I figure they thought they'd rather have Andy available if there's a Game 5. That's the only reason I can see to not start Phil on the road.
I'm happy they didn't bother with the 2nd lefty - as if Royce Ring would get Jim Thome out in a playoff game. However, I would think Vazquez would be of more use out of the pen than Burnett.
I would have went with Hughes in game two to take advantage of the bigger Target field and also line up two lefties for YS. I can see wanting Andy in line for game 5, but that assumes Andy is Andy. If not, we could be looking at AJ Burnett in game 5.
The most important decision to me was leaving Royce Ring off the roster because I could have easily seen him giving up a key home run to Jim Thome or Jason Kubel.
There's something about the way Hughes pitched in the last game that makes me feel like he's ready to take that next step. The guy has always had potential for greatness. If the Yanks are to make a serious serious run this year, it will have to be with Hughes becoming the lights out pitcher I believe he can be.
As far as AJ goes, he's capable of that one knock-out performance. There's nothing wrong with AJ; the payoffs can transform a guy and I guess we have to hope something in AJ's cluttered head clicks and frees him up to throw the ball the way he's capable of throwing the ball.
Hey, did I miss something with Nova? I thought that he might be a solid choice but we seemed to cool on him late there. I admit I was not following closely all month so I may have missed something.
Nova had no relief experience and man, did it ever show when they used him in relief this past weekend. I have no problem leaving him off the roster. Hopefully we'll hear more from him next season.
I don't see the need for three long men in Burnett, Mitre, and Moseley. If your starters are getting blown out so often that you need so many long men, you're going to lose the series anyway. Playing with a roster that fits the worst case scenario seems like a defeatist approach to me...
[10] My hunch is that Burnett is there just in case Andy pulls up lame in Game 2 and can't go in Game 5. I have no problem with Mitre being there. I would likely have gone for Vazquez over Moseley.
Hmmmm .... Hughes in the Stadium .... more comfort vs. homer-proneness.
roster men:
Pitchers: Sabathia, Pettitte, Hughes, Burnett, Mitre, Moseley, Logan, Robertson, Chamberlain, Wood, Rivera
Catchers: Posada, Cervelli
Infielders: Teixeira, Cano, Jeter, Rodriguez, Berkman, Pena
Outfielders: Swisher, Granderson, Gardner, Thames, Kearns, Golson
I figure they thought they'd rather have Andy available if there's a Game 5. That's the only reason I can see to not start Phil on the road.
I'm happy they didn't bother with the 2nd lefty - as if Royce Ring would get Jim Thome out in a playoff game. However, I would think Vazquez would be of more use out of the pen than Burnett.
I would have went with Hughes in game two to take advantage of the bigger Target field and also line up two lefties for YS. I can see wanting Andy in line for game 5, but that assumes Andy is Andy. If not, we could be looking at AJ Burnett in game 5.
The most important decision to me was leaving Royce Ring off the roster because I could have easily seen him giving up a key home run to Jim Thome or Jason Kubel.
There's something about the way Hughes pitched in the last game that makes me feel like he's ready to take that next step. The guy has always had potential for greatness. If the Yanks are to make a serious serious run this year, it will have to be with Hughes becoming the lights out pitcher I believe he can be.
As far as AJ goes, he's capable of that one knock-out performance. There's nothing wrong with AJ; the payoffs can transform a guy and I guess we have to hope something in AJ's cluttered head clicks and frees him up to throw the ball the way he's capable of throwing the ball.
Hey, did I miss something with Nova? I thought that he might be a solid choice but we seemed to cool on him late there. I admit I was not following closely all month so I may have missed something.
Nova had no relief experience and man, did it ever show when they used him in relief this past weekend. I have no problem leaving him off the roster. Hopefully we'll hear more from him next season.
[7] i must have missed that. Thanks.
Nova's probably a better "bet" than Mitre but experience trumps bets. Still, I would have included him over Golson.
I don't see the need for three long men in Burnett, Mitre, and Moseley. If your starters are getting blown out so often that you need so many long men, you're going to lose the series anyway. Playing with a roster that fits the worst case scenario seems like a defeatist approach to me...
[10] My hunch is that Burnett is there just in case Andy pulls up lame in Game 2 and can't go in Game 5. I have no problem with Mitre being there. I would likely have gone for Vazquez over Moseley.