C. Sabathia (8-10, 4.33) vs. K. Gausman (5-10, 3.92) Gardner -LF Hicks -CF Sanchez -DH Teixeira -1B Gregorious -SS Castro -2B McCann -C Judge -RF Torreyes -3B
Brooms hell, lets put the Orek to work today. Like that McCann Sanchez DH Catcher Combo, Torreyes back in there good show.
...right now with the way they are playing, the Yanx are a dangerous team and even if they don't make the PS they can still ruin some other teams' PS aspirations...they still have 21 games vs Boston, Toronto, and Baltimore. (7 each) ...I still think Boston is the team to beat in the AL East.
Agreed, they are in a position to scramble some eggs though I'd give the East nd to Toronto, that's a team the Yankees need to start kicking butt on.
No doubt, Biggest Game of the year......until tomorrow. (chuckle) Right now the single primary thing - imo - which will hold the Yanks back from at least securing a WC spot is their SP. The "new" backend of the bullpen still hasn't been tested over a period of close crucial games but the SP will either keep the games close, or put the team in big holes vs strong opposition. Yanks need today's game- the clock is ticking and it's a two game swing in the standings. If they can complete the sweep they're 1 game away from a WC ticket- ...if they lose it goes to 3 games. After today, Yanks have 20 games left vs Baltimore, Boston and Toronto, three very strong offensive clubs and unless the Yankee SP becomes consistently GOOD, Yanks will probably need to average 5-6 runs per game at the minimum. Yeesh
As of today the Toronto team is one game over 500 vs Baltimore and Boston this year with 6 to play against each. They are 9-3 against the Yankees with 7 to play, oddly enough they are 1 game under .500 against the Tampa Team. The White Sox tore the Jays a new ass this season 1-6. I'd favor Toronto because they can mash, and think they have better pitching than Boston and Baltimore. The Yankees are now like the new kid in town and if they start kicking ass on Toronto we could see things get interesting.
Toronto can put alot of points on the board, and they also happen to have the lowest team ERA, by a pretty good margin. Nice combination.
Gardner is absolutely killing the Yankees. He doesn't hit w/risp (.233), has shown very little power and has been a .257 hitter. Seems like every freekin time I look up, this guy is batting ".257".... ...for crisskes, enough- get him the hell out of the top of the order. He has not earned the benefit of the doubt - -where is etched in stone that this guy must always bat 1st or 2nd? How about putting Torreyes there while he's been hot, or Didi once in a while, or Castro....or ANYBODY else... Last three seasons up to date - Gardner .258. 2014 - .256, 134 Ks 2015- .259, 135 Ks 2016 - .257, on pace to K a similiar amount. August 2016? Gardner .257! He is stagnating the top of the order, he's coming to bat w/risp- and he's coming up small. Girardi allowed him to stink up the top of the lineup last year down the stretch and he's allowing him to do it again here and NOW....with viable alternatives.
Yankee bats are being silenced by Gausman........Sabathia can't keep up. Yankees down 0-3, bottom 7th.
Machado makes hard plays look routine.... note to Heller: You can't throw fkng Mash Monster's high, and please don't throw Davis anything lower...
Heller got his character tuned, all part of growing up. Throw 'em in there and get experienced!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
the team's win pctg% for the 2nd half is pretty much as good as any team, and better than most. .575 to Toronto's .579. Seem's like this year's first half darlings, have fallen on their faces, in the NL, but not the AL; ie SF .633 first half, .333 2nd half. Excluding teams like the Cubs aka "Clubs"...1st half win pctg. .602, 2nd half .725 AL- 2nd Half Win Pctg's: Jays .579, Yanx .575, Bosox .548, O's .452, Indians .525, Detroit .575, KC .537, Texas .550, Houston .500
Yup, welcome to the Major Leagues Mr. Heller. Lesson learned- (hopefully), keep the fastball away from the middle of the plate to good hitters and especially guys with 39 HRS. The kid has good stuff...good breaking ball to keep the hitters honest.
Hell Ya', a lot of Kids dreams are coming true in Pinstripes, just to say ya' stood on the mound in YS, let alone pitched in a real live game, to of had that experience regardless of outcome, now that's what dreams are made of... I don't expect anything out of the team, and ironic how it is, when one drops their expectations for the team's season end; that's when the magic happens; and the unbelievable begins to occur... one game at a time...(but maybe not this one)...(snicker)
