GET READY TO RUMBLE & STOP THE EXCUSES

The word on the street is Andy Pettitte and Ivan Nova are close to returning.  According to Pete Caldera of the Bergen Record, "In a simulated setting, Andy Pettitte is due to face live hitters... Ivan Nova tossed 20 pitches to live batters Tuesday and reported he was pain-free." Read HERE. Today Andy Pettitte threw 15 pitches in a simulated inning and felt good.  Hurray!  The big question is, can these guys give the pitching stability the Yankees need to make a strong run and make the playoffs? Normally I'd have the answer, but today I don't.

My friend Joe's a freaking smart guy. He said something to me over the weekend that, while not groundbreaking, was in fact true, and no one has really delved into it like we're about too here at BYB. Here it goes...  It's not the pitching that the Yankees have problems with, it's the hitting. Yeah, Yeah, start yelling at me, but hear me out, this is true...

The Yankees can't score. FACT. Yankee pitching gives up runs sometimes. FACT. Yankee pitching is allowed to give up runs sometimes, the offense needs to hit and score runs and THEN, the pitching needs to hold down the opponent. Ah Ha!!

Think about it...the Yankees are losing a lot of close games. They are just out of reach...A LOT! Sure, in a perfect world the Yankee starting pitching should be able to tackle a 7 inning outing and not let up any runs, but that's not always realistic. That's where the offense comes in. Small ball, hit the runners over, steal, run hard and most importantly, walk up to the plate, not looking to smash a solo shot, but instead to get on base or sacrifice when needed. It's the freaking Basics of Hitting that I've been screaming about since May.  I also told you all that if they didn't play that game consistantly, it would bite them in the ass. Guess who's getting bit in the ass lately?

Now, Girardi can sit there and tell us that he doesn't believe in small ball and he did, he said "That's not really our approach... We're not the Bronx Bunters, and we really never have been. The one thing you can concentrate on is really good at-bats and making sure you grind out your at-bats." Read HERE. OK Joe, when I think about "real good at-bats and making sure you grind out you at-bats", well, that's situational hitting.

Working the count, hitting the runner over, it's all the same thing.  Bunting in September I don't agree with, unless our guys have practiced it cold all season long. Our Yankees have not, that's why I hated hearing Kevin Long even suggest that Tuesday night, read HERE. But I didn't mean to stray too much, let me get back to my point.

Look, the pitching hasn't been spectacular either, but it's been decent. CC Sabathia is far from a monster this season, but he is an ace. Hiroki Kuroda carried the Yankees for a while but lately he's tired. I also believe there will be alittle more consistency when Andy Pettitte and Ivan Nova return. But if not, that's where Girardi has to be creative.

For instance, if there are men on base and you need to bring in a reliever, like a DRob, like a Boone Logan, like a Clay Rapada, do it. If they blow it, it's safe to say it's on them. Why? Because this is a team. The Yankees are in it together and if, for instance ours starters or relievers can't keep the opponent's  runners from scoring, they didn't do their job.

This debate I've been hearing lately about whether or not relievers should come in with men are on base may be the most ignorant argument I've ever heard!  If the starter can't finish an inning, it's what you do! You bring in a pen guy and stop the bleeding. You don't like that role? Then be a starter, otherwise... suck it up.

Now let's examine those hitters again, who lately, can't hit. More importantly, they can't score. The job of a hitter is to walk up to the box, know the amount of outs, know who's on base and know what they need to do...keep the line moving. There were way too many moments in Tuesday night's game where there were 1,2,3 innings for Yankee hitters. Did I notice aggression at the plate? I did, but come to the plate smart, not like a caveman. If you can work the count, work it. If you see a nice beach ball coming down the middle, drive it. But don't go up there trying to homer every time, it wastes at bats. You know who told me that? My dad and guess what, it rings true in the pros, how ironic.

Look, this is easy for me. I'm sitting on my ass in my basement wearing a worn out Reggie Bar T-shirt and smokes coming out of my ears. I played baseball through High School and stopped. I'm probably the most under qualified guy the Yankees want to listen to, yet, right now I'm the smarted guy in the room. Because everything I'm saying is true. I'm tired of the bitching and finger pointing and the lack of heart. These are my Yankees and if they're going to play like crap, they won't win, they know that.

At the end of the day, the Yankees need to stop falling short in close games and strike first and hold opponent down and get our runs in, like last night for instance, they fought, they never stopped fighting and when the "moment" of the ball being thrown away by Tampa Bay happened, they capitalized.  I mentioned the other night in ? on how a "moment" or glimmer of hope can change momentum in a team losing streak.

It happened last night and Ichiro and Steve Pearce scored to make the final 6-4 Yankees.  Now, one would hope the Yankees feel good and get back on track! That's what this team needs to do. Instead of thinking about winning every game, they should start thinking about winning every series. You do that, you get into a flow and you make the playoffs respectfully. But I warn you all...we crawl into the playoffs snagging just a wild card spot, we're not winning anything but a long winter, and no one wants that in Yankeeland...no one.

OK, my rant is done...someone make me eggs.

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