the 40 man roster. I said this before and it bears repeating, just having a lefty is not what is needed as the final 3 innings of the game are probably locked up with righty pitchers who will get lefties out. Therefore, the need for a lefty specialist (LOOGY or Lefty One Out Guy) is not as important the way the Yankees are structured right now. I am not going back on my feel for getting a 2nd lefty, but if you get one, the guy needs to be a lefty who is simply great against lefties and may be horrible against righties. Otherwise it is a wasted roster spot. Just like I predicted that Randy Winn was a waste of a signing, and others were wasted, I feel Laffey will be the same waste. (at least Laffey is young and maybe they see something that they can correct so that part I will defer to, but on the surface this is a bad move). Then again this could mean that Feliciano and/or Marte will not make it back this year (I have not heard anything new).”

After watching Saturday’s game, the announcers were praising Laffey as what they needed (for the reasons I have been saying) but it was as if they never did any research on the guy. There is very little chance he makes it to the end of the season. BTW, while this (I predict) will be a bad signing, one has to say Cashman did a great job this offseason picking up Colon, Garcia, Corey Wade and even Ayala has been ok. He also got Chavez and Martin. Jones has been decent against lefties as well and these were all cheap signings except for Martin.

Back to Thursday’s game

CC didn’t have spot control with his pitches and had little consistency other than very good velocity all night. I don’t know why but the simply did not throw his changeup and with that velocity it cost him as he was hit well in the first 2 innings and only barely avoided a 2 run homer that kept us in the game. Fortunately, the Yankee offense was up to the task putting runs up all game. I don’t think CC was much better in the middle innings, but the Twins (who are not a good hitting team) didn’t hit him well. His velocity was good as I mentioned and he needed it in the 7th. After 3 straight singles (and again I felt CC just didn’t have it< I would have taken CC out right there. He was missing his spots and just not getting it done. The score was 6-2 with nobody at the bases juiced and we had a rested pen. CC got the batter to hit one, although down the line, but Nunez continued his butchery in the field with an error. Now the score was 6-3 with the bases loaded and nobody out. 3 lefties were coming up. I would have brought in Logan here, but again Girardi stuck with CC. CC did get a line out sac fly to make it 6-5. He then got line out to RF and then a hard hit grounder where Cano made a terrific play throwing out Thome. First, I need to say that Cano’s defense has been back at its usual GG form of late. He did have that one pop-up he dropped, but he has been great of late. Second, I need to note that I would have taken out CC, but the results that occurred after would have been acceptable for any reliever so Joe sticking with CC worked out. The Yanks added 2 runs and Robertson and Wade looked good shutting the Twins down. I had commented when they got Wade that this was a good chance based on his numbers, but he has looked good and performed extremely well! Oh, also, Cervelli had a great AB in the 8th inning that got us some runs with good hustle (and hit) by Nunez. That Cervelli AB was as good as I have ever seen from him.

Friday’s game.

The ump had a very big strike zone and Hughes took advantage of it once he allowed a HR. He didn’t throw that special, but between the ump and the Twins not swinging well, Hughes was dominant. Hard to argue with the results, but I have to say I am not sold on Hughes right now as he is still missing spots at a far too high rate and his stuff has not been at the level you want. He is still a work in progress and I say that after he just had his best starting game…maybe ever (I don’t remember, but 2 hits and 1 run in 7.2 innings (with 3 walks) is a great outing. The results are still better than the performance in my opinion.

Other points on Friday. Jeter did the slide I like straight home on a sac fly and was safe, Swisher with a man on 2nd and nobody out took 3 straight fastballs for a strikeout. I know it was a pitchers ump and he didn’t like the calls, but they looked good enough to me. Russell Martin had 2 dingers.

Saturday’s game. I have not read any of the papers, but with AJ stinking up the joint (should have put him in the pen as I said) and then having the gonads to tell Girardi that it was “F’n Bull$%#&” to take him out, maybe this is what we need to get him out of the rotation? Now, one part I agree with AJ on in his comment was not that he shouldn’t have been taken out of the game, as we were trying to win it, but it was if we are trying to win it, why would you bring in Ayala, who is more of a one inning guy? Ayala’s ERA is good, but I don’t think anyone would say he is better than Noesi who is supposed top be our long guy. At the time, I assumed Noesi was not available because this just seemed odd. But after Ayala let the game out of hand and allowed all of AJ’s runs (and none of his own and also why his ERA is 1.32 and why relievers ERA’s can be a little off). Anyway, later in the game Noesi came into the game and I said to myself, “Girardi is a fool.”

Last note to follow-up on my last comment. A bunch of nights ago when we lost the one run game and they hit the fake HR, I said Girardi should have protested right there because it was a wrong interpretation of the rules. The next day or 2 he said, “I should have protested the game, but I got caught up in the (commotion)” What? Your job is supposed to be able to think through items like this? This is exactly what separates managers and you were asleep at the wheel. Really disappointing as it was pretty clear if nothing else because Rivera was upset. The Genius Maker was making the largest scene I have ever watched and Girardi still didn’t get the clue.