A-Rod and CC carrying Yanks to verge of World Series
ANAHEIM – No one really knew what to expect coming into this postseason, but this much was clear. If Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia each turned in tremendous performances, the Yankees would be nearly impossible to beat.
That is exactly what has happened.
They are the Yankees two biggest moneymakers. They are baseball’s biggest moneymakers. The highest paid position player and highest paid pitcher.
In October, they have the biggest difference makers.
Without these two playing like this, the Yankees are not on the brink of the 40th American League pennant, holding a commanding three games to one lead over their long time nemesis the Angels, trying to eliminate the hex they have had over them the last seven years.
The way this series has gone, it is boiled down to two things.
The Yankees have Alex Rodriguez and the Angels do not.
The Yankees have CC Sabathia and the Angels do not.
Mix in the other talent advantages the Yankees have shown to have over the Angels through the first four games and this appears to be a mismatch.
From the moment Sabathia took the mound in Game 1 on a cold night at Yankee Stadium, he put the Angels bats into a deep freeze, overpowering them through eighth inning.
Now, pitching on three days rest as they attempted to utilize his talents over three games in this series (1, 4 and 7), he was back on the mound staring history right in the face. The numbers show that the last seven pitchers to start on three days rest have all lost in the playoffs. A loss last night would have put the Yankees in predicament where they would allow this lesser team back into the series.
Sabathia would not allow it.
Taking the ball again here in Game 4, he looked the Angels hitters in the eyes once again and psychologically took them out of the game. For eight innings, hitters came up, took their hacks, failed and went back to the bench. You would have thought that patience was going to serve them well in an effort to raise his pitch count and get him out of the game. Instead, they swung early and it led to quick outs. By the end of the third inning, Sabathia was only at 29 pitches.
All he needed was a lead to protect. The Yankees had given him three runs in the fourth inning and then Rodriguez made it five in the fifth with another majestic blast into the Southern California night.
He is turning October into his own production. Rodriguez is playing the starring role, in a feature that has been created, written, directed, and produced all by him.
When he steps up to the plate, he is as he has been saying, “in a different place”. While he is on this other planet, balls continue to head into orbit. Back in old times, the baseball looked like an aspirin. Now, it looks like a beach ball.
The Angels thought they had a plan before the series and that was to pitch him inside to prevent him from extending his arms. That took on moderate success until the bottom of the 11th inning in Game 2 when Brian Fuentes foolishly grooved a 0-2 fastball on the outer half of the plate that Rodriguez took out for a homerun to tie the game.
Since that moment, Manager Mike Scioscia and the Angels have been screwed.
Rodriguez hit another homerun in Game 3, they all but surrendered late in the game, putting him on base with no one on, and the game tied.
In Game 4, he started his night with a walk. In the fourth, he singled to center and later scored the Yankees first run. In the fifth, he hammered Angels starter Scott Kazmir’s fastball over the wall for his third homerun in as many games to make it 5-0. In the ninth, he stroked a double off the wall in left centerfield. Then, to add good measure, he tagged up on a fly ball to right and when Bobby Abreu’s throw went wide at third base and landed in the seats, Rodriguez was awarded home for the Yankees eighth run.
He is doing it all and there is nothing the Angels can do short of walking him every time he comes to the plate. Other hitters have had spectacular postseason runs like Barry Bonds and Carlos Beltran back in 2002 and 2004, and now here is Rodriguez adding himself to that list.
As much that is made about Derek Jeter being the catalyst for this Yankee team (and he is), it is Rodriguez who is the game wrecker. With one swing, he can break games open and intimidate opponents. It wasn’t long ago when teams wouldn’t have a problem pitching directly to Rodriguez. They are not doing that anymore and now the Angels and everyone else is on the defensive.
Rodriguez hits and Sabathia pitches. Each of them intimidating opponents, erasing the past, and carving out new stories, as the Yankees are now one victory from the World Series.
If the duo continues, no team will be able to stop them from becoming world champions.
ANAHEIM – No one really knew what to expect coming into this postseason, but this much was clear. If Alex Rodriguez and CC Sabathia each turned in tremendous performances, the Yankees would be nearly impossible to beat.
That is exactly what has happened.
They are the Yankees two biggest moneymakers. They are baseball’s biggest moneymakers. The highest paid position player and highest paid pitcher.
In October, they have the biggest difference makers.
Without these two playing like this, the Yankees are not on the brink of the 40th American League pennant, holding a commanding three games to one lead over their long time nemesis the Angels, trying to eliminate the hex they have had over them the last seven years.
The way this series has gone, it is boiled down to two things.
The Yankees have Alex Rodriguez and the Angels do not.
The Yankees have CC Sabathia and the Angels do not.
Mix in the other talent advantages the Yankees have shown to have over the Angels through the first four games and this appears to be a mismatch.
From the moment Sabathia took the mound in Game 1 on a cold night at Yankee Stadium, he put the Angels bats into a deep freeze, overpowering them through eighth inning.
Now, pitching on three days rest as they attempted to utilize his talents over three games in this series (1, 4 and 7), he was back on the mound staring history right in the face. The numbers show that the last seven pitchers to start on three days rest have all lost in the playoffs. A loss last night would have put the Yankees in predicament where they would allow this lesser team back into the series.
Sabathia would not allow it.
Taking the ball again here in Game 4, he looked the Angels hitters in the eyes once again and psychologically took them out of the game. For eight innings, hitters came up, took their hacks, failed and went back to the bench. You would have thought that patience was going to serve them well in an effort to raise his pitch count and get him out of the game. Instead, they swung early and it led to quick outs. By the end of the third inning, Sabathia was only at 29 pitches.
All he needed was a lead to protect. The Yankees had given him three runs in the fourth inning and then Rodriguez made it five in the fifth with another majestic blast into the Southern California night.
He is turning October into his own production. Rodriguez is playing the starring role, in a feature that has been created, written, directed, and produced all by him.
When he steps up to the plate, he is as he has been saying, “in a different place”. While he is on this other planet, balls continue to head into orbit. Back in old times, the baseball looked like an aspirin. Now, it looks like a beach ball.
The Angels thought they had a plan before the series and that was to pitch him inside to prevent him from extending his arms. That took on moderate success until the bottom of the 11th inning in Game 2 when Brian Fuentes foolishly grooved a 0-2 fastball on the outer half of the plate that Rodriguez took out for a homerun to tie the game.
Since that moment, Manager Mike Scioscia and the Angels have been screwed.
Rodriguez hit another homerun in Game 3, they all but surrendered late in the game, putting him on base with no one on, and the game tied.
In Game 4, he started his night with a walk. In the fourth, he singled to center and later scored the Yankees first run. In the fifth, he hammered Angels starter Scott Kazmir’s fastball over the wall for his third homerun in as many games to make it 5-0. In the ninth, he stroked a double off the wall in left centerfield. Then, to add good measure, he tagged up on a fly ball to right and when Bobby Abreu’s throw went wide at third base and landed in the seats, Rodriguez was awarded home for the Yankees eighth run.
He is doing it all and there is nothing the Angels can do short of walking him every time he comes to the plate. Other hitters have had spectacular postseason runs like Barry Bonds and Carlos Beltran back in 2002 and 2004, and now here is Rodriguez adding himself to that list.
As much that is made about Derek Jeter being the catalyst for this Yankee team (and he is), it is Rodriguez who is the game wrecker. With one swing, he can break games open and intimidate opponents. It wasn’t long ago when teams wouldn’t have a problem pitching directly to Rodriguez. They are not doing that anymore and now the Angels and everyone else is on the defensive.
Rodriguez hits and Sabathia pitches. Each of them intimidating opponents, erasing the past, and carving out new stories, as the Yankees are now one victory from the World Series.
If the duo continues, no team will be able to stop them from becoming world champions.
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