"Feats Don't Fail Me Now"...........Miller should be able to gift wrap this one, great to have Him back 2......
With two games left in this series & a 4 run lead why the hell would you waste Miller in a non save situation?
So are the Oranges I bought today, it still doesn't make sense to use him tonight when you may have to use him in the final two games when he'll REALLY be needed.
Keeping in mind that Joe doesn't like using his set up guy & closer 3 days in a row, what if Miller is also needed on Sunday? Again...when he's REALLY needed.
...you worry about that scenario if and when it happens. Winning the first game of a series is key and personally I don't wanna give back last night's win regardless if it was a "save" situation or not. Boston is more than capable of scoring 4 runs in the 9th inning at home and you cannot assume that another reliever could/would have gotten the job done. ...bringing in Miller to slam the door on the road was fine by me...and as far as Sunday, well, you also can't assume it will be a close game, so there's alway the possibility that Miller won't be needed at all. Besides, if Miller is used today and the Yanx win, I'd gladly concede Sunday's game and leave Boston after winning 2 out of 3.
A bit of psychology bringing Miller as well, a former team mate who used to clean up for Boston, now a member of the Evil Empire, Ells did a bit of damage as well. Everyone gets a few days off after the series so go for the jugular.
...yup, and though pitching Miller in 3 consecutive games might be outside the norm, having 3-4 days off isn't the norm either...so Girardi might be thinking "all hands on deck" for this final series of the first half...Miller will get all the rest he needs next week during the AS Game.
Agree - and may I add, spoken like a good MGR. And Sunday's game could be a blow out either way and depending on how Saturday's game plays out, the Yanks should probably still be able to have any combo of Betances,Miller, Warren,Wilson,Mitchell and Shreve to try and close out Sunday's game. Mitchell has a good arm, can strike people out! Any blowouts Sat and Sun and Capuano finishes up and the rest of the pen gets an extra day off.
As I said earlier.....key series that either makes Boston buyers or sellers. We need to curb stomp them.
Boston is terrible. It's ridiculous they were let back in the race anyway. Napoli can't hit and unless your dumb enough to put it on a tee for him Ortiz waves at any shit you throw up there.
Napoli has made a living hitting against the Yanks the past couple of seasons...it was nice to see Pineda come a bit up and IN on him and plunk him on the arm. Clearly a case of the pitch NOT being "too much" inside but just inside enough for the ump not to suspect bad intent. An excellent pitch and it let Napoli know and realize THE PITCHER (Pineda) can command the high inside part of the plate. This has been - imo- one of the reasons guys like Ortiz, Longoria...ect have feasted on Yankee pitching with damaging hits....and Ortiz has been HBP from Yankee pitchers just THREE times in his career. This HAS to be a result of Yankee pitching generally not throwing enough inside heat to him and keeping him honest. Surely if they threw many more inside fastballs just OFF the plate, a few more would've resulted in Ortiz getting brushed back, knocked down or plunked which helps establish both the inside part AND the outside part of the strike zone for the pitcher. Basic stuff when it comes to handling dangerous hitters! These guys (Ortiz, Longoria, ect) literally forsake the high inside portion of the plate as if it's highly unlikely Yankee pitchers will throw one in there more than once in a while..and they wait for the inevitable usual cookie out over the plate without fear or concern for inside HEAT. Old schoolers used to call it - getting in the batters kitchen. Otherwise, the hitters feel very comfortable. Not a good recipe for a pitcher's success.
