05/31: Is the Yankees pitching good enough to beat the Red Sox!
Posted by: David
After Friday night's comeback win in the first game of the series I felt really positive about the Yankees season. That feeling turned quickly after the thrashing they took on Saturday afternoon. My feeling was well, it doesn't matter how bad you lose, its still only one loss. However, Sunday evening was very disappointing. With how well Mike Mussina had been pitching and his history against the Red Sox, I thought the Yankees would secure a win and take 2 out of 3.
I thought they had David Ortiz back to human but he still just kills them. Mussina was taken out after three innings and actually Wang looked pretty good, giving up only one run. Randy Johnson is still struggling and really didn't look that great against the Sox on Friday night. Are our expectations too high? If Johnson gives up three runs in six innings to a great lineup is that considered good pitching? I really thought the Yankees had Boomer on the ropes after the two homeruns, but they couldn't deliver the knockout blow and he certainly settled down and pitched great.
The Yankees now face Kansas City, Minnesota, Milwaukee and St. Louis on a twelve game road trip over the next two weeks. They should take at least eight of twelve. There is no way Kansas City should win a game. The Yankees should simply crush them. Minnesota may win two of three, but the Yankees can beat them if they play up to standards. Milwaukee isn't any good either. However, the Cardinals have a good team and they should provide a challenge for the Bombers.
I can't figure it out. Is American League hitting so good that you can't expect the pitching to hold them down? Or, is the Yankees pitching only good and not good enough to beat great teams?
I thought they had David Ortiz back to human but he still just kills them. Mussina was taken out after three innings and actually Wang looked pretty good, giving up only one run. Randy Johnson is still struggling and really didn't look that great against the Sox on Friday night. Are our expectations too high? If Johnson gives up three runs in six innings to a great lineup is that considered good pitching? I really thought the Yankees had Boomer on the ropes after the two homeruns, but they couldn't deliver the knockout blow and he certainly settled down and pitched great.
The Yankees now face Kansas City, Minnesota, Milwaukee and St. Louis on a twelve game road trip over the next two weeks. They should take at least eight of twelve. There is no way Kansas City should win a game. The Yankees should simply crush them. Minnesota may win two of three, but the Yankees can beat them if they play up to standards. Milwaukee isn't any good either. However, the Cardinals have a good team and they should provide a challenge for the Bombers.
I can't figure it out. Is American League hitting so good that you can't expect the pitching to hold them down? Or, is the Yankees pitching only good and not good enough to beat great teams?
Seamus wrote:
As for the Red Sox, I think they have enough pitching to compete with them but there is nothing that they can do to get them so far over the hump where you'd expect them to beat them every time. The Yankees were 3-3 against Boston going into that series, so they seem pretty evenly matched. I still think these are the best two teams in baseball. I don't think either team can be good enough to dominate the other regularly.
However, the pitching was really poor this past weekend. That goes without saying I guess. I'm not sure if it's really something to be alarmed about yet. I mean sure the Red Sox lineup is tough, but part of it had to be that the guys on the mound just didn't bring their "A" game.