AN optimist would think the Yankees could not have played worse offensively or defensively than they did in Game 1 against Minnesota and still only lost 3-1.
A pessimist would think, yeah, but the Yanks can certainly play that bad a few more times before this Division Series is done.
A realist would concede that the Yanks have enough deficiencies in the field and at the plate to be bounced by the Twins, but also more than enough talent to advance, especially with favorable matchups against righties Brad Radke and Kyle Lohse coming.
However, the Yanks cannot simply hope for good stuff to happen based on their big names. Joe Torre said during yesterday’s workout that each game now “is like an individual season,” and his loyalty was to winning even if that meant hurting feelings.
Here are five things Torre should do to save this Yankee season – and maybe his job, as well:
1. DO NOT START RUBEN SIERRA IN RIGHT
Torre is in a jam. He wants to jumpstart the offense and Sierra is 6-for-20 lifetime off Game 2 starter Radke with a double, homer and two walks. But he does not want to further hurt the defense and Sierra is much worse than Karim Garcia (1-for-9 vs. Radke) and Juan Rivera (never faced Radke).
Despite success off Radke, Sierra’s hitting style is unlikely to prosper against good pitchers with elaborate scouting reports in the playoffs. He had two weak at-bats after replacing Rivera in Game 1. In fact, Garcia and Rivera have similar profiles. You anticipate a black hole in the Yanks’ right-field/ninth-place hitter slot. So go for the glove. Sierra is more likely to cost the Yanks extra bases than produce them with his bat.
2. NO MORE NELSON
Jeff Nelson was valuable to four Yankee titles, but his best attribute now is that he’s not Armando Benitez. Nelson still has not come to grips with how good his stuff is, and how much more he would succeed if he stayed in the zone more. With Game 1, he now has had a one-batter/one-walk outing three times in his last eight appearances. He needs to pitch earlier in games, if at all. Jose Contreras is a wild card, but a wild card with great stuff. And the Yanks need a wild card to break right for them to get through this postseason as champs.
3. CHANGE THE LINEUP
Torre promised lineup switches. Johan Santana was making his first postseason start, doing it in Yankee Stadium and he has a tendency to be wild. Alfonso Soriano swung at his first pitch in the first inning. Move Derek Jeter to leadoff. This is his time of year. He got on base three times in Game 1. Bat Hideki Matsui second and Soriano third. If Soriano is on in front of Jason Giambi, maybe the slumping cleanup hitter will get more fastballs. Which leads to . . .
4. MEET AGGRESSION WITH AGGRESSION
The Yanks took the punches last year against Anaheim and again in Game 1 vs. Minnesota. The Yanks cannot wait for the knockout-punch homer. Generally, I frown on risking outs on the bases. But the tenor of these games is being dictated by the opponent’s aggressiveness. The Yanks must counter for their own psyche. The Twins are excellent defensively, but their weak link is catcher A.J. Pierzyski’s arm. So Jeter, Soriano and Aaron Boone must go, and Torre should use Matsui, Nick Johnson and Bernie Williams to hit and run.
5. START MIKE MUSSINA IN GAME 4
It was lost in Game 1, but Mussina pitched excellently and was undermined by his defense. Game 4 will be in the Metrodome, which with its white ceiling and lively turf will pose greater problems for Yankee fielders.
Mussina is a strikeout pitcher and can eliminate some of those pitfalls. David Wells’ strikeout rate (4.7/per nine innings) was the worst of his career. Better that Wells start Game 5 at the Stadium with Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens available to throw an inning or two, than for the untrustworthy lefty to be all by himself in bad Game 4 conditions for him.
Of course, that is even imagining that there will be a Game 4 or 5. A pessimist would say no, an optimist, yes, a realist would say follow the suggestions.