Source: FanGraphs
Pretty much all you need to know about the current state of the Yankees is that in an extremely important game against the Red Sox, some guy named Matt Daley was their most effective reliever. The team’s failure to develop pitching was on full display as Boston pounded out nine (!) unanswered runs in the seventh and eighth innings, eight against the forgettable homegrown trio of Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, and Preston Claiborne. Sure, the grand slam Boone Logan allowed to Mike Napoli to tie the game was the big blow, but the fact that he was unquestionably the best option in that spot tells you what kind of shape the bullpen is in.
The Yankees dropped the second game of this four-game series 12-8 despite leading 8-3 with nine outs to go. The pitching as a whole is completely shot, apparently worn down from carrying the team through the first four months of the season as they waited and waited (and waited) for offensive help. Andy Pettitte allowed three runs on five hits and three walks in six innings and it felt like a damn masterpiece, that’s how ineffective the rotation as a whole has been for the last month or so. Scoring eight runs on back-to-back nights and losing both games? Hah.
The offense was all over starter Felix Doubront, hanging six runs on him in just 3.2 innings. They only had three hits in those 3.2 innings, but the six walks Doubront issued did the trick. Just two of the final 14 men the Yankees sent to the plate reached base, and their final hit was Mark Reynolds’ run-scoring single to end the fifth — Eduardo Nunez got caught in a run down between second and third for the final out on the play. As improved as the offense has been since getting Alfonso Soriano, Alex Rodriguez, and Curtis Granderson back, it still doesn’t match up with a Red Sox lineup that has zero easy outs. They simply don’t compare.
Anyway, MLB.com has the box score and video highlights, FanGraphs some other stats, and ESPN the updated standings. With the loss, the Yankees are now one game back of the both the Orioles and Indians in the loss column and will be either three games (Rays lose) or four games (Rays win) back of the second wildcard spot depending on the outcome of the late game. David Huff (lol) will look to stop the bleeding against John Lackey on Saturday afternoon. Check out RAB Tickets if you want to catch the carnage live.
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