Sunday: 6-4, - 0.1 units. Not what I had in mind when I announced a winning day on Sunday. Oh well, I really think you have to hang in there, and get hot for a few days to build up your totals. Then hover around or slightly below .500 the rest of the time.
NYY: RL. The Yanks have had other difficult road trips, but almost always start their home stands with a convincing win. If anything, the Yanks are extremely patient and professional, and approach each game as a separate entity- not worrying about a slight dip in the standings or whatever. Henderson Alvarez is the perfect pitcher for NY. Like Aaron Cook they pitch to extreme contact, hoping that batters will swing at their low stuff dropping below the strike zone. The Yankees have had decent success with Alvarez and very good success vs. Cook. Plus Alvarez is getting hit extra hard lately, with less control. 30 hits in his last 16 IPs. This likely means he is elevating his pitches because hitters are not swinging at the low stuff. Phelps faces a long, long struggling Jays team. Unlike Seattle and SD and Oakland, who are used to long bouts of not hitting(and losing), the Jays look fairly despondent. Phelps has not disappointed the very demanding Yankee fans or the mgt. He has faced good hitting teams, held up well, and has a good K:BB ratio for such a young pitcher. He also has a good BP to finish the game.
The Yanks can stack the lineup with lefties, which is sometimes deadly in Yankee Stadium. I can see them wanting to get off on the right track returning from a poor road trip.
NYY-1/2. First 5IPs. One unit
NYY: RL. The Yanks have had other difficult road trips, but almost always start their home stands with a convincing win. If anything, the Yanks are extremely patient and professional, and approach each game as a separate entity- not worrying about a slight dip in the standings or whatever. Henderson Alvarez is the perfect pitcher for NY. Like Aaron Cook they pitch to extreme contact, hoping that batters will swing at their low stuff dropping below the strike zone. The Yankees have had decent success with Alvarez and very good success vs. Cook. Plus Alvarez is getting hit extra hard lately, with less control. 30 hits in his last 16 IPs. This likely means he is elevating his pitches because hitters are not swinging at the low stuff. Phelps faces a long, long struggling Jays team. Unlike Seattle and SD and Oakland, who are used to long bouts of not hitting(and losing), the Jays look fairly despondent. Phelps has not disappointed the very demanding Yankee fans or the mgt. He has faced good hitting teams, held up well, and has a good K:BB ratio for such a young pitcher. He also has a good BP to finish the game.
The Yanks can stack the lineup with lefties, which is sometimes deadly in Yankee Stadium. I can see them wanting to get off on the right track returning from a poor road trip.
NYY-1/2. First 5IPs. One unit
