Our old friend Carl to start Game 3

pavano_275_100809.jpgBy Jon Lane
Ron Gardenhire officially named Carl Pavano (yes, him) his Game 3 starter. Apparently old Pav emerged from that pregame embrace unscathed.

Give Pavano this: He stayed healthy and pitched well at times, and shared a good line with reporters Wednesday night about being heavily booed during pregame introductions.

“Hey, I don’t blame them,” Pavano said. “I’d boo me too after the four years I spent here.”

The normally genial and eloquent Gardenhire was vague as to why Pavano was selected over Scott Baker and his team-leading 15 wins to start the potential elimination game for the Twins, placing the onus of the decision on pitching coach Rick Anderson.

“Pavano will be pitching,” Gardenhire said. “They made sure to tell me that just announce Pavano. [Anderson] doesn’t want to answer any more questions about it. Pavano will be pitching Game 3, Baker four.”

Baker started Tuesday’s epic one-game playoff against the Tigers, pitching six innings, and would have taken his turn on a regular four days of rest, whereas Pavano last pitched on October 4. Gardenhire cut off a question about the thought process behind the choice of the enigmatic and embattled Pavano over his staff ace.

“Because my pitching coach said Pavano,” Gardenhire said. “That’s the thought process. That’s as far as we have to go.”

No need to rehash Pavano’s wonderful four-season tenure in New York, where he was paid $39.5 million for making a grand total of 26 starts. Conversely, the right-hander started 33 games for the Twins and Indians while pitching to a 2.70 ERA in two starts against the Yankees. And while Baker has never started a playoff game, Pavano posted a 1.00 ERA for the Marlins in the 2003 World Series, including the eight innings of one-run ball in Game 4 against New York that made him the most sought-after free agent pitcher on the market that winter.

Little did the Yankees know what they’d receive on their return investment. The Twins, however, acquired Pavano in an August trade with the Indians for a player to be named later and were rewarded with a 5-4 record and a 4.64 ERA in 12 starts.

_______________________

When Nick Blackburn takes the ball in Game 2 Friday night, he’ll have a stronger support system. Closer Joe Nathan will be available along with set-up man Jesse Crain, who was held out of Game 1 with a sore groin.

“This time of year everybody says they’re ready to pitch,” Gardenhire said. “Nathan needed it for sure. That was a bad thing we didn’t get to use him, but also a good thing. I think they’ll all be ready for tomorrow night.”

_______________________

What does a manager do when his team is 0-8 against another while being outscored 48-27? Change your luck? Change hotels? No. But when you’re down 0-1 in a Division Series, there’s absolutely no room for error.

“You can’t make any mistakes,” Gardenhire said. “You can’t walk people. There have been a lot of late game losses for us just because they’re such professional hitters. If you make one mistake, they get you. I wish I had all the answers to say wow, this is why we lose here; this is why we don’t win. It’s not that simple. We have had our opportunities. We just haven’t come up with big hits.”

If you ask Denard Span, luck does play a role, and the Twins have had none in the Yankees’ plush new home.

“I think we had bad luck,” Span said. “We got walked off three times earlier in the year here. Three games that we if we get a big hit we would have won. I think every team has a team that they maybe don’t have good luck at certain places against and unfortunately, we just haven’t had good luck here. But I don’t think anybody in the clubhouse believes that there’s a hex or anything going on. We still believe we can win, beat the Yankees.”

Yet another A-Rod believer

By Jon Lane
Line up the fearless forecasters. There’s Reggie Jackson, Joe Girardi and now Dennis Eckersley. Working as an analyst for TBS, Eckersley explains how Alex Rodriguez staying out of the spotlight helped him during the regular season. It’s similar to what I said before the season ended: The best thing to happen to A-Rod is that nobody is talking about him, especially remarkable considering he’s dating A-List actress Kate Hudson.

“The spotlight hasn’t really been on A-Rod,” Eckersley said. “When you think about what he went through at the start of the year with the steroid thing. He’s been laying in the weeds because there are so many stars in New York. He probably loves it. I think that will play into these playoffs. I think he is going to show up for these playoffs because I don’t think the pressure is what it was (before).”

A good friend of mine, who also happens to be a native Bostonian and Red Sox fan, offered this succinct analysis of A-Rod’s Game 1 performance: “That’s something new for Mr. April.” Yeah it’s one game, but it’s the time when reputations are made and stories are re-written. Rodriguez has to finish the job, but he won over some new believers Wednesday night.

Yesterday and today

By Jon Lane
Currently playing on Sirius 7: The Spinners’ “Games People Play”

It’s the morning after the Yankees’ 7-2 Game 1 win, a game the Yankees played with their usual never-say-die fervor. Alex Rodriguez was provided with his first chance at October redemption and Wednesday night he delivered. And all involved are confident this won’t be a one-hit (or in A-Rod’s case two-hit) wonder.

“Everybody makes a big deal [out of him], but Alex is a great teammate and it shows on the field,” said Joba Chamberlain. “He plays with everything’s got and always goes about his business.

Derek Jeter, Joe Girardi and CC Sabathia met the media in a formal press conference setting. While Sabathia did what’s expected of an ace, he too entered Game 1 with a shady postseason track record and his 6 2/3 innings of two-run (one earned), eight-strikeout performance was what the Yankees envisioned when they signed him. In short, Sabathia did exactly what he was supposed to do, writes Steven Goldman.

In A-Rod’s case, it’s taken a lot longer for he of greater stature to cash in when it truly matters. Many have been quick to dismiss and even boo Rodriguez upon every failure, but not this season, and that’s been refreshing.

“We don’t listen to it, so if somebody said that I don’t think too many people were talking about it in the clubhouse or reading it,” Jeter said. “He seemed like he looked pretty comfortable all yer. When he came back he seemed like he got better and better as the season went on, but I think a lot of times people read a little too much into final statistics.”

Chris Shearn was on location last night and hard at work, providing a pregame video blog and a Game 1 wrap. The Yankees work out today at 1 p.m. with Girardi and Game 2 starter A.J. Burnett speaking at roughly 2:15. I’m not there today, but YESNetwork.com will keep you plugged in leading up to my return trip to the Bronx Friday night.

Now playing on Sirius 23: L.A. Guns’ “Electric Gypsy.” Some serious cheese.

Game 1 wrap: Jeter and CC deliver

By Jon Lane
Derek Jeter’s two-run blast to left tied the game at two in the third inning. The homer was Jeter’s 18th in the postseason (10th in the DS), tying Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle for third on the Yankees’ all-time list.

Jeter is baseball’s record holder in postseason hits (155), singles (129), at-bats (497) and runs scored (88) along with a .312 career average with 18 homers and 51 RBIs. If you ask him what brings out his best during the postseason, he’ll provide his best Jeff Spicoli impersonation: “I don’t know.”

“I don’t know what else to say,” Jeter said. “I failed a lot as well, you know. Sometimes you’re going to fail. What you try to do is when you’re in those situations you think of the times you had success. I don’t think you can be afraid to fail, but you just try to have fun. That’s all I try to do is have fun because we’re playing a game.”

Nick Swisher has been on the receiving end of many Jeter clutch hits. It’s safe to say he’s enjoying the view from the other side.

“It’s pretty impressive,” Swisher said. It’s almost like he takes it just like any other game, but it seems like once those lights hit in the postseason, it’s ‘Jeter Time.’ There’s just something about him. Every accolade he’s got throughout his career is very well deserving. Finally being on the good guys’ side of it, it’s nice to have him on your team.

“For him to hit that home run to tie the game was huge. That was a big boost for us and we all followed in on that.”

CC Sabathia, without his best stuff, held the fort while pacifying a few cynics who cried over his shady October past. For a $161 million price tag, Sabathia won 19 games his first season in New York but entered 2-3 with a 7.92 ERA in five career postseason starts and a 10.93 ERA in losing his last three. He was touched for two runs on four hits in the third, but then retired 11 of his next 12 batters. His 113th and final pitch induced Denard Span to fly out to right for the second out of the seventh before he left to a thunderous ovation, a decibel level that jumped up a few octaves with a tip of the cap. The big lefty’s outing wasn’t pretty – two runs (one earned) on eight hits with a hit batsman, wild pitch and eight strikeouts – but during this time of year you’re never judged by style points.

“I was able to hold them down,” Sabathia said. “It got a little sketchy there I guess in the third, but I was able to come back and put up zeros like I have all year. And these guys have been scoring runs all year. That’s what I talked about [Tuesday], not try to do too much and let these guys take over the game.”

Twins vs. Yankees: Game 1

jeterreggie_300_10070.jpgBy Jon Lane
A
ton of money – $423 million to be exact – were spent on people after
the Yankees’ 13-year postseason streak ended last season. The result
was 103 wins, first place in the AL East and home field advantage
throughout the playoffs.

Now begins the quest for the real
payoff: World Championship No. 27. It’s quiet here at Yankee Stadium
right now. The Twins are taking BP and the stands are empty given the 6
p.m. start and the majority of fans about to file out of work. But
Derek Jeter and Reggie Jackson are in the house, Mother Nature spared
us precipitation (but not wind) and this place will rock moments before
CC Sabathia throws the first pitch.

Sabathia is earning $161
million of the $423 million. He delivered, winning 19 games and
emerging as a top AL Cy Young Award contender. Starting tonight,
however, it’s his job to start becoming a champion, to carry the
Yankees on his broad back en route to a championship, to halt a 4-13
postseason skid under Joe Torre from 2004-2007. Casting a large shadow
is Sabathia’s postseason track record, 2-3 with a 7.92 ERA in five
career starts, the last five runs allowed in 3 2/3 innings in Game 2 of
last year’s Division Series.

“I think maybe just trying to go
out and do too much,” Sabathia said on Tuesdsay. “Trying to go out and
throw shutouts and throw no-hitters and things like that instead of
going out and doing the same things I’ve done during the regular season
which is throwing strikes early in the count.”

Tonight marks a
new beginning not only for Sabathia, but for Alex Rodriguez (you know
his recent postseason past). Keep it here to see what develops.

5:45 p.m.
P.A. announcer Paul Olden is introducing the Twins’ non-starters. Carl
Pavano was greeted to loud boos – and this place is about half full.

6:05 p.m.
Mere minutes from first pitch. CC Sabathia got a nice applause. Also
with the team and in uniform, injured players Chien-Ming Wang and
Xavier Nady.

6:11 p.m. Not a good beginning as Denard
Span laces a leadoff double to left-center. The Twins may be tired, but
that adrenaline can do wonders, especially with the way this team has
played for the past month.

6:18 p.m. Sabathia throws 22
pitches, but keeps the Twins off the board by retiring their No. 3 and
4 hitters and stranding Span at third. Biggest pitch of the inning: a
1-2 punchout of Joe Mauer, a .365 hitter, after Span advanced to third
on a passed ball.

6:31 p.m. Alex Rodriguez’s first at-bat
came with a runner on second and two out. He filed out to right and is
eight for his last 57 postseason at-bats (.140) since 2004.

7:06 p.m.
2-0 Twins on Michael Cuddyer’s two-out RBI single, which preceded an
Orlando Cabrera single and Mauer double, with Mauer scoring on Jose
Posada’s second passed ball. Sabathia has allowed six hits, his pitch
count is at 64 and he’s been was up in the zone. It’s still early but
worry is already setting in, as are the voices of CC’s postseason past.

Brian Duensing, meanwhile, has been razor sharp, holding the Yankees hitless since Derek Jeter’s leadoff single.

7:15 p.m.
Leave it to the captain to set the ship back on course. Jeter’s two-run
blast to left ties the game at two. The homer was Jeter’s 18th in the
postseason (10th in the DS), tying Reggie Jackson and Mickey Mantle for
third on the Yankees’ all-time list. If I were in the old Stadium, I’d
feel the building shake.

7:22 p.m. A-Rod’s second at-bat: Swinging strikeout. Now on an 8-for-58 (.138) skid.

7:30 p.m. Some nuggets from Tyler Kepner, the outstanding beat writer for the New York Times:
Posada is the first catcher in 10 years with two passed balls in a
division series game. (Varitek in 1999); A-Rod has stranded 40
consecutive runners in the postseason.

7:32 p.m. From the
Nobody Talks About It Because He’s Not A-Rod Department: Hideki Matsui
has six hits in his last 29 postseason at-bats (.207) since 2006.

7:44 p.m.
Swishalicious! Nick Swisher’s two-out double scores a hustling Robinson
Cano from first to give the Yankees a 3-2 lead. That’s Swish’s second
postseason RBI and third double in this his 11th game.

katehudson_250_100709.jpg8:06 p.m.
Breakthrough! A-Rod delivers with an RBI single that scores Jeter and
knocks Duensing out of the game. 8-for-58 slide over. Forty consecutive
stranded runners in the past. Feel the power of Kate Hudson!

8:11 p.m. That
Matsui stat is also in the past. Godzilla crushes one to Monument Park
off Francisco Liriano to make it 6-2 Yankees. It’s a shame about
Liriano. He was one of baseball’s rising young stars before Tommy John
surgery.

8:16 p.m. Duensing’s line: 4 2/3 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 1 BB, 3 K, 1 HR, 1 WP, 79 pitches/59 strikes.

8:19 p.m.
Since Sabathia allowed two runs on four hits in the third, he’s retired
10 out of his next 11 batters. He’s at 95 pitches and will probably go
another inning. This is what aces do. Even when not at their best, they
find a way to get the job done.

8:47 p.m. Sabathia
departs to a thunderous ovation after retiring Denard Span on a fly
ball to right and throwing 113 pitches in 6 2/3 innings. Phil Huuughes finishes the frame with a strikeout of the pesky Orlando Cabrera following a 10-pitch at-bat.

9:06 p.m. A-Rod tonight: Two hits, 2 RBIs. To quote my colleague
Chris Shearn, “He stinks.” For one night, seriously, A-Rod has the
majority of haterizers off his back.

9:21 p.m. Enter Joba Chamberlain to a rousing ovation with runners on the corners, two out in the top of the eighth and a 7-2 lead. He needed two pitches to retire Delmon Young and end the inning. I’m not going there.

Notes from managers press conferences

girardigardenhire_300_10070.jpgBy Jon Lane
The bad news: The wind is blowing so hard it was a heavy workout for me to walk from the subway to Gate 4, so expect it to wreak some havoc after first pitch.

The good news: It’s neither cold nor wet. The sun’s been out and it’ll be a crisp October night. Here are tonight’s lineups.

This morning, the Yankees released their ALDS roster, which includes Francisco Cervelli as a third catcher and Damaso Marte as a second left-handed reliever, but no Brian Bruney or Freddy Guzman. Joe Girardi met the media this afternoon and explained that having a third catcher provides the option to pinch-hit for Jose Molina or pinch-run for Jorge Posada in close-and-late situations. The exclusion of Guzman, however, leaves Brett Gardner as the primary pinch-runner. Another option is Cervelli, who runs pretty well for a backstop.

“As far as adding the lefty [Marte] with the lineup that Minnesota has, we thought it was beneficial to have a second left-hander,” Girardi said. “We went around and around about the guys we were going to carry and we felt that this was the best way to do our roster.”

? Last night in Minneapolis, the Twins outplayed and outlasted the Tigers in an epic 12-inning affair. It got to where Girardi and his staff got to thinking, “Do we start playing Detroit now?” Once the Twins provided the final answer, Girardi and Co. immediately broke down Ron Gardenhire’s roster and got home at rougly 11:45 p.m.

“When there was extra innings or late and we just waited until the game was over,” Girardi said. “But there were a lot of interesting moments when Magglio Ordoñez hit into the double play. You thought that this is the inning they’re going to score. And they didn’t score. Great game.”

“I was so proud of both teams last night for the way both teams never quit and kept getting after it,” Gardenhire said. “I told [Tigers manager] Jim Leyland after the game that was one of the best games I’ve ever been involved in. Just watching two teams butting heads and going after it and never giving up and all the ups and downs, it was just fantastic baseball.”

? The fact that the Yankees went 7-0 against the Twins during the regular season means absolutely nothing. On the ride to work I was reminded about the 1988 NLCS, where a Mets that went 10-1 against the Dodgers dropped the series in seven games The Twins also arrive to the Bronx winners of 17 out of 21.

“Minnesota is a hot team now,” Girardi said. “They played us very tough then and we expect the same thing now.”

? The Twins will throw Nick Blackburn (11-11, 4.03) against A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04) in Game 2 Friday night. Game 3 will be either Carl Pavano (yes, him) or ace Scott Baker.

“I originally thought maybe Pavano for 3. But [piching coach Rick Anderson] wants to go TBA and we’ll see where we’re at,” Gardenhire said. “We have Baker and Pavano for Game 3, and see would feels the best.”

? Twins shortstop Orlando Cabrera is enhancing his reputation as a money player. His hitting streak is 16 games after Tuesday’s two-run homer in the seventh inning that put the Twins ahead 4-3. During the streak Cabrera batting .392 (29-for-74) with 20 runs, two homers and 16 RBIs. Yankees fans will remember the summer of 2004 three-team trade that jettisoned Nomar Garciaparra out of Boston and imported O.C., who batted .294 with six home runs and 31 RBIs in 58 games and was a key contributor to the Red Sox winning the World Series.

“He’s been here,” Gardenhire said. “He’s been in the playoffs. He’s not afraid. We’ve got some young players that I want him to be able to help out too. And he’s done that. He’s been leading by example, actually, with his bat. He’s been swinging really good. Playing really good baseball. But he’s really positive influence on our baseball team. He’s been really, really good for our baseball team.”

Twins-Yankees Game 1: Lineups

yankees.jpgYANKEES (103-59)
Derek Jeter SS
Johnny Damon LF
Mark Teixeira 1B
Alex Rodriguez 3B
Hideki Matsui DH
Jorge Posada C
Robinson Cano 2B
Nick Swisher RF
Melky Cabrera CF

Pitching: CC Sabathia (19-7, 3.21)

twins.jpgTWINS (87-76)
Denard Span CF
Orlando Cabrera SS
Joe Mauer C
Michael Cuddyer 1B
Jason Kubel RF
Delmon Young LF
Brendan Harris DH
Matt Tolbert 3B
Nick Punto 2B

Pitching: Brian Duensing  (5-2, 3.64)

Yankees ALDS roster

Position players (14)
Derek Jeter
Johnny Damon
Mark Teixeira
Alex Rodriguez
Jorge Posada
Hideki Matsui
Robinson Cano
Nick Swisher
Melky Cabrera
Brett Gardner
Jerry Hairston Jr.
Jose Molina
Eric Hinske
Francisco Cervelli

Pitchers (11)
CC Sabathia
A.J. Burnett
Andy Pettitte
Mariano Rivera
Phil Hughes
David Robertson
Damaso Marte
Phil Coke
Alfredo Aceves
Joba Chamberlain
Chad Gaudin

ALDS rotation set

By Jon Lane
Joe Girardi announced his ALDS rotation: CC Sabathia, A.J. Burnett and Andy Pettitte. That lines up Sabathia for Game 4 and Burnett for a deciding Game 5 if they are necessary.

Girardi cited the home and road splits among the factors behind his decision.

Burnett
5-3, 3.51 (home)
8-6, 4.59 (road)

Pettitte
6-4, 4.59 (home)
8-4, 3.71 (road)

“I did not talk to A.J. about that,” Girardi said. “That was a decision I made – as a manager, you have to make some tough decisions and that was a very tough one.”

Regarding Jose Molina catching Burnett, which means Molina swings a bat in a decisive Game 5: “They’re working in a good rhythm and we thought we keep it that way and keep them working together. Georgie is our No. 1 catcher, but in this situation we chose to go with Molina.”

It’s unclear if Posada will DH in Game 2, but Girardi indicated Hideki Matsui will DH most of the time. Basically, it’ll come down to the match-ups.

No ALDS roster yet, which will be finalized after Tigers-Twins, but Sergio Pena, Brian Bruney and Ramiro Pena will head to Tampa to stay in shape. You figure Francisco Cervelli will be the third catcher and Damaso Marte the second left-hander out of the bullpen, and Girardi all but confirmed Joba Chamberlain will be active. He’ll work out of the bullpen and can pitch to as little as two hitters or more than three innings.

As if there was any suspense, the Yankees chose not to wait until the end of the Tigers-Twins game and formally announced they selected the Division Series with the extra off day. Put it in stone: CC Sabathia will throw the first pitch of Game 1 tomorrow night at Yankee Stadium.

To whet your appetite

By Jon Lane
BREAKING NEWS: Jorge Posada told reporters today that Jose Molina will catch A.J. Burnett in the ALDS. Whether Posada or Hideki Matsui will DH remains to be seen.

“I just hope we win that game, that’s all,” Posada said. “That’s all I have to say. Matsui’s our DH, so we’ll see. Joe talked to me on Sunday. It’s not like I didn’t see it coming. It’s the manager’s decision”

I guess it’ll depend on which Tigers or Twins starter faces Burnett. If it’s Game 2, it’ll be Justin Verlander or Carl Pavano (yes, him). In Game 3 I project Rick Porcello or Scott Baker, the two squaring off against one another later in Minneapolis.

For what it’s worth, here’s how each match up:

Matsui vs. Pavano: 1-for-5, 1 K
Matsui vs. Verlander: 4-for-12, 2 RBIs, 1 K
Posada vs. Pavano: 0-for-2, 1 K
Posada vs. Verlander: 1-for-10, 1 2B, 3 RBIs, 2 K

Matsui vs. Porcello: 2 BB
Matsui vs. Baker: 1-for-5, 1 RBI
Posada vs. Porcello: 1-for-1, 1 BB
Posada vs. Baker: 1-for-2

_______________________

Some interesting nuggets from the Yankees and the Elias Sports Bureau:

? Joe Girardi is the fifth Yankees manager (Joe McCarthy, Ralph Houk, Billy Martin, Dick Howser) to win 100 games within their first two full seasons with the team. Girardi also joined Lou Piniella to have played for and managed teams that won at least 100 games. He’s done enough to be named AL Manager of the Year, writes Steven Goldman.

“Winning helps,” Posada said. “Coming here not knowing what to expect, as a player it’s different than as a manager, as a bench coach. The second time around is a little different. He did a lot of things to keep this team united. The first year I think he was tougher more on himself.”

? The Yankees’ 15 walk-off wins led the Major Leagues and were second-best in franchise history behind 17 set in 1943. Their 51 come-from-behind wins and 28 in their final at-bat were also best in the game.

? Think the Yankees enjoyed their new digs? After the All-Star break they won 31 of their final 39 regular season games at Yankee Stadium and compiled baseball’s best home record (57-24).

? Think Alex Rodriguez melts in the clutch? According to Elias, 15 of A-Rod’s 30 home runs either tied the game or gave the Yankees the lead, and seven came in the seventh inning or later and either tied the game or gave the Yankees the lead. Out of his 100 RBIs, 50 tied the game or were go-ahead, and 33 came in the seventh inning or beyond.

? Nobody will consider Phil Hughes for MVP, but consider this: The Yankees went 58-26 after Hughes was named Mariano Rivera’s primary setup man, and 31-5 in games in which Hughes appeared. In 54 games before Hughes, Yankees relievers were 13-10 with a 4.88 ERA and 14 saves). After Hughes, the ‘pen went 27-7 with a 3.37 ERA and 37 saves in 105 games.