Tuesday, May 27, 2003
The Bronx Snooze
In trying to steer the ship that is Baseball Writing, I try to make an effort to divide my attention as evenly as possible. However, as much as I should write about the Dodgers' winning streak, how great a race the AL West (and NL West for that matter) is shaping up to be, or my thoughts on the legitimacy of the Blue Jays, it is almost impossible to be sitting in the Northeast and not write about this week's Yankee/Red Sox series.
Young, boisterous Yankee fans whose only reality has been division titles and pennants must feel a little confused today. This has been a befuddling month of baseball for a team that appeared a shoe-in for 100+ wins. The misty, drizzly weather that has hung over the region for what seems like years is a perfect complement to the fog the Yanks are playing in of late. Since starting 18-3, they are 11-19 (3-12 in the last 15), and now find themselves 2 1/2 back of Boston. They're current 8-game home losing streak is forcing ESPN to go into its archives and find footage of Dallas Green in the dugout and Alvaro Espinoza at shortstop. It's been that long since the Yankees have played this poorly in the Bronx. Who would've thought that Jason Giambi would give such a convincing portrayal of Ken Phelps? And Andy Pettitte would give his best impersonation of Andy Hawkins? Strange times indeed.
It's one of the well-known ironies of Red Sox Nation that as there is a constant obsession with overcoming the Yankees, once they are actually ahead of New York in the standings, they wait for the roof to cave in. In this case they might end up being right again. 2 1/2 games up in May, with New York bound to play better doesn't mean much. But it's the method of the Yanks' tailspin that should give a Sox fan an extra boost of confidence, if that's possible.
If we look at the Yankees' runs scored in May, it's not a surprise they're going to have a losing month. Since May 9, they've scored 5 or more runs five times in 17 games. They've scored 3 runs or less 10 times in that same stretch. In their current 8-game losing streak, they're run totals are: 5, 2, 1, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4.
Those first 7 figures came against the Rangers and Blue Jays, currently ranked last and 12th, respectively, in team ERA in the American League. In the four games against Boston (team ERA ranked 10th in the AL), they're 2-2 with 22 runs scored. Not bad. But if you consider Boston's four starters have been Casey Fossum, Bruce Chen and Tim Wakefield twice, that run total doesn't look so hot.
I'm not suggesting that the sky is falling in the Bronx, as talk show callers seem ready to do. The fact that the franchise's worst stretch of play at home ever (12 of 13) followed one of its best starts is what’s making this an interesting story. I still believe that New York will be in first place on September 1. It's just that the process of getting there will no doubt be more interesting than it has in the recent episodes of this rivalry.
This Yankee outfit is not as good a team as the run from ‘96-’01. Not even close. They’re not as good as they were last year when they won 103 games. That alone should make any member of the Nation smile. But to think that New York is going to continue to score 3 runs a game is a bit much.
Chatterbox
"Say this about these 2003 Red Sox: They are an annoying bunch of hitters, sort of like the 2002 Angels and '96 Yankees." -- Hartford Courant columnist Jeff Jacobs, after their success with two strikes against Roger Clemens.
Today's Starters by the #s
Worst ERA: 12.74, Jimmy Haynes, Cincinnati
Best ERA: 2.51 Barry Zito, Oakland
Best team record in games started: 8-1, Jason Schmidt, San Francisco
Worst team record: 1-9, Aaron Cook, Colorado
Best match-up (lowest combined ERA): Jason Bere (3.18 in one decision), Cleveland vs. Nate Cornejo (3.23), Detroit
Slugfest (highest combined ERA): Freddy Garcia (5.90), Seattle vs. Chris George (5.11), Kansas City
Top of their game (Best work in last three starts): Colon, Halladay, Ishii
Can't get any worse: Haynes, Tejera, Garcia, Pettitte
Oddity: Texas is 7-3 in games started by Colby Lewis whose ERA is 8.46.
Stat of the Season (so far)
Before yesterday's extra innings loss to the Reds, the Braves had won 73 consecutive games in which John Smoltz had pitched.
In trying to steer the ship that is Baseball Writing, I try to make an effort to divide my attention as evenly as possible. However, as much as I should write about the Dodgers' winning streak, how great a race the AL West (and NL West for that matter) is shaping up to be, or my thoughts on the legitimacy of the Blue Jays, it is almost impossible to be sitting in the Northeast and not write about this week's Yankee/Red Sox series.
Young, boisterous Yankee fans whose only reality has been division titles and pennants must feel a little confused today. This has been a befuddling month of baseball for a team that appeared a shoe-in for 100+ wins. The misty, drizzly weather that has hung over the region for what seems like years is a perfect complement to the fog the Yanks are playing in of late. Since starting 18-3, they are 11-19 (3-12 in the last 15), and now find themselves 2 1/2 back of Boston. They're current 8-game home losing streak is forcing ESPN to go into its archives and find footage of Dallas Green in the dugout and Alvaro Espinoza at shortstop. It's been that long since the Yankees have played this poorly in the Bronx. Who would've thought that Jason Giambi would give such a convincing portrayal of Ken Phelps? And Andy Pettitte would give his best impersonation of Andy Hawkins? Strange times indeed.
It's one of the well-known ironies of Red Sox Nation that as there is a constant obsession with overcoming the Yankees, once they are actually ahead of New York in the standings, they wait for the roof to cave in. In this case they might end up being right again. 2 1/2 games up in May, with New York bound to play better doesn't mean much. But it's the method of the Yanks' tailspin that should give a Sox fan an extra boost of confidence, if that's possible.
If we look at the Yankees' runs scored in May, it's not a surprise they're going to have a losing month. Since May 9, they've scored 5 or more runs five times in 17 games. They've scored 3 runs or less 10 times in that same stretch. In their current 8-game losing streak, they're run totals are: 5, 2, 1, 3, 2, 2, 3, 4.
Those first 7 figures came against the Rangers and Blue Jays, currently ranked last and 12th, respectively, in team ERA in the American League. In the four games against Boston (team ERA ranked 10th in the AL), they're 2-2 with 22 runs scored. Not bad. But if you consider Boston's four starters have been Casey Fossum, Bruce Chen and Tim Wakefield twice, that run total doesn't look so hot.
I'm not suggesting that the sky is falling in the Bronx, as talk show callers seem ready to do. The fact that the franchise's worst stretch of play at home ever (12 of 13) followed one of its best starts is what’s making this an interesting story. I still believe that New York will be in first place on September 1. It's just that the process of getting there will no doubt be more interesting than it has in the recent episodes of this rivalry.
This Yankee outfit is not as good a team as the run from ‘96-’01. Not even close. They’re not as good as they were last year when they won 103 games. That alone should make any member of the Nation smile. But to think that New York is going to continue to score 3 runs a game is a bit much.
Chatterbox
"Say this about these 2003 Red Sox: They are an annoying bunch of hitters, sort of like the 2002 Angels and '96 Yankees." -- Hartford Courant columnist Jeff Jacobs, after their success with two strikes against Roger Clemens.
Today's Starters by the #s
Worst ERA: 12.74, Jimmy Haynes, Cincinnati
Best ERA: 2.51 Barry Zito, Oakland
Best team record in games started: 8-1, Jason Schmidt, San Francisco
Worst team record: 1-9, Aaron Cook, Colorado
Best match-up (lowest combined ERA): Jason Bere (3.18 in one decision), Cleveland vs. Nate Cornejo (3.23), Detroit
Slugfest (highest combined ERA): Freddy Garcia (5.90), Seattle vs. Chris George (5.11), Kansas City
Top of their game (Best work in last three starts): Colon, Halladay, Ishii
Can't get any worse: Haynes, Tejera, Garcia, Pettitte
Oddity: Texas is 7-3 in games started by Colby Lewis whose ERA is 8.46.
Stat of the Season (so far)
Before yesterday's extra innings loss to the Reds, the Braves had won 73 consecutive games in which John Smoltz had pitched.
