Andy Pettitte
Matsui, Pettitte Lead Yankees to World Series Title
Thursday, November 5th, 2009 | 2009 Fall Classic, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Sports, World Series | No Comments
Pedro Martinez just couldn’t get Hideki Matsui out on Wednesday night. In the 2nd inning, Matsui gave the Yankees an early 2-0 lead with a 2-run HR off of Pedro. In the 3rd inning, Matsui extended the Yankees lead to 4-1 with a 2-run single off of Martinez. Matsui capped off his amazing night – this time against Phillies lefty J.A. Happ – with a 2-run double that blew the game open in the 5th inning. After Matsui’s 3rd crushing blow of the night, the Yankees led 7-1 and they would cruise to an easy 7-3 victory in World Series Game 6. The win clinched the 27th World Series Championship for the storied franchise.
For his efforts, Matsui was named the World Series MVP – even though he only started in 3 of the 6 games played. Matsui finished the series with 8 hits in 13 at-bats, with 8 RBI’s and 3 runs scored, including 3 homers. His phenomenal Game 6 performance clinched it – no other player had ever had 6 RBI’s in a single World Series game.
Although Andy Pettitte did not have his best stuff – 3 ER on 4 hits and 5 walks in 5 2/3 inning – Pettitte worked out of jams and avoided the big inning that allowed the Yankees to keep extending the lead as the night progressed. It was Pettitte’s 18th career post-season win and his 6th win to end a playoff series – both major league records. Shockingly, Pettitte also started and won the game-clinching game in each of the Yankees series’ wins this October/November – against the Twins, Angels and Phillies. No other player has ever done that in MLB history.
Mariano Rivera – what can you say. Although he did not get a save on Wednesday night, he did get the final 5 Phillies outs of the game. He came in with 1-out in the 8th inning and gave up a double in that inning and a harmless walk in the 9th inning. For the series, Rivera appeared in 4 of 6 games – 5 1/3 innings pitched, 0 ER, 3 hits, 2 walks and 3 K’s. Rivera allowed just 1 ER in his 12 2009 post-season appearances. For his career, in 88 post-season appearances, he has allowed more than 1 run in a game only once! Pretty amazing.
Congrats to the Yankees – as much as it pains me to say. The happiest/luckiest guy around is Manager Joe Girardi. If the Yankees had not won, or if had gone to a Game 7 where CC Sabathia would have had to pitch on 3 days’ rest, Girardi could have been on the hot seat for his moves. Now that they’ve won, he gets a reprieve and looks like a genius for “knowing his players and their limitations.” Girardi – a 3-time World Series winner as a Yankee player – had this to say about the accomplishment – “To be able to deliver this to the Boss, the stadium that he created and the atmosphere he has created around here is very gratifying for all of us.”
World Series Game 6 – Pedro Martinez, Phillies @ Andy Pettitte, Yankees
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 | 2009 Fall Classic, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Sports, World Series | No Comments
Can’t wait for World Series Game 6 tonight in the Bronx. Should be a blast to watch.
Can’t believe that Pedro Martinez and Andy Pettitte are going to duke it out on the main stage. The 2 pitchers have faced each other 6 times in their careers, but never in the post-season. In those 6 games, each pitcher has won 3 times and lost 3 times. The visiting team has won each game (advantage Phillies) and Pedro has a better ERA in those games – 3.86 to 5.88. Pedro has pitched better than Andy in this World Series. In Game 2, Martinez worked 6 innings, giving up 3 ER on 6 hits and 2 walks while striking out 8 (he took the loss against A.J. Burnett). In Game 3, Pettitte worked 6 innings, giving up 4 ER on 5 hits and 3 walks while striking out 7 (he got the win against Cole Hamels). Further, Pettitte does not pitch well on 3 days’ rest – in 18 career starts on 3 days’ rest, Pettitte is 5-7 with a 4.18 ERA. Pettitte has pitched well this post-season, however – 3-0 in 4 starts with a 3.24 ERA.
Plus – you gotta love the quotes from the 2 starters – -
Pedro: “Two old goats out there doing the best they can and having fun with it. I don’t have enough words to describe how excited I am about being here. This is just a great gift to me.”
Andy: “I think everybody knew it was going to be a great Series. I think everybody knew it was going to be a tough Series. And it looks like it’s living up to that.”
Fasten your seat belts baseball fans. It should be a fun, but bumpy ride tonight in the Bronx…
Utley, Lee Force Series Back to New York: Phillies 8, Yankees 6
Tuesday, November 3rd, 2009 | 2009 Fall Classic, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Sports, World Series | No Comments
It wasn’t pretty, but a win is a win, especially when a loss sends you home for a long winter break…
The Phillies defeated the Yankees on Monday night, forcing the World Series back to the Bronx for a Game 6 on Wednesday night at the New Yankee Stadium. Cliff Lee rose to the challenge and picked up his 2nd win of the Series. After giving up a single run in the 1st inning on an Alex Rodriguez double, Lee held the Yankees scoreless until Johnny Damon’s RBI groundout in the 5th inning. By that time, the Phillies led 6-2 and looked like they were going to cruise to victory. But Lee gave up hits to the 1st 3 batters he faced in the 8th inning, and Manager Charlie Manuel was forced to go to his troubled bullpen after A-Rod crushed Lee’s 112th pitch for a 2-run double that cut the lead to 8-4. But Chan Ho Park rose to the challenge, getting the next 3 outs and limiting the threat to just 1 more run. Manuel then opted to go with Ryan Madsen instead of closer Brad Lidge in the 9th inning. After a double and single to start the inning brought the tying run to the plate, Madsend induced Derek Jeter to hit into a run-scoring double play. Johnny Damon singled to prolong the inning, but Madsen rallied to end the game by striking out Mark Teixeira. You’d hate to see what will happen if the Phillies have a 1-run lead heading into the 9th inning. Given how Lidge and Madsen have pitched thus far, you might just want to leave your starter in the game.
Lee ended up with a ho-hum night – 7 innings pitched, 5 ER, 7 hits, 3 walks and 3 K’s. It was only a matter of time before the Yankees middle of the lineup got to him. But he did what he had to do to keep the series going. And given the way Cole Hamels has pitched this post-season, if the Phillies had not acquired Lee from the Indians mid-season, we might be looking at a different National League representative in the World Series.
The other big story – Chase Utley – can’t believe it took me this long to get to him. Utley answered A-Rod’s 1st inning double with a 3-run home run of his own to stake the Phillies to a 3-1 lead. He also hit a solo home run in the 7th inning that extended the Phillies lead to 7-2. On the night, Utley went 2 for 3 with a walk, 2 home runs, 4 RBI’s and 3 runs scored. Utley is hitting .333, with 5 home runs, 8 RBI’s and 6 runs scored for the Series. Utley and former Yankees slugger Reggie Jackson are the only 2 players to ever hit 5 home runs in a single World Series. If the Phillies somehow come back and win this World Series, he and Lee will be sharing the MVP trophy.
What it all boils down to – Game 6 – Andy Pettitte on 3 days’ rest v. Pedro Martinez on full 4 days’ rest. Pettitte gave up 4 ER on 5 hits and 3 walks in Saturday night’s World Series win, but he does not have a good history of pitching on 3 days’ rest. Martinez pitched as well as could be expected of him in Game 2 in New York last week. Although he took the loss – 3 ER on 6 hits and 2 walks in 6 inning – he lost to the better pitcher that night – A.J. Burnett. Could Martinez outduel Pettitte? You betcha…
Should be fun to watch, especially if the Phillies can force a Game 7. Sabathia is definitely going for the Yankees, but who will get the shot at glory for the Phillies – Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, Lee? Ah the suspense…
Burnett, Rivera Even Up World Series with 3-1 Win over Phillies
Friday, October 30th, 2009 | MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Sports | No Comments
Not that it was a must-win, but the Yankees must sure be thrilled that they defeated the Phillies 3-1 on Thursday night at the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Going down 2-0 and heading to Philadelphia would not have meant the end of the World Series, but it would have been a mighty hill to have to climb to win 2 out of 3 in Philly and then 2 at home in New York to pull off a 7-game World Series win.
A.J. Burnett’s 7-inning gem allowed Manager Joe Girardi to keep his bullpen off the field. Burnett gave up just 1 earned run on 4 hits and 2 walks while striking out 9. After 108 pitches, Girardi called upon Mariano Rivera to get the Yankees a 6-out save and preserve the 3-1 lead. Rivera came up big in the 8th after 2 men were on with just 1 out. Rivera induced Chase Utley – the Phillies’ Game 1 hero – to hit into an inning-ending double play to end the threat. Rivera allowed the Phillies to get the tying run to the plate when Raul Ibanez doubled with 2-out, but he struck out Matt Stairs swinging to end the game. And then the celebration began in the Bronx.
Pedro Martinez did about as well as he could given the circumstances – he pitched 6 innings, giving up just 3 earned runs on 6 hits and 2 walks. He also had 8 strikeouts. But he gave up solo home runs to Mark Teixeira in the 4th inning and Hideki Matsui in the 6th inning that gave the Yankees a 2-1 lead. Martinez even started the 7th inning, but Manager Charlie Manuel removed him after he gave up leadoff singles to Jerry Hairston, Jr. and Melky Cabrera. Brett Gardner – who ran for Hairston – ended up scoring an insurance run when Jorge Posada singled off of reliever Chan Ho Park.
Andy Pettitte will square off against Cole Hamels at Citizens Bank Ballpark on Saturday night in Philadelphia. And as it stands now, it looks like we could see a rematch of Game 1 on Sunday night, as CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee are penciled in to start in Game 4 of the World Series on Sunday night. This is really turning into the Classic Epic World Series Battle that we hoped for…
World Series Starts Tonight: Lee, Phillies v. Sabathia, Yankees
Wednesday, October 28th, 2009 | 2009 Fall Classic, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Sports, World Series | No Comments
Fasten your seat belts and get ready for the 2009 Fall Classic. Cliff Lee & the Philadelphia Phillies take on CC Sabathia & the New York Yankees tonight at the new Yankee Stadium in the Bronx. Tonight’s match-up is a dream match-up. 2 aces who used to be teammates, 2 pitchers who have been spectacular thus far in the post-season, 1 team looking to repeat as World Series Champions, and 1 team looking to recapture that glory and win its 27th championship in franchise history. It doesn’t get much better than this.
Tune in tonight on FOX at 7:57 Eastern time for the 1st pitch of the 2009 Fall Classic. Not sure where most people are going, but I’m taking the Yankees in 7 games of an epic World Series battle. I like the Phillies lineup better than the Yankees, but I just feel like the Yankees starting pitching is a little bit deeper. Sabathia is great, Burnett is above average and Andy Pettitte brings that experience that makes him so tough to beat in October (and November this year). There’s a reason that Pettitte has the most post-season wins in major league baseball history with 16. After Cliff Lee, Pedro Martinez is a crapshoot, especially with the pressure of a game in the Bronx. Cole Hamels has not been himself, and likely won’t be until he gets the necessary rest this off-season. Joe Blanton? No thank you. It should be a great series – now let’s just hope it lives up to the hype…
Yankees Top Angels 5-2, Advance to 2009 World Series
Monday, October 26th, 2009 | Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, MLB, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Sports | No Comments
The World Series is finally back in New York. The Yankees defeated the Angels 5-2 on Sunday night to advance to their 40th World Series in franchise history. If the Yankees can defeat the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 Fall Classic, it will be the Yankees 27th World Championship.
Andy Pettitte pitched a solid game in Game 6 of the ALCS – 1 ER on 7 hits and 1 walk in 6 1/3 innings pitched. Pettitte struck out 6 Angels batters and he won his 16th career post-season game – a major league record. Joba Chamberlain retired the only 2 batters he faced in the 7th inning to get Pettitte and the Yankees out of a “mini” 1-out, 1-on “jam” to preserve the Yankees 3-1 lead. And Mariano Rivera came on for his “typical” 6-out save, although he did give up a run on 2 singles to Chone Figgins and Vladimir Guerrero in the 8th inning. But Rivera worked a perfect 1-2-3 9th inning, striking out Gary Matthews, Jr. to end the game and send the Yankees faithful into a tizzy.
After falling behind 1-0 on a Bobby Abreu RBI single in the 3rd inning, the Yankees rallied to take the lead for good with 3 runs in the 4th inning. Two walks and a single from a patient Yankees lineup loaded the bases with just 1 out. Johnny Damon delivered a clutch 2-run single to left, and then after a Mark Teixeira single loaded the bases again, Angels starter Joe Saunders walked Alex Rodriguez to force in a run. Just like that, the Yankees led 3-1 and they could taste another AL pennant. When the Angels cut the Yankees lead to 3-2 with a run off Rivera in the 8th inning, the Yankees answered right back in the bottom of the inning. Robinson Cano led off with another walk just like he did in the 4th inning. Then the Angels defense deserted them again. Nick Swisher reached on a Howie Kendrick error and then Scott Kazmir threw away Melky Cabrera’s sacrifice bunt allowing Cano to score from 2nd base. The Yankees had 2nd and 3rd with nobody out and after a Derek Jeter ground out and a Damon walk, Teixeira drove in the game’s final run with a sacrifice fly to deep center field.
Yankees 5, Angels 2. Game over…
The Yankees will host the Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday night. The $201 million payroll – the largest in all of baseball – finally delivered a shot at a World Series to George Steinbrenner and the Yankee brass – it has been 6 years since the Yankees have played in the Fall Classic. Alex Rodriguez – in his 16-year MLB career – is finally going to get to play in his 1st World Series. After struggling in his post-season performance to date, A-Rod delivered in 2009 – .438 batting average, 5 home runs and 12 RBI’s in the Yankees 9 playoffs games in 2009. CC Sabathia – the Yankees high-priced ace – will square off against his former Cleveland Indians teammate Cliff Lee on Wednesday night. Both pitchers have been “lights-out during the playoff in 2009. Sabathia is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA in 3 starts (3 ER, 20 K’s and 3 walks in 22 2/3 innings pitched). Lee is 2-0 with a 0.74 ERA in 3 starts (2 ER, 20 K’s and 3 walks in 24 1/3 innings pitched). Should be a classic battle – wouldn’t it be great to see these 2 duke it out in Games 1, 4 and 7?! Can’t wait. We’ll have our predictions over the next 2 days leading up to Wednesday’s contest.
Yankees not done spending money
Monday, January 26th, 2009 | MLB | No Comments
There is talk today that the New York Yankees are close to a deal with Andy Pettitte to keep him with the Yankees for one more year. The deal could be worth $6 million with incentives that could make it as much as $12 million for the year. Last year Pettitte was 14-14 last season with a 4.54 ERA. He started in 33 games. His last 11 games he was playing with a sore shoulder and was only 2-7 with a 6.23 ERA. Last season he made $16 million with the team. This team has spent crazy money in the office season, they better make it to the post season this year or there will be some unhappy fans in NY.
Someone tells the Yankees no
Tuesday, January 6th, 2009 | MLB | No Comments
Andy Pettitte maybe the only player this season that is not taking money from the Yankees. The team offered Pettitte a one-year $10 million deal. It doesn’t mean this deal is 100% dead people close to the team is saying the GM has been talking to Pettitte’s agent. “Andy’s a free agent, and the one thing I’ve been consistent in saying is that we’d like to have Andy back,” Cashman the Yankees GM said last month. Pettitte said last month he wants to play for the Yankees but he is going to leave it to the agents to work out. I think we all know the main issue here, the money. $10 million would be $6 million less then what Pettitte was getting paid last season. Also, with the money that Yankees have been spending this year I’m sure Pettitte doesn’t want to be the good deal for the team. The team has already spent $400 million in the off season on free agents this year.
There has also been talk that some people in the Yankees want to see younger pitchers playing, like Phil Hughes and Alfredo Aceves in the No 4 and 5 spots over Pettitte. Last season Pettitte went 14-14 with a 4.54 ERA and is not super young at 36. In 2007 Pettitte was listed in the Mitchell the report and admitted to the team that he took HGH after he agreed to play in the 2008 season.
Categories
| M | T | W | T | F | S | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| « Oct | ||||||
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | ||||
