Meet the Pitchers

We'll wrap up the Meet the Indians (part I has been updated now that the rosters are finalized), by going over the starting pitching and bullpen.

The Big Guy
CC Sabathia
The 6'7", 290 lb. Cy Young contender went 19-7, with a 3.21 ERA this season, and walked just 37 hitters in 241 innings pitched. He was money in September, going 4-0, 2.37. Sabathia is 1-7 lifetime against the Yankees, but he hasn't faced them in 3 years. Just as the Yanks have a much different lineup, Sabathia is not the same pitcher. He's now a force to be reckoned with. We're not even going to give the pitcher vs. batter break down since it's totally meaningless.

The Sinker
Fausto Carmona
The soon to be 24-year old suffered through a miserable '06 as both a starter and closer. His 1-10 record didn't carry over to this season, however, and he dominated, going 19-8, 3.06. He allowed just 199 hits in 215 innings pitched, giving the Indians a formidable 1-2 punch. Like Chien-Ming Wang, the sinker is Carmona's weapon of choice.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 2-5
Jeter: 3-7, 1 RBI
Abreu: 2-6, 2 RBI
A-Rod: 1-7, 1 HR
Matsui: 1-3
Posada: 0-2
Cano: 2-7
Mientky: 0-2
Cabrera: 3-6
Giambi: 1-5

The ex-Yankee
Jake Westbrook
The Yankees acquired him as part of the deal that sent Hideki Irabu to Montreal in '99, and then dealt him the following season in the pennant clinching deal that brought David Justice to NY.

After winning 14 games 3 years ago, and 15 each of the last 2, the right-hander struggled to a 6-9 mark this season. His 4.32 ERA was on par of his career. He hasn't done well against his former team, going 2-4, 5.29, including a loss this season.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 2-9
Jeter: 8-25 (.320)
Abreu: 1-5
A-Rod: 9-24 (.375), 1 HR, 4 RBI
Matsui: 5-11, 1 RBI, 3 2B
Posada: 5-13, 2 HR 9 RBI
Cano: 4-8
Mientky: 5-21, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Cabrera: 1-11
Giambi: 6-14, 2 HR, 6 RBI

Frasier
Paul Byrd
The Kelsey Grammer look alike threw the 4th highest innings total of his career (192.1), and matched his 2nd best wins total (15). He doesn't have a good fastball and that was his undoing when he met the Yankees earlier this season. He's just 1-4, 4.44 in 8 career appearance against the Pinstripes.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 3-19, 2 RBI
Jeter: 11-27 (.407), 3 RBI
Abreu: 2-5
A-Rod: 4-15, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Matsui: 1-5
Posada: 3-18, 2 RBI
Cano: 2-8, 1 HR
Mientky: 6-19, 5 RBI
Cabrera: 3-5, 1 HR, 6 RBI
Giambi: 3-14, 1 HR

The Closer
Joe Borowski
No one will forget A-Rod's walk-off against him in April. The Bayonne, NJ native had a fine season with 45 saves, but did put up a 5.07 ERA. Has been hammered for 12 runs in 7 career innings against the Yankees.

vs Yankee hitters

Jeter: 2-2, 1 HR, 5 RBI
A-Rod: 2-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Posada: 3-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Giambi: 2-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Abreu, Damon, Matsui a combined 2-7


The Set up Man
Rafael Betancourt
Was the key to the Indians pen, posting 5-1 record with a 1.47 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 79.1 innings pitched. Held hitters to a .183 average while only allowing 3 of 33 inherited runners to score. Was suspended in 2005 for using a performance enhancing substance.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 3-4
Jeter: 2-6
A-Rod, Mientky, and Giambi are a combined 0-10

The Southpaw
Rafael Perez
His emergence as a lefty in the pen was a huge lift to the Tribe. The 25-year old posted 1-2, 1.78 numbers with 62 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched. Lefties hit just .145 against him. He's not allowed a run in 3 IP against the Yankees over 2 seasons.

Remainder of the staff:
Jensen Lewis, Aaron Fultz, Tom Mastny, and Aaron Laffey

Meet the Pitchers

We'll wrap up the Meet the Indians (part I has been updated now that the rosters are finalized), by going over the starting pitching and bullpen.

The Big Guy
CC Sabathia
The 6'7", 290 lb. Cy Young contender went 19-7, with a 3.21 ERA this season, and walked just 37 hitters in 241 innings pitched. He was money in September, going 4-0, 2.37. Sabathia is 1-7 lifetime against the Yankees, but he hasn't faced them in 3 years. Just as the Yanks have a much different lineup, Sabathia is not the same pitcher. He's now a force to be reckoned with. We're not even going to give the pitcher vs. batter break down since it's totally meaningless.

The Sinker
Fausto Carmona
The soon to be 24-year old suffered through a miserable '06 as both a starter and closer. His 1-10 record didn't carry over to this season, however, and he dominated, going 19-8, 3.06. He allowed just 199 hits in 215 innings pitched, giving the Indians a formidable 1-2 punch. Like Chien-Ming Wang, the sinker is Carmona's weapon of choice.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 2-5
Jeter: 3-7, 1 RBI
Abreu: 2-6, 2 RBI
A-Rod: 1-7, 1 HR
Matsui: 1-3
Posada: 0-2
Cano: 2-7
Mientky: 0-2
Cabrera: 3-6
Giambi: 1-5

The ex-Yankee
Jake Westbrook
The Yankees acquired him as part of the deal that sent Hideki Irabu to Montreal in '99, and then dealt him the following season in the pennant clinching deal that brought David Justice to NY.

After winning 14 games 3 years ago, and 15 each of the last 2, the right-hander struggled to a 6-9 mark this season. His 4.32 ERA was on par of his career. He hasn't done well against his former team, going 2-4, 5.29, including a loss this season.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 2-9
Jeter: 8-25 (.320)
Abreu: 1-5
A-Rod: 9-24 (.375), 1 HR, 4 RBI
Matsui: 5-11, 1 RBI, 3 2B
Posada: 5-13, 2 HR 9 RBI
Cano: 4-8
Mientky: 5-21, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Cabrera: 1-11
Giambi: 6-14, 2 HR, 6 RBI

Frasier
Paul Byrd
The Kelsey Grammer look alike threw the 4th highest innings total of his career (192.1), and matched his 2nd best wins total (15). He doesn't have a good fastball and that was his undoing when he met the Yankees earlier this season. He's just 1-4, 4.44 in 8 career appearance against the Pinstripes.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 3-19, 2 RBI
Jeter: 11-27 (.407), 3 RBI
Abreu: 2-5
A-Rod: 4-15, 1 HR, 4 RBI
Matsui: 1-5
Posada: 3-18, 2 RBI
Cano: 2-8, 1 HR
Mientky: 6-19, 5 RBI
Cabrera: 3-5, 1 HR, 6 RBI
Giambi: 3-14, 1 HR

The Closer
Joe Borowski
No one will forget A-Rod's walk-off against him in April. The Bayonne, NJ native had a fine season with 45 saves, but did put up a 5.07 ERA. Has been hammered for 12 runs in 7 career innings against the Yankees.

vs Yankee hitters

Jeter: 2-2, 1 HR, 5 RBI
A-Rod: 2-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Posada: 3-4, 1 HR, 3 RBI
Giambi: 2-3, 1 HR, 2 RBI
Abreu, Damon, Matsui a combined 2-7


The Set up Man
Rafael Betancourt
Was the key to the Indians pen, posting 5-1 record with a 1.47 ERA and 80 strikeouts in 79.1 innings pitched. Held hitters to a .183 average while only allowing 3 of 33 inherited runners to score. Was suspended in 2005 for using a performance enhancing substance.

vs. Yankee hitters

Damon: 3-4
Jeter: 2-6
A-Rod, Mientky, and Giambi are a combined 0-10

The Southpaw
Rafael Perez
His emergence as a lefty in the pen was a huge lift to the Tribe. The 25-year old posted 1-2, 1.78 numbers with 62 strikeouts in 60.2 innings pitched. Lefties hit just .145 against him. He's not allowed a run in 3 IP against the Yankees over 2 seasons.

Remainder of the staff:
Jensen Lewis, Aaron Fultz, Tom Mastny, and Aaron Laffey

5 Memorable Games vs Indians

It would be nice if tomorrow's game could be added to the list, but here goes...

1. September 4, 1993

Jim Abbott had beaten the odds to make it to the major leagues. Born without a right hand, he had figured out a way to throw with his left, while keeping his glove tucked under his right arm. As the pitch was delivered, he quickly maneuvered the glove on to his left hand for fielding. If a ball was hit his way, he'd field it, tuck the glove back under the right arm, extract the ball, and make the throw. Quite an amazing feat. His feat on September 4, 1993 was even more remarkable.

Abbott would walk 5 Indians hitters on that day, but not allow a single hit. When Carlos Baerga grounded out to Randy Velarde (I can still hear DeWayne Staats call) for the final out, Yankee Stadium went crazy. The teams of the early 1990s were pathetic, but the late season no-hitter was a calling card that the Yankees were on the way back.

2. July 12, 1951

Allie Reynolds was one of the top Yankee right-handers of all-time. Not many pitchers would have a more spectacular season than Reynolds did in 1951. He would pitch not one, but two no-hitters, the 2nd against the vaunted Boston Red Sox. It would all start though on July 12, 1951, when Reynolds, nicknamed "The Chief" would no-hit the Cleveland Indians.

The opposing pitcher that day was future Hall of Famer Bob Feller. Feller and Reynolds had once been roommates when Reynolds was a member of the Indians. The memorable afternoon would see only 1 run scored that day, a Gene Woodling HR in the 7th that gave the Yankees a 1-0 victory.

Reynolds would win the Hickok Belt as the professional athlete of the year for 1951.


3. April 30, 1946

Five years prior to Feller being on the wrong end of Reynolds' no-hitter, he threw one of his own, blanking the Yankees by the same 1-0 score. His opponent for that day was Bill Bevens - yes, the same Bill Bevens who nearly no-hit the Dodgers in the 1947 World Series.


4. October 5, 1997

Game 4 of the ALDS - the Yankees held a 2-1 advantage in games and a 2-1 lead in the 8th inning. This would be the game that would help turn Mariano Rivera into the greatest post-season closer of all time. Rivera came on with 1 out in the 8th. After Matt Williams flied out, Sandy Alomar Jr. hit a high fastball into the right field seats to tie the game. One inning later, the Indians beat Ramiro Mendoza to force a 5th and deciding game, which they would win as well.


5. June 24, 1970

The Yankees and Indians split a twinbill (for those of you born after 1980, that's a true doubleheader. Game 2 follows game 1 by about 1/2 hour. It is not urban legend.), but it was an individual performance that would be remembered on this day. The Yankees were dominated by Sam McDowell in the first game, but Bobby Murcer homered in his final at-bat in the 9th inning.

In his first at-bat of the nightcap, Murcer homered again. After walking an inning earlier, Bobby smacked a 2-run HR in the 5th to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

The Indians took a 4-3 lead against Stan Bahnsen in the 8th. It didn't last long. With one out in the bottom of the 8th, Murcer hit his 3rd home run of the game, and his 4th in as many official at-bats. Danny Cater's RBI single would give the Yankees the lead for good as Lindy McDaniel picked up a save in the 9th.

Murcer had a chance to keep the streak going the next day against the Indians and walked his first time up. But a ground out in the 3rd ended it.

Get well soon Bobby!

5 Memorable Games vs Indians

It would be nice if tomorrow's game could be added to the list, but here goes...

1. September 4, 1993

Jim Abbott had beaten the odds to make it to the major leagues. Born without a right hand, he had figured out a way to throw with his left, while keeping his glove tucked under his right arm. As the pitch was delivered, he quickly maneuvered the glove on to his left hand for fielding. If a ball was hit his way, he'd field it, tuck the glove back under the right arm, extract the ball, and make the throw. Quite an amazing feat. His feat on September 4, 1993 was even more remarkable.

Abbott would walk 5 Indians hitters on that day, but not allow a single hit. When Carlos Baerga grounded out to Randy Velarde (I can still hear DeWayne Staats call) for the final out, Yankee Stadium went crazy. The teams of the early 1990s were pathetic, but the late season no-hitter was a calling card that the Yankees were on the way back.

2. July 12, 1951

Allie Reynolds was one of the top Yankee right-handers of all-time. Not many pitchers would have a more spectacular season than Reynolds did in 1951. He would pitch not one, but two no-hitters, the 2nd against the vaunted Boston Red Sox. It would all start though on July 12, 1951, when Reynolds, nicknamed "The Chief" would no-hit the Cleveland Indians.

The opposing pitcher that day was future Hall of Famer Bob Feller. Feller and Reynolds had once been roommates when Reynolds was a member of the Indians. The memorable afternoon would see only 1 run scored that day, a Gene Woodling HR in the 7th that gave the Yankees a 1-0 victory.

Reynolds would win the Hickok Belt as the professional athlete of the year for 1951.


3. April 30, 1946

Five years prior to Feller being on the wrong end of Reynolds' no-hitter, he threw one of his own, blanking the Yankees by the same 1-0 score. His opponent for that day was Bill Bevens - yes, the same Bill Bevens who nearly no-hit the Dodgers in the 1947 World Series.


4. October 5, 1997

Game 4 of the ALDS - the Yankees held a 2-1 advantage in games and a 2-1 lead in the 8th inning. This would be the game that would help turn Mariano Rivera into the greatest post-season closer of all time. Rivera came on with 1 out in the 8th. After Matt Williams flied out, Sandy Alomar Jr. hit a high fastball into the right field seats to tie the game. One inning later, the Indians beat Ramiro Mendoza to force a 5th and deciding game, which they would win as well.


5. June 24, 1970

The Yankees and Indians split a twinbill (for those of you born after 1980, that's a true doubleheader. Game 2 follows game 1 by about 1/2 hour. It is not urban legend.), but it was an individual performance that would be remembered on this day. The Yankees were dominated by Sam McDowell in the first game, but Bobby Murcer homered in his final at-bat in the 9th inning.

In his first at-bat of the nightcap, Murcer homered again. After walking an inning earlier, Bobby smacked a 2-run HR in the 5th to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead.

The Indians took a 4-3 lead against Stan Bahnsen in the 8th. It didn't last long. With one out in the bottom of the 8th, Murcer hit his 3rd home run of the game, and his 4th in as many official at-bats. Danny Cater's RBI single would give the Yankees the lead for good as Lindy McDaniel picked up a save in the 9th.

Murcer had a chance to keep the streak going the next day against the Indians and walked his first time up. But a ground out in the 3rd ended it.

Get well soon Bobby!