[新聞] Catchers May Have Hand in Yanks’ Pitching Problems
看板NY-Yankees作者yyhong68 (come every now and then)時間16年前 (2009/06/16 17:20)推噓25(25推 0噓 22→)留言47則, 17人參與討論串1/1
來自紐約時報的新聞，
但是亞伯拉罕之前他部落格裡有人針對Jorge有點意見
所以他替Jorge說話，
兩者一起PO
1. Catchers May Have Hand in Yanks’ Pitching Problems
By TYLER KEPNER
Published: June 15, 2009
Since Alex Rodriguez came off the disabled list on May 8, the Yankees
have the best record in the major leagues at 23-12. Rodriguez has been a
reason, largely for how he has sparked Mark Teixeira, the team’s best
player this season. But like most teams, the Yankees depend mainly on their
pitching.
“It’s great to have Alex back,” Derek Jeter said a week ago, “but I
don’t care who you have in your lineup, if you don’t pitch, you don’t
win.”
The last week has borne that out. The Yankees have had one quality start
by a pitcher — at least six innings, no more than three earned runs — in
their last six games, by A. J. Burnett on Sunday against the Mets. It would
have been their only victory in that stretch if not for a dropped pop-up on
Friday.
On the whole, the Yankees have lived dangerously. Their staff earned run
average is 4.84. Only three teams have a higher E.R.A., and they all
started Monday in last place in their divisions: the Cleveland Indians,
the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals.
General Manager Brian Cashman understands this, and that was why he
dismissed a question about closer Mariano Rivera on Sunday. Yes, Cashman
acknowledged, Rivera has struggled in non-save situations. But his
strikeout-to-walk ratio is a stellar 10.67, better than any season of his
career except 2008, and other problems are more pressing.
“He’s the least of our concerns,” Cashman said. “Our biggest concern
is our rotation, aside of C. C. Everybody else is scuffling. If we don’t
get that consistent, the rest of it won’t make any difference.”
The bullpen, so shaky early on, is quietly coming together. Alfredo
Aceves, Phil Coke and Dave Robertson have a combined 1.56 E.R.A. this month,
with more strikeouts than innings pitched. Brian Bruney is expected to return
from the disabled list Tuesday against the Nationals.
C. C. Sabathia has thrived lately, but walks have infected the rest of the
rotation, possibly because of the way the ball travels at Yankee Stadium.
Through Sunday, Yankees pitchers were tied for 17th in the majors in walks
on the road. But in home games, they ranked second. Cashman said the
pitchers might be less aggressive at home, fearing that their fastballs
will land in the seats.
“We’re better than this,” he said. “It’s a concern. We definitely have
a brush fire of control going through this staff. It’s a problem, no doubt.
We’ve got a strikeout staff that should trust their stuff more than they
do.”
One unsettling fact for the Yankees is the difference when Jorge Posada
catches. With Posada behind the plate, the Yankees’ pitchers have a 6.31
E.R.A. The combined E.R.A. with Francisco Cervelli, Jose Molina and Kevin
Cash is 3.81.
Posada has caught four starts by Chien-Ming Wang, whose job status is now
evaluated on a game-by-game basis. Even removing those starts, the staff’s
E.R.A. with Posada is still high, at 5.47.
Posada, 37, has handled many exceptional pitchers in his career. Although
some, like Randy Johnson and Mike Mussina, have preferred other catchers,
Posada does not have to apologize for his resume. Posada takes his job
seriously and is an emotional engine of the team.
Yet Burnett, in particular, seems to struggle with him. In Burnett’s four
starts pitching to Posada, opponents have batted .330. In nine starts with
the other catchers, the average is .223.
When he lost a six-run lead in Boston in April, Burnett questioned the pitch
selection, though he blamed himself, not Posada. Asked Sunday about the
difference in pitching to the rookie Cervelli, Burnett gave a careful but
revealing answer.
“I think it’s just a matter of — I don’t know if it’s the catcher — but
we threw curveballs in fastball counts, we had them looking for something
and they had no idea what was coming, I don’t think,” Burnett said.
“That’s huge.”
Manager Joe Girardi has started Cervelli once in each of the five series
since Posada came off the disabled list May 29. But Posada remains an
elite hitter, and there is substantial value in having his bat in the
lineup. Only Teixeira has a better slugging percentage than Posada’s .568.
“Jorge is obviously that rare combination of being a catcher and an
offensive player,” Cashman said Monday. “Cervelli and Molina are more
one-sided, to the defensive side. I can’t really say why there’s a
difference. It could be sample size. It could be that the other guys are
just better defensive players.”
Girardi is the one who must match the catchers to the pitchers and make
the juggling work. The fate of the pitching staff and, by extension, the
season, might depend on it.
http://tinyurl.com/mfq3qm
2.
In defense of Jorge Posada
After reading my e-mails for the last few days and looking at some comments
on the blog, I was surprised to learn that Jorge Posada apparently doesn’t
know how to catch.
Unlike the very wise Jose Molina and the very energetic Francisco Cervelli,
all Posada apparently does is swipe at pitches and argue with the pitcher.
Enough of this nonsense. The Yankees won three World Series championships
with Jorge Posada as their regular catcher and made the playoffs every year
with him catching. Then what happened last season? Posada barely played and
the Yankees went home in October.
Was that why? I can’t prove that. No more so than anybody can prove that
Posada is the reason A.J. Burnett can’t throw strikes.
The catcher calls the pitch. Or as Posada likes to say, “I suggest a
pitch.” It’s up to the pitcher to execute that pitch or throw the pitch
he wants. The catcher at that point is there to make sure it doesn’t roll
to the backstop.
The idea that a catcher can regularly steal strikes by framing a pitch is
largely a myth according to Molina. “Maybe once or twice a game,” he said.
“Depends on the umpire.”
According to Molina, the umpires are judging where the ball crosses the
plate, not where the catcher’s glove is.
Posada is a strong-willed guy and his relationship with the pitchers is not
always a tea party. He got into a fight with El Duque Hernandez one day and
certain guys (Mike Mussina, for instance) didn’t want to throw to him.
But Roger Clemens always wanted to. He and Andy Pettitte have had a lot
of success together. And Mariano Rivera will tell anybody who asks what
he thinks of Posada and his ability to focus a pitcher.
Joba Chamberlain laughed the other day when we asked him about his bickering
with Posada during his last start. “I probably should stop thinking so
much,” he said. “That’s when I get in trouble.”
I will say this: When Molina comes off the DL, the Yankees should seriously
consider keeping Cervelli around as a third catcher. That would enable
Posada to DH more often. Cervelli is also fast enough to be used a pinch
runner on occasion. I can’t imagine how Cervelli would not be more useful
than Angel Berroa.
But Posada is the catcher. When he is catching, his offense gives them a
huge advantage at that position. When he is the DH, that advantage is
lessened. Their best lineup is when Posada is catching.
There have been some rocky moments this season. But let’s not forget that
the Yankees won a lot of of games over a lot of years with Posada catching.
He didn’t forget how.
http://yankees.lhblogs.com/2009/06/15/in-defense-of-jorge-posada/
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