A.J. Burnett, not CC Sabathia to pitch in pivotal Game 4

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, MLB, Playoffs,

If Cliff Lee is the current definition of a great pitcher, then A.J. Burnett has to be the opposite. As Lee continues to throw 10+ strikeouts in a game, setting career highs and playoff records along the way, Burnett make his 2010 playoff debut in Game 4 of the ALCS on Tuesday night. Burnett’s start comes at a pivotal time for the Yankees, as a win will even the series at two games apiece, but a loss will put them into a hole where another loss will end their season.

Click to continue reading A.J. Burnett, not CC Sabathia to pitch in pivotal Game 4

Gallery: A.J. Burnett, not CC Sabathia to pitch in pivotal Game 4

New York Yankees starters thin beyond CC Sabathia

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, MLB, Playoffs,

As the New York Yankees limp into the playoffs, the teams they’ll face are preparing for the postseason by resting their veterans and getting their rotations in order. Playoff baseball is nothing new to New York, but having a questionable pitching staff is. In the last few weeks, only CC Sabathia has been a reliable starter for the Yankees; the rest have been average at best. When the Yankees get through with Game 1, will the rest of their pitchers be able to get them through the next couple?

Click to continue reading New York Yankees starters thin beyond CC Sabathia

Gallery: New York Yankees starters thin beyond CC Sabathia

Sabathia ready for first 20-win season

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, MLB,

CC Sabathia, New York’s ace, is a four-time all-star. He is also a World Series Champion, won a Cy Young Award with the lowly Cleveland Indians in 2007, finished in the top five in voting two other times, finished runner-up for Rookie of the Year in 2001, and has even made a couple of attempts at league MVP. At 29-years of age, Sabathia has already had a better career than most. Despite all of this, he has never been a 20-game winner.

Click to continue reading Sabathia ready for first 20-win season

Gallery: Sabathia ready for first 20-win season

A.J. Burnett Lies About Hand Injury

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, Injuries, MLB,

A.J. Burnett is having a tough season. It continued in his latest start on Saturday, when he went two innings against the Tampa Bay Rays. After the second, he disappeared into the clubhouse only to return with a cut above his right hand which he told Yankees manager Joe Girardi that he fell down stairs and ended up staying in the game for two more batters. Afterwards, he admitted he lied to the manager and said he really cut his hand when he slammed open double doors with a Plexiglas cover.

Burnett took ownership and apologized for lying to Girardi, but that may have had as much to do with maturity as it does his wearing a Yankees uniform. Frankly said, the Yankees will not tolerate that behavior. Things might have been different if he were still in Florida or Toronto or anywhere else for that matter, but he is a New York Yankee and excellence is not only the goal of everybody in the organization, it is also expected.

Burnett is no stranger to injuries, having landed on the DL almost a dozen times in his career, but none have been quite like this. Luckily for him, the cut is just above the wrist and not on his fingers. If so, he could really have had some difficulty holding the baseball. Regardless though, the two hitters he threw to after taking the mound in the third both reached base. At that point, Girardi came out with the hook.

It is hard to love a guy like Burnett. His dragon-like behavior is as temperamental as his arm and you never quite know what he’s going to be like both on the mound and off. Saturday was one of those double-bad days as his arm got him into trouble then his attitude made it worse before his arm completely derailed him. Burnett isn’t supposed to miss his next start, but there will be some hard looks going his way when he does take the mound again, and he’ll deserve every one of them.

Gallery: A.J. Burnett Lies About Hand Injury

The Litsch is back

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, MLB,

Toronto pitcher Jesse Litsch made a statement on Saturday; and that statement is that he is back. Returning from the dreaded Tommy John Surgery in June of 2009, Litsch threw seven innings of three hit baseball with zero walks and zero runs allowed against the San Francisco Giants. For those paying attention, he is actually back as of last Sunday, but the right-hander got lit up against the Rockies, allowing seven earned runs on nine hits in 2.1 innings.

Click to continue reading The Litsch is back

Gallery: The Litsch is back

Let loose the MLB free agents!

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, Editorial, MLB, Trades,

In the midst of yet another New York Yankees World Series victory, it’s near impossible to find any headlines that deal with something not covered in pinstripes. But with the 2009 MLB officially behind them, it’s time for 29 teams to say goodbye to their new free agents and start shopping around for the replacements they think they need to improve and contend in 2010. It’s business as usual for the general managers, with the Yankees taking the weekend off to celebrate, beginning with the traditional parade down the Canyon of Heroes in downtown Manhattan planned for Friday. So who exactly is available to be sought and bought before Spring Training ’10?

Click to continue reading Let loose the MLB free agents!

Gallery: Let loose the MLB free agents!

A.J. Burnett Blows Big Ballgame

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, Championship, Editorial, MLB, Playoffs,

Half the nation sat and held their breath last night as the other half erupted in cheers. The Philadelphia Phillies staved off elimination in the World Series, taking Game 5 from the New York Yankees with a 8-6 victory behind the first less-than-stellar performance by ace Cliff Lee. Aiding in the win was the long-overdue, yet widely expected blowup from Yankees righty A.J. Burnett, who couldn’t got the pull before managing to record a single out in the third inning. The six runs charged to him really set the tone for the game, as the Yankees rallied strongly, but not strongly enough as the series returns to New Yankee Stadium.

Click to continue reading A.J. Burnett Blows Big Ballgame

Gallery: A.J. Burnett Blows Big Ballgame

Simp-Lee Amazing; Phils Take Game 1

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, Championship, Editorial, MLB, Playoffs,

The World Series has officially begun, and in a surprising break from expectations with the New York Yankees, the game was over before midnight. But that was probably because Phillies starter (and finisher) Cliff Lee was used to not playing and wanted to get back to it. The last time Lee had pitched was Oct. 18 in Game 3 of the NLCS. His Phillies clinched the series three days later and then had six days off before last night’s game. There’s no doubt that Lee wanted to get back to his comfortable bed.

Click to continue reading Simp-Lee Amazing; Phils Take Game 1

Gallery: Simp-Lee Amazing; Phils Take Game 1

Yankees Rolling Towards The Show

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Athletes, Editorial, MLB, Playoffs,

Talk about a workhorse. CC Sabathia just may be one of the only pitchers in baseball who can pitch on short rest and make it seem like there’s nothing out of the ordinary. This was proven last year when he was with Milwaukee and pitched each of his final four starts of the year on three days’ rest. The New York Yankees put his arm to the test again for Game Four of this year’s ALCS against the Los Angeles Angels.

Click to continue reading Yankees Rolling Towards The Show

Gallery: Yankees Rolling Towards The Show

The 2009 MLB Playoffs Exposed

Posted by Adrien Griffin Categories: Editorial, MLB, Playoffs,

With the Minnesota Twins and Detroit Tigers extra-inning division game nail-biter in the books, we now know the eight playoff teams. With that, here’s a Gear Live exclusive detailing exactly what is going to happen in each respective league in the 2009 MLB playoffs. Some may shock you, but it’s all true, so pay attention.

In the National League, the St. Louis Cardinals and their best three-man rotation in baseball, led of course by Chris Carpenter and his near-unanimous “Comeback Player of the Year” award; will make short work of the Los Angeles Dodgers lineup. The St. Louis starters will each flirt with perfection, but L.A. will manage to score three measly runs in the three game series; one per game. Each run will be come via a solo blast by Manny Ramirez, still trying to show the baseball world that he can ruin anything special that baseball has to offer. The other series will be much the same, with the Philadelphia Phillies starting Cliff Lee in three games against the Colorado Rockies, just to see if he can finally prove that he actually is better than Roy Halladay. He’ll win two, but it will take a group effort for Philadelphia to clinch the divisional series.

Click to continue reading The 2009 MLB Playoffs Exposed

Gallery: The 2009 MLB Playoffs Exposed