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Wang, Bean, Unit, Meat & Moose
2005-04-27 13:23
by Cliff Corcoran

Hidden behing the excitement of Alex Rodriguez's 10-RBI night and the Yankees 12-4 victory over the Angels last night was another strong seven innings from Carl "Meat" Pavano. Tossing out his two starts against the Orioles--the first in which he was beaned with a comebacker and the second in which he imploded in the sixth after five strong innings--Pavano has posted a 2.53 ERA in three starts, averaging seven innings in each and allowing a total of just three walks and one home run. His K/BB ratio in those three starts is 4:1 and his K/BB ratio over the season, his two Oriole starts included, is better than 3:1.

Meanwhile, Randy Johnson, in five starts as a Yankee, has a 0.96 WHIP, a .211 opponent's batting average, 8.91 K/9, 1.57 BB/9 and 5 2/3 times as may strikeouts as walks. Amazingly, all of those season stats are worse than his final numbers from 2004. In his last three starts he has a staggering 8:1 K/BB ratio. He's just getting up to speed.

With Meat and the Big Unit forming an impressive top two in the Yankee rotation, it sure would be nice to get something Mussina-like out of Moose tonight against the Angels. That may be wishful thinking--a vintage Mussina performance is increasingly looking about as likely as a vintage Bernie Williams performance--but if he can at the very least replicate what Pavano's dishing out (one hit per inning, excellent control, going deep into games), the Yankee rotation could really begin to take shape. Replacing Jaret Wright with Tiger Wang could also be a big part of that as a strong performance from Wang could force Wright and Brown to battle for the fifth spot.

Speaking of Wang and the Yankee pitchers, I wrote the following in the comments below, but realized that I probably did so after the traffic had moved on to the posts above, so I'll repeat it here:

Word is that Colter Bean has already been sent down in favor of Wang (though I see no mention of it on-line anywhere). I suppose this is to let Wang get comfortable in the Yankee clubhouse so he's slighly less on edge on Saturday (if that's at all possible) and because with Colter having pitched two innings yesterday, Torre's even less likely to go to him in the remaning three games he would have stayed up anyway. I'm really guessing here, though.

By the way, did you all notice how much Bean's pitches move?! Amazing. As I emailed Alex this morning, Bean is an odd bird. 6'6" 255 (!) with a flabby belly, thick legs and a huge rump, but thin in the arms and face. He doesn't really use his weight to pitch, but slings it side arm like a scrawny LOOGY might (actually, like Brian Shouse who the Yanks just saw with Texas), but what's remarkable about him is the movement on his pitches. The fact that he can keep his walks down with that movement (2.50 BB/9 in Columbus last year) is just remarkable. No wonder he's had so much success. Here's hoping Torre noticed that.

Speaking of which, anyone else notice that Neil Allen has been the bullpen coach for less than a month and both Bean and Chien-Ming Wang have earned call-ups? It's a bit coincidental (I doubt Allen was vigourously shaking the hands of Sturtze and Wright in an attempt to clear roster space for his men), but it's exactly what I had hoped to see when he was promoted from being the Clipper's pitching coach.

Comments
2005-04-27 14:15:56
1.   Cliff Corcoran
Oh, and because it's expected of me at this point: Andy Phillips' shot in his first at-bat last night should have been a home run, it hit off the foul line, just off the top of the wall. An unofficial homer and a double, plus a run scored after reaching on an error for the second time in eight at-bats this season (thanks to hustle and good speed for a slugger), not bad.

The Angels were pitching Phillips outside a lot. The error was a ball he grounded to second. In his last at-bat he struckout swinging at a pitch just off the plate (excellent location by Kevin Gregg) after he fouled himself into a 1-2 count. It was the only pitch he swung and missed at all game and just his second swing and miss of the season and the second strikeout of his major league career.

2005-04-27 14:49:46
2.   Knuckles
The Yanks as a team haven't hit Washbum as well as Colon, posting a team .345/.523 OBP/SLG. Alex does have 4 HR off him in 28 AB. Curiously, Jeter has only had 12 AB vs Jarrod.

The San Juan Capistrano Angels of Hermosa Beach haven't fared quite as well against Moose in 201 AB- .296/.463 OBP/SLG. Vlad is 0 for 9 against Montroseville Mike, and the two Angels with the most ABs, Salmon and Anderson, have had limited success, with OPS of .791 and .608, respectively.

"I'm glad I don't play anymore. I could never learn all those handshakes." -Phil Rizzuto

2005-04-27 15:19:32
3.   Antonello
From today's Times: "After the game, the Yankees optioned reliever Colter Bean to Class AAA Columbus and promoted Chien Ming Wang, who will start Saturday."

So Bean already got sent down? I didn't even get to see him pitch. Damnit. I guess I'll have to rely on Mssr Corcoran's vivid description, and hope for a speedy return Bronxward

Viva pinstripes.

2005-04-27 16:03:43
4.   Knuckles
From MLB's press pass, which I highly recommend:

Bean down, Wang up. It's pronounced 'wong' which I didn't know.

Also of note: Wang will wear #40, and Andy Phillips switches to #18- could this mean he may be sticking around for a bit? Channelling the ghost of Paulie O...

2005-04-27 16:41:48
5.   Marcus
I think Sojo is a little too excitable sending guys around. Or am I just imagining that more Yankees are getting thrown out at the plate this year than usual?
2005-04-27 16:43:59
6.   rilkefan
Could someone comment on the manner in which Jeter is drawing walks? Is he spoiling a lot of strikes, are pitchers just wary of his high average? It's odd to see him leading the league in BB, adding another just now...
2005-04-27 17:40:54
7.   markp
Marcus,
You hit the nail right on the head. He's sending guys who're getting thrown out by ten feet. The Yankees were off to a good start and would have had 2nd and 3rd with nobody out. If it was 1907 and runs were scarce it would have been a good play. But with Washburn off to his usual slow start and Sheff, Matsui, and Arod coming up to possibly take advantage of it he gave the Angels a gift out and cost a baserunner.
2005-04-27 18:06:49
8.   JeremyM
The old Steinbrenner would can him. Nothing seemed to set him off more than guys getting nailed at the plate.

What is with the double plays tonight?

2005-04-27 19:46:28
9.   Joe in Jersey
Maybe Sojo went to the Dale Sveum school of coaching.

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