Mussina Picks Joe... Over Joe

Mike Mussina implies Joe Torre did little in-game discussing while Joe Girardi already displayed a more continuous discourse throughout a game. Whether this is a good or bad change will begin to manifest itself as the season rolls along.

From the article:

"Joe [Girardi] does a little more talking to the players as the game goes along," Mussina said on Friday. "Joe [Torre] kind of sat back and let the guys make the mistakes and then gave the instructions. Joe [Girardi] may not let it go that far. He might make sure he reminds people of stuff before it ever happens.

"I know he's talked to me a lot more than Torre did," Mussina added. "It can be good or bad, you know? There are certain situations where you want to let the guy work out of it.

"But there's also time to remind guys what to do in different situations because this is a game of different situations, where you can experience something suddenly that you haven't experienced for two or three years."

"Joe's just a couple years removed from the game," Giambi said. "He's got that enthusiasm — not to say Joe Torre didn't — but he's young and hungry."

"I think he [Girardi] is going to be good for this group," said Mussina, who is scheduled to start on Wednesday against the Blue Jays' A.J. Burnett. "It's going to give us an incentive to do some things differently, and I don't think there's anything wrong with that."

Hat tip to WasWatching.

Megdal: Pitching Still Uncertain

The New York Observer, like Pags, is a consummate professional in stating the obvious. Take this article which selects the Yankees pitching as the great question mark going into the new season.

Hold on just a moment. You're saying the Yankees offensive juggernaut, littered with consistent veterans, powered by proven young bats and guaranteed to approach 1000 runs-scored, is more bankable than a pitching staff comprised largely of unproven kids? What a concept.

Here's a writer panicking in March:

The Yankees’ planned starting rotation, which called for full seasons from Andy Pettitte and Chien-Ming Wang, is in jeopardy. Pettitte has missed a pair of spring starts with a back problem, and has already seen his first start pushed back. That means they could well end up with Mike Mussina as the number-two starter.

Mussina has actually been decent this spring, posting a 4.66 ERA and a 7/2 K/BB ratio. But his 9 2/3 innings over three games in a month provides no indication of how he will perform every fifth day, pitching at least five or six innings.

Of less concern are the struggles from Phil Hughes and Wang. Hughes has been hit by the homer bug, but his strikeout-to-walk ratio is just fine. Wang’s struggles are mostly due to an increase in walks. Ultimately, the stats don’t mean much—they are small samples, and spring ones, to boot—but neither pitcher is cause for concern.

He goes on to state Ian Kennedy's 2.00 ERA during Spring training is not as noteworthy as the four homeruns he's given up because of his "ordinary" 14/7 strikeout to walk ratio. So by this logic, Hughes is the only one suffering from the wind-assisted homerun illness because his k/bb is in better order.

Mr. Mussina Gets "Onioned"

Mike Mussina is "convinced he won a World Series," or at least that's what the hit-or-miss Onion "news" outlet is reporting.

Mike Mussina seemed to believe that he has procured a World Series ring despite all evidence to the contrary."Sure I did, I helped put away the Mets back in 2000," said Mussina, who did not join the Yankees until the 2001 season. "Boy, was that a great team.Paulie [O'Neill], Tino [Martinez], [Scott] Bro[sius], and me... Ya know, I think Doc Gooden was on that team too.

Poor Mussina probably does spend some October nights dreaming he had come to the Yankees a year [and a championship season] earlier.

Pettitte Scratched, Throws Today

Regardless of what was initially expected, Andy Pettitte threw catch again today for the second straight day. Though Pettitte has been scratched from pitching the second game of the season, it's possible he will instead pitch the third or fourth game, with Mike Mussina and/or Phil Hughes moving up in the rotation. Pettitte through 42 tosses and believes his back is much better than it was just a day ago, though he still feels slight tightness. The lefty threw harder than his previous catch and said "it's progressing."

Hughes, Kennedy Audio Via WFAN

Kim Jones of WFAN and the YES Network spoke to two of Yankees young pitching triumvirate as both Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy joined her program last night. Did anyone else hear the caller who got through and told Jones she had "a great rack" before the startled radio host could dump out? That was pretty uncomfortable, huh.

As he always does, Phil expertly fielded questions about the added pressures of pitching in New York further amplified by the Yankees' refusal to part with the 21 year-old for Johan Santana. Hughes has been consistent in expressing no one can cause more pressure than himself. As odd as the "rack caller" was, the conclusion to the Jones-Hughes interview was equally bizarre as Kim refers to Hughes as "Phil Phil." Yikes.

Kennedy's audio is a bit choppy due to a poor cell phone connection, but he does offer a glimpse into the Yankees locker room, particularly some playful jabs at lockermate Mike Mussina. Kennedy reveals himself to be a deeply religious individual and offered a candid [and encouraging] look at Andy Pettitte as the human-being.

Hughes Audio:

Kennedy Audio:

Mussina Throws Five Perfect. Building on his last exhibition start, Mike Mussina lasted five perfect innings today, striking out two along the way. Mussina pitched inside with purpose, and showed the usual good curveball, but his fastball was still 86-88mph. His slow changeup - 70-73mph - was also working well. The Pirates lineup is no murderer's row, but we all realize if Moose had allowed 8 runs on 7 hits to the Bucs his critics would be in an uproar. Therefore, it's only fair to recognize his effectiveness through five economical innings - needing 52 pitches and throwing 32 strikes.

• Damaso Marte pitched a scoreless inning, striking out Derek Jeter and allowing a hard-hit single to Melky Cabrera. Marte used his plus fastball at 94-95mph and flashed a devastating 85mph slider which had Jeter looking foolish. If the Yankees could ever pull off a trade for the dominant lefthander it would be a huge boost to a questionable bullpen.

• Jose Veras had a solid ninth inning, striking out one and shattering a bat with his mid-90s fastball.

• Shelley Duncan made a smart play at first base which saved a run for Mariano Rivera. He then tackled the baserunner, insisting he was only trying to "hug it out."

Megdal: Uh-Oh! Moose Is Key

The New York Observer discusses Mike Mussina, his importance to the Yankees ballclub and his now hittable repertoire:

A simple truth runs through all of Mussina’s numbers—he has become extremely easy to hit.

This is supported by the anecdotal evidence of Mussina’s disappearing velocity. In his prime, he routinely hit 92-94 with his fastball—a solid, above-average heater. But too often last season, Mussina’s fastball averaged 84-86. Considering that his walk rate is still excellent, it isn’t as if he can cut down on free passes to make up for the fact that he isn’t fooling anyone.

Combined with a solid curveball and excellent changeup, Mussina managed a long period of sustained success. With 250 victories, a career ERA 22 percent better than league average, and nearly 3400 innings on his resume, Mussina is certainly a strong candidate for the Hall of Fame already. But should Mussina add another 15-win season to his career totals, he’d have 265 wins—and just two post-1900 pitchers (Tommy John and Bert Blyleven) have earned more wins while failing to earn a place in Cooperstown—but both had winning percentages (.555 and .534, respectively) far lower than Mussina’s .635.

Whoa.

Monday Links

Hughes Remains Hitless. Five innings, no hits, no runs, no doubt.

Mussina content with command. Michael Mussina's last start has Yankee officials happy... until he gives up a two-run homer in late March.

Girardi Speaks Up. The Tampa Rays haven't seen the last of Joe Girardi's bad side.

Matsui Gets Some At Bats. Hideki is back in the fold, hitting 4-6-3 double plays like it's May.

Notes From Saturday's Exhibition Game

1. Mike Mussina - He is still throwing 86-89mph with his fastball, but the outpitch which didn't show up in his last Spring training start appeared yesterday, allowing him to strike out five in 2.2 innings. That number should have been six as a 2-2 pitch to Carlos Pena should have been called strike three but instead led to a base on balls for Tampa's surprise slugger. The lone blemish was a "homerun" allowed to Jonny Gomes - which was in actuality a flyball transported an extra 50 feet by a strong wind current.

2. David Price - Wow. What more can you say about last year's #1 pick overall. His fastball was, in a word, explosive, sitting in the high-90s according to the YES radar gun. The pitch had amazing late movement and touched 99. His command inside to righties was impressive and his slider - thrown at 87mph - was also a plus pitch. He showed an 80mph changeup as well and looked unhittable, striking out the side after plunking Francisco Cervelli to start the inning.

3. Francisco Cervelli - After taking a 98mph fastball to the elbow area from Price, Cervelli simply muttered to the training staff, refusing to leave the game. Further displaying his toughness, the 22 year-old catching prospect received a monster collision at homeplate but held on the to the ball and the out. Joe Girardi quickly joined the training staff on their second visit of the day to Cervelli and was obviously impressed with the receiver's determination. Unfortunately, the collision at homeplate resulted in a fractured wrist and he will be out 8-10 weeks.

Mussina On The Young Guns: Mike Mussina realizes the triumvirate of Phil Hughes, Ian Kennedy and Joba Chamberlain are quickly elbowing him out of the Yankees starting rotation. Mussina hopes fans show patience before anointing the young arms and offered his take on what Chamberlain's long term role should be:

“We’re expecting a lot out of them – but let’s see them go out and pitch for awhile. He also emphasized the importance of Joba Chamberlain’s setup role last year. “Joba did a big job for us,’’ Mussina said. But whatever role ends up doing most in '08, Mussina, believes, “He’ll be starter some day.’’

True.

Inside The Tampa Clubhouse. On his blog, Phil Hughes posted a cell phone photo of the now legendary interior decorating Mike Mussina concocted in his dark corner of the Yankees locker room. Meanwhile, LoHud has the story of yesterday's incident in which a Chien-Ming Wang wild pitch nearly decapitated Derek Jeter. In the same post Joe Girardi reportedly voiced his early impressions of Dan McCutchen, Mark Melancon and Steven White - all strong candidates for the Yankees bullpen at some point next season.

Klapisch Investigates Mussina

Bob Klapisch of the Bergen Record talked to Mike Mussina about his most difficult year in the major leagues. . . 2007. Klapisch explained Mussina is smart enough to realize that he was "killing [the Yankees]" during his Summer swoon and also revealed that he was pitching through pain for the majority of the year. From the article:

The Yankee right-hander says there are two reasons why he'll rise from the ash heap.

The first is the state of his arm: Mussina is pain-free for the first time since 2006. The second is the rebound factor that goes hand in hand with a catastrophic collapse: Mussina reasons he'll improve because he certainly couldn't pitch any worse.

"Oh, it was bad. I admit that," Mussina was saying Tuesday morning at Legends Field. "There were times when I was on the mound thinking, 'Why can't I get anyone out anymore? Why can't I win a game?' It got to the point where no matter what I threw, it would get hit. It's a helpless feeling, like you can't believe you're the same pitcher who used to be able to go seven innings [a start]."

At 38, his numbers suggest this was no crisis, just an aging pitcher reaching the end of his career. But the Yankees say the dropoff was too steep to be solely age-related. Go figure: In '06, Mussina was fourth in the American League in ERA, third in WHIP (walks plus hits per nine innings), and among the top 10 in winning percentage and strikeouts.

A year later, Mussina had crashed and burned beyond recognition, with the worst ERA (5.15), worst batting average against (.311) and worst WHIP of his career. The very asset that once separated Mussina from other pitchers -- the ability to think through a crisis -- stopped serving him. The right-hander remembers returning to the dugout after being knocked out by the Devil Rays on July 20, having allowed six earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, unable to find an explanation.

At 38, his numbers suggest this was no crisis, just an aging pitcher reaching the end of his career. But the Yankees say the dropoff was too steep to be solely age-related. Go figure: In '06, Mussina was fourth in the American League in ERA, third in WHIP (walks plus hits per nine innings), and among the top 10 in winning percentage and strikeouts.

A year later, Mussina had crashed and burned beyond recognition, with the worst ERA (5.15), worst batting average against (.311) and worst WHIP of his career. The very asset that once separated Mussina from other pitchers -- the ability to think through a crisis -- stopped serving him. The right-hander remembers returning to the dugout after being knocked out by the Devil Rays on July 20, having allowed six earned runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, unable to find an explanation.

Crazy, isn't it, that Mussina is the pitching staff's de facto leader. Pettitte intends to keep his mouth shut for the time being. Wang never speaks anyway, and the kids are just learning. So Mussina's pride is at stake, not to mention his legacy as a Yankee. If he ends his career in pinstripes with back-to-back failures, all his successes, even the one in 2006, will become invisible to Yankee historians.

Mussina knows he will never again be able to call upon his 93 mph fastball of yesteryear, but he also believes he can succeed with an 88 mph heater. Klapisch contends, just like Pedro Martinez, Mussina possesses the deep pitching repertoire necessary to get outs. Unfortunately, Pedro's decline is taking place at a pitcher's park in the forgiving National League and Moose is looking to come back in the offense-dominated AL East.

Moose guaranteed a rotation spot? According to the Journal News piece, Mike Mussina will be "penciled in" as one of the starting five pitchers this season.

Cashman said that Pettitte and Chien-Ming Wang are in the rotation. He also has penciled in Mike Mussina despite the veteran right-hander going 11-10 with a 5.15 ERA last season.

"Last year was a blip. We're counting on Moose to have a bounce-back season," Cashman said. "He'll be one of our starters."

Alotting Mussina a guaranteed spot before Spring training opens is somewhat surprising. However, should his decline - seen in 2007 - carry into April, there is little doubt that Brian Cashman and Joe Girardi will call upon Ian Kennedy or a AAA arm depending on how the pitching staff is comprised leaving Tampa.

Madden: Don't Give Pitchers Long-Term Deals

Bill Madden offers owners a warning before signing starting pitchers to big contracts. He cites names like Kevin Brown, Denny Neagle and Mike Hampton before unfairly including Mike Mussina on a list of unsuccessful signings. He also misspelled Mitch Hilligoss, proving Madden couldn't pick Alan Horne out from a class photo of kindergarteners.

Some poor pitching signings listed below:

So, About That Game Four....

After Mike Mussina's performance Friday, I think it's about time Joe Torre seriously reconsiders his playoff rotation. From this morning:

Not to sound like a broken record, but if the Moose turns back the clock by shutting down a powerful Cleveland lineup, I will gladly eat my words. Until then, I truly believe the best strategy would involve kicking Mussina into the bullpen, and handing Phil Hughes the ball for Game 4.

Mussina better fits into the long reliever role, and is only an 85 mph fastball away from destroying a potential elimination game. This is not to say that the rookie is impenetrable, but I fear Hughes (whose stuff is probably at about 85%) much more than Moose at full strength. Seeing Phil mix in his changeup and slider with astonishing frequency Thursday illustrates the type of versatility he can show batters.

Or from Sunday:

I'm still on the fence in terms of having him start game four of a divisional playoff series. Is it possible to come back from the horrible three game stretch Moose had in mid-August? Absolutely. Has his last three impressive starts erased his inability to hold a lead against Detroit last October? Absolutely not.

Obviously Friday's game wasn't played within the playoff bubble. It wasn't a "must win" by any stretch of the imagination. However, it is indicative of the type of atrocious appearance Moose can hand to the opposition. I still vote for Phil's stuff, over Mussina's experience. We saw last year's Detroit pitching staff, chock full of unexperienced young arms, dismember an offense categorized as "Murderer's Row plus Cano."

_

Notes:

* Red Sox top pitching prospect, Clay Buchholz, will not pitch again this year due to "fatigue."

* Bronson Sardinha's middle name is "Kiheimahanaomauiakeo"

Postseason Rotation

Ed Price reports Joe Torre revealed his playoff plans for the starting rotation. There aren't any surprises, except an official confirmation that Mike Mussina is slotted in as the Game 4 starter.

Chien-Ming Wang and Andy Pettitte will start the first two games of the AL Division Series for the Yankees, manager Joe Torre said.

Roger Clemens -- if he recovers from a sore left hamstring -- will pitch Game 3. If the Yankees are in the series that opens next Thursday, they will need four starters, and Mike Mussina would be fourth. Otherwise, he may be a long reliever.

Not to sound like a broken record, but if the Moose turns back the clock by shutting down a powerful Cleveland lineup, I will gladly eat my words. Until then, I truly believe the best strategy would involve kicking Mussina into the bullpen, and handing Phil Hughes the ball for Game 4.

Mussina better fits into the long reliever role, and is only an 85 mph fastball away from destroying a potential elimination game. This is not to say that the rookie is impenetrable, but I fear Hughes (whose stuff is probably at about 85%) much more than Moose at full strength. Seeing Phil mix in his changeup and slider with astonishing frequency Thursday illustrates the type of versatility he can show batters.

Exhibition Win & Mets Crucial Loss

Phil Hughes tossed a gem tonight, lasting seven strong innings and allowing only one run on four hits. The Franchise struck out five batters and then handed the ball to Joba Chamberlain. Although Mike Mussina most likely gets the postseason start, the superb finish to Phil's regular season ensures a capable replacement should Moose falter in October.

On the other hand, the J-Man took another step toward the playoff spotlight. After allowing a leadoff double, Joba induced a line-out before striking out two Devil Rays and stranding the runner at second base.

Chamberlain passed his final test by successfully pitching on back-to-back days. The fastball still hit 99 mph on the radar and the slidepiece still buckled batters. As long as his body recovers well tomorrow and Saturday, all systems are go.

....

Meanwhile, Flushing is Burning, as the Mets lost another crucial game tonight. With the Phillies looming one game back, the Mets offense was befuddled by former Red Sox failure, Joel Pineiro. Looking like an ace, the unlikely torment from Pineiro spanned eight shutout innings and former Metropolitan farmhand, Jason Isringhausen shut the door in the ninth.

The Phillies, however, fought their way to a 6-4 victory, creating an improbable tie atop the NL East. Just a few months ago, the Mets fanbase danced the New York City streets, proclaiming their team the newly crowned King of New York.

As September winds down, they are again playing second fiddle to the Bombers and desperately clawing for a postseason berth. Talk about turning the tables. The Mets are on the verge of an unprecedented collapse, considering no division leader ever blew a seven game cushion during the final month of the season.

• The Cherry On Top: By striking out 10 Yankees, another former Mets minor leaguer, Scott Kazmir, became the Major League strikeout leader with a staggering 236. Ouch.

Joba Rules: The First Amendment

The Yankees made their first amendment to the strict set of rules regarding Joba Chamberlain's usage. The flamethrowing righthander celebrated his 22nd birthday by entering yesterday's game with men on base for the first time in his relieving career. He also pitched the 9th inning in a save situation for the first time.

In what seemed to be an inevitable decision, the "Joba Rules" have been modified in lieu of the postseason. Yankee fans can expect Brian Cashman to relax the restrictions on Chamberlain, so that he is available with much more regularity. The Yanks will still be extremely cautious with his pitchcounts, but the training wheels are officially off. Joe Torre, however, will be watched like a hawk.

In his column today, Joel Sherman talked to Mike Mussina about the recent tweak of these rules:

“When you put on a uniform in the postseason, you’re available every day,” Mussina said. “That’s just simply the way it is.”

When asked if this represented a team-wide view, Mussina said, “I am pretty sure you can take a survey, and it would be the same opinion.”

...“If we want to do what we want to do come October, we are going to need him [every day],” Mussina said. “Joe believes in him and Joe wants to use him.”

If Torre can’t use him in obvious situations in October, the Joba Rules very well may become the Chamberlain Conflict.

Moose, speaking the truth.

Chamberlain's innings high at the University of Nebraska was 118.2 in 2005. Through three minor league levels and the majors, Joba's compiled 120 innings in 2007.
_

Yankees Win Again, Moose Steps Up

Mike Mussina's line for today's win: 7 innings; 7 hits; 3 ER; 5 K's; 1 BB; 97 pitches (66 strikes)

There haven't been any reports yet, but it seems a forgone conclusion that Moose pitched his way into the postseason rotation. I'm not sure if Yankee fans should be happy about that.

Don't get me wrong, I have much respect for Mussina. He has been one of the most consistent starting pitchers to ever toe a major league rubber. He's spent his entire career within the AL East, the toughest division to pitch in, bar-none. As much as Moose is a control pitcher, some baseball fans like to forget the fact that he was a monster for Baltimore, throwing a power fastball that helped him toward four 200 strikeout seasons. He tossed 200+ innings in nine consecutive seasons.

With all that said, I'm still on the fence in terms of having him start game four of a divisional playoff series. Is it possible to come back from the horrible three game stretch Moose had in mid-August? Absolutely. Has his last three impressive starts erased his inability to hold a lead against Detroit last October? Absolutely not.

As previously stated, Joe Torre hasn't said anything directly, but he's dropped enough hints and seen enough positives to again give Mike the ball in the postseason.

The repercussions: Phil Hughes moves to an already crowded bullpen, alongside fellow starter Ian Kennedy.
_

Hughes Starts, Clemens To Go Monday

Another starter scratched, another rotation spot in question. Phil Hughes will take the bump today, in place of an ailing rookie and an ailing 45 year old.

After Ian Kennedy was scratched from Saturday's start due to tightness in his upper back, Roger Clemens followed with a "stinger" in his left hamstring. Kennedy, who has never missed a start in his life, may rejoin the rotation "next week," said Manager Joe Torre. Clemens said he will receive treatment the next two days and is confident he will be able to start Monday afternoon.

As of right now, these injuries appear to be minor tweaks, but even if they were major setbacks, the Yankees would bide their time before revealing it. New York has to hope that Rocket and IPK can rejoin the rotation not only to help chase the division, but also to give Torre all the evidence he can sift through in order to comprise his playoff rotation.

Should Mike Mussina build on his last two strong starts, I feel there is little doubt that Torre will go veteran over rookie for the 4th spot in the postseason rotation. I don't necessarily agree with such a move, but Moose's next start will tell a lot in the making of that decision.