Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine Batter's Box Interactive Magazine
Well, that was lively.

The Red Sox are the first team out of the post-season, thanks in large part to a relief outing from Orlando Hernandez that will go down in post-season lore. A Hold for the Ages, and one for the aged...

Al Leiter couldn't quite match El Duque's heroics in Anaheim, although he did actually gave a pretty good account of himself. Especially when you consider the work turned in by pretty well every other pitcher the Yankees sent to the mound last night. Leiter came on in the seventh with no one out, the bases loaded, and a run in. Leiter was able to keep things from getting out of hand - the Angels were only able to score once, on a Steve Finley squeeze - but that was the only pitching performance the Yankees could feel good about last night.

Randy Johnson, signed at great expense for this very situation, was rocked for a three run homer in the first inning by Garret Anderson. The Angels scored two more when Bengie Molina homered in the third, and drove Johnson from the mound in the fourth. Down 5-0, the Yankees promptly surged back to take the lead. They strung together five hits and a walk to score four times in the fourth, and scored twice more to chase starter Paul Byrd in the fifth.

But Aaron Small, unbeaten during the regular season, who had worked two hitless innings in relief of Johnson, immediately gave up the lead. The Angels broke through for four hits and two runs to go ahead 7-6. Tanyon Sturtze relieved Small to finish the sixth, and Torre called on Tom Gordon for the seventh.

Some Yankees fans have grumbled that Gordon has a history of spitting the bit in the post-season - his career ERA in 7.79 - and this was not his night. He failed to retire a batter, and turned over the bases loaded jam to Leiter. As noted, Leiter did well to escape with just one more run scored. However, in the eighth, Figgins left off with a triple. Leiter got the first out and issued Guerrero an intentional walk. Torre then cxalled for Scott Proctor, who quickly gave up consecutive RBI hits to put the Yankees down 11-6.

On a night at Yankee Stadium, with Randy Johnson on the mound, who would have expected Garrett Anderson and Darrin Erstad to go for 7-10 between them and drive in 6 runs?

The Angels have controlled the Yankees big RH bats: Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield are 4-21 between them with just one RBI.

The Yankees season is in the hands of Shaun Chacon. And it's the Angels who will be starting a LH at Yankee Stadium this afternoon. If the Yankees don't win, we'll have seen both the Red Sox and Yankees get knocked out of action, while the San Diego Padres play on.

I know, it's an accident of scheduling. But still...

The games today:

Los Angeles (Washburn 8-8, 3.20) at New York (Chacon 8-10, 3.44) 4:00 PM - POSTPONED, RAIN
Atlanta (Sosa 11-3, 2.55) at Houston (Oswalt 20-12, 2.94) 7:30 PM
St.Louis (Morris 14-10, 4.11) at San Diego (Williams 9-12, 4.85) 11:00

This Day in Baseball, Playoff Edition: October 8 | 8 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.
Magpie - Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 02:31 PM EDT (#129849) #
The rain in New York means that Joe Torre can, if he wants, come back with Mike Mussina on normal rest tomorrow night, and then have All Hands ready for Game 5 if they get that far.

Chacon or Mussina? What would you do? What will Joe do?

Rob - Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 03:02 PM EDT (#129850) #
I vote for Mussina. There's no point losing if you didn't send out your best option (assuming Mussina > Chacon).
Mick Doherty - Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 03:35 PM EDT (#129851) #
Joe loves Mussina -- loves all veterans, in fact -- so I'm sure Moose will get the nod with Chacon warming up in the bullpen to start the game.
Mike Boehm - Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 04:50 PM EDT (#129854) #
The rain is a real downer. It'll have all the Yankee fans saying how god favors them by giving their pitchers a day to rest.
Twilight - Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 05:53 PM EDT (#129858) #
I wonder if due to the extra day, the Angels will send Colon out, or at least have him ready in the bullpen so they can put this away. It'd definitely be an advantage though to have him ready for the ALCS should they win the next game.
Magpie - Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 05:54 PM EDT (#129859) #
Chacon or Mussina

Update: it's going to be Chacon. The Yankees had already flown Mussina to Anaheim in expectation of him starting Game 5. In view of that, it obviously makes much more sense to go with Chacon rather a Mussina coming off two cross-country flights in as many days.

I suppose Scioscia could bump Washburn in favour of Colon. But I personally would go with a LH at Yankee Stadium, whenever possible.

Magpie - Saturday, October 08 2005 @ 05:58 PM EDT (#129860) #
Correction: Mussina didn't fly to Anaheim ahead of the team; he stayed there after the Thursday game.
westcoast dude - Sunday, October 09 2005 @ 09:07 AM EDT (#129873) #
Yankees have absolutely no pitching. My advice to them is this: Give up now. Angels pitching rules.
Now having said that, it should be a great game.
This Day in Baseball, Playoff Edition: October 8 | 8 comments | Create New Account
The following comments are owned by whomever posted them. This site is not responsible for what they say.