Tuesday, September 4, 2007

Pregame Notes 04 September 2007

An update on Clemens's condition can be found here.

There's no doubt that Clemens missing any start is a bad thing; but I'm trying to decide just how bad news this is.

Consider:

Without Clemens, Mussina takes his place. This will, in all likelihood, grant Ian Kennedy another start, probably against Kansas City. I'm sure most of us are anxious to see Kennedy again, he pitched extremely well in his first game, and we want to make sure it wasn't a fluke.

However, as much as I've grown to like Mussina, his numbers this year do not inspire much faith. It's a stroke of luck Clemens's next start would have been in KC; last time Mussina pitched in KC he went six without giving up a run. I was at that pre-Joba game, and Mussina was dealing.

This is by far the worst time of the year for the Yankees to have any pitching questions, and right now the only starter that's been consistently good is Andy Pettitte--yes, he lost on Sunday, but through six he only gave up two runs, easily giving the Yankees a chance to win. Had the Yankees taken the lead, he probably gets pulled early in the seventh, yadda yadda.

[Edit]: Not sure how I missed it, but Wang's been pretty sweet as well. I'm not sure anyone outside the Yankees is actually aware he's got 17 wins now...

This is as big a test as the Yankees could face this year. This is their season.



(And even with all of this, it is nothing compared to what the Cardinals have gone through this year...now, that they're still in the playoff hunt, if THAT is not heart, I'm not sure what is!)


I will update after the game, but not during--readers of PeteAbe's blog will probably know that I get very emotional during games, and my comments I usually make would seriously demean the quality of this blog. So, unless something superhistoric happens--like Arod hitting five home runs--you probably won't hear from me here.


Speaking of home runs, the Yankees haven't hit one since Saturday...

1 comment:

  1. Here's hoping Rocket returns as soon as feasible [I'd hope he misses just the one start]. MAN, what a shot to the stones, for the continued pitching woes we have faced. Wang, Pettite, Mussina, Hughes, and Kennedy. They all need to step it up - whoever does not can be replaced when Clemens returns, but what about in the meantime? Jeff Karstens? Steven White? Darrell Rasner? Kei Igawa? Tyler Clippard? Matt DeSalvo? We're so threadbare that we must take caution or the Empire will have no clothes =:-0 MGW

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