Girardi the Enabler
By Phil Allard ~ September 17th, 2008. Filed under: Phil Allard.
While watching yet another unknown rookie pitcher (Clayton Richard) memorize the Yankees once again tonight, I heard Michael Kay say something very disturbing.
Kay was recounting a conversation he had with Joe Girardi. Kay asked Joe about the lack of patience in the current Yankee lineup as compared to the lineup of the late 90s. In the championship years, the Yanks had a number of guys who drove pitch counts up – therefore forcing hurlers to throw strikes and getting the starters out of the game earlier.
According to Kay, Girardi replied that “the game had changed. Pitchers pound the zone a lot more now. You can’t be patient and go down 0-2.”
I am hearing this during a game in which the White Sox patiently work Hughes up to 89 pitches in 4 innings – and out of the game.
Is Girardi kidding? Nobody “pounds the zone” on Cano, Melky, Molina. Why should they when they get themselves out? Pitchers don’t pound the zone much more on Abreu either. Each year there is a direct correlation between pitches seen per at bat and wins…In 2007, six of the eight playoffs teams were in the top ten.
Say it ain’t so Joe…You have to know better.
