Friday, April 10, 2015

Game 3

Overall, I was not that impressed with CC.  I know the results say the same thing, but I was more concerned that the velocity was 88 most of the day on his fastball.  I know it was cold (so let's not get too crazy yet) so he may be 2 or maybe even 3 off, but for him it is huge because his change was consistently at 83 and 5 MPH is not enough of a difference especially when he did not have his downward fade at the end of the pitch.  If he threw 91 then 83 is right in line (still needs more sink though).  CC's slider was his best pitch last night if you ask me.  He also was a little unlucky, but at the end of the day he didn't get the job done.  If CC can't get his velocity up he is going to need to adjust his grip on his change and slow the pitch up a few MPH.

ARod hit a HR as he jumped all over a high 88 MPH fastball and then later in the game couldn't catch up to a 95 MPH (was way behind).  I think the good fastballs will be hard for Alex unless he is sitting only on it and he sells out to catch up to it.  I was impressed that he went from 1st to 3rd on a "double" into LF by Beltran that was not right down the line.  ARod is not slow now, even if he is not fast either.  It was good to see and also allowed Beltran to get his double.

After this 2nd and 3rd nobody out situation, the Yanks ran into the key point in the game.  Down 4-0, tex ripped a line drive right at the 3rd baseman.  If you had a youngster next to you this was a classic teaching moment because Beltran "froze on a line drive" and this allowed him to get back to 2nd without being doubled off.  If he took one step toward 3rd and immediately tried to get back he would have been out.  It was a very good running play, but one that should happen more often.

The next hitter was Headley and he was ahead 3-0 in the count but ended up taking the 3-0 for a strike and then swinging through a hittable pitch (on the outer 1/3 of the plate) and then watching a good changeup for strike 3.  After Chris Young popped out we blew a huge chance in the game.

A couple of other points.

Toronto got a run after an infield hit then a seeing eye ground ball some how avoided Petit's glove at 2nd base and Beltran threw a one hopper that deflected off the runner and CC (who is the laziest pitcher and never covers first) wasn't backing up 3rd base.  First, CC needs to get his head out of his lazy rear and second, Headley blew the throw because I have no idea why he was on the left field side of 3rd base waiting for the throw. You have to make sure you're in front of the runner (infield side) when the throw is coming from RF and thus it won't/can't hit the runner.  Throws from CF are much trickier for a 3rd baseman but from RF he was in the wrong spot (this was not mentioned on the broadcast?)

Losing 2 of 3 at home to Toronto isn't good, but the weather and the first few games of the season is hard to get too anxious over.

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