Nathan, A.J. Sign, J.P. Non-Tendered

Pierzysnki and Nathan are going their separate ways

Some of the pieces to the MLB free agent puzzle are starting to fall into places while some have been added. Closer Joe Nathan, the active saves leader, agreed to a two year deal with the Detroit Tigers, catcher A.J. Pierzynski jouned the Boston Red Sox, and Toronto catcher J.P. Arencibia will be looking for a new home after the Blue Jays did not tender him a contract.

Nathan and his 341 saves was the top closer on the free agent market this off-season. I was hoping the Yankees would make a strong push for 39-year old, but you can't blame him for going to a team whose top three starters are Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer, and Anibal Sanchez. The deal, reported by CBS Sports' Jon Heyman, is reportedly for two years at an unspecified rate.

The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham reported that Pierzynski, who ironically was dealt from the Minnesota Twins to the SF Giants in 2003 for a package that included Nathan and played with the closer in Texas last season, is set to ink a one year, $8.25MM deal with the Red Sox. Pierzynski spent the 2013 season with the Texas Rangers after eight seasons with the Chicago White Sox. He'll replace Jarrod Saltalamacchia, who is reportedly close to signing with either the Twins or Florida Marlins.

Arencibia hit a total of 63 home runs in his first three years in the Major Leagues, but posted a .592 OPS this past season. (His career high is .720.) He also committed an AL leading 11 errors behind the plate.  The Blue Jays acquisition of veteran Dioner Navarro made Arencibia expendable, though the team was unable to trade him.

The Baltimore Orioles dealt closer Jim Johnson to the Oakland A's for second baseman Jemile Weeks and a player to be named later or cash. Johnson had a bust out season in 2012 when he saved 51 games in 54 chances. Though he saved 50 wins in 2013, he blew nine save attempts and lost eight games. Having made $6.5MM in 2013, he's set to become a free agent in 2015. He'll replace free agent Grant Balfour as closer, though set up man/some time closer Ryan Cook could still steal the job away IMO. The Orioles have stated they will look to acquire a replacement for Johnson rather than use someone who is presently within the organization.

Weeks, the younger brother of the Milwaukee Brewers' Richie Weeks, showed promise when he posted a .761 OPS in 97 games in 2011. A year later he was barely above .600 and has spent most of his time in the minor leagues since.

Girardi is a Genius; Bats A-Rod 3rd, Yankees Win

If you listen closely you can still hear John Sterling yelling Rauuuuuuuuuul

When the starting lineups were announced for Wednesday night's Yankees-Baltimore Orioles game, there was a sense of anger across much of Yankees fandom. Alex Rodriguez was indeed still in the 3rd spot in the order despite a 1-9, five strikeout start through the first two games.

But as it turned out, the non-move was a thing of genius. Down 2-1 in the 9th, Joe Girardi sent Raul Ibanez up to pinch-hit for A-Rod (0-3, 2 K's) against Orioles' closer Jim Johnson.  Just as he had done on the next to last day of the season against Boston, Ibanez delivered a game tying home run into the right field seats.

Just as he had won Game 161 in extra innings, Ibanez came through again. Still tied in the 12th, Ibanez swung at the first pitch of the inning from lefty Brian Matusz' and drilled it into the right field seats for a 3-2 win. The Yankees can close out the best of five ALDS when they send Phil Hughes to the mound Thursday night.

The Yankees kept the game close behind stellar pitching from starter Hiroki Kuroda, who allowed solo home runs to Ryan Flaherty and Manny Machado, but only three other hits in an 8.1 inning performance. Boone Logan, Rafael Soriano, and David Robertson worked the final 3.2 frames to set up Ibanez's game winner.

Miguel Gonzalez was outstanding for the Orioles; he allowed just five hits in seven innings, and struck out eight. The only real trouble he got into was when the Yankees scored their first run in the 3rd inning. Russell Martin reached on a one-out double and came home on Derek Jeter's triple over the head of centerfielder Adam Jones. The remainder of the lineup took weak hacks at the rookie, who had been discovered in the Mexican League and was called up in May to be the long man out of the pen.

Notes

Rodriguez was the DH with Eric Chavez taking over at third base.

Jeter had to leave the game in favor of Jayson Nix after he batted in the 8th. He had fouled a ball off his foot early in the game and was badly hobbled for the remainder of the game.

Wearing his Yankees uniform, Mariano Rivera  threw out the ceremonial first pitch.

1 Inning Martin-izing Lifts Yankees

Photo courtesy of USA Today

There was the usual moaning, groaning, and grousing last night by Yankees' fans on Facebook, Twitter, and the more traditional bars and living rooms.

Why can't the Yankees get a hit with men on? Why are they bunting? Why are they..whatever?

When it came right down to it, the difference in the Yankees 7-2 ALDS Game 1 win over the Baltimore Orioles was the 2012 standby, the home run. It came off the bat of catcher Russell Martin, who hit a career high 21 home runs in the regular season, and ignited a five-run 9th inning that game the Yankees a 1-0 advantage in the best of five series.

It also made a winner of CC Sabathia, who pitched a stellar 8.2 innings to pick up his first post-season victory since Game 5 of the 2010 ALCS against Texas. Ironically, that game finished with a 7-2 score as well.

Sabathia had given up a pair of runs in the 3rd inning, but scattered eight hits and pitched out of any additional trouble he had on the night. He came within one out of a complete game, but his 120th pitch was a two-out double by Lew Ford in the 9th. That prompted Joe Girardi to call on David Robertson to close things out and the right-hander did just that when he blew a fastball past Ryan Flaherty for a third strike.

Both teams had shots to take the lead throughout the game, but the Yankees added to their woes with a couple of base running gaffes. Ichiro Suzuki followed Derek Jeter's game starting single with a gapper to left-center that scoring the Yankees captain for a quick 1-0 lead. With Alex Rodriguez at the plate, Ichiro felt he could steal off O's starter Jason Hammel, but didn't get a good jump and was easily gunned out by catcher Matt Wieters.

With two aboard in the 4th, Mark Teixeira ripped a line drive off the scoreboard in right to tie the game (2-2), but he then tried to stretch a single into a double. Presumably said attempt took place because Chris Davis, normally a corner infielder, was playing right field for the injured Nick Markakis. Teixeira would likely not have run on Markakis' arm, but was still easily thrown out at second base by Davis.

Buck Showalter elected to intentionally walk Curtis Granderson and it paid off when Hammel got Martin to fly out to end the inning.  The Orioles had a great chance to take the lead when they put runners on the corners against Sabathia in the 5th, but the lefty struck out Nate McLouth and got J.J. Hardy to bounce out. Sabathia also picked up his shortstop an inning later, after Jeter's error put two on with two outs, when he got Davis to fly out to center for the third out.

The Yankees finally took control in the 9th against Orioles closer Jim Johnson. After Martin's home run, Raul Ibanez singled through the right side and went to third on Jeter's hit-and-run single. Ichiro Suzuki then cued a ball that died in the grass near the first base line to score pinch-runner Eduardo Nunez for 4-2 advantage.

Alex Rodriguez continued to struggle and struck out for the third time on the night, but red-hot Robinson Cano delivered both base runners with a double to left. The Yankees added one more run on a Nick Swisher sacrifice fly against Tommy Hunter.

Notes

Game 2 will see Andy Pettitte on the mound in October for the first time since he allowed two runs over seven innings in a Game 3 loss to Texas in the ALCS two years ago. Cliff Lee and Neftali Feliz combined on  a shutout and the Yankees pen put the game out of reach when they allowed six  runs in the top of the 9th for an 8-0 final.  Overall, Pettitte is 19-10, 3.83 in 42 career post-season appearances, all starts. He'll be opposed by Wei-Yin Chen this evening.

Nick Swisher and Mark Teixeira both know that for the Yankees to succeed they need to break out of the dual slump that has plagued them in post-season baseball in Pinstripes. Last night was a good start as both reached base three times (Swisher, 2 walks, 1 hit, Teixeira, 2 hits, 1 walk) and drove in a run each.

Many Yankees fans were not pleased that Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. was part of the TBS broadcast booth (along with Ernie Johnson and John Smoltz) last night and for the series. But the man who broke Lou Gehrig's iron man streak showed no bias, and it's absolutely ridiculous if anyone thinks his being part of the broadcast has an affect on the game.

Yankees Put More Holes in the O's

Yankees Roll O’s

Written for Baseball Digest

Filed Under: Yankees

Tags: Alex Rodriguez • Baltimore Orioles • cc sabathia • Derek Jeter • jim johnson • Nick Markakis • Robinson Cano • Yankees 9/2 recap • Yankees vs. Orioles

On opening day in Baltimore, CC Sabathia was horrible and the Orioles clobbered the Yankees 10-5. So much for starting fresh. But since then the Yankees have lost less games than the Orioles have won and Sabathia is the AL’s leading winner with 16 victories. That’s because he threw a solid 7 innings last night and his teammates busted open a close game late for a 10-2 win. It was the 10th straight time the Yankees have beaten the O’s this season.

After losing 2 of 3 in that season opening series and having Mark Teixeira treated as if he were a serial killer, the Yankees couldn’t have been too anxious to return to Camden Yards. But after completing a 3-game sweep last night, they probably never want to leave.

Tied 1-1 in the 7th inning, Kam Mickolio walked Johnny Damon to start the inning and Nick Swisher (Mr. Camden Yards) followed with a double. Possibly thinking that he didn’t want his youngster having to throw strikes with the bases loaded,O’s manager Dave Trembley elected to pitch to Alex Rodriguez and brought the infield in. Oops. A-Rod laced a 2-run single to center to put the Yankees on top for good, 3-1. It was also the 2,500th hit of A-Rod’s career.

Sabathia had given up a pair of hits and a sac fly to Nick Markakis in the 1st as the O’s jumped out to a 1-0 lead. Eric Hinske tied the game in the 3rd with a solo home run and Sabathia got stronger as the game went on. He scattered five hits over the next six innings, walked one and struck out 9. Since his last loss on July 28, the big man is 5-0 in six starts, with 14 earned runs allowed in 51.1 innings pitched (2.45 ERA).

Brian Bruney’s continued ineffectiveness allowed the O’s to cut the lead to 3-2 in the 8th before Phil Coke and Phil Hughes stemmed the tide. The Yankees then singled the O’s to death in the 9th to break things open. A-Rod opened the scoring with another 2-run single, and Hideki Matsui, Melky Cabrera, Jose Molina, Derek Jeter, and Damon each delivered run producing singles.

No more trips to Camden Yards for the, now, disappointed Yankees and the fans in attendance, the majority of which were rooting for the Bombers.

Game Notes

A-Rod extended his hitting streak to 11 games. Derek Jeter extended his modest streak to 6 games and moved within 8 hits of Lou Gehrig’s franchise record. Robinson Cano also has a 6-game streak in which he is 12-23 (.522). He’s also driven in 13 runs in the last 10 games.

Mariano Rivera was unavailable due to a sore groin. Phil Hughes notched his 2nd save, getting the final four outs.

Mark Teixeira got a much deserved night off.

The Yankees travel to Toronto to begin a 4-game series with the Blue Jays this evening. Chad Gaudin will get the start tonight as Sergio Mitre is still too sore from being hit by a line drive on his right forearm. Left-hander Ricky Romero goes for the Blue Jays.