Playoff Pulse: Coming Up Short

Playoff Pulse is our morning rundown of the night that was and the night that will be during the MLB postseason.

Looking Forward ...

Not this again. The World Series hasn't gone past five games since 2003, and that streak could be extended for a sixth straight year if the Yankees take care of business Monday night in Philadelphia.

There's a good chance that it won't and the Yankees will return to New York for Game 6 instead of a parade. The reason for that, of course, is Cliff Lee. But if Lee's form slips, A.J. Burnett could very easily put away the defending champs.

And that would be baseball's loss.

For whatever reason -- league imbalance, dumb luck and so on -- the sport's signature event has lacked the drawn-out drama that can make a best-of-seven baseball series the greatest entertainment on the planet.

There's plenty that's troubling about the postseason as its currently set up -- the schedule jumps immediately to mind -- so here's hoping the 2009 World Series at least makes it to six games. If you're an impartial observer, you've got to be pulling for every last bit of baseball you can get before settling in for a long winter.

In Their Own Words
"I think we take a lot of pride on being resilient and the way we bounce back. I know that we're going to come out and play tomorrow to win. I know that. I've seen us go through it before. We've blown 22 games from the seventh inning on or something this year. That's got to tell you something about the resilience of our team." -- Phillies manager Charlie Manuel.
By the Numbers
12 Combined blown saves this postseason by all teams after Joba Chamberlain allowed a game-tying home run to Pedro Feliz in the eighth inning of Game 4. The 12 blown saves is an all-time record. *-- Ed Price*
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Looking Back ...

Chase Utley didn't have all that great of a World Series last year (two home runs, yes, but he hit only .167), so it's nice to see him making a statement this time around, even if it doesn't end up lifting the Phillies to another title.

Utley is the game's most anonymous superstar, not even recognized by many casual fans as the best player on his own team (consider that teammates Ryan Howard and Jimmy Rollins have MVP awards, while he does not).

A few more people should know him now that he's homered three times in the first four games of this Fall Classic, with all three drives coming off of arguably the best left-hander in the game in CC Sabathia. Just for good measure, he's belted all three in two-strike counts.

Scout's Eye View ...

When a pitcher doesn't have his best stuff, more often than not the game will be struggle. And when a pitcher can't rely on his best secondary pitch, it frequently spells a short night on the mound. On Sunday night, CC Sabathia was, quite frankly, not close to his peak in terms of command. But few pitchers in baseball are as good without their A-game as the Yankee ace. He sets the bar so high that it's easy to say his Game 4 performance was less than impressive, but the reality is that his ability to hang in and get key outs is what allowed New York to pull out a victory.

Sabathia, in peak form, can cruise through a game simply by mixing his fastball and changeup. On Sunday night, he seemed to realize the typical feel for the changeup wasn't there and he was forced to throw more sliders. Although he was burned by Chase Utley on one, he threw some nasty sliders just about every time he needed a big out against a left-handed hitter. There were plenty of times in this game where Sabathia could have easily folded. This was a classic case of bend but don't break. Having a strong performance without your best stuff is what separates an ace from an ordinary pitcher.

-- Frankie Piliere

Monday's Tale of the Tape ...

Yankees (A.J. Burnett) at Phillies (Cliff Lee), 7:57 PM ET: Burnett was terrific in his last start, the Yankees' Game 2 win over the Phillies, but there are a couple of things to keep an eye on as New York tries to clinch its first title since 2000. First, Burnett is not the same pitcher away from Yankee Stadium; his ERA was more than a run higher on the road this season. Second, he's starting on three days' rest for the first time this postseason, and indeed the first time all year. He's been very good on short rest in the past, going 4-0 with a 2.33 ERA in four career starts. Everyone knows just how good Lee has been this postseason (for a reminder, two earned runs in 33 1/3 innings). Lee was terrific at Citizens Bank Park after his arrival from Cleveland in a deadline deal, going 3-2 with a 2.52 ERA down the stretch there.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

11-02-2009 @ 10:09AM

gendroffendr said...

"ooh, its the Yankees! lets all cower in awe!" better yet, lets just tell it like it is. the Phillies are choke artists. maybe that game 1 W came too easily. they havent done anything right in the clutch ever since. and now they will expect Lee to pitch another masterpiece to get them back to NY. well, he better, because its not likely he'll get much help from the team around him. tanks for showing up, ladies.

11-02-2009 @ 10:27AM

ftheyanks said...

Timeing is everything.when is MLB going to do something about this yankee organization.424 million to buy another championship,just makes no sense to anyone outside the yankee fan base.And at a time when amercans are really haveing a tough time, two wars that will not go away.the yankees sign three free agents cc sabathia,Mark teixeira,Aj burnett WOW!!!how cheap a way to win and no team should even try.It would be smart for every team in baseball to not sign any more free agents just let the yankees win year after year.untill even Steinbrenner the great PIG of all sports gets it.untill then ftheyanks

11-02-2009 @ 11:00AM

jack said...

Hooray. What Excitement. The Yankees are about to buy another championship.

11-02-2009 @ 11:10AM

bluberri26 said...

I'm sorry some of you a complete sore losers b/c your teams didn't spend money on good players that could get you to the post season. There was no championship bought, however, there have been played by good players. Don't be haters b/c your team can't figure out their fiscal game and unlike the Yankees create 5 or more home grown talented players that are worth their salaries.

11-02-2009 @ 12:06PM

Bilal said...

Some of your comments are utterly stupid. Yea, they spent 400+ million this year. First of all 23 over 7 years for CC, 16 million over 5 for burnett, 22.5 over 8 years for tex. That combines for 61.5 million for the 3 players. They offloaded over 80+ million dollars in salary this year compared to last, so for all you sayin "they bought another championship", no they didnt. All they did was replace some players and picked up pitchers which was their goal going into last off season. They will probably offload Damon and Matsui's contracts this is year as they will have swisher in right, nady in left and melky in center. The infield in a lock. They might be in the market for an outfielder but thats about it. The yankees are still under what they spent in the last few years. Please get that through your thick skulls.

11-02-2009 @ 12:27PM

mannysea18 said...

Dont waste your time trying to reason with those knuckleheads. They are all nothing but a bunch of cry baby red sux fans. They dont seem to want to understand that Jeter, Cano, Posada, Petit, Phil Coke, Joba, Phil Hughes, Mariano, Melky and Brett Gardner ( did i miss anyone ?) are all home grown.

11-02-2009 @ 3:04PM

kevin said...

thank you Bilal for stating what all these fools needed too hear. go yankees

11-02-2009 @ 2:57PM

devils said...

yankees you suck

11-02-2009 @ 4:33PM

424 million put that on your trophy.Instead of NY YANKEES becouse thats how you would have one.If you win.FTHEYANKS

11-02-2009 @ 5:09PM

perfect example of a yankee hater... read and learn child. F every moron that thinks yankees bought that championship. Money doesnt enable people to go out there and make their pitches or lay off pitches, drive in runs or steal bases. Money is just a players worth, it still takes effort on the players part to go out and win and thats what the yankees have done all year year long. They yankees can afford the best because they make the most. They pay their dues to other teams... Im very sure your team collects from the yankees as well. Quit your bitching and get over it.

11-02-2009 @ 5:16PM

Dave Dahlin said...

THANK YOU Mannysea & Bilal for setting those tards straight. What you saw again last night was one team refusing to lose while the other Sallies cried into their obnoxious white hankies. Life is good.

11-02-2009 @ 6:04PM

dsjr said...

gendroffendr - You are an idiot.

11-02-2009 @ 6:06PM

Yankees win! More Steroids for Pettitte and Rodriguez Hoooray.

11-02-2009 @ 6:17PM

wa wa wa...........cry into your white hankie loser

11-02-2009 @ 6:31PM

bobrav said...

Those towels Philly fans are waving will make for some good TV shots tonight as some will be using them to wipe their tears away.

11-02-2009 @ 6:37PM

right on the mark Bobrav..........so sad too bad

11-02-2009 @ 6:38PM

afn25 said...

what a bunch of sore losers stop crying cause your team is to cheap to spend money,money dont win championships antway it has been proven time and time again good pitching clutch plays win in the post season phillies choked just like the angels maybe rollins should keep his mouth shut and keep his dumb predictions to himself just as tori hunter and his stupid comment the west is the best yeah we se that wht a moron just like rollins and philly fans f**k you and your 2nd rate cheap ass city go yankees!!!!!!!!!!!!

11-02-2009 @ 6:52PM

Honey Bunny said...

Phillie is a one horse town, where the Phillie's owner banks a large percentage of his/her profit and hopes for the best with what they've got. NYer's demand the best and UNCLE GEORGE DEEP POCKETS will do his best to supply Yankee fans with a great team. You've got to spend money to make money. Do you think anyone in TIMBUCKTU knows who the @#$% the Phillies are? I doubt it.
WORLD FAMOUS NEW YORK YANKEES !!! GO YANKEES !!!!

11-02-2009 @ 6:57PM

jtroubleman said...

I thought thats what this was all about. Winning!!!

11-02-2009 @ 6:58PM

Alex said...

All sports have rules. The purpose of rules is to keep the playing field even-that is critial if you are to have meaningful fair competition.

By not having a salary cap, thus limiting small market, small revenue teams in the talent pool, you've violated the fundamental premise of fair competition.

That's one of the reasons why basball doesn't have the universal appeal, the cache of a sport like football.

It isn't fair and no amount of justification will change that truth.